To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example
Andrew Phan
Mr. Geil
English 2H Per. 4
14 September 2011
To Kill a Mockingbird
“Don't judge a book by it's cover.” “Everything has it's beauty, but not everyone sees it.” “Appearances can be deceiving.” No matter how you say it, looking beyond appearance is something you have to know how to do. If you don't, you might as well associate yourself with the people living in Maycomb in the 1930's in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In this novel by Harper Lee, two children learn how to look beyond a person's appearance through their fellow townspeople's rash decisions and stereotyping.
“As Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man I accepted his invitation reluctantly. Somehow, I didn't think Atticus would like it if we became friendly with Mr. Raymond, and I knew Aunt Alexandra wouldn't. 'Here,' he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it. 'Take a good sip, it'' quieten you.' Dill sucked on the straws, smiled, and pulled at length. 'Hee hee,' said Mr. Raymond, eventually taking delight in corrupting a child. 'Dill, you watch out now,' I warned. Dill released the straws and grinned. 'Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola.'” (To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 20 pg. 267) As you can see in this passage, everyone ijudged this man, Dolphus Raymond, without even talking to him. The whole town thought he was just a drunk. Harper Lee even had the reader convinced Dolphus was just a drunk man. Dolphus turned out to be much more than meets the eye. His apparent sack of “beer” is just Coca-Cola! But, since nobody bothered to ever get to know him or ask him about his sack other than his family, everyone just labeled him as the town drunk. But, really, even though it was a small act of kindness, it was an act of kindness nonetheless, which showed that the “town drunk” was actually a nice man who knewthe townspeople would never understand him or look beyond his appearance. Dolphus Raymond is the first person I think of when I associate To Kill a Mockingbird with looking beyond
Mr. Geil
English 2H Per. 4
14 September 2011
To Kill a Mockingbird
“Don't judge a book by it's cover.” “Everything has it's beauty, but not everyone sees it.” “Appearances can be deceiving.” No matter how you say it, looking beyond appearance is something you have to know how to do. If you don't, you might as well associate yourself with the people living in Maycomb in the 1930's in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In this novel by Harper Lee, two children learn how to look beyond a person's appearance through their fellow townspeople's rash decisions and stereotyping.
“As Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man I accepted his invitation reluctantly. Somehow, I didn't think Atticus would like it if we became friendly with Mr. Raymond, and I knew Aunt Alexandra wouldn't. 'Here,' he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it. 'Take a good sip, it'' quieten you.' Dill sucked on the straws, smiled, and pulled at length. 'Hee hee,' said Mr. Raymond, eventually taking delight in corrupting a child. 'Dill, you watch out now,' I warned. Dill released the straws and grinned. 'Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola.'” (To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 20 pg. 267) As you can see in this passage, everyone ijudged this man, Dolphus Raymond, without even talking to him. The whole town thought he was just a drunk. Harper Lee even had the reader convinced Dolphus was just a drunk man. Dolphus turned out to be much more than meets the eye. His apparent sack of “beer” is just Coca-Cola! But, since nobody bothered to ever get to know him or ask him about his sack other than his family, everyone just labeled him as the town drunk. But, really, even though it was a small act of kindness, it was an act of kindness nonetheless, which showed that the “town drunk” was actually a nice man who knewthe townspeople would never understand him or look beyond his appearance. Dolphus Raymond is the first person I think of when I associate To Kill a Mockingbird with looking beyond