Preview

To Kill A Mockingbird Coexistence Of Good And Evil

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
353 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
To Kill A Mockingbird Coexistence Of Good And Evil
The trial between Robinson and Ewell brings up the theme of the coexistence of good and evil. Beforehand, Scout and Jem had never truly assumed people were evil, therefore they haven’t exactly understood the world quite yet. Throughout the book, Jem and Scout transition from their innocence to experience. Mainly, Jem and Scout learn about hatred, prejudice, racism, and ignorance, which all inevitably confront the innocent. Such as during and after the trial, Jem, scout, and Atticus were treated differently solely because it was the social norm and the ignorant did not know better. In effect, Jem and Scout mature and learn from what they experienced. Tom Robinson is a character that stays invisible throughout the story. His involvement was
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    To What Extent Did Tom Robinson Have A Fair Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 107 Words
    • 1 Page

    To What Extent Did Tom Robinson Have A Fair Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird

    The trials verdict was made and Tom Robinson was proven guilty. There were plenty of evidence that supported Tom Robinson’s innocence, but because he is black he was treated unfairly. Jem was very disappointed when the decision was made because he thought Maycomb was a town filled with great and fair people. It affected Jem a lot and it made him overthink so many things, it also made him not talk to Scout much or anyone and that made Scout sad and worried about Jem. Meanwhile, Scout did not really care about the decision that was made because she did not quite understand what was going on.…

    • 107 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Comparing "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Bless Me, Ultima".
    • 1607 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Comparing "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Bless Me, Ultima".

    A major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is the moral nature of humans. At the beginning of the novel, Scout and Jem live in their childhood world, intuitively assuming that everyone is good because not once in their lives have they seen what evil truly is. As Jem and Scout transition from their naïveté and innocence, Atticus is there every step of the way, in order to guide them towards the right path. He is neither the strictest parent nor the most affectionate, but the reader comes to see Atticus as the noblest man and father one could ever encounter. As Tom Robinson's trial looms around the corner,…

    • 1607 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird How Does Jem Change Essay
    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird How Does Jem Change Essay

    At the beginning, Jem wants to be a lawyer like his father. He admires what his father does because he believes that the justice system always works the way it's supposed to, with the guilty always being convicted and the innocent always being proved so. So when Tom Robinson is convicted for a crime he obviously did not commit, Jem loses his faith in the innate goodness of the world he previously saw and his faith in the justice system, all at once. He refuses to even talk about the court case, going as far as to yell at Scout when she mentions it, which shows how truly shaken up the whole situation had left him. Overall, Jem's perspective is forced to become a more mature one due to the extreme circumstances he encountered so early on in his life. His beliefs in goodness are shattered by the reality that people's prejudice can stop them from doing the right thing, changing his attitude towards the world utterly and causing his entire character in To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, to change along with…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Atticus Fight Against Evil
    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Atticus Fight Against Evil

    Jem and scout are young and have not experienced the world very much but they are not too young to be exposed to evil. Atticus, Jem and Scout’s dad, Tries his hardest to make sure Jem and Scout don’t have to ever experience evil but he knows that there is no way to not too. At the time, Atticus is defending a black man, Tom Robbinson, and a lot of the town disagrees with it. Since Atticus is defending Tom, A lot of the kids give Jem and Scout a hard time because of what their parents tell them. In the book, Atticus says, “What bothers me is that Scout and Jem will have to asorb some pretty ugly things soon.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Analysis Essay
    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Analysis Essay

    However, after Tom Robinson is convicted for a crime that he clearly did not commit, Atticus’ mercy for humanity begins to waver. Even though he knows that this case was inherently against Robinson, he still feels distraught that the jury was prejudiced enough to declare a man guilty, only because of the color of his skin. After the verdict, Atticus “... left the courtroom, but not by his usual exit. He must have wanted to go home the short way, because he walked quickly down the middle aisle toward the south exit… He did not look up.” (Lee, 215). Throughout the novel, Lee has created Atticus as the wise figure who seeks the goodness in everything.. He teaches Jem and Scout to walk in one’s shoes before judging them and that the surface of one's life does not accurately portray what is within. This scene shows that human malevolence can change Atticus’ attitude, despite how strongly he feels that every human has a part of them that is pure. Lee’s juxtaposition of Atticus’ character gives the reader insight on how an incident that involves the abuse of human virtue can change one’s attitude and…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Atticus Teach His Parents In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1415 Words
    • 6 Pages

    How Does Atticus Teach His Parents In To Kill A Mockingbird

    This is one lesson where he mostly lets them learn through real world experience. When Jem questions how the jury found Tom Robinson guilty when he so clearly was not, Atticus says, "As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (295). Racism is a main theme in this book. It is a court case in which there is a black man verses a white man. This is one of the few times where Atticus tells them there is a right and a wrong, and racism is wrong. Jem realizes this and cannot understand why the verdict came back guilty. Atticus explains that some people just can't get past race and realize that we are all the same species and we are equal. They are wrong, but that's just how it is. Scout and Jem learn this through the town and just have to accept it even though they do not fully comprehend it. Jem thinks that the jury made the verdict quick, but Atticus corrects him, " No it didn't ... That was the one thing that made me think, well, this maybe the shadow of a beginning. That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but it usually takes 'em just a few minutes" (297). Atticus may have even taught the town a few lessons with his arguments in court. The verdict took a long time, that…

    • 1415 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
    • 1390 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

    One big event was the court case of Tom Robinson. When Atticus was talking to the Jury, he said “You gentlemen would go along with the assumption...that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women.” (273). Atticus already knew that he could not win this court case, because no one would stand with Tom. In this event, Atticus was calling out the jury and every racist person in Maycomb. He was saying that they just assume that every negro is a bad person, but they don’t consider what they have experienced. They did not think that Tom, an innocent man, was about to have his life ruined. They only saw the color of his skin, and Atticus was not okay with that. Another example is when Scout beats up Walter Cunningham. After school, Scout thought “Catching Walter Cunningham in the schoolyard gave me some pleasure, but when I was rubbing his nose in the dirt Jem came by and told me to stop.” (30). Scout was not thinking about Walter Cunningham in this scenario. She was only thinking of herself and how she had to explain that Walter was poor to the teacher, which inconvenienced her. Walter is already poor and has a hard enough life, but Scout continues to make it harder. Jem, who is more mature, realized this and got her to stop. Scout let her thoughts of prejudice get the better of her.…

    • 1390 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Coming Of Age Experiences In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Coming Of Age Experiences In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

    Jem and Scout encounter contradistinctive prospects when they are judged for what their father does, and how they act. Scout witnesses what it’s like to see her father be considered “trash like the people he works for,” as a result of Atticus defending a black man. In a different situation Scout wants to show Cecil Jacobs shouldn’t call her parent a bad name. “and I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.” Scout is taking pressure from the trial, Mrs. Dubose comments, what she shouldn’t do.…

    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jem Finch Trial
    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Jem Finch Trial

    The trial of Tom Robinson is very influential on Jem and Scout. This is an important depiction of how colored people were treated at the time. Although they are white and privileged, they understand that the trial was unjust. After the trial, the author writes, “I peeked at Jem, his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (Lee 282). Jem is smart enough to realize how obvious it was that Tom was innocent, but the…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird: Coexistence Of Good Or Evil?
    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird: Coexistence Of Good Or Evil?

    To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee and, published in 1960. Classic novels should say something of value. They may draw attention to issues within human condition. These issues usually transcend time, remaining relevant to later generations. In To Kill A Mockingbird (TKAM hereafter), Harper Lee draws attention to the societal issues covering themes of coexistence of good and evil, the importance of moral education and the existence of social inequality. These themes are explored through the characters of Scout Finch, Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson.…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Literary Analysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Literary Analysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird

    As Jem and Scout are watching the judge convict, Scout starts to cry, but Jem does the opposite. “‘It ain’t right’ he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where he found Atticus waiting”(pg.284). When readers examine this passage, they are able to sense this feeling of Jem transitioning into Mr.Finch. As he is hearing the convict, a feeling of anger overpowers him, enabling him to see how racism is affecting the South deeply. This contributes to the theme by showing Jem’s turning point from a kid to a mature man. Also, his perspective plays a huge role in this, as his anger is controlling his actions. Since Scout hasn’t realized the power of racism yet, her emotion are just for Tom, not for the movement. Another example of tone in the novel is when Jem is trying to tell Atticus that Maycomb County needs to understand that Tom Robinson didn’t do nothing to the girl. “‘He didn’t kill anybody even if he was guilty. He didn’t take anybody’s life”’(pg.293). This quote shows how Jem’s tone towards helping Tom has changed from anger to reason. The theme supports this by showing how the perspective of Jem is beginning to see the trial from all the different sides. Although he is too young to even participate in this kind of situation, he is beginning to understand the concepts of the kind of people there are in this world. Altogether, Jem’s coming of age for becoming a man can be seen in…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Expository Essay
    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Expository Essay

    Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, is an honest white man who is defending an innocent Negro man, although he is frowned upon by others. The white folks of Maycomb County think that they have a higher social status than the black community, and that the views of a Negro does not matter. The most blatant example of racism in the novel is when Tom Robinson was convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. Although the people of the town know that Tom Robinson was innocent, the jury still saw him as guilty because he is an African American man, and would never be able to win over a white man. This jury ruling causes both those who encouraged Robinson’s conviction and those who were convinced of his innocence to question their views of justice and fairness. This decision forces Scout and Jem to confront the fact that the beliefs that Atticus has taught them cannot always be accustomed with the reality of the world and the evils of human nature. Even their neighbor, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, who the children are scared of, is racist and calls Atticus a "nigger-lover" to his children. The children despise of her and “hated her. If she was on the porch when [they] passed, [they] would be raked by her wrathful gaze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior, and given a melancholy prediction on what [they] would amount to when [they] grew up, which was always nothing”…

    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Good And Evil In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Theme Of Good And Evil In To Kill A Mockingbird

    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a riveting novel about a family discovering the cruelness of the world. The story is told through the eyes of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, a girl who spends her time running around in overalls and chasing after her older brother Jem. Throughout the course of the novel, Scout witnesses the revolting aspects of human nature and learns the answers to questions concerning evilness corrupting the beautiful innocence of a child.…

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Fair Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fair Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Imagine how hard life was for colored people back then. How one couldn’t even receive a fair trial because of someone’s color or ethnicity. How is was virtually impossible for them to receive a fair trial without people using stereotypes to structure their judgment. To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates many conflicts, one being the beating and rape of a white woman by a black man, which back then was punishable by death. With this case, a man by the name of Atticus accepts to defend the man who is accused : Tom Robinson. Atticus has to endure what the society throws at him, along with his two children : Jem and Scout. To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee reveals, by using characters and characters’ actions and choices, it is morally correct to stand up and do the right thing. Without someone pointing out what is wrong with the society, things will never change for the better.…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis
    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis

    Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout learn lessons that change their point of view and cause them to mature. Their views of good and evil are basic at the beginning of the novel and are based on what they've been allowed to be a part of. As the story progresses their views change because they are shown the hatred violence and prejudice in their town. Jem, Scout, and Dill experience the adult side of Macomb and it changes their entire outlook on life. They comprehend prejudice and violence more and understand what causes it and why it…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics