To kill a mockingbird: by bree martin

While reading Harper Lee's novel " To kill a mockingbird", we see what the life is like in a small town called Maycomb, Alabama. Which is filled with prejudice people. We see this through a young girls eyes. The novel is based on the author's observations of her family, neighboors, and hometown. This story takes place in the 1930's, and takes place in three years of the Great Depression. The text also talks about: the triumph of good over evil, the triumph of evil over good, and the scourge of social inequality. The narrator of this story is a tomboy, named Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. She lived with her brother "Jem", her father "Atticus", and their cook "Calpurnia". Atticus was a middle aged lawyer. As the story goes on Scout and Jem befriend a boy named Charles Baker "Dill" Harris, who stay with his aunt for the summer. After Jem tells stories to Dill about a man named Arthur "Boo" Radley, the three children become interested in it what Jem and other people say about Boo were really true. The rumors said about him were that he was crazy, and that one day he was usng scissors to make a scrapbook, and then he went over by his father and stabbed him in the leg and then went back to scrapbooking. Because of this his father impriosined him in the bottom of the courthouse. When his father died boo was sent back to the house where Nathan Radley (Boo's brother) came to live with him, so that he would stay inside the house. This rumor and many others made the children even more eager to get Boo out of his house, and to see how he really was. In the following summer Jem and Scout find that someone is leaving them small gifts in a knothole in a tree outside of the Radley's place. They wondered wo it was. They thought the "secret giver" could be Boo. For they thought that Boo had seen them pass by his house, and saw acts of wonder and mischief so then he gave them gifts to let them know that he was there, and not dead. This made the children think Boo was simply misunderstood and actually a really nice person. As the book progresses we take a look at "Atticus Finch" (Scout and Jems father). Atticus being a lawyer, was assigned to defend and protect a black man named "Tom Robinson", who was accused of raping a 19 yeaar old girl named "Mayella Ewell". The fact that Atticus (a wite man) was defending a black man "Tom Robinison" made many of Maycombs prejiduce citizens disaprove. This issue led to Atticus's children to be in the center of rude remarks and whispers. While defending Tom, Atticus runs into some conflict. For Atticus sat in front of Tom Robinison's jail door so that no one could harm him, but by doing that at the same time he was putting his family in even more danger. As the weeks past the trial came nearer. When it finally was present, Atticus did not invite the kids or want them to be present in the event. Because of this, Scout, Jem, and Dill snuck into the courtroom, and sat in the colored balcony and watched secretivley. The trial begins when Mr. Underwood is called to the stand, then followed by Bob Ewell (Mayella's father, a drunk and as the book later tells us the cause of the bruises, and the pain afflicted on Mayella, then followed by Mayella, and last Tom. Atticus could tell by Mayella's tone in voice, and the way she answered the questions, that she was lying, and that Tom was innocent, and her father beat her when he was drunk. but even with the evidence given, that specifically told why Tom was innocent, and why he did not or couldn't have raped her the jury still convicted him. As the trial ended Jem, Scout, and Dill were upset, and thought that Tom would've been not-guilty, and wouldn't be charged of anything. A day after the trial Tom was sent to another prison, and was to get ready for another trial that would've tooken place, for that night grave news was sent. Atticus was given the news that Tom had been shot and killed, for he tried to escape the prison and acted like a crazy man. This news made Atticus feel hopeless and sad. For after he had to pass the news onto Tom's family, and he did so. On his way back home, Atticus bumped into Bob Ewell, and Bob spits in Atticus's face. For he had been humiliatedby Atticus in the trial. Bob's actions had no affect on him so he drove away. Bob tried to let his anger out by trying to break in to the judges house, the Robinson's house, and don't forget, tried to kill Jem and Scout. Bob followed Scout and Jem on their way home from a school event, and carried a knife. For when he attacked them the kids did not know who it was, for it was dark anf late. Jem was attacked first and what resulted into him having a broken arm, and being knocked out unconsciencely. Before Ewell can get to Scout, he gets stopped by a stranger but at the same time a savior to the kids. The man pushes Ewell to the side and resulted in to Ewell falling on his knife and killing himself. Scout doe not see the mans face but sees him carrying Jem to their house. After when Scout gets home she finds Jem in his bed,and the man behind Jem's bedroom door. She then asks him if he was Boo Radley,and he nodds his head. Booo might've been quiet but he was a savior and a rescuer and a hero to Jem and Scout. He like Tom Robinson was simply misunderstood.




Reflection #1:


I think the title of th ebook relates with the story because as Atticus said "It was a sin to kill a mockingbird, because don't do anything but make music for us to enjoy, they don't eat peoples gardens, don't nest in unwanted places, don't do one thing but sing their hearts out". (Metaphorically) I think the mockingbirds in the book are: Boo Radley,and Tom Robinson. For Tom Robinson was a mockingbird because he didn't do anything bad. For he was falsey accused of raping Mayella. Even though the evidence was confident and made sense, the jury convicted him because of his color. For a white mans word always over-ruled a black mans in that time.
Arthur Radley A.K.A. Boo Radley was a mockingbird, because his father was known as a foot washer which was a person that belived that everyone was going to hell. Because of Boo's father people thought that Boo believed in that to. But a s the book later explains Boo was actually misunderstood, and actually a really nice, kind, giving, protective person.



Reflection #2:


While reading the book we read that social hierachy in Maycomb mattered for most people. I think in the book, the Finches stand on the top of Maycombs social hiearchy, and the black community at the bottom. For as i said before, a white man always overrules a black mans at that time. For an example of this is in Tom Robinsons trial. For the jury took Bob Ewells (a drunken white man) word, then a polite, innocent black man. Another example of this is in our present day. For if you are homeless ou are at the bottom of the society, but if you're the president you're at the top of society. The author of this book "Harper Lee" makes us see the role of class status, and prejiduec through a childs eyes.