To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

To Kill a Mocking Bird




In the 1960's American classic, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, explores the issue of racism through the eyes of a young, white girl name Scout Finch who struggles to understand the racist behaviors of society. Set in the 1930's, during the Great Depression, in Maycomb, a country town in southern United States, the novel explores controversial issues between the whites and the black and explores fatherhood. Atticus Finch father of young girl Scout is a key character who has a big impact on how the story plays out. Atticus teaches his kids many life lessons with skills and judgments. The Finch family is quite wealthy and has a big contrast compared to other family’s such as the Cunningham’s. However Atticus raising his kids through his own example gets them into a lot of strife for being friendly with the black African Americans and more.

Atticus has a huge impact on the ways his kids Jem and Scout live their life and view other people. Throughout the duration of the novel there are numerous events, which allow Atticus to give his kids life lessons. When Scout tells Atticus about there old crazy neighbor Mrs. Dubose Atticus teaches scout a lesson in life “If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” This taught Scout a big lesson not to judge people so fast. The Finch family are one of the few families in the Maycomb town who support the blacks, “Atticus says cheating a black man is ten times worse than cheating a white.” This shows how Atticus raises Jem and Scout through his own example and they both look up to him.

During the period of the novel it is made clear that Atticus is a very good father and sets a better example of life then many other fathers in the small town. Sir Walter Cunningham (senior) is a farmer who...