The novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates the idea that the bravest individual is the one who obeys his or her conscience. One way this work proves this point is through plot. Plot is the sequence of events in a literary work. As the plot unfolds in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, one of the books main characters, continues to do what he thinks is right despite what people say about him. An example of this behavior is how Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape, despite everything he has been taught, and despite the children and townspeople who antagonize his two children.
He is frequent acts of selflessness, and to Huck, he is more like a father than a friend. When the time he was caught and sent to the jail, Huck decided to against the society to help Jim to escape. For helping him, Huck has to choose from what is right to do, and what is good for his friend. “Alright, then, I’ll go to hell” (193). Jim teaches Huck how to make right decisions, how to treat people equally no matter what race they are, and the love of friendship.
How does Harper Lee use minor characters in To Kill A Mockingbird to explore some of the main concerns of the novel? 1) Harper Lee used Dolphous Raymond to explain how racism was at the time. Raymond could not be himself because people would judge him because he had a negro wife and children. 2) Harper Lee used Aunt Alexandra and Mrs. Dubose to explain how people were biased. Scout could not do anything without Aunt Alexandra and Mrs. Dubose criticizing what Scout was wearing, doing, and behaving.
This also shows how much courage Atticus has by not letting them in. Jem and Scout are very courageous. “ I swear before God if I’ll sit there and let them say somethin’ about Atticus” (Lee p.87). This was when Scout was at school and Francis called his dad a nigger lover. She got so mad and beat him up.
Prejudice is portrayed in many forms in the novel. Characters in the book suffer discrimination due to race, age, social status and sex. This racism appears to be a normal thing to the people of Maycomb. In the novel, Scout runs into trouble with both a classmate and a cousin when the two boys taunt her about her father, whom they call a "nigger love". Atticus explains to Scout that he will be defending a black man named Tom Robinson.
George assumes the role of Lennie’s keeper by giving him protection from getting into trouble, being a role model, and giving Lennie a companionship the way a big brother would. If it weren’t for George keeping Lennie out of trouble he would most likely be living a hard life in jail. Throughout the novel Lennie has shown many times that he cannot seem to stay out of trouble, which is when George comes to save the day. For example, George tries to keep Lennie out of Curley’s way, knowing that he has a grudge against him. When George hears that Curley hates big people he takes action knowing that Curley will hurt Lennie at any chance he gets he tells Lennie, “ Look Lennie, You try to keep away from him, will you?
An example where we can see Atticus showing compassion despite the fact that he does not entirely agree with Bob Ewell’s actions is when he says “… so if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out one somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.” (Lee,
Black men were not men at all, but they were property. Huck struggled with this throughout the book as he felt guilt and condemnation for not returning Jim back to his rightful owner, Widow Douglas. But even in the peculiar relationship, it was confusing as to which would be the father figure, Huck or Jim. Jim definitely filled the role as protector, when he shielded Huck from seeing corpse of his godforsaken Pap. Jim also displayed the image of father that would give up his own life for his boy when stayed with Tom after he got shot.
Atticus reveals the futility in the effort to vindicate Tom Robinson’s name in a conversation with his brother. He states,” The only thing we got is a black man’s word… The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells(88).” Atticus, despite his knowledge of the impossibility in winning the case, chooses to defend Tom Robinson. He supports Lee’s statement about “real” courage, and his lives up to his moral preaching. In addition, when Heck Tate says that the act of bring Arthur Radley’s heroic act to the attention of Maycomb residents is a “sin,” Atticus complies to the “Bob Ewell fell on his knife” scenario. After revealing to Scout, “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” Atticus lies, unwilling to harm Arthur Radley, despite his expressed pride in his profession of law.
This tells us that Jem really wants his father to not see him as a child anymore but as an adult. If Atticus knows Jem defied him and was bugging the Radley boy again, that would upset him and Jem wants his fathers respect. I think Jem doesn’t want to disappoint his father, he wants to prove he is becoming a man. Chapter 7 1. When Jem goes back to get his pants at the Radley house he finds them poorly sewed (as if to been fixed by a man) and folded and hung on the fence as if they were waiting for him.