Characters:
- Jean Louise “Scout” Finch is a 9 year old girl who is known as a tomboy. She is an intelligent curious girl. She has faith in the goodness of people in her community. But throughout the faith in her heart is tested due to the hatred and injustice. She gradually takes on a more mature and understanding perspective to understanding human goodness but also not ignoring human evil.
- Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch is Scout’s brother and is known as a typical American boy. He moves into adolescent in the book and he is disgusted by the unfair and unjust towards the Tom Robinson case.
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Atticus Finch is a much known lawyer in Maycomb. He is the father of Scout and Jem and teaches them sense of mortality and justice. He is committed to racial equality and helps to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white girl.
Mockingbirds in the novel:
There were many characters that were known as mockingbirds because they are good and innocent but destroyed by evil. They are
- Arthur Radley also known as Boo Radley
- Tom Robinson
In 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, it shows what happens when a white lawyer defending a black man that is accused of raping a white girl.
This story shows the full insight in the Deep South of the Thirties as we look through the eyes of Scout and Jem.
Scout Finch, 9 years old, is the antagonist and like any other girls her age, she is curious of the world around her. Her brother, Jem, their friend, Dill and her starts a journey to find the unknown. But the only true adventure starts when Atticus is going to defend a black man, Tom Robinson who had been charged with the rape of a white girl. What made this situation so different was the fact that a white lawyer was going to help a black man. As Atticus reminds his kids; Jem and Scout “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”, he wants to defend the real mockingbird.
From the book we can gather enough evidence that Tom Robinson is not guilty and with such a powerful and strong lawyer, Atticus, he was bound to win. But that was not the verdict. The verdict was that Tom Robinson was guilty. He was shot 17 times all because he was a black man.
This book has all the themes of prejudice, violence and innocence as we see through Scout’s eyes for the struggle of justice.
To find more on the background on To Kill a Mockingbird, click here.
