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Homework Help: English: Books, Novels & Plays: To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee talks about a dad who raises his two
kids, Jem and Scout. His wife dies from a heart attack, so Calpurnia the
African housekeeper, helps Atticus out by cleaning and cooking for the
family. Atticus is a lawyer and has to defend a Negro named Tom Robinson,
since he is accused of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell, the
daughter of Bob Ewell. Through all this stress, he still manages to teach
his children manners and good judgment. He teaches them through the Tom
Robinson case, and how people should put themselves in their shoes before
they label anyone. Atticus teaches courage to his children as they grow up
to face the problems only a lawyer?s child could see.
At first, Atticus underestimates Jem and Scout. When snow falls for the first time in Maycomb, Jem and Scout decide to make a snowman. Originally, their father says there is too little snow; but Jem and Scout go over to their neighbor, Miss Maudie's backyard, and make a snowman. When their dad returns from outside, he sees the snowman. He says that he'll never have to worry about what Jem will become, because Jem always has an idea. Atticus believes in his children and considers them as young adults. Later on, Jem and Scout
don't get along too well with the neighbor Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose always
bothers them and tells them to act like a lady and gentleman. When Atticus
goes to speak to Mrs. Dubose, he says that he hopes she would have a nice
day the next day. Scout would think, "It was times like these, when I
thought my father was the bravest man who ever lived" (100). She thinks
her father is brave because he goes up to Mrs. Dubose and says nice things
to her. This represents how he looks at others and how Atticus teaches Jem
and Scout to go up and say what's right, not wrong.
Atticus's attitude towards his kids grows stronger during Tom Robinson's trial and when Jem cuts off Ms. Dubose's plants. When Atticus and a group of men are outside the jailhouse discussing the Tom Robinson case, Jem and Scout eavesdrop. Mr. Link Deas asks Atticus if he's sure they're going to win the trial. Atticus does not really believe that he can win because a white man always wins in a trial with a Negro. But he persists on, and gives it his all,
even though he knows he is going to lose the case. Meanwhile, Mrs. Dubose
calls Atticus a Negro lover and says he's no better than who he works for.
Jem and Scout get extremely upset about this, and Jem cuts the top of every
camellia bush that Mrs. Dubose has. Then the ground had leaves and green
buds on it all over. When Atticus goes home, he finds out Jem did the
cutting, shredding e.t.c. Jem explains how Mrs. Dubose calls Atticus
names. Atticus says, "to do something like this to a sick old lady is
inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs.
Dubose" (103-4). Atticus shows that it is okay to confront your fears and
that taking the challenge counts the most.
Homework Help: English: Books, Novels, & Plays
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