NOVELS: To Kill A Mockingbird

  To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that analyzes the situation in a racist southern town in early 20th century America. The story is told by Scout, who, with her brother Jem and neighbor Dill, were witness to an ugly incident involving an innocent black man and a drunken, abusive man.

Scout and Jem's father, Atticus, is a trial lawyer who takes on the case of a young black man accused of molesting Bob Ewell's daughter. Atticus is called a " lover" and the children are subjected to racism and hatred they knew not existed. Throughout the course of the trial, the children learn more and more about who their father really is, and come to realize the world they live in is more complex then trying to make Boo Radley, a town legend, come out of his house. During the course of the trial, Atticus proves that Bob Ewell is a drunk and a liar, yet Atticus loses the case to the all white jury. Enraged by Atticus's exposing him for what he really was, Ewell attempted to kill Jem and Scout on their way home from a pageant. Boo Radley stopped Ewell and in the process Ewell was killed. The children finally meet Boo Radley, and the children learn that though Boo never came out of his house, he could still be "real nice".

 

 

 

 

Updated on: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 03:08:29 PM