To Kill a mockingbird essay

Essay by UncleBennyBoyHigh School, 10th gradeB+, October 2014

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A good novel makes us think about important ideas and issues and this has been achieved very well in the significant novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Harper Lee's novel is significant because of the way the themes appeal to audiences. Racism, Power, and exploitation of innocence are shown very well in this novel.

Racism is shown very well in this novel through a number of techniques. It is one of the major themes in this significant novel. It is important because it is very relevant to what was happening in the real world at that time. Racism was a very big issue in South America. Great examples of Racism shown throughout the novel include the Tom Robinson court case at the end of the novel and the general racism towards blacks by the general community. Racial prejudice and its terrible effects are emphasized in the novel through Harper Lee's development of plot and character.

The main plot, Tom Robinson's trial and its aftermath, shows the cruelty and tragic injustice of racism. "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans, in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird". This is a quote from Atticus to Jem. This is one of the quotes that are the focal point of the entire book. It's reflecting on the fact that Tom Robinson did nothing wrong and he is being portrayed as a mocking bird here.

Power is applied to the storyline through many different ways. In the novel the law and white people show a lot of power. Symbolism is a technique that is used a lot in To...