1Schaal

HunterSchaal
English10
LiteraryAnalysis
Ms.Boes
5March2014

ToKillAMockingbirdwaswrittenandpublishedintheyear1960.Thisnoveltellsthe
journeyofayoungadventuresticgirlnamedJeanLouiseFinch,ormorecomelyknowasScout.
ThroughoutthebookScoutandherbrotherJemgoonadventureafteradventure.Jemwhois
olderthanScoutteachesherlifelessonsalongthewayandshowsherwhatfamilymeans.
InToKillAMockingbird,HarperLeetellsheraudiencethatfamilyisthemostimportantthingin
thewholeworld.Thatyoullmeetfriendsthatcomeandgo,butyourfamilyisalwaysthere.
AtthebeginningofthebookScoutmeetstheCunninghams.TheCunninghamsarenot
thewealthiestpeopleinthetownofMaycombandScoutdoesntknowthat.HerfatherAtticus
tellsherthattheirfamilyisoneofthemorewealthiestpeopleinthetown.AtticusteachesScout
that,youdontknowwhatapersonislikeuntilyoutakealookthroughtheirshoes.Meaningthat
Scoutshouldnotassumeeveryoneislikeher.
Atherfirstdayofschool,sheisyelledatbyMs.CarolineFisherbecauseScoutcanread
andtheothersinherclasscant.Whenreadingthisyoucanseethateveryfamilyisdifferentin
theirwaysofteachingtheirchildren.Somewillwanttheirchildrentosucceedfromdayone.Also
onScoutsfirstday,sheattacksWalterCunninghamJr.becauseheispoor.Jemstepsinand
saystoScout,Toknockitoff!JemtheneventslittleWalteroverforlunch.WhenattheFinch's
house,WalterCunninghamdrownshisfoodinsyrup.Scoutthinksthisisoddandstartsmaking
funofWalter.Curpunica,thehousemaidstepsinandtakesScouttotheotherroom,whereshe
explainstoScoutthatWaltersfamilyisdifferentanddoesntalwaysgetalotoffood.Scout
realizesshemessedup,andapologizes.
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ScoutandJemareprettyclosefortheiragedifference.Theyhangoutalmosteveryday.
Thiscanshowyouthat,theFinchshouseholdisbondtogetherinatightknot.Theytwochildren
havegrownupwithoutamother.WithnomotheraroundandtheirfatherAtticusworkingallthe
time,theyhavingsortabeenforcedtostaytogether.Thisbondshipbetweenbrotherandsisteris
whatfamilyisallabout.Togetherness.
Dill,orCharlesBakerHarrisisJemandScoutsclosestfriend.Hetagsalongwiththem
wherevertheygo.Dillisntaroundallthetime.HeonlycomestoMaycombwhenhevisitshis
Aunt.DilleverytimeheisinMaycombwantstotryandfindBooRadleythetownslocallegend.
BooRadleyissomeonewhohasbeenconfinedtohishome,goingcrazyovertheyears.
BoosrealnameisArthurRadley.Hehadagoodchildhooduntilhegointroublewiththelaw.
Insteadofgoingtoajuvenilefacility,Arthursfathertoldthesheriffthathellcontrolhisboy.And
sincethatdaynoonehasseenArthurRadley.TheRadleyfamilyisonethatisscaredtoget
attentionfromthetown.TheybasicallycoveredupthefactthatArthurRadleyevenexisted.
Parentsthataretooproudofwhatthey,themselveshaveaccomplished,liveinfearthattheir
childrenwillmessitalluparethereallosersinlife.
Atticusjobisalawyer.HeisthebestlawyerinthetownofMaycomb.Heisgiventhejob
todefendanAfricanAmericanmanwhoisbeingaccusedofrappingayoungwoman.Thistrial
getsallthepublicityfromthetown.Rumorsgetstartedhereandthere.Atticuslifeisinjeopardy
becausehedefendsAfricanAmericans.OnenightwhenheiswatchingoverTomRobinson,the
AfricanAmericanaracistmobcometothejailandtellsAtticustoleavesotheycanteachToma
lesson.Atticuswillnotleave.FearingthatAtticusisintrouble,ScoutandJemrundowntothe
jailhouseandmaketheirwaythroughthemobtoAtticus.AtticustellsJemtogetScoutand
leave.Jemwillnot.Thistookgutsfromtheboy.Hedidntwanthisfathertogethurt.Heloveshis
father.ScoutrealizesthatWalterCunninghamSr.ispartofthemobandstartstalkingtohim,
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tellinghimabouthissonWalterJr.Mr.Cunninghamisfeelingpressuredtodosomethingandhe
decidestoleavethejailhouse.Whenheleavestherestofthemobleavestoo.Scout,Jem,and
Atticusareafamilythatstickstogether.Whenonehasaproblemtheothersdontjustsitand
seetheotherfail,theyhelpeachotheroutandhelpthemsucceed.
Whenthedayofthebigtrialcomes,thewholetowncomesouttosee.JemandScout
aresittingwithCalpurniaandtheReverend.ThetrialhasgoodpointstryingtoaccuseTom
Robinson,butmoregoodpointssayingheisinnocent.Whenthejuryreachedtheirverdictthey
sayTomisguilty.AtticusisdisappointedthatheletTomdown.Whenthefamilyisattheirhome
lateron,ScoutandJemcomfortAtticusinatimeofneed.
Devastationscanbringeithertheveryworst,ortheverybestoutofafamily.Theycan
eitherfallapartorgetmorestronglyknittedtogether.OnedaywhilewalkinghomeScoutand
Jemareattacked.JemhelpssaveScoutbutcannotsavehimself.Jemdiesfromhisinjuries.
TheFinchfamilyissmallernow,butbuiltstronger.Adeathinthefamilyisoneofthehardest
thingstoovercomeinlife.Butifyouhavepeoplearoundyouthatarewillingtoworktogetoverit,
magicwillhappen.Happinesswillhappen.
InToKillAMockingbird,HarperLeeshowsthatfamilydoesntjustmeanYeahwere
related.Itmeansmorethanthat.Familyiseverything.Familyistherichestitemapersonowns
fromthedaytheyareborn.Familiessticktogether.