Flitton 1

Caden Flitton
Ms. Starry
English 9 Honors Period 3
5 November 2015
Scouts Identity and Lee's Message
Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout faces multiple
challenges and experiences that help shape her identity and show the reader that one cannot
judge another based on outside appearances, stereotypes, and rumors. Scout has experiences with
Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Ewell, and Arthur "Boo" Radley. These experiences help to shape her identity
and broadcast Harper Lee's messages to the readers.
The first experience that helped to shape Scout's identity was Jem reading to Mrs.
Dubose. While telling Jem about his reasons for having Jem read to Mrs. Dubose, Atticus says, "I
wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea the courage is a man with a
gun in his hand" (Lee 116). With Atticus telling Scout and Jem about true courage, Scout learns
what real courage looks like. Since Scout is aware of real courage, she knows how to show it,
which helps to shape her courageous identity. Harper Lee's message that is broadcasted with this
experience is that real courage isn't always shown. Atticus tells the children about how Mrs.
Dubose had fits because she was a morphine addict (Lee 115). Scout takes from this experience
that people may be going through more than it appears, which helps her to form a nonjudgmental
identity. The author's message is that one may be going through more than it appears which may
explain the way they treat others how they do. With her experience with Mrs. Dubose, Scout's

Flitton 2
courageous and nonjudgmental identity is formed and Lee's messages about real courage and
about others' true lives are broadcasted to the reader.
Another experience that helps to form Scout's identity occurs between her, Jem, Atticus,
and Mr. Bob Ewell. After Atticus proves Mr. Ewell as a liar and takes away his credibility in the
court case, Mr. Ewell spits in Atticus's face (Lee 220). Scout's cautious identity is formed by this
experience when she learns that she has to think further down the road before acting because her
actions can have future consequences. Lee's message that is tied to this experience is that people
must be careful of what they do to others because it may backfire in the future. After the children
are attack by Bob Ewell, Atticus cannot comprehend that Mr. Ewell truly did try to get back at
him (Lee 270). This is yet another experience that helps to shape Scout's cautious personality.
The author's message is that even though someone may not seem serious when they threaten
another person, they could truly mean it. Scout's experiences with Bob Ewell help to form her
cautious identity and send the messages to the reader about thinking ahead and taking threats
seriously.
An ongoing experience that helps to form Scout's identity occurs with Arthur "Boo"
Radley. When Scout leads Boo home after he saved her from Mr. Ewell, she looks off the Radley
porch and states, "just standing on the Radley porch was enough" (Lee 282). With Scout standing
on the porch, she understands Boo. Scout's nonjudgmental identity is formed here when she sees
that not everyone is how they appear. Harper Lee's message is that one cannot judge another
based only upon stereotypes. After hearing the Arthur Radley stabbed his father with scissors,
Scout begins to feel that he is a scary, mean person. Scout learns from this event that

Flitton 3
she can't judge someone based on rumors which also helps to shape her forgiving identity. The
author's message is that one cannot judge another based on rumors that are spread. The ongoing
experience that Scout has with Boo teaches her that she cannot judge someone based on
appearances or rumors and Lee demonstrates that not everyone is how they first appear.
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout has several experiences with Mr. Ewell,
Mr. Radley, and Mrs. Dubose. These events teach her valuable life lessons and help to shape her
identity. These experiences also help form multiple messages by the author that are intended for
the reader.

Flitton 4
Works Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.