Tracking Themes TKM

Directions: For each listed theme, find at least THREE strong examples from the novel.
(1/2 point each example)

THEME EXAMPLE #1 EXAMPLE #2 EXAMPLE #3

Education Miss Caroline states Miss Caroline does Scout asks Jem how
that “we don’t write not seem to Miss Gates can
in the first grade, we understand the preach about
print”. This implies culture of the town, equality when she
that the education since when Scout came out of the
system is restrictive explains that a courthouse after the
and flawed, which Cunningham will trial and told Miss
stops people from not take anything for Stephanie Crawford
showing their true free, Miss Caroline that "it was about
potential. slaps her hand, time that someone
instead of trying to taught the blacks in
understand. School town a lesson". This
is often supposed to reveals the
be a place where a education system at
student can grow that time to be as
intellectually and hypocritical as the
emotionally, but missionary circle
Scout does not have (chapter 24).
that experience the
first year.
Bravery/Cowardice After Mrs.Dubose Atticus Jem shows
dies, Atticus tells his demonstrates his cowardice when he
children that real bravery by standing refuses to admit to
courage is “when up to the mob Atticus that he was
you know you’re outside of Tom in the Radley's’
licked before you Robinson’s cell and garden. He fears
begin, but you begin defending Tom in disappointing his
anyway and you see court in front of a father more than he
through it no matter racially prejudiced fears being shot at
what”. jury. as he goes back to
the Radley’s house
to retrieve his pants.
Racial Prejudice Tom Robinson is Dolphus Raymond During Aunt
assumed to be guilty is continuously Alexandra’s
of sexually frowned upon missionary tea, the
assaulting Mayella because he has a white middle class
Ewell simply family with a black ladies discuss the
because he is a woman. Because of awful living
 black man and she is this, he acts drunk conditions of the
a white woman, when people women and children
even when the confront him about of the Mruna tribe in
evidence points to his decisions in Africa. However
him being innocent. hopes of the people they are far less
of Maycomb finally sympathetic to the
leaving him alone. black people living
in Maycomb as they
treat them with no
respect and don’t
care about their
happiness.

Social Class Aunt Alexandra In chapter 23, JemBlack people are the
Prejudice forbids Scout and puts people into four
lowest social class
Jem from playing groups: “The in Macomb, they all
with Walter ordinary kind like us
live on “their side of
Cunningham and the neighbors,town” and have low
because he is the Cunninghams, paying jobs on
beneath their “social the Ewells, and the
farms or as trash
status” and family Negroes”. collects and maids.
history. Even the educated
black people like
Calpurnia are forced
to live a low class
life. Their church is
badly maintained
and they cannot
afford a piano, and
don’t own books
because most of
them can’t read.
Gender Prejudice On chapter five of Repeatedly According to Aunt
TKAM, Scout is throughout the book, Alexandra, being a
being excluded from Jem snaps at Scout female meant Scout
Jem and Dill’s saying that she’s had to wear a dress
schemes because acting so much like and could not be
she’s a girl. a girl and/or active and play
becoming more like outside.
a girl every day just
because of a way
she said something
and/or acts.
Loss of Innocence Jem loses his After Jem damaged Throughout chapters
innocence after Tom Mrs.Dubose’s 28-30, Bob Ewell
Robinson’s trial in camellias, he is attacked Jem and
which he was found ordered by Atticus Scout, and broke
guilty. He realised to read to her every Jem’s arm. They
not everyone is as day. After she died, learned that Boo
good of a person as he learned that she Radley saved their
he thought they had a morphine lives as Bob tried to
were. As Atticus addiction, and that kill the children of
said, “There’s a lot she was not in Atticus Finch.
of ugly things in this control of herself Additionally, Jem
world, son. I wish I because of her drug and Scout Finch
could keep em’ all addiction. They learn that Boo
away from you. learn this is why she Radley wasn't as bad
That’s never would say such rude of a person as
possible.” things and have an Maycomb thought
erratic behavior. he was, and instead,
he was forced to be
cooped up in the
house because of
Mr.Radley’s and
Nathan’s cruelty
towards him.
Answer the following question:
Which theme do think is ​most important​ to the overall meaning of this novel? (1 pt)

I believe that the loss of innocence of certain characters in the book is one of the
most important themes displayed, and one that greatly contributes to the overall meaning
of this novel. The loss of innocence is mostly shown in Jem and Scout, who often
throughout the book learn life lessons and/or things that they had a certain view on before
an event happening that changed their point of view. In the novel, Jem and Scout learn
that some people they believed were good weren’t actually good at all. They also learn
about the cruel reality of people who suffer with drug addiction because of Atticus’s
explanation of why Mrs.Dubose died. Another example of this is when they learn about
the harsh conditions Boo Radley had to go through in his household because of
Mr.Radley and Nathan, and that the rumors about Boo were not true at all. Boo was
misunderstood by the town of Maycomb just by some heavily spread rumors about him.
These three examples correlate to real life situations and life lessons that more people
should be aware of. People who you think are good can turn out to be a very cruel person,
people with drug addictions cause them to not be in control of themselves and ruin real
life relationships with people they care about, and finally people being misunderstood
and hated just because of rumors and their living condition. As Jem and Scout continue to
learn these things throughout the book, you can notice how they’re views have changed
and how more mature they have become since they have been shown to the reality of the
world back then.