1. “To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel about strength of character and resilience.

” 

Write an essay in which you describe TWO incidents that exhibit resilience/strength
of character. In this essay you must also discuss how the Maycomb society regards
ONE of the characters that shows resilience/strength of character, and examine ONE
narrative technique that the writer uses to enhance the resilience/strength of
character. (Irony, Symbolism (mockingbird), Foreshadowing,
Contrast/Juxtaposition, Flashback, First person narrative, motif – disease,
mockingbird)

a) Mrs. Dubose tries to fight her morphine addiction by asking Jem to read to
her in order to distract her from taking the pills.
b) Atticus gets word from Sheriff Heck Tate about the lynch mob wanting to
lynch Tom since he moved to the county Jail
c) Atticus actually defends Tom Robinson when he knew it was a losing battle
and that he would receive a slew or racial comments etc.
d) Jem and Scout go out in the middle of the night to ensure that Atticus was
safe and when the lynch mob comes, Jem says ‘no’ to Atticus when asked to
leave. Also Scout uses an innocent conversation with Mr. Walter Cunningham
snr. to disperse the mob.
e) Atticus shooting the mad dog.
f) Scout listens to Atticus when she is asked not get into a fight when faced with
racial slurs or anything of the sort. Even though sometimes cannot control
herself, she still feels disappointed in herself for not following Atticus’s
orders.
g) Boo Radley’s ability to protect the children against the Ewell’s and show his
face when he knows that there are many stereotypes placed against him and
he has been a recluse for so long
h) Tom Robinson remains calm and truthful and does not yield to the criminal
attributes placed on him.
i) Miss Maudie Atkinson does not feel much sorrow when her house burns
down.
j) Calpurnia ‘fights back at Lula’ at the Church.

Atticus
Atticus is respected by members of the society. Atticus is also 50 year old feeble man
and his children do not see him like the other fathers/men in the society who hunt,
fish, play poker, shoot, drink and smoke. In some cases Atticus says that he cannot
do it but in most, he chooses not to because he does not believe in some of those
activities as positive for the human character. With that said, he has lots of integrity,
honesty and there are certain things he believes does not particularly ‘make the
man’. So he redefines manliness. Even though he does not partake in ‘manly’
activities, we still think he is brave because he is defending a black man despite the
fact that it is a losing battle. Also he does things that people don’t expect like giving
Calpurnia so much power in the household to teach his children.
The Maycomb society looks down on him for defending a black man however,
readers might believe he stands for morality and justice and even other characters
like the Sheriff and the Judge.

Technique
Foreshadowing – the snow in Maycomb. The society has not seen before and even
the fire was a surprise. So this was quite catastrophic. Similarly, they have never
seen a white man defend a black man before.

Foreshadowing – shooting the mad dog/ Symbolism of the mad dog

The mad dog might represent racism and the fact people speculated about the dog
and it never seemed to be a threat but the people were afraid of the idea the dog
would dog would hurt them, in the same way they fear blacks or any other race.
They judge from afar. But Atticus shooting the dog symbolizes his attack on racism
or rather the irrational fear of racism.

Contrast/Juxtaposition
Atticus is different from his ancestry. He does not conform to the slavery history he
has unlike his sister, Aunt Alexandria. He defends Tom and sees people as human
beings as opposed to people to stratified and grouped unnecessarily. He is also
honest etc. and he is different from the other fathers who show their macho
sensibilities.
People in the community view him differently – on both sides of the spectrum. He is
either a fool for defending a black man or he is morally just.