To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Analysis

To Kill a Mockingbird Novel

• Published in 1960 by Harper Lee
• Explores themes of racism and social injustice

Characters

• Jean Louise "Scout" Finch
  • Narrator of the story
  • 6 years old at the beginning of the story
  • Tomboy, eager, inquisitive, and observant
• Jeremy "Jem" Finch
  • Scout's older brother, 10 years old at the beginning of the story
  • Respectful, considerate, and possesses a capacity for deep thinking
• Atticus Finch
  • Lawyer in Maycomb, Alabama
  • Widowed father of Jem and Scout
  • Well-respected, honest, open-hearted, and fair-minded
• Calpurnia
  • Finch family cook
  • Provides insight into the African-American community
  • Acts as a bridge between the Finch children and the broader racial issues in their society
• Arthur "Boo" Radley
  • Reclusive neighbor who becomes the subject of town legends
  • Fascinates Jem, Scout, and Dill during their summers
• Charles Baker "Dill" Harris
  • 6-year-old nephew of Rachel Haverford
  • Close friend to Jem and Scout
• Bob Ewell
  • Father of Mayella Ewell, who falsely accuses Tom Robinson of raping her
  • Jobless, racist, and spends his welfare checks on alcohol
• Tom Robinson
  • Black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell
  • Defended by Atticus Finch, kind, honest, and hardworking
  • Unjustly convicted and dies in a prison escape attempt

Plot Summary

• Story is recounted by an adult Jean Louise Finch, looking back on her childhood in Maycomb, Alabama
• Starts in 1933, when Scout is 6 years old
• Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell
• Trial exposes Maycomb's deep-seated racism
• Tom is found guilty, despite knowing the real culprit is Bob Ewell
• Bob Ewell publicly threatens Atticus, who is working on an appeal for Tom
• Tragically, Tom is shot and killed while attempting to escape from prison

Symbols

• The Mockingbird
  • Symbolizes innocence and vulnerability
  • Tom Robinson and Boo Radley lose their innocence throughout the novel
• Physical Challenges
  • Many characters face physical or mental challenges, symbolizing human vulnerability
  • Tom Robinson has a mangled left arm, Jem's arm is broken by Bob Ewell, Boo Radley has a damaged spirit, and Atticus has poor eyesight
• The Knothole
  • Symbolizes friendship and communication
  • Boo Radley uses the knothole to leave gifts for Jem and Scout, establishing a connection without exposing himself to vulnerability
• The Rabid Dog
  • Symbolizes the pervasive and dangerous disease of racism in the town
  • Sheriff Tate's refusal to shoot the dog mirrors his refusal to serve justice for Tom Robinson before the trial

Themes

• Race and Prejudice
  • Central to the novel, highlighting the institutional racism of the Jim Crow South
  • Exposes the deep-seated racial tensions in Maycomb
• Class
  • Class divisions are evident throughout the novel
  • Atticus rejects these divisions, while Aunt Alexandra upholds Maycomb's class distinctions
• Equality vs. Inequality
  • Explored through various lenses, including race, class, and gender
  • Highlights the pervasive inequalities that shape the characters' lives and interactions
• Morality
  • Central theme in the novel, intertwined with issues of race and inequality
  • Challenges readers to consider how individuals who see themselves as moral and Christian can also be racists