To kill a mocking bird essay

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 10th grade February 2008

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To Kill a Mockingbird might just be them greatest novel of the 20th century. This book has been recognized for numerous awards, but Harper Lee still insists it's just a simple love story. Perhaps it is the story's focus on family and social values that has made it appealing to generations of readers.

Harper Lee uses the small town of Maycomb and Scout's family as the basis for describing family values. Harper Lee used the first person narrative to put the reader in the shoes of Scout, a tomboy daughter of Atticus Finch. Atticus and his family live in the small southern town of Maycomb. "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it"(pg. 5). Atticus was one of the only parents that took time with his children. Him and Scout would read everyday. Also Atticus is someone easily looked up too for his honesty and trust, which makes Atticus a great character.

The novel traces the life of Scout, her brother Jem and Atticus over many years. Harper Lee used great descriptors to try to show the values of the families in Maycomb.

One of the story's greatest lessons is that social justice is not always easy to achieve. It tells the story of one Tom Robinson. Tom is a black man in a racist town who is accused of a crime that he didn't commit. Atticus believes and tries to show others that all people are created equal, at least under the law. Bob Ewell accused Tom of beating and raping his daughter and only the black families, and a handful of whites (including Atticus) seem to believe in his innocence. Therefore his chance of a fair trial was slim. The jury's racism cuts short an innocence man's life. Unfortunately,