My Finals Book Report

I.  Introduction

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird   

Author:  Harper Lee

Genre: · Coming-of-age story; social drama; courtroom drama; Southern drama

II. Characters

Main Character:

Jean Louis “Scout” Finch – This intelligent little girl is the both the narrator and protagonist of the story. Scout resides at Maycomb, Alabama with her father Atticus, her brother Jem and their black cook, Calpurnia. Though smart, she is still an innocent child. She idealistically believes in her basic faith of Human goodness the people in her town. Through the novel’s progress, her faith is tested in Tom robinson’s trial as hatred and judgement emerges. As the novel progresses, the main character eventually develops a mature perspective of life. It enabled her to see Human goodness without disregarding the presence of Human evil

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Supporting Characters:

Atticus Finch – is Scout’s widowed father. He is a lawyer in their community. He has a dry sense of humor. Atticus strongly implicates justice and racial equality. He defended Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping a Ms Mayella, a white woman.

Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch – is scout’s 4 year older brother. He is scouts protector and playmate throughout the novel. Jem is entering puberty stage at that time, which a stage of confusion and complication. Tom robinson’s trial has greatly affected the boy’s ideals due to the injustice he had experienced.

Arthur Radley – a mysterious person who rarely leaves his house. His personality is source of Jem and Scout’s curiosity. He is a responsible for saving Scout and Jem when Bob ewell tried to assault the young individuals. He also represents a symbol of innocence that was injured by the evil of people.

III. Setting

            “To kill a Mockingbird” is set about 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama. It took place in a insular small town.  The time setting of the novel also took place in the time of “depression”. A time of discrimination among black people was very strong.

IV. Plot

a.) When Scout, Jem and Dill, their summer playmate were fascinated about Boo Radley and his house. They tried leaving notes to Boo Radley but never succeeded because they were always caught by their father. They also had a series of encounters of Boo Radley though he does not really appear until the time he saved the two children.

b.) The night when Miss Maudie’s house was accidentally burnt down.

c.) Atticus Finch gets the town men to leave when they were going to hurt Tom Robinson. He also agreed that time to defend the black man’s accused rape case.

d.) Tom robinson’s trial is the climax of the story. Despite atticus’s capable defense, the jury decides that Tom Robinson guilty. After watching the trial, Scout and Jem cannot comphrehend Tom Robinson’s conviction despite Ewell’s clearly “made-up” story.

e.) When word spreads out that Tom Robinson was show 17 times while trying to escape from prison. It is also another complication and confusion for the children.

f.) The assault on Scout and Jem by Ewell where Radley shows up and saves them. However, when scout walks Radley home, he never shows up again. Heck Tate also tells Atticus that he will say Ewell slipped on his own knife that stabbed him to protect Radley because he knows Radley will also be misunderstood by the jury like Tom Robinson.

V. Theme

            The most important theme I saw in the novel is the coexistence of Good and Evil; the importance of moral education by our parents. The author’s purpose was to see the Good and Evil that exists in the world not only the discrimination that happened but also to everyone. The book showed me to see the realistic world. Good Innocent people are always corrupted by the evil. We must survive the struggles that we may encounter. Evaluate and learn from them. I will have to be open-minded.

            The major conflict of the story is the childhood innocence of Scout and Jem being threathened by numerous incidents that expose the evil of mankind, notably the conviction of Mr. Robinson and Ewell’s assault. However, in the end, the two developed their perspective of the coexistence of good and evil through their struggles they faced.

VI. Evaluation

            I really liked the book. The early introduction captured my attention. I also appreciate the author, the narrative part of the story is very hard because Harper lee has to be both an innocent child on the street as well as a person who knows the mad world very will and has the vision of how justice works. I learned many things of the Book. Also, in the end of the story I learned why the title of the book is “To kill a Mockingbird”.

-Credits to enotes.com for my guide. (DID NOT COPY PASTE)