To Kill a Mockingbird Changed me

After reading To Kill a Mockingbird i have thought more about what it would be like to be in someone else's shoes. Atticus thought me, while teaching Scout that you should always try thinking from other people's points of views. Atticus says in chapter 3 (page 30 ) "You never really understand a person until you consider things form his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." After reading this book and whenever i have any sort of conflict with anyone i try to think about it from there side. I try to understand how and why they feel this way.

Another aspect of this book that has made me realize how lucky i am is the racism. In the book racism is one of the main themes and it is shown throughout the book. This book shows how racism affects everyone. Today we are very lucky to have far less racism and prejudice although it still exists. Reading this book made me realize how hard it would be to be black in the 1930's or white.

Life Lessons

After the court case Jem learns an important life lesson. You shouldn't ever take advantage of anyone. After Tom Robinson is convicted of rape Atticus has a talk with Jem who is very upset. Atticus explains to Jem "you'll will see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." Bob Erwell is trash. Jem learns that anyone who takes advantage of anyone is wrong.

This is a very important lesson and should always be followed.  From a very young i was taught that it is wrong to be mean or take advantage of anyone. Taking advantage of someone can only bring disrespect and even hate back to yourself. It's important not to take advantage of others so that you don't hurt anyone or yourself. 

Extra Credit

I've enjoyed the last 6 weeks of high school and 9th grade English. I've enjoyed Reading To kill a Mockingbird and Blogging about the book. The tests have been reasonable and i haven't felt to worried about them. I am excited for the rest of the year and for the rest of my high school career. 

There were a few times that i felt i may not do well in English but i feel now that i will do fine. The first time i wondered if I was going to have trouble in this class was when we took our first test. I failed because i didn't think enough about what happened in the story and i didn't study. the second time happened when i didn't turn in my journal entrees. I had a C+ on my progress report. Latter it was fixed and i now have an A. I have found that if i pay attention and study for tests that i can do well in english class.

Theme

One main theme through out the story is racism. This subject is talked about or shown in almost every chapter of the book. Many characters in the story are racist; many are not. Even when characters are not talking specifically about racism or being racist this subject is often shown by the town's hierarchy. This means that even people such as Calpernia, who are respected by everyone they know are still thought less of then people such as the Erwells who no one likes. Racism is a recurring theme in To kill a Mockingbird.

There are many events that show the racism in Maycomb. One event that shows the town's racism was when Calpernia takes Jem and Scout to her church. This church is a "black person's church." One woman, Lula is upset about Calpernia taking the children to "their church.(page 119)" She said, "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here-they got their church, we got our'n." Lula shows how the prejudice she has experienced over her lifetime has made here prejudice. Another event that brings the topic of racism out is the trial. The Erwells are so hateful and racist that they have gone to the extent of charging an innocent black man, Tom Robbinson of rape. Everything in this section of the book shows the town's racism from where colored people must sit, in the back to the adversity and unfairness of the jury.

Atticus as a Father

Atticus is a good father. He is an intelligent understanding parent with good values. At the end of chapter 13 Atticus is told by Aunt Alexandra to tell Scout "how to be a finch."  He tells her and she begins to cry. However on page (134) realizes that he has made a mistake and says, "don't you worry. it's not time to worry." This shows that Atticus doesn't want his children to be told what to be like or to look like. He also wants to teach his children that no one is better than anyone else.

Atticus has many of the same values as my parents do. One way that my parents are different from him is that they try to be with with my brother and I as much as they can. They don't believe in leaving us for extended periods of time. They did however teach us from a young age values that he teaches such as no one is better than anyone else.