Critical Lens to Kill a Mockingbird - 873 Words

Sammie Clemmey February 2, 2012 Critical Lens Essay - TKAM English 9 – Friedman To Kill a Mockingbird Critical Lens Essay â€Å"It takes a village to raise a child†, is an African Proverb. In other words, it can take more than just a child’s nuclear family to make her grow into who she will be as an adult. This lens is true because even though parents and siblings have a major effect on a child, and how they turn out later on in life, society and a child’s surrounding are what really shapes, and makes them who they are. What a child sees when he or she is new to the world, and doesn’t know everything, effects their behavior, and outlook on their life ahead. This lens is illustrated in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by†¦show more content†¦One theme that plays a very big part in the novel is the theme of ‘Usual Disease’. The ‘Usual Disease’ of Maycomb, Alabama, is racism and prejudice. Atticus is afraid that his children will catch this disease and become just like everybody else in the town. So he tries to teach them as mildly as he can, a nd shows them how a white man, like him, can defend a black man, like Tom Robinson. One thing that Scout and Jem find out during the novel is that Atticus didn’t have to defend Tom Robinson, but that he chose to help him. Scout and Jem learn here that their father doesn’t see the difference in skin color, and that he isn’t as judgmental as some of the people in Maycomb. The children have always really admired and looked up to their father, so when they see that he isn’t judgmental, I believe that something within them clicks and they see that it’s ok to just accept people for who they are, it doesn’t matter what race, or gender, or occupation. You can stand up for someone no matter who youShow MoreRelatedEssay Critical Lens Fear Is Simply the Consequence of Every Lie709 Words   |  3 PagesTony Cottone 11/23/12 English Critical Lens Essay Fyodor Dostoevsky’s quote, â€Å"†¦fear is simply the consequence of every lie†, illustrates a feeling one gets when one is untruthful. When one lies, fear fully takes them over because they are unsure of what the outcome will be of their lie. They will be filled with fear and anxiety waiting to see how their action of being untruthful affects their environment and their life. From my experience of literature, I canRead MoreAnalysis Of More Than One Way1317 Words   |  6 PagesReevaluating the Mockingbird When one embarks on reading Jennifer Murray’s article, â€Å"More Than One Way to (Mis)Read a Mockingbird†, it becomes known that she is taking her readers through a thorough reanalysis of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Murray proclaims that Harper Lee’s novel is somewhat misunderstood and over appreciated. She claims that â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird, despite its awards and popularity, is a less than great novel†, and instead it should be a novel that is â€Å"worthy of critical consideration†Read MoreHow Atticus Finch and Elie Wiesel Demonstrate Heoric Actions Unintentionally562 Words   |  3 Pagesheroic means to put others before you in a desperate time of someone else’s despair. Two works of literature that agree with the critical lens are the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee and the memoir, Night, by Elie Wiesel. Atticus Finch and Elie Wiesel both demonstrate heroic actions unintentionally. Atticus Finch from, To Kill a Mockingbird, is characterized as a wise man that is an exceptional father to his children and always teaches them the right perspective about lifeRead MoreAtticus s Choice For Defend Tom Robinson1395 Words   |  6 PagesWhen examining the morality of an action, one must consider several factors, including the consequences, intentions, intrinsic nature of the act, and the beneficial or harmful effects the action has on others. The classic film, To Kill A Mockingbird, depicts several instances where a character’s actions may be perceived as morally wrong, based on the fundamental principles of ethical theories. In the following, I will discuss the case where Atticus makes a choice to defend Tom Robinson, and I willRead MoreReflection About Reading1072 Words   |  5 Pagesvariety of critical lens to analyze literature more effectively. When this happened the imaginative stories that I once came to love did not carry enough substance for me anymo re. I was more fulfilled by critically acclaimed narratives such as Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood or William Golding’s, The Lord of the Flies. Regardless of whether they were fiction or nonfiction, I needed stories that raised questions of ethics, diversity and social responsibility. Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird is oneRead MoreGood and Evil in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay1464 Words   |  6 Pageswhen freedom is necessary for their children, are very clear about their expectations, and determine fitting consequences for actions out of line. Harper Lee personifies this role of a wise and caring parent in the father figure of her novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch, a character made to mirror the author’s own father, is a lawyer and a well-respected citizen of his Southern Alabama town. Through Atticus, Harper Lee establishes a standard of good and evil, developing the theme of moralityRead MoreEssay on Critical analysis of Alice Sebolds The Lovely Bones3148 Words   |  13 Pagesfollowing hours recalls the memories that led to her decision. Alice Sebold now lives with her husband, Glen David Gold, in San Francisco. Sebold now looks upon The Lovely Bones as the novel that paved the way for her efficacious literary career. Many critical reviews have been published on The Lovely Bones, a few of which are written below. Paula L. Woods, from the Los Angeles Times has only positive comments about Sebold’s work: â€Å"Sebold teaches us much about living and dying, holding on and letting goRead MoreEssay on Silent Spring - Rachel Carson30092 Words   |  121 PagesPremium Study Guide is offprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.  ©1998-2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning,