13 March 2013
To Kill a Mockingbird
In part one of her timeless novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows how it really does take a town to raise a child, and that everyone around you can make an impact on your life. Before the trial begins, Scout comes into contact with different characters that influence her and teach her life lessons. Through her interactions with Atticus, Miss Maudie, and Mrs. Dubose she learns empathy, optimism, and courage. Atticus is the biggest influence in Scout and Jem’s life because he is the only parent they have. Scout is a very one minded person, and she doesn’t really understand why other people do the things they do. On her first day of school Scouts teacher tried to buy the Cunningham boy a lunch, but he wouldn’t let her. Scout tries to explain to her teacher that the Cunninghams don’t take anything from anyone because they are too poor to pay anyone back. Scout gets enraged because her teacher doesn’t understand, and the boy just stands there. When she gets home Atticus sits her down and has a talk with her. He advises her to “climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 30) before she decides to judge him. He is teaching her that “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view”(Lee 30) and that you shouldn’t judge them till you know the situation. Miss Maudie lives next door to Scout, she is always nice and kind with them, and treats them equally to the way she treats other people. One night Atticus woke up Jem and Scout because Miss Maudie’s house was on fire. The next morning they awoke to find her standing in her yard with “her old grin crossed [on] her face” (Lee 72) When Jem asked her why she wasn’t grieving she replied that “she always wanted a smaller house” (Lee 73) and that she would have more garden space. Scout was confused by this, but later learned that was just the way she is. Through Scouts experience with Miss Maudie’s house...