SOCIAL REALITIES IN HARPER LEE’S NOVEL

‘TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’

A thesis

Submitted to the Faculty of Letters Hasanuddin UniversityMakassar as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for obtain the

Sarjana Degree in English Department

By

DEWI NATALIA

F211 07 610

HASANUDDIN UNIVERSITY

MAKASSAR

2012

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The writer would like to express her gratitude to the almighty God for his mercy

and favor, so the writer can finish this paper. The writer realizes that this paper could

not be finished without the assistance of many people. Therefore, it is necessary to

express gratitude to a number of people who have been very helpful.

Unlimited thanks are dedicated to her mother; Ruth Paramma for her deepest

love, pray and huge encouragement in everything she does, and also her father :

Aiptu Robert Dunggurio. The writer also expresses her deep appreciation and

sincere gratitude to her first and second consultants in writing this thesis: Drs.

Husain Hasyim, M.Hum and Drs. Sudarmin Harun, M.Hum for their suggestion,

correction, ideas and guidance for the completion of this thesis. She also expresses

her deep appreciation to Drs. M. Amir P, M.Hum and Dra. Hj. Hamsinah Yasin,

M. Hum as a board of examiners who have given many suggestions and to improve

the contents and language of the thesis.

High appreciations are extended to Prof. H. Burhanuddin Arafah, M. Hum,

Ph.D., the Dean of Faculty of Letters, Prof. Dr. H.. Najmuddin H. Abd.Safa,M.A,

the First Assistance of Dean assistance, Drs. Husain Hasyim, M.Hum, as Head of

English Department, Drs. Simon Sitoto, M.A as the Secretary of English

Department, administration and library staff of the Faculty of Cultural Science,

Hasanuddin University.

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The writer is also very grateful to her best friends: Aldy, Ahmat, Wilsam, Ilham,

Siti, Nunu, Santy, Desy, Ririn, Mitha, Fitri, Fhadli, and also she would like to

thanks for her friends of 2007 academic year, seniors and juniors for their valuable

and eternal friendship extended to her study in Hasanuddin University. The writer

realizes that this thesis needs to be improved. Because of that, the writer expects

constructive criticism and suggestion from readers. Moreover, this thesis is hoped to

be useful for those who are interested in this subject.

Makassar, 7 Februari 2012

DEWI NATALIA

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ABSTRACT

Dewi Natalia, 2012. “Social Realities in Harper Lee’s Novel ‘To Kill AMockingbird’. ( Supervised By Husain Hasyim and Sudarmin Harun ). This thesisentitles “Social Realities in Harper Lee’s Novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”, a novel ofHarper Lee work that was released in 1960 compassionate, dramatic, and deeplymoving. To kill a mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior toinnocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos.Thus, the writer chooses social realities as the matter to be analyzed in this research.

The writer collected data by using library research method. This thesis is basedon the structural genetic approach by using the analysis that is analyze of literarywork itself (intrinsic), and analyze of extrinsic included the social system inAmerican society when at the time the novel is made.

The result shows that existing social conditions of the time has playedsequificiant role is structuring the plot of the novel and in justifying the sociologicalaspects of the novel that prominently mark the characteristic of American life. Thisanalysis was carried out by reviewing the structure of the novel, which includes ananalysis of the character, plot, themes and settings in the novel. The Data collected bythe writer are from the selected test of the novel as the primary data and the rest arefrom relative sources mainly from the existency social condition of the time.

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ABSTRAK

Dewi Natalia, 2012. “Social Realities in Harper Lee’s Novel ‘To Kill AMockingbird’.( Dibimbing oleh Husain Hasyim dan Sudarmin Harun ). Skripsi iniberjudul realitas sosial novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” oleh Harper Lee, Novel yangdirilis pada tahun 1960, kasih sayang, dramatis, dan sangat menyentuh, To Kill Amockingbird membawa pembaca ke akar perilaku manusia yang tidak bersalah danpengalaman, kebaikan dan kekejaman, cinta dan kebencian, humor dan kesedihan.Dengan demikian, penulis melilih realitas sosial sebagai masalah yang harusdianalisis dalam penelitian ini.

Peneliti mengumpulkan data dengan menggunakan metode penelitiankepustakaan. Dalam metode ini, peneliti menggunakan pendekatan structural geneticmelalui analisis terhadap karya sastra itu sendiri (intrinsik) dan analisis extrinsicmencakup pada sistem sosial yang sosial yang terjadi dalam masyarakat Americaketika pada saat novel itu dibuat.

Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa ada sosial kondisi waktu telah memainkan peranadalah struktur plot dari novel dan membenarkan aspek-aspek sosiologis novel yangmencolok menandai karakteristik kehidupan Amerika. Analisis ini dilakukan denganmeninjau struktur novel, yang meliputi analisis karakter, plot, tema dan pengaturandalam novel. Data yang dikumpulkan oleh penulis yang dari tes dipilih dari novelseperti data primer dan sisanya dari sumber-sumber yang relatif terutama dari kondisisosial existency waktu.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

HALAMAN JUDUL ........................................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................. ii

ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... v

ABSTRAK............................................................................................................ vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................... vii

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background ........................................................................................ 1

1.2 Identification of Problem.................................................................... 2

1.3 The Scope of Problem ........................................................................ 3

1.4 Statement of Problem ......................................................................... 3

1.5 Objective of Writing........................................................................... 3

1.6 Sequence of Chapters ......................................................................... 3

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE OF REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Background ..................................................................... 5

2.2 Genetic Structuralism Approach ........................................................ 6

2.3 Structural Elements In Literary Work ................................................ 9

a. Characters ..................................................................................... 9

b. Plot................................................................................................ 10

c. Setting........................................................................................... 10

d. Theme or Idea............................................................................... 11

2.4 The Relation between the History and the Novel............................... 12

2.5 Biography of author............................................................................ 12

2.6 Symbol................................................................................................ 13

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CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Method of Collecting data .................................................................. 15

3.2 Method of Analyzing Data ................................................................. 15

3.3 Procedure of Writing .......................................................................... 16

CHAPTER FOUR

ANALYSIS

4.1 The structure of the novel................................................................... 18

a. Characters ..................................................................................... 18

Primary Characters ................................................................. 19

Minor Characters .................................................................... 31

b. Plot................................................................................................ 34

c. Setting........................................................................................... 39

d. Theme or Idea............................................................................... 40

4.2 Historical Background........................................................................ 42

4.3 Social Realities in To Kill A Mockingbird ...................................... 45

4.4 The relationship between the historical backgrounds of African-

American’s life and story of the novel ............................................... 50

4.5 The Mockingbird ................................................................................ 54

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUTIONS AND SUGGESTION

5.1 Conclutions......................................................................................... 56

5.2 Suggestion .......................................................................................... 57

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

The literature covers the whole aspects of human life including social, cultural

religion, economic and political aspects. The literary work has aesthetic because of its

harmonization, balance, wholeness, and focuses on one aspect that is humanity,

people created a literary work not only to the channel their expression or their

inspiration, but also to give benefits to other readers who read it. This work can make

readers realize about truth of life, happiness, help out the readers to be a cultural

human and give valuable lesson which cannot be found in a formal education.

A literary work represent the culture and the tradition in one society. Moreover, it

also reflects about a history that happened at the time. Among the literary product,

novel is one of literary work that was liked by many reader. In the case, the novel

appear at the time of slavery in America, the slavery narrative genre is one of literary

work that is read and found by many people at the time. The people give a high

appreciation because slavery narrative genre can be to illustrate. About incident and

impact of the slavery. There are three types of genre was studied ; poetry, prose, and

play.this thesis uses form of prose, novel, as a research. Novel is a product of

imagination people, created to be appreciated, understood, and enjoyed. Novel

usually is a reflection of life or everything found in real life.

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This novel talking about Scout’s father, named Atticus Finch. He works as

lawyer. One day, Finch should help Tom Robinson in a trial. Tom is a black people.

He accused have done a rape to one of white girl. After the trial, Finch can prove that

Tom was not fault. Finch’s action is evidence that there is still another white people

believe that not all black people has bad image. The most interesting thing in the

story is when almost of white people despise black people and assume that all things

that they accuse to black people are not crime, Finch appear as defender of black

people. Whereas, Finch his self are white. He does not care when all of his neighbor,

even his family insult his action. To his children, Finch teaches how to grow

affection, eliminate unwarranted prejudice, and avoid accusation without evidence.

The writer makes a thesis with title: Social Realities In Harper Lee’s Novel “To

Kill A Mockingbird”. In this thesis, the writer wants to analyzes how the image’s

value of black people in white people’s view.

1.2 Identification of problem

After reading novel To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee, the writer has found

out some problems appeared in the novel that significantly need to be analyzed as

follows:

1. The intrinsic elements of the novel “To kill a mockingbird by Harper

Lee”.

2. The contribution of each character in developing the story.

3. The relationship among the characters in the novel “To kill a mockingbird

by Harper Lee”.

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4. Setting influencing to character’s behaviors and natures.

5. Symbolism meaning contained in this novel.

1.3 The scope of Problem

To direct this research to the object of this writing, the writer will focus her

writing on the social realities in the Novel. This social realities is about the social life

in the novel as well as the role of each character in this novel.

1.4 Statement of Problem

Based on the scope of problem above, then the writer formulates her problems as

follow:

1. How is the effect of social realities to character’s life in To Kill A

Mockingbird by Harper Lee ?

2. What various social realities that exist in the novel?

1.5 Objectives of Writing

In composing this thesis, there are some objectives that the writer intends to

reach

1. To describe the social realities in the novel.

2. To explain the relationship between the historical backgrounds of

African-American’s live and story of the novel.

1.6 Sequence of chapters

The thesis consists of the five chapters.

Chapter one covers the background of the study, scope of the problems,

statement of problems, objectives of writing, and sequences of chapter. Chapter two

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provides the literary review, which consists of theoretical background, the way that

the writer uses to analyze the novel, brief explanation about intrinsic aspects such as

character, plot, setting, and theme, and also about extrinsic aspects such as symbol

forms of novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Chapter three the methodology of research

that describes methods of writing that the writer to arrange this research. Chapter

four is the analysis that presents the detail analysis description of the novel. Chapter

five is closing chapter which covers conclusion and suggestion. Bibliography.

Appendix.

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CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Background

An author who exist in circumstances cannot release her self from his

environment. Many problems in the society which are supported by the condition and

they bring about some ideas to create a literary work.

There are some kinds of approaches in analyzing a literary work. In this writing,

the writer uses the approach of Genetics Structuralism. Genetics Structuralism was

initially born because a number of critics allocated to all former men of letters which

sometimes disregard the value of author's social life in analyzing its masterpieces,

though the existence of literary work are valued by social.

Genetics Structuralism is an approach in art research which born as a reaction of

the approach of Structuralism Purification which is anti-historic and causality. An

exponent of Approach of Genetics Structuralism is a French expert, namely Lucien

Goldman. This approach represents the single capable approach to reconstruct the

view of author world. The meaning of literature genetic is a genesis of literary work.

The related factors to the literature work are author and historical facts which partake

the condition of moment literary work created.

Therefore, the writer is going to utilize this theory to analyze this research. It is

because the writer assumes that theory of Genetics Structuralism, which combine

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structural approach and sociological approach represent the purpose of this research

in order to know farther about Social Realities in Harper Lee's novel "To kill a

mockingbird".

2.2 Genetic Structuralism Approach

Genetic structuralism was developed by a France sosiologist, Lucien Goldman,

which based his theory on George Lukacs’ theory, a follower of Marxis ideas.

Genetic structuralism is also well known as ‘Marxism Structuralis’ because the

theory involves the idea that an individual is not a free creature, but a proponent of

social classes. Genetic structuralism appeared as a reaction of pure structuralism or

autonomous structuralism. Pure structuralism considers that literary work is an

autonomous structure which can be understood as a complete unity with its builder

substances which related to each other. To explore literary work objectively, it has to

be based on the text itself. It means that Hal in understanding literary work it has to

be out of historical background, what case that provide the writer to create the work,

and role of readers. Therefore it can be said that pure structuralism opposes two of

Abrams’ theories, they are mimesis and expressive. Along with its development, pure

structuralism was considered possessing many deficiency in exploring literary works.

If the literary work is only understood by its intrisics, it will be considered that work

is out of its social contex.

Whereas, in fact literary work always relates to sociesty and history which

stimulate the creating of it. Different from pure structuralism which interpretates

literary work from its internal structure, genetic structuralism analyzes both internal

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and external structures of it. Genetic is considered as history of literature which

includes the writer and historical reality which affects the creating of the work.

Historical background, era, and society have a very big impact on work, either on its

content or its form. The existing of the writer in certain social environment also

influences his creation. Thus certain society which exists around the writer will

automatically influence work produced. Genetic structuralism is an approach of

literature which appears after pure structuralism. Its emergence was a reaction to pure

structuralism which disregarded the extrinsic element of literature text. It believe that

a literary work is a structure, but is not a static structure. It is dynamic as a social

structure which is continuously influenced by the society where it exists. This was

called genetic. It means that literary work has its genetic or history in a process of

social life. Lucien Goldman as a pionner of this theory stated that theory set is related

to human facts which were as meaningful structures. It considers literature text as

social institution which can change and involve social conflicts. Because of that, the

writer could say that the human facts were the results of human efforts in his relation

with the world around him, and there are some other factors relating to the history

reality that influence a literary work has been created. Endraswara (2003:55) said that

genetics structuralism is an approach which combines two important substances in a

literary work. They are intrinsic and extrinsic approach. The elements of intrinsic are

characterization, setting, plot and theme. Thus the extrinsic elements are all

sociological aspects.

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The writer believes that literary work is arise in middle of society as a result of

author imagination and also as a reflection of social phenomenon around him.

Therefore this literary work is present becomes the part of society life. And the author

as individual subject tries to create his collective subject and that becomes a literary

work. So, it indicate that literary work is arise in certain society and culture. Because

of their circumstance make literary work as one of the document of the social culture.

So, the writer thinks that the weakness of structuralism approaches is corrected by

using the genetics factors in understanding the literary work. The genetics means the

history of the literary work. There are some other factors relating to the history that

influence the work created.

At least, the genetics structuralism can be acknowledge has the useful facets and

efficient, when the researcher constantly concern to the intrinsic elements, besides

concern to the sociological factors and also considers that literary work is created by

a creativity and uses the imagination factor. In short, the research of genetics

structuralism can be formulated as follow; firstly, the research should be started from

the intrinsic elements studies, whether partially though in tied together. Secondly,

studies about the background of author social society because he is a part a certain

community society. And thirdly, studies about social background and history that

influence the work that is created by the author. So, from this three steps, it will be

achieved the author's world view.

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2.3 Structural Elements in Literary Work

Intrinsic elements in a Literary Work specially a play who the writer is going to

use to analyze about Social Realities in Harper Lee’s novel “To kill a mockingbird

are:

a. Characters

A character's existence may from a story including of a play. It is may be

explored based on the character's attitude. According to Suharianto (1982 : 31) in

book of Dasar-Dasar Teori Sastra, he wrote that character is description of figure's

story whether their performance, their way of life, their believes or whether their

customs. In a play, characters have an important position. Character in a fiction can

be considered as a part of person in society. The author occupies the characters by

looking the society's interest, then those characters. Gill defines character as : " A

character is someone in literary work who some sort of identity, an identity which is

made up by appearance,conversation, action, name, and (possible) thought's going on

the head (1987 : 127).

In encyclopedia America the term of character is a follow:

Character: in literature, a personage in a novel, short story, or poem. The

term character also denotes the essential qualities or personality traits of

functional or real individual. The ability to create compelling and

believable and characters is one of hall markers or the literary artist (2004

: 290 )

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In conclusion, character is very important in the story. Characters can make the

story keep moving. Without characters, the can not be formed as a literary work.

b. Plot

In narrative, a plot is the rendering and ordering of the events and actions of a

story, particularly towards the achievement of some particular artistic or emotional

effect. A plot is the motion structure in fiction.

There is a great variety to plot forms. Some plot is designed to achieve tragic

effects and others to achieve the effects of comedy, romance, satire, and any other

genre.

c. Setting

In simple words, setting is a story's time and place, including climate and

weather. In addition, setting also includes some complex dimensions, such as

historical moment, the story occupation or the social context.

From the definition above, explains that in a story, setting is being an important

element. Setting is tightly related to character, themes, and story's atmosphere.

Setting does not only show certain time and place but also, the ideas of it's society. In

a good story, setting has to support theme and character.

Some elements which construct a setting are; Geographical position, topographic,

space frieze or room decoration like door or window, Work or daily activity which

done by the character. Time and place take place in a story, such as histories,

weathers or seasons in the year of a story made. Environment or common atmosphere

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of character, such as religion, emotion, bouncing, and social circumstance of

characters in story.

So, it is clear that setting strengthens the theme, characters, and certain path. Setting

can be certain places, certain areas, certain people with certain characteristic ways of

living and way of thinking which are the effect of environmental situation and its era.

d. Theme or Idea

Theme is also mentioned as a main idea of story. The authors are able to develop

their story and become one literary work such as a novel, drama short story, and

others. One story will not be meaningful without a theme. Lawrence Perrine says "the

theme is a controlling idea or central insight, it is unifying generalization about life

that is stated or implied by the story".

Theme is an idea which provided the narration that will function as guidance to

the author to keep in one line of certain narration. Certain narration means idea that

has been chosen as the main base of the story.

Theme often defined as fundamental problems of a literary work. Theme will color

the story from the beginning to the last. Author wishes to solve the conflicts of the

story through themes.

By virtue of above, then theme is the idea, which underlies a narration and its

function lead the author at one particular narration, base on life principle. That

narration means that the author will be consistent fixed at one particular certain ideas

which have been selected as a main theme of its story.

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2.4 The Relation between the History and the Novel

This novel such the writer explains, based on the history that happen in author’s

life. Harper Lee spends her childhood in Monroeville, Alabama. The story in the

novel takes place there. Although this novel is fictive story, she writes her novel

based on some experience about black people in her town when she was child.

Alabama, just like the other Southern country of America, black people appears

as refuse. Alabama is one of the Southern states who refused point-blank when

President Abraham Lincoln issued a law liberation of black slaves. Greene (2002:71)

says: “In Alabama, as well as in other parts of the south, a black person had to give up

his or her seat on a bus if a white person wanted it.” It's no secret that black people

had not given his rights at the time. They are not appreciated at all by whites.

Continued, Greene (2002:72) says: “What’s more, black people couldn’t eat at

certain restaurants, or rent or buy homes in certain neighborhoods. In some areas,

they had to step off the sidewalk into the street when a white person walked by. It

wasn’t the law, but they know what would happen if they didn’t.”

That’s the picture of the lives of blacks in Alabama at the time. And black people

do not have the power to demand their rights. As if they have acknowledged

themselves to have lower self esteem than whites, they will do anything he was told

by white people. Because if they did not, they know the consequences.

2.5 Biography of the author

The biography of the author, then inevitably we will mention about his personal

life. It can not be denied, an author's personal life may affect the work they produce.

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Many authors have incorporate elements of her own life in his writings. Not

infrequently, an author creates a masterpiece with a reflection on life's childhood or

his past, by combining with the story of the history that happened in those days.

In addition, one of which influence the outcome resulting work is the author's

own character. So no doubt, by reading the works of an author is almost the same as

reading from the author's own character. Although an author could have written

works based on the life of others, will still be difficult to separate the story he wrote

with his personal life. Because they writes by their own perspective.

Learn the biography of the author helps the reader to know her personality. Of

course it is interesting, because the personality of the author also influenced the

literary work. According to Wellek (1977:82): “Penyebab utama lahirnya karya sastra

adalah penciptanya sendiri: Sang pengarang. Itulah sebabnya penjelasan tentang

kepribadian dan kehidupan pengarang adalah metode tertua dan paling mapan dalam

studi sastra.” This is true, sometimes there are authors who produce literary works by

telling the story of his own life. In addition, a reader too, when reading a literary work

which he said is very interesting, he would be interested to further browse the author's

personal life.

When a reader captivated by a work of literature, then the next step he will find

out who the author. Maybe at first just an admiration, then over time it will start

searching for any traces of life of the author.

2.6 Symbol

Symbol is one of the elements contained in a work of literature. A symbol is

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something can be objects, animals, or others that represent certain things. Symbol

handy to disguise the author's intent to convey to the reader. Sometimes, to convey

something to the reader, the author did not directly mention the literal meaning, but

shows through the symbols. The presence of a symbol in literature also makes the

reader will wonder what the meaning of the symbols that actually.

In The novel To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the symbol is the Mockingbird

itself. The reader may ask what is Mockingbird. Mockingbird is one of a bird that has

a black fluff. But actually, in this novel, Mockingbird is a symbol of the idea of

innocence.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the writer explains about the method that used to analyze the

novel. This method includes Methods of collection data, Methods of analyzing data,

Procedure of writing. Each of these methods will be explained as follow.

3.1 Methods of Collecting Data

This research is written based on the primary data and secondary data. Primary

data are collected from the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. The writer reads the novel

and quotes some important elements that have relation with the topic. The number of

characters are divided in relation to their possible rules in their community. From this

divisions, several aspects of their activity can possibly identified in order to justify

what role or position each of their possesses.

The secondary data are taken from various books, articles, website on internet, etc.

Through this secondary data, the writer collects and uses data that possibly relevant to

the topic.

3.2 Methods of Analyzing Data

The writer find two kinds of data, the primary data and the secondary data.

Techniques of collecting data are the writer uses described below:

The primary data is derived from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In collecting

primary data, the writer used some procedure. For examples, reading the novel

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several times to understand the plot and the theme of, identifying the character of

black people and the white people who become the main character, and identifying

the setting and the social environment in the novel.

For secondary data, the writer reads some article from the internet and book that

contain historical of African-American’s life. It is done to see the relationship

between the story of the novel and historical background of African-American. It

helps the writer to understanding about black people’s life and how the white people

always consider black people has bad image. It supports the writer with fundamental

theories.

3.3 Procedure of Writing

To write this thesis, the writer uses several procedures. The procedures would be

explain as follow :

1. The writer read carefully the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and identifies

some problems;

2. The writer scoped the problems to specific problem which related to this

title, The Image of African-American in Harper Lee’s To Kill a

Mockingbird.

3. After finding the main problem, the writer analyzes the intrinsic aspect

of the novel.

4. The writer analyzes the historical background that influenced the story of

the novel. The writer explains the relation between the story of the novel

and the history about African-American itself.

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5. The writer concludes the result of the research.

This procedure aims at helping the writer in analyzing the fundamental problems

in this thesis, so that the result of research solution can lap over regularly and

systematically.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the first step of the analysis come firstly to the description of

intrinsic elements then followed by the explanation about the idea of social realities

that is reflected in this novel. The writer analyse the social realities in the novel To

Kill A Mockingbird that contribute and develop the story. The elements of the novel

are characters, plot, setting and theme. To Kill a Mockingbird is an English-language

novel by an American author, Harper Lee. It was first published in 1960 in America.

In 1961, this novel succeeds achieved Pulitzer Prize Winning for Fiction, and later

made into an Academy-Award winning film in classic. In 2007, this novel achieved

Presidential Medal of Freedom. Although this novel is the only one Lee’s work, it

becomes a conference in early presence. Until now, this novel becomes best seller and

has translated into ten languages.

4.1 The structure of the novel

The writer explains all the element of the intrinsic aspects of the novel To Kill a

Mockingbird. In literary work such as novel, the intrinsic element is the most

important aspect to understanding.

a. Characters

The writer attemps to analyze several characters in the novel To Kill A

Mockingbird. The primary characters are :. Atticus Finch, Jean Louise “Scout”

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Finch, Jeremy “Jem” Atticus Finch, Charles Baker “Dill” Haris, Calpurnia, Arthur

“Boo” Radley, Miss Maudie Atkinson, Robert E. "Bob" Ewell, Mayella Ewell, Tom

Robinson, Alexandra "Aunt Alexandra" Hancock. The minor characters are : Nathan

Radley, Walter Cunningham Jr, Walter Cunningham Sr, Mr dolphus Raymond, Link

Deas, Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose, Heck Tate. These characters will be described as

follows:

Primary Characters

1. Atticus Finch

As one of the most prominent citizens in Maycomb during the Great Depression,

Atticus is relatively well off in a time of widespread poverty. Because of his

penetrating intelligence, calm wisdom, and exemplary behavior, Atticus is respected

by everyone, including the very poor. He functions as the moral backbone of

Maycomb, a person to whom others turn in times of doubt and trouble. But the

conscience that makes him so admirable ultimately causes his falling out with the

people of Maycomb. Unable to abide the town’s comfortable ingrained racial

prejudice, he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man. Atticus’s action makes

him the object of scorn in Maycomb, but he is simply too impressive a figure to be

scorned for long. After the trial, he seems destined to be held in the same high regard

as before. He is Scout’s father. He is a widower with a dry sense of humor or a

serious person. He is described as a good and wise father, as one of the most

prominent citizens in Maycomb during the great depression. Because of his

penetrating intelligence, calm wisdom and exemplary behavior, Atticus is respected

20

by everyone, including the very poor people. His job as a lawyer makes him to be a

wise person.

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simply trick, Scout, you’ll get

along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person

until you consider things from his point of view. “Sir?”. “Until you climb into

his skin and walk around in it.” (Harper Lee, 2010: 39).

As a father, he always teaches his children all the best things in addition. As a

public figure, he gives a good example how to treat each other in the term of

humanity sense. He is a struggle held convictions, wisdom and empathy. The

evidence is when he gives advices to Scout. Based on the explanations above, it can

be concluded that Atticus is a wise person. Atticus practices the ethic of sympathy

and understanding that he preaches to Scout and Jem and never holds a grudge

against the people of Maycomb. Despite their callous indifference to racial inequality,

Atticus sees much to admire in them. He recognizes that people have both good and

bad qualities, and he is determined to admire the good while understanding and

forgiving the bad. Atticus passes this great moral lesson on to Scout—this perspective

protects the innocent from being destroyed by contact with evil.

Ironically, though Atticus is a heroic figure in the novel and a respected man in

Maycomb, neither Jem nor Scout consciously idolizes him at the beginning of the

novel. Both are embarrassed that he is older than other fathers and that he doesn’t

hunt or fish. But Atticus’s wise parenting, which he sums up in Chapter 30 by saying,

“Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I’ve tried to live so I can look

21

squarely back at him,” ultimately wins their respect. By the end of the novel, Jem, in

particular, is fiercely devoted to Atticus (Scout, still a little girl, loves him

uncritically). Though his children’s attitude toward him evolves, Atticus is

characterized throughout the book by his absolute consistency. He stands rigidly

committed to justice and thoughtfully willing to view matters from the perspectives

of others. He does not develop in the novel but retains these qualities in equal

measure, making him the novel’s moral guide and voice of conscience

2. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch

Scout is a very unusual little girl, both in her own qualities and in her social

position. She is unusually intelligent (she learns to read before beginning school),

unusually confident (she fights boys without fear), unusually thoughtful (she worries

about the essential goodness and evil of mankind), and unusually good (she always

acts with the best intentions). In terms of her social identity, she is unusual for being a

tomboy in the prim and proper Southern world of Maycomb. She had intelligence

was gotten naturally, she is able to read without anybody teaches her. she follows him

to read it, when her father is reading a newspaper, as the following quotation below:

I mumbled that I was sorry and retired meditating upon my crime. I never

deliberately learned to read. But somehow I had been wallowing illicitly in the

daily papers. In the long hours of church—was it then I learned? I could not

remember not being able to read hymns. (Harper Lee, 2010: 23).

One quickly realizes when reading To Kill a Mockingbird that Scout is who she

is because of the way Atticus has raised her. He has nurtured her mind, conscience,

22

and individuality without bogging her down in fussy social hypocrisies and notions of

propriety. While most girls in Scout’s position would be wearing dresses and learning

manners, Scout, thanks to Atticus’s hands-off parenting style, wears overalls and

learns to climb trees with Jem and Dill. She does not always grasp social niceties (she

tells her teacher that one of her fellow students is too poor to pay her back for lunch),

and human behavior often baffles her (as when one of her teachers criticizes Hitler’s

prejudice against Jews while indulging in her own prejudice against blacks), but

Atticus’s protection of Scout from hypocrisy and social pressure has rendered her

open, forthright, and well meaning.

At the beginning of the novel, Scout is an innocent, good-hearted five-year-old

child who has no experience with the evils of the world. As the novel progresses,

Scout has her first contact with evil in the form of racial prejudice, and the basic

development of her character is governed by the question of whether she will emerge

from that contact with her conscience and optimism intact or whether she will be

bruised, hurt, or destroyed like Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Thanks to Atticus’s

wisdom, Scout learns that though humanity has a great capacity for evil, it also has a

great capacity for good, and that the evil can often be mitigated if one approaches

others with an outlook of sympathy and understanding. Scout’s development into a

person capable of assuming that outlook marks the culmination of the novel and

indicates that, whatever evil she encounters, she will retain her conscience without

becoming cynical or jaded. Though she is still a child at the end of the book, Scout’s

23

perspective on life develops from that of an innocent child into that of a near grown-

up.

3. Jeremy “Jem” Atticus Finch

Jeremy "Jem" Finch is the brother of Scout who was four years older than she is.

Jem represents the idea of bravery in the novel, and the way that his definition

changes over the course of the story is important. The shift that occurs probably has

as much to do with age as experience, although the experiences provide a better

framework for the reader. He sees bravery from Mrs. Dubose's addiction, from

Atticus and the mad dog, and from Scout's confrontation with the mob, among other

incidents. Along the way, he grows from a boy who drags his sister along as a co-

conspirator to a maturing young man who helps Scout understand the problems and

events around them. Jem and Scout both learn throughout the novel to look at the

good in human nature, as well as the bad.

Jem was suddenly furious. He leaped off the bed, grabbed me by the collar

and shook me. “I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you

hear me? You hear me? Don’t you ever say one word to me about it again, you

hear? Now go on!” (Harper Lee, 2010:331).

If Scout is an innocent girl who is exposed to evil at an early age and forced to

develop an adult moral outlook, Jem finds himself in an even more turbulent

situation. His shattering experience at Tom Robinson’s trial occurs just as he is

entering puberty, a time when life is complicated and traumatic enough. His

disillusionment upon seeing that justice does not always prevail leaves him

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vulnerable and confused at a critical, formative point in his life. Nevertheless, he

admirably upholds the commitment to justice that Atticus instilled in him and

maintains it with deep conviction throughout the novel.

Unlike the jaded Mr. Raymond, Jem is not without hope: Atticus tells Scout that

Jem simply needs time to process what he has learned. The strong presence of Atticus

in Jem’s life seems to promise that he will recover his equilibrium. Later in his life,

Jem is able to see that Boo Radley’s unexpected aid indicates there is good in people.

Even before the end of the novel, Jem shows signs of having learned a positive lesson

from the trial; for instance, at the beginning of Chapter 25, he refuses to allow Scout

to squash a roly-poly bug because it has done nothing to harm her. After seeing the

unfair destruction of Tom Robinson, Jem now wants to protect the fragile and

harmless.

The idea that Jem resolves his cynicism and moves toward a happier life is

supported by the beginning of the novel, in which a grown-up Scout remembers

talking to Jem about the events that make up the novel’s plot. Scout says that Jem

pinpointed the children’s initial interest in Boo Radley at the beginning of the story,

strongly implying that he understood what Boo represented to them and, like Scout,

managed to shed his innocence without losing his hope.

4. Charles Baker "Dill" Harris

Charles Baker "Dill" Harris is Jem and Scout's best friend who lives in Maycomb

only during the summer. His goal throughout the novel is to get the reclusive Boo

Radley to come out of his house, which he hasn't left in years. For the first few

25

summers the children concoct many plans to lure him out, until they are finally

reprimanded by Atticus. Dill promises to marry Scout, and they become "engaged".

One night Dill runs away from his home in the city, because he feels like he is being

replaced in the family by his stepfather. He gets on a train and goes to Maycomb

County, then hides under Scout's bed until she finds him.

Unlike Scout and Jem he lacks the security of family love. He is unwanted and

unloved by his parents; "They do get on a lot better without me, I cannot help them

any". As Francis, another Finch from the novel, says, "He hasn't got a home, he just

gets passed around from relative to relative." Even Miss Rachel, with whom he stays

over the summer, is not a woman deserving of a child's trust and love. He is well

aware of her drinking habits. He is described as not having a father—he doesn't know

where he lives or when he'll come back, if he does.

5. Calpurnia

Calpurnia is the Finch family's housekeeper, whom the children love and Atticus

deeply respects (he remarks in her defense that she "never indulged [the children] like

most colored nurses"); she can be described as a strict mother figure. In Scout's early

life she provides discipline, instruction, love, and essentially fills the maternal role for

them after their mother's death. Calpurnia is one of the few black characters in the

novel who is able to read and write, and it is she who taught Scout to write. She

learned how to read from Miss Maudie's aunt, Miss Buford, who taught her how to

read out of "Blackstone's Commentaries", a book given to her by Jem and Scout's

grandfather (Atticus's dad).

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Living in Maycomb's African American and Caucasian communities, Calpurnia has

two different perspectives on life, and Scout notices that she speaks and acts

differently among her black friends than at their home. Because of her unique status,

she can relate to both sides of stories.While everyone in the novel is filtered through

Scout’s perception, Calpurnia in particular appears for a long time more as Scout’s

idea of her than as a real person. At the beginning of the novel, Scout appears to think

of Calpurnia as the wicked stepmother to Scout’s own Cinderella. Furthermore, at the

start of the novel, when Scout disrespects a child from her class, Walter Cunningham,

Calpurnia yells at Scout for criticizing his ways, ones very different from her own.

However, towards the end of the book, Scout views Calpurnia as someone she can

look up to and realizes Calpurnia has only protected her over the years.

6. Arthur "Boo" Radley

Arthur "Boo" Radley is one of the harder characters to understand in To Kill a

Mockingbird, and slowly reveals himself throughout the novel. Arthur Radley (also

known as Boo Radley) appears as a very quiet, reclusive character, who only

passively presents himself, until the children's final interaction with Bob Ewell. Most

of Maycomb believes he is a horrible person, due to the rumors spread about him, and

a trial he underwent as a teenager. It is implied during the story that Boo is a very

lonely man, who attempted to reach out to the children for love and friendship.

Throughout the novel, he is shown as kind and generous. It was not until the end of

the book, when he saved Jem and Scout Finch's lives from Mr. Ewell's assault, that he

was paid notice. It wasn't until hours after the attack, when the family was in Jem’s

27

room watching over him, that Scout finally realizes that it was Boo Radley who had

saved them, and was watching over her all along. When Heck Tate attempted to avert

blame from Jem, stating that Bob Ewell simply "fell on his knife", after Atticus

clearly thought Jem had murdered Bob Ewell, Tate indirectly revealed the truth: Boo

Radley killed Bob Ewell in order to defend the children. Scout described him as

being sickly white, with a thin mouth and hair and grey eyes, almost as if he was

blind. During the same night, when Boo requests that Scout walk him back to the

Radley house, Scout takes a moment to picture what it would be like to be Boo

Radley, while standing on his porch. Boo doesn't talk much, but Scout describes him

as being very soft spoken and quiet.

Boo Radley's heroics and the subsequent "coverup" by Atticus, Sheriff Tate and

Scout can be read as a wise refusal of fame. As Tate notes, if word gets out that Boo

killed Ewell, Boo would be inundated with gifts and visits, something that would be

calamitous for him. The precocious Scout recognizes the danger. Renown would "kill

the mockingbird." Boo Radley is a ghost that haunts the book yet manifests himself at

just the right moments in just the right way. He is, arguably, the most potent character

in the whole book and as such, inspires the other key characters to save him when he

needs saving.

7. Miss Maudie Atkinson

Miss Maudie Atkinson lived across the street from the Finch family. She had

known the Finches for many years, having been brought up on the Buford place,

which was near the Finch's ancestral home, Finch Landing. She is described as a

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woman of about 50 who enjoys baking and gardening; her cakes are especially held

in high regard. She is also considered by some to be a symbolic Mockingbird, as she

is frequently harassed by devout "Foot-Washing Baptists", who tell her that her

enjoyment of gardening is a sin. Miss Maudie befriends Scout and Jem and tells them

about Atticus as a boy. During the course of the novel, her house burns down;

however, she shows remarkable courage throughout this (even joking that she wanted

to burn it down herself to make more room for her flowers). She is not prejudiced,

unlike many of her Southern neighbors. Also, she is one of the few adults that Jem

and Scout hold in high regard and respect. She does not act condescendingly towards

them, even though they are young children. It is important to note that Miss Maudie

fully explained that "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird", where as Atticus Finch initially

brought up the subject, but didn't go into depth. When Jem gets older, and doesn't

want to be bothered by Scout, Maudie keeps her from going mad.

8. Robert E. "Bob" Ewell

Robert E. "Bob" Ewell is the main antagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird. He has a

daughter named Mayella, and a younger son named Burris, as well as six other

unnamed children. He is an alcoholic who poaches game to feed his family, because

he spends whatever money they legally gain (via "relief checks" from the

government) on alcohol. He accuses Tom Robinson of raping his daughter and

eventually has him thrown in jail, where Tom is subsequently killed while allegedly

trying to escape. Though everyone in the town knows the Ewells are not to be trusted,

it made to clear to the jury that Tom Robinson is convicted because he's black, and

29

not because of Bob Ewell's testimony. Upon hearing about Tom's death, he is

absolutely gleeful, gloating about his success. After being humiliated at the trial,

however, Bob Ewell goes on a murderous rampage for revenge, becoming

increasingly violent. He begins by spitting in Atticus' face, followed by a failed

attempt at breaking into Judge Taylor's house, and finally menacing Tom's widow.

He then attempts to murder Jem and Scout Finch with a knife to complete his

revenge. However, Arthur "Boo" Radley arrives, and is able to save Jem and Scout.

Heck Tate, the sheriff, then puts in the official report that Bob Ewell fell on his own

knife and died after lying on the street for 45 minutes. They decided upon saying that

Ewell fell on his own knife not due to fears that Boo Radley would be convicted of

murder, but because "It is a sin to kill a mockingbird".

9. Mayella Violet Ewell

Mayella Violet Ewell is Tom Robinson's 19-and-a-half-year-old accuser and the

daughter of Bob Ewell. She is the oldest daughter of Bob Ewell and has to take care

of her siblings (such as Burris Ewell) since her father is an alcoholic. She was

continually physically abused by him; Atticus politely and indirectly proves this by

mentioning the bruises concentrated on the right side of her face during Tom

Robinson's trial. He mentions this because Mayella was accusing Tom of hitting her,

but Tom's left hand is mangled and useless, and Bob Ewell is left handed. When

Atticus Finch asks her if she has any friends, she becomes confused because she does

not know what a friend is. During her time in court, she is confused by Atticus' polite

speech and thinks that his use of "Miss Mayella" is meant to mock her. She wants a

30

better life for herself and lovingly grows red geraniums, but a change in her situation

is unlikely. To get the human contact that she so craves, she attempts to seduce a

black man, named Tom Robinson. Through the window, her father sees this action,

and calls her a whore, causing Tom Robinson to flee the scene, worried that he may

be put on trial. Bob Ewell then finds the sheriff, Heck Tate, and tells him that his

daughter has been raped, even though there is no evidence. By testifying against Tom

Robinson, she was also trying to destroy the evidence suggesting that she had

attempted to seduce him, most likely due to the extremes of racism in Maycomb.

10. Thomas "Tom" Robinson

Thomas "Tom" Robinson is a 25-year-old black man who is accused of

assaulting and raping Mayella Ewell. He is defended by Atticus Finch in his trial. As

Atticus noticed, his left arm is "hardly nothing", because it was caught in a cotton gin

at age 12, making it nearly impossible that he beat Mayella- her bruises were only on

the left side of her face when she was facing him. He is polite, and frequently helps

Mayella, and a few other characters from the book, out of compassion and kindness.

He states during his testimony that he felt sorry for Mayella, shocking the jury, as it

was unheard of that a black man could feel sorry for a white woman. It is eventually

proven that he didn't commit any crime, but is still declared guilty by the jury. Tom is

killed when he tries to escape from prison, and was shot 17 times by guards. He has

three children with his wife, Helen. He also worked as a field worker for Link Deas,

who tried to defend Tom in court.

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11. Alexandra "Aunt Alexandra" Hancock

Alexandra "Aunt Alexandra" Hancock is Atticus' and John's sister, married to

James "Uncle Jimmy" Hancock. She has a son named Henry and a very spoiled

grandson named Francis. Her husband, James, remains at Finch's Landing, the Finch

family homestead, and, as she told Jem upon her arrival that, "he'll keep the place

going." She stays with the Finches because she does not find the black Calpurnia a

satisfactory maternal figure, and because she wants to make Scout into a Southern

belle. She disapproves of Scout being a tomboy and unsuccessfully encourages her to

act like a "lady".[1] This is the cause of many conflicts between Scout and Alexandra

throughout the course of the novel. She feels guilty and partially responsible when

Scout and Jem are attacked by Bob Ewell, then after she gives up on making Scout a

lady and even gives Scout back her overalls, (although she is in a shocked daze whilst

she does so, apparently not aware she even is giving back Scout her overalls. Scout

herself doesn't even notice the implications at that time, being in shock herself, as she

notes that if she were, she'd never let Alexandra forget it.

Minor Characters.

1. Nathan Radley

Nathan Radley is the older brother of Arthur "Boo" Radley and one of another

harder characters to understand in To Kill a Mockingbird. When the children try to

catch a view on his brother "Boo", he shoots at them in the yard (albeit thinking he

was aiming at a black person), but they escape. Besides, Nathan fills up a knothole in

which Arthur leaves little gifts for the children. On the other hand he helps Miss

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Maudie saving her belongings when her house is on fire. He is more present than his

brother, but not less mysterious.

2. Walter Cunningham.Jr

Walter Cunningham, Jr. is a child who is almost as old as Jem but is in Scout's

class. He is too poor to even pay off a 25-cent debt because the Great Depression hit

his poor family hard. He is invited over to the Finch's house once, after engaging in a

fight with Scout, where he covers up all of his dinner with molasses, much to Scout's

dislike. This teaches Scout a lesson in humility and compassion.

3. Walter Cunningham,Sr

Walter Cunningham, Sr. is Walter Cunningham Jr.'s dad. He is only displayed

twice, once at the beginning of the story when he has to pay off the debt to Atticus

(Walter Cunningham Sr. was his client) by giving him driftwood and other supplies.

This does not entirely count though, because it is told as part of a flashback by Scout.

The second time, he leads the mob who tries to lynch Tom Robinson the night before

the trial. Only when Scout comes and talks to him about his son, does he turn his

back and leaves with the mob. Scout innocently shames him because Scout reminds

him of all the things that Atticus has done for him and for Maycomb County. After

the verdict is told in the trial, Atticus tells Jem that Mr. Walter Cunningham had

changed his thoughts about Tom. Walter had indeed pleaded that Tom was not guilty

to the jury.

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4. Mr. Dolphus Raymond

Dolphus Raymond is a wealthy white man who has children with a black woman.

He pretends he is an alcoholic, but he only drinks "Coca Cola" out of a paperbag. He

does this to put the people of Maycomb at ease, to give them a reason why he lived

with a black woman and had mixed children. He knows they will not understand why

he lives as he does, so by pretending he is a drunk, he makes life easier for himself

(and for Maycomb). Thus, he has all kinds of false rumors spread by Maycomb

surrounding his decision. He is also an example of a mockingbird. When Dill and

Scout discover that he is not a drunk they are amazed. He shows Scout how

sometimes you simply need to pretend you are something when you really are not. He

was engaged to marry a woman named Spencer, but she committed suicide on the

wedding day. It is said that she shot herself by "pulling the trigger of a gun with her

toes, and it blew her head off." He is jaded by the hypocrisy of the white society and

prefers to live among black folks.

5. Link Deas

Link Deas owns cotton fields in Maycomb who employs Tom and later Helen

because she does not get accepted by any other employers in the county due to Tom

Robinson's legal troubles. He announces to the court (in defence of Tom) at one point

in the trial that he hadn't “had a speck o’trouble outa him” even though Tom had been

working for him for eight years, and gets sent out by Judge John Taylor for doing so.

He says . When Bob Ewell starts threatening Helen after the trial, Mr. Deas fiercely

defends her and threatens several times to have Mr. Ewell arrested if he keeps

34

bothering her. He is on Tom Robinson's side during the trial and remains loyal to the

family afterwards.

6. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose

She is an old, ill, temperamental and racist woman. She lives near the Finches.

Although Jem believes that Mrs. Dubose is a thoroughly bad woman, Atticus admires

him for the courage with which she battles her morphine addiction.

7. Heck Tate

Heck Tate is a friend of Atticus and also the sheriff of Maycomb County. At the

end of the novel he is the one who comes up with the story to protect Boo Radley. He

also indirectly forces Atticus to reveal his expertise with firearms (which Atticus had

previously tried to conceal from his children) by asking him to shoot a rabid dog.

Heck is a decent man who tries to protect the innocent from danger. Like Atticus, he

seems to be one of the few in Maycomb County who is not viciously prejudiced

against the Negro community. He is described as tall as Atticus but thinner, always

wearing boots and boot-cut pants with a belt of bullets. He is a static character,

holding onto his basic principles throughout the events of the story.

b. Plot

Plot is the sequence of related of events which a story is composed, sections will

be described in this explanation below:

The novel To Kill A Mockingbird revolves around a young girl named Jean

Louise Finch who goes by the nicknamed "Scout". Scout experiences different events

in her life that dramatically change her life. Scout and her brother Jem are being

35

raised by their father, a lawyer named Atticus and a housekeeper named Calpumia in

a small town in the south. At this point in time in the South racism and

discriminations towards black was a big issue . The story begins when Scout is 6

years old, and her brother is about to enter the 5th grade. That summer Scout and her

brother meet a young boy named Dill who comes from Mississippi to spend the

summers there. They become fascinated with a man named "Boo" Radley, a man in

his thirties who has not been seen outside of his home in years, mainly because of his

suppressed upbringing. They have an impression of Mr. Radley as being this large

ugly and evil man.

Scout starts to explain the circumstances that led to the broken arm that her older

brother, Jem, sustained many years earlier; she begins by recounting her family

history. The first of her ancestors to come to America was a fur-trader and apothecary

named Simon Finch, who fled England to escape religious persecution and

established a successful farm on the banks of the Alabama River. The farm, called

Finch’s Landing, supported the family for many years. The first Finches to make a

living away from the farm were Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, who became a lawyer

in the nearby town of Maycomb, and his brother, Jack Finch, who went to medical

school in Boston. Their sister, Alexandra Finch, stayed to run the Landing. The story

begins in the first chapter when the main character, Scout explained about her brother

condition. Her brother Jem was four year as her senior. Jem got his arm badly broken

in his elbow. Scout introduced her brother’s condition and it is because of his elbow

injury.

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When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly in his

elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were

assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was

somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand

was right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn’t have

cared less, so long as he could pass and punt. (Harper Lee, 2010:3).

A successful lawyer, Atticus makes a solid living in Maycomb, a tired, poor, old

town in the grips of the Great Depression. He lives with Jem and Scout on

Maycomb’s main residential street. Their cook, an old black woman named

Calpurnia, helps to raise the children and keep the house. Atticus’s wife died when

Scout was two, so she does not remember her mother well. But Jem, four years older

than Scout, has memories of their mother that sometimes make him unhappy.

In the summer of 1933, when Jem is nearly ten and Scout almost six, a peculiar

boy named Charles Baker Harris moves in next door. The boy, who calls himself

Dill, stays for the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel Haverford, who owns the house

next to the Finches’. Dill doesn’t like to discuss his father’s absence from his life, but

he is otherwise a talkative and extremely intelligent boy who quickly becomes the

Finch children’s chief playmate. All summer, the three act out various stories that

they have read. When they grow bored of this activity, Dill suggests that they attempt

to lure Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor, out of his house.

Arthur “Boo” Radley lives in the run-down Radley Place, and no one has seen

him outside it in years. Scout recounts how, as a boy, Boo got in trouble with the law

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and his father imprisoned him in the house as punishment. He was not heard from

until fifteen years later, when he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. Although

people suggested that Boo was crazy, old Mr. Radley refused to have his son

committed to an asylum. When the old man died, Boo’s brother, Nathan, came to live

in the house with Boo. Nevertheless, Boo continued to stay inside.

Dill is fascinated by Boo and tries to convince the Finch children to help him lure

this phantom of Maycomb outside. Eventually, he dares Jem to run over and touch

the house. Jem does so, sprinting back hastily; there is no sign of movement at the

Radley Place, although Scout thinks that she sees a shutter move slightly, as if

someone were peeking out.

Meanwhile, Atticus brings the case to the trial, Mr. Cunningham, one of the

white who hate the black people, try to threaten Atticus. He came to the trial at night

with some strange people. He asks Atticus to let him kill Tom at the prison. But

Atticus guards Tom from those men, because Atticus hinders them, Mr. Cunningham

and the strangers who brought, they threaten Atticus. They think Atticus is not

entitled to ban them because Tom was a black man. At that time, Jem, Scout and Dill

show, so they canceled the evil plan.

In obedience to my father, there followed what I later realized was a

sickeningly comic aspect of unfunny situation: the man talked in near

whispers.“He in there, Mr. Finch?” a man said. “He is,” we heard Atticus

answer, “and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up.”.“You know what we want,”

38

another man said. “Get a side from the door, Mr. Finch.” (Harper Lee,

2010:202)

Then comes the trial. Scout's father becomes a defense attorney for a black man,

Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white women. This has a big affect

on Scout. During this trial she gets teased by friends because her father was helping

this black man. Scout starts to see the racism that exist. During the trial Scout and her

brother and close friend Dill witness the trial. Even though they are young they can

see that Mr. Robinson is innocent. Even though Mr. Robinson's innocence was clear

even in the eyes of kids, Mr. Robinson was still found guilty. Later in an attempt to

escape, Mr. Robinson is shot dead. Scout is extremely disappointed at the verdict and

even more at the death of Mr. Robinson and realizes the injustice that exist. Later in a

cowardly attempt by the alleged rape victims father, tries to kill Scout and her brother

in order to get even with her father for making him look back in court. This is when

Mr.Radley makes an appearance again an stabs their attacker. Even though Mr.

Radley kills a man he is not tried for murder because he was defending the Scout and

her brother. Finally some justice. This gives Scout some hope that is a chance for

improvement in this unjust world.

However, Atticus still refused to step aside from the presence of those people. He

has promised to prove in court that Tom is innocent. The ending story of the novel is

a tragic ending. Bob Ewell is died. It’s start when Jem and Scout go to the Halloween

party in their school.

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c. Setting

This novel is not exactly explained the year of the story happened. Setting of time

in the novel just mentioned after the 20th century, such as this quotation below:

Simon would have regarded with impotent fury the disturbance between the

North and the South, as it left his descendants stripped of everything but their

land, yet the tradition of living on the land remained unbroken until well into the

twentieth century, when my father, Atticus Finch, went to Montgomery to read

law, and his younger brother went to Boston to study medicine. (Harper Lee,

2010:5)

Setting is the essential element that can support the idea of the story. The

declination of the setting in the story is not only be able to give the main illustration

of the story, but also both of setting of place and time have a huge role in giving the

insights to the reader easily about the image of the idea of theme and the character.

Particularly, in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, setting of place is clearly

mentioned in the book. It takes place in Maycomb, a small town where is located in

Sothern Alabama, United States of America. Actually, the description of the setting

of place is told very detain in the very beginning of chapter. Even, it is illustrated

about the real condition and situation of the place such as the nature, the climate and

the season. Maycomb is the place where the main character, Scout was born and grew

up. It can be seen by the quotation below:

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first

knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slops; grass grew in the

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sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter

then: a black dog suffered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover

carts flicked flies in the sweltering side of the live oaks on the square. Men’s

stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. (Harper Lee, 2010:60).

d. Theme

The writer found themes in this novel. Those are:

There are many different themes present in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

The first theme which I will discuss is "Prejudice". The whole story revolved around

the prejudice views of this Southern community. The whole reason why the trial was

going on was because of people views towards blacks in the south. Since the alleged

rape victim's father has such a prejudice view towards black, he is embarrassed that

his daughter was actually flirting with a black man. To combat this he falsely accuses

the innocent Mr. Robinson of rape. If it wasn't for the prejudice view which existed in

the south the accusation would had never been brought against Mr. Robinson. These

prejudice views in the south created a double standard of justice. With all the negative

points that can be found in the story in respect to prejudice, there was a bright spot

when it came to the prejudice issue. This "ray of light" came in the form of Scout's

father Atticus. Atticus represented hope. Hope that good people still exist. Even in a

society filled with hate. Atticus represented the hope that one day things can change

The "Prejudice" theme also ties in well with the title of the book "To Kill A

Mocking Bird." In Chapter 10, Scout and Jem Finch get air rifles for Christmas.

Scouts father tells her and her brother that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because

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mockingbirds are harmless creatures who do nothing but sing for our enjoyment. In

the story To Kill a Mockingbird Mr. Robinson is clearly the "Mocking Bird". He is a

good man who has never harmed anyone and is figuratively and literally shot by

society because of prejudice. The jurors sentence him to death not because he did

anything wrong but because of prejudice. He is then later shot for trying to escape

this unjust ruling. Mr. Robinson just like a mockingbird is shot for no reason at all.

The second theme which I will discuss is "coming of age". The "Coming of age"

theme basically entails a character who evolves to a new level of self awareness

through his or her experiences in life. This is clearly the case with Scout in To Kill a

Mockingbird. An example of Scout's "coming of age" can be seen when she meets

her friend Dill. Dill comes from a broken home and lives somewhere beyond

Alabama. Scout who comes from a good home is awaken to the different quality of

life that exist and is able to come to a conclusion that life exist beyond the world she

knows. Through these experiences she grows more tolerant of others, learning how to

"climb into another person's skin and walk around in it." On her first day of school

she finds that just like with Dill there are both social and poor classes in society,

some are respectable and others not. She also learns that her father is an extra-

ordinary man, fighting for a Negro's rights in court. During the trial of Tom Robinson

Scout learns about equality and inequality and finally about racial prejudice. By the

final chapters of the novel, Scout goes to another "coming of age experience." She

learns that good people can still suffer injustice. She realizes this when she see's Tom

Robinson suffer injustice even though they did nothing to deserve it. She discover

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that the courts does not always result in justice. In the end after all of Scout's

experiences and discoveries we get the sense that she will not follow the prejudice

views which her society upholds. In the end Scout had matured and grown more as a

kid, than many adults will do in there lifetime.

The third and final theme which I will discuss is "Justice". In the story To Kill a

Mockingbird I feel,the author, Ms. Lee portrays true justice as being best seen

through the eyes of the innocent. In the story Scout and her brother, being the

innocent,can clearly see the injustice being done to Mr. Robinson. In contrary to

Scout and her brother other people in society more specifically the older people in the

town, the people who have lived through different experiences, become blinded when

it comes to true justice. Or maybe they are not blinded but just choose to ignore it.

This is clearly seen when they sentence an innocent man to death. This ignorance of

justice can be blamed on the prejudice views which are present and eventually

instilled in society in the south. So I feel that Harper Lee is connecting justice with

innocence to a certain extent. In my opinion Harper Lee portrays justice as being

easily detected. The reason I say this is even the young justice. The problem is society

can instill beliefs that can act as a veil and blind the people from justice. The only

way to uncover this veil is through people like Atticus who can pass his morality and

nobility to the young and the "blinded".

4.2 Historical Background

There are many parallels between the trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a

Mockingbird and one of the most notorious series of trials in the nation's history ‚ the

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Scottsboro Trials. On March 25, 1931, a freight train was stopped in Paint Rock, a

tiny community in Northern Alabama, and nine young African American men who

had been riding the rails were arrested. As two white women - one underage -

descended from the freight cars, they accused the men of raping them on the train.

Within a month the first man was found guilty and sentenced to death. There

followed a series of sensational trials condemning the other men solely on the

testimony of the older woman, a known prostitute, who was attempting to avoid

prosecution under the Mann Act, prohibiting taking a minor across state lines for

immoral purposes, like prostitution.

Although none of the accused were executed, a number remained on death row

for many years. The case was not settled until 1976 with the pardon of the last of the

Scottsboro defendants.

1. Parallels Between The Scottsboro and Tom Robinson Trials.

The Scottsboro Trials

Took place in the 1930s northern Alabama. Began with a charge of rape made

by white women against African American men. The poor white status of the

accusers was a critical issue. A central figure was a heroic judge, a member of the

Alabama Bar who overturned a guilty jury verdict against African American men.

This judge went against public sentiment in trying to protect the rights of the African

American defendants. The first juries failed to include any African Americans, a

situation which causeed the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the guilty verdict. The

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jury ignored evidence, for example, that the women suffered no injuries. Attitudes

about Southern women and poor whites complicated the trial.

Tom Robinson's Trial

Occurs in the 1930s southern Alabama. Begins with a charge of rape made by a

white woman against an African American man. The poor white status of Mayella is

a critical issue. A central figure is Atticus, lawyer, legislator and member of the

Alabama Bar, who defends an African American man. Atticus arouses anger in the

communtiy in trying to defend Tom Robinson. The verdict is rendered by a jury of

poor white residents of Old Sarum. The jury ignores evidence, for example, that Tom

has a useless left arm. Attitudes about Southern women and poor whites complicate

the trial of Tom Robinson.

2. The Author and the Book

Nelle Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, had many childhood

experiences which are similar to those of her narrator, Scout Finch.

Harper Lee's Childhood

Grew up in 1930s - rural southern Alabama town. Father - Amasa Lee - attorney

who served in state legislature in Alabama. Older brother and young neighbor

(Truman Capote) are playmates. Harper Lee - an avid reader. Six years old when

Scottsboro trials were meticulously covered in state and local newspapers.

Scout Finch's Childhood

Grew up in 1930s - rural southern Alabama town. Father - Atticus Finch - attorney

who served in state legislature in Alabama. Older brother and young neighbor (Dill)

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are playmates. Scout reads before she enters school; reads Mobile Register newspaper

in first grade. Six years old when the trial of Tom Robinson takes place.

4.3 Social Realities in To Kill A Mockingbird

Atticus is a lawyer, and the novel is centered around his representation of Tom

Robinson. Although Atticus loses the trial, he believes strongly that despite social

inequalities, all men are equal in the courtroom. He includes this information in his

closing statements to the jury, and during his later discussions with Jem and Scout

regarding jury selection and the trial process, makes this statement again. Atticus

believes that progress towards racial equality can and will be made in the courtroom.

In addition, although he believes powerfully in upholding the law, Atticus

understands that it must be bent in certain situations. For example, Bob Ewell is

permitted to hunt even in the off season because the town authorities know that if he

is prevented from hunting, his children might starve. In addition, at the end of the

novel, the law would require Boo Radley to be placed on trial to determine whether

he killed Bob Ewell is self defense or not. However, Atticus understands, as does

Heck Tate and Scout, that Boo should not be forced to experience powerful public

attention or criticism. Therefore, it is necessary to bend the law in this case to protect

Boo. Bravery takes many forms in To Kill A Mockingbird. Atticus is brave to defend

a black man in the face of criticism and threats of violence. He also is brave in the

face of danger, both when he kills the rabid dog with a single shot and when facing

the mob of men outside the jailhouse. Atticus urges Scout to be brave and prevent

herself from fighting those who criticize her or her family. To Atticus, withholding

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violence is one of the highest forms of bravery. The children believe themselves to be

brave when approaching the Radley house early in the book, but learn later on that

this was false bravery, and in fact, silly. Atticus holds up Mrs. Dubose as the ultimate

definition of bravery, as she finds against her morphine addiction in order to be free

from it before she dies, even when she knows she will die in the process. Atticus,

who also fights against a power greater than himself, tells his children they should

have great respect for Mrs. Dubose. Finally, Bob Ewell represents the greatest

cowardice, as he both lies in the courtroom to protect himself and resorts to attacking

children in the darkness in order to make himself feel more of a man.

Social differences have changed incredibly in the last decades. The world has

known an evolution that no one could have predicted. Aspects such as racism, social

class and individual perception have differed drastically and now represent a modern

open-minded world. The multiculturism boost our country and our world has known

has brought a new wave of cultural, racial and social differences. The world has

changed for the better and communities as well as individuals are now more open to

differences in others. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the subject of social

differences is the main theme for the book. The book adresses directly the major

problem of racism per example and deals with it in it's special way. Set in the 1930's,

To Kill a Mockingbird examines very closely social differences at that time.

Unfortunately, the social differences found in the 1930's are very different than those

we face in 2007. To Kill a Mockingbird has become a cultural phenomenon. Students

everywhere study this novel referring to concepts that were established over 75 years

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ago. Obviously, opinions and beliefs have changed and do not apply to our world

today. As a result, the social differences in the novel do not demonstrate the

differences known to us today and is therefore innapropriate for class study. Today,

visual racism is not present, trials are treated equally compared to unfair racist trails

and social classes and economical differences are seen in a new way. Firstly, visual

racism found in the novel has become very rare today. The idea of excluding

someone due to his or her race is not at all valued today if not frowned upon. Students

are thought this in school to prepare them for actual society. Statements in the book

are completely the opposite we try to teach children and teens today. In To Kill a

Mockingbird, visual racism and exclusion is very obvious. When Tom Robinson and

Atticus go to trial, a seperate balcony is reserved for the “coloured” people : “The

coloured balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom like a second-story

veranda…” (Lee 164) This indicates clearly the lack of social justice in the novel.

People of other races than Caucasian in a public building have reserved seating, a

practice that would be severely denounced today. This shows the drastic contrast

from the book to our everyday world. Similarly, in Maycomb, people of other races

than Caucasian are automatically treated as servants or as residents of a lower class

without even considering their actual financial situation :

“It (Calpurnia's church) was an ancient paint-peeled frame building, the

only church in Maycomb with a steeple and bell, called First Purchase because

it was paid for from the first earnings of freed slaves. Negroes worshipped in it

on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays.” (Harper Lee, 2010:118)

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This statement perfectly shows the lack of respect the other townspeople had for

the Afrian American residents of Maycomb and the social differences that were

automatically insinuated on behalf of the African American community, an act that

would never be performed today. Due the fact that the storyline represents outdated

statements, To Kill a Mockingbird is clearly inappropriate for class study. Secondly,

people today see social class and social differences in a new way that does not relate

to the way it does in the book. In To Kill a Mockinbird, when Calpurnia takes the

children to church, some members were offended by the children's presence, a racist

act that would not be accepted today : "You ain't got no business bringin' white

chillun here – they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?"

This proves clearly that racism can go both ways. Many times, we tend to think of

racism as white against black but racism can certainly go the other way. This

statement proves that the African American of Maycomb has accepted the fact that

racism is present in their community as they are actually contributing to it by

questioning the presence of the children at First Purchase. Today, religion is seen as a

choice and not an obligation. Citizens are free to choose the religion they believe in

or they choose to not believe in anything. Social class and social differences do not

play as an important role than it used to be. People have become well aware and more

open-minded to these kinds of factors. In like manner, in the novel, Mr. Dolphus

Raymond uses alcoholism as an excuse to explain the fact that he has an engagement

with a black woman and has children with her : " 'You mean all you drink in that

sack's Coca-Cola? Just plain Coca-Cola?' … 'Some folks don't – like the way I live.' "

49

This statement proves that the social differences and social class were very important

factors on someones life, unlike today. With the multicultarulism boost that our world

is experiencing today, more and more people are marrying people from differents

races which contributes to our diverse communities. How can children and teenagers

learn the correct values our society needs when we force them to study outdated

material that represent values that are unacceptable today? Thirdly, trials are treated

equally today compared to past unfair trial that do not represent today's reality. In To

Kill a Mockingbird, the whole novel revolves around the trial of Tom Robinson, an

African American man accused of raping a Caucasian woman. Of course these kinds

of acts occur today as well but it is the way the trial will be treated following the

action that represents the era it occurred. In the book, it is clear that Robinson is

treated unfairly because of his race :

"What did she (Mayella Ewell) do? She tempted a Negro. 'She was white

and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable:

she kissed a black man." (Harper Lee, 2010 203-204).

This statement by Atticus proves that the whole trial was unfair and treated

in a different manner because of the racial differences in this specific situation. A

act that would never happen today. In the novel Atticus realizes this and states

these facts. That is also why some characters see him as someone ahead of his

time. Correspondly, even before the trial started, people had their mind set to

Tom Robinson's verdict. The book clearly shows that the whole Maycomb

community had set their opinions on the results of the trial : "Your father's no

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better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Harper Lee, 2010:102) "Well,

Dill, after all he's just a Negro" (Harper Lee, 2010:199)

These statements prove the level of respect the residents of Maycomb express

towards other races. Clearly with this type of attitude, the community had their mind

set on the destiny of Tom Robinson. These types of assumptions would never occur

today resulting in the fair justice system we find in our society today. Students cannot

be exposed to such a disgrace that goes completely against our community values in

2007.

In conclusion, it is clear that the racism and social differences in To Kill a

Mockingbird do not represent the differences known to us today therefore it is

inappropriate for class study. Students need to see the reality today not the reality

decades ago. Allthough, To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel, it does not

represent reality today.

4.4 The relationship between the historical backgrounds of African-American’s

life and story of the novel.

When To Kill a Mockingbird’s story of an African-American man falsely

accused of raping a white woman first appeared in 1960, the Civil Rights Movement

was well on its way toward significantly revolutionizing how the U.S. conceived of

race. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs. the Board of Education that

separate was not equal, paving the way for the integration of the public school

system. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person

and was arrested, sparking a series of boycotts that were ultimately successful in

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changing policy. Progress was far from smooth, however: in 1958 some southern

schools closed altogether, rather than let African-Americans study alongside whites.

And, in 1955, fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was brutally murdered after approaching

a white woman in a store – an event that may have influenced author Harper Lee in

writing To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lee did not set her novel in contemporary late 1950s society, however. This

novel instead takes place a few decades earlier, before the changes and conflicts of

the Civil Rights era. During this period, America was watching closely the infamous

Scottsboro Trials, in which two impoverished white women accused nine young

black men of rape. These trials may have been one of several influences on Lee as she

crafted the Mockingbird story. The book is set in the time period of Lee’s own youth,

and many critics have pointed out the similarities between her and Scout, and her

childhood friend, Truman Capote, and Dill. Lee herself has said that she did not

intend the book to be an autobiography. She simply wrote what she knew. It’s also

her only book: she never published another novel, and, within a few years of

Mockingbird's publication, she went into a seclusion to rival that of her character Boo

Radley. (For more on Lee's childhood, see Shmoop's Harper Lee Biography).

If a person’s only going to write one novel, they couldn’t do much better than

Mockingbird. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize, it’s also never been out of print, and has

long been a staple of high school English classes. On at least one list of top-whatever

books, it’s ranked #1. The novel has become an iconic example of a book that can

make its readers into better people in 300 pages or less. While Mockingbird’s

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message of standing up for what’s right even when the costs are high still receives

acclaim, not everyone agrees that it holds the moral high ground. While the main

reason it frequently appears on the ALA’s list of banned books is its use of profanity,

it’s also been challenged for its one-dimensional representation of African-Americans

as docile, simple folk who need whites to protect them. While some see the novel as a

powerful statement against racism, others see it as reproducing racism in a less

obvious form. No matter which side a reader leans towards, the strong reactions the

novel provokes just go to show that its influence remains strong even today.

One of the most infuriating things we hear as kids, usually from obnoxiously

smug adults, is “Life isn’t fair." The feeling behind this sentence usually isn’t "but it

should be, so let’s get working on that," but rather "that’s the way grown-ups roll –

suck it up and deal, kid." And as we get older, we start believing that that’s just the

way it is, and nothing we can do will change it.

Talking about images, the main question is “why?” Why the white people always

looking down upon the black people? Does the color skin is the only problem? If we

see based on the historical background of black people, there is a relationship

between that and the image of black people. In this chapter, the writer will explain the

relationship between the images and the historical background of black people.

Remember the way they come to America for the first time? The black people almost

come from Africa, like West Central Africa, Bight of Biafra, Sierra Leon,

Senegambia, Gold Coast, Bight of Benin, and Mozambique-Madagascar. Poorness in

their country make them easily immigrated to other country, with hope of a better

53

life. Unfortunately, they did not get what they want. They came to Africa just for

being a servant and slave. They can not escape easily. So, they just stay, receive their

destiny without doing anything.

The longer, the population of slave increased. They have their own family system

and living together in one community that separated from the white’s life. The black

people live in poor and miserable. No education, no culture and no law’s protection.

They could not get their right as human being. Their destiny is depending of pity

from the white. In case, they did not accept easily in social community which

dominated with the white people. Even, the white has right of the black’s life.

Because of poverty and destitution, they are compelled to do something contrary

to the law. Sometimes, for just a eating to continue their life, they have to steal and

pilfer. This makes a bad image constantly rub off on black people as a whole. As a

result, over time, their images even more black than their own skin.

Over time, if there is evil in the street and anywhere else, black people always

accused as the culprit. Sometimes the accusations without evidence at all. But white

people do not need evidence at all to ensnare and drag black people to prison.

Because one word from a white man is more trustworthy than a thousand black

waffle.

They do not even have any rights over their own self. They can not act according

to own wishes. Their lives are controlled by white people. On the bus, when there are

black people who stood up, black people must give their seats. On the road, when

there are white people walking, they should pull over to the curb as a tribute. Such an

54

attitude is not regulated in American’s law. But the Negro knows what they would

receive if they do not follow these unwritten rules.

Bad image continues to stick in almost blacks. Image as a fool and uneducated,

dirty from living in the vicinity of waste disposal, the rude, evil and inhumane and of

course, as a slave. This image never disappears even though President Abraham

Lincoln declared the liberation of slaves. When this declaration was announced, the

South American community flatly refused. They do not want to release their slaves.

While the northern part of society just accept it. As a result, there is conflict and

hostility between the South and the North.

4.5 The Mockingbird

When Scout and Jem receive airguns for Christmas, Atticus tells them that

although he would prefer that they practice their shooting with tin cans, if they must

shoot at living things, they must never shoot at mockingbirds. Atticus explains that it

is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Clearly, this is the title scene, but the theme continues

throughout the book. Miss Maudie explains why Atticus is correct - mockingbirds

never do anyone any harm, and are not pests in any way. All they do is sing

beautifully and live peacefully. Therefore, it is a sin to kill them. The mockingbird

comes to represent true goodness and purity. Tom Robinson is one example of a

human "mockingbird". He stands accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell, but is

innocent of the charges. The town commits the ultimate sin by finding him guilty and

sentencing him to death. In effect, they have killed a mockingbird. Boo Radley is

another example of a human "mockingbird". He has spent his entire life as a prisoner

55

of his own home because his father was overzealous in punishing him for a childhood

mistake. Boo Radley observes the world around him, causing no harm to anyone, and

then saves Jem and Scout's lives when Bob Ewell attacks. The sheriff determines that

Ewell's death will be ruled an accident to avoid forcing Boo to go to trial, even

though Boo killed him to protect the children. Atticus agrees, and wants to make sure

Scout understands why this little white lie must be told. She replies saying of course

she understands, putting Boo on trial and in the public sphere would be like killing a

mockingbird. The mockingbird represents true goodness and innocence that should

always be protected.

In this novel, there is a main symbol. That is “Mockingbird.” Mockingbird is

one type of bird that has a black puff. But in this novel, Mockingbird represents of the

idea of innocence.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTION

5.1 Conclusion

Based on the analysis conclusion will be obtained as follows:

People created a literary work not only to channel their expression or their

inspiration, but also gave the benefits to other readers who read it. The writer present

the social realities by Genetic-Structuralism approach which she focuses her attention

to the two elements in literary work; they are structural elements of the story, in this

term character, plot, theme, setting and the genetic elements namely social realities.

By reading this novel, the reader can understand more about African-American’s life.

Mockingbird is one type of bird that has a black puff. But in this novel, Mockingbird

represents of the idea of innocence. In this novel, Harper Lee gives a moral message

through the character of Atticus. Atticus's defense given to Tom Robinson in the trial

shows that not all white people look down on black people. Atticus teaches that all

men are equal, no matter what his skin color. Therefore, all humans should be treated

equally and must be given their rights fairly.

When in the middle of 19th century, President of United States, Abraham Lincoln

declares a prohibition of black’s slavery, the black can just take a deep breath and

cheerful. However, not all white people agree with this president’s new liberation.

57

Most of white people in North America liberate their slave, but almost white people

in South America are rebel. They come to black people’s housing and kill them. To

Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, to some extent reflect the lives of blacks

after the Civil War. At that time, white people in the South refused to set free their

black slaves, while the white people in the North do the opposite. Lee's novel was

written based on historical facts that exist at that time. There are so many links

between the stories in this novel with real life of blacks in America after President

Abraham Lincoln issued law liberation of black slaves. Therefore, the writer makes a

thesis with title: Social Realities in Harper Lee’s Novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”.

5.2 Suggestions

The writer realizes that this writing is not completely perfect. The ability of

writer to give a good work is still limited. Some correction is still necessary in order

to accomplish a better analysis. Therefore, the writer expects that the student of

English Department analyze more for the best work so that it can be found many

other important aspects. The writer also expects that this writing about social realities

in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” can contribute to further study of the

social realities in America. The researches of literary works need the materials that

relevant with that works. Therefore, its hope that the books in the library center and

also faculty should be equipped for student who works on their thesis.

58

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Budianta, Mellanie. 2002. Membaca Sastra: Pengantar Memahami Sastra Untuk

Perguruan Tinggi. Magelang : Indonesia

Badrun, Ahmad, Drs. 1983. Pengantar Ilmu Sastra (Teori Sastra). Surabaya

Budianta, Melani, et al. 2008. Membaca Sastra (Pengantar Memahami Sastra Untuk

Perguruan Tinggi). Jakarta: TransMedia Pustaka.

Damono, Sapardi, 1975. Sosiologi Sastra Sebuah Pengantar. Jakarta : Pusat

Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa Indonesia.

Faruk, Dr. 1999. Pengantar Sosiologi Sastra: dari Strukturalisme Genetik sampai

Post-Modernisme. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar Offset.

Goldman, Lucien. 1960. George Lukacs’ theory. France.

Geurin, Wilfred L. 1979. A Handbook of Critical Approach to

literature. ref. ed New York: Crown Publisher.

Johnson Durst Claudia. 1976 "Historical Context: The Scottsboro Trials," from

Understanding To Kill a Mockingbird: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources,

and Historic Documents. 15 - 81. America: Harper Lee scholar and author

Lee, Harper. 1960. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York : The Viking

Luthers, Luedke. 1994. Mengenal Masyarakat dan Budaya Amerika Serikat.

Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia.

Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary : 2003 Oxford : Oxford University.

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Semi, M. Atar, Prof. Drs. 1993. Metode Penelitian Sastra. Bandung: Percetakan

Angkasa.

Wellek, Rene & Warren, Austin. 1949. Theory of Literature. London: Gramedia.

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APPENDIX

Synopsis and Biography Author

Writer Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. In1959 she finished the manuscript her Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller To Kill aMockingbird. Soon after, she helped fellow-writer and friend Truman Capote write anarticle for The New Yorker which would later evolve into his nonfiction masterpiece,

Early Life

Writer. Born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. LeeHarper is best known for writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller To Kill aMockingbird (1960)—her one and only novel. The youngest of four children, shegrew up as a tomboy in a small town. Her father was a lawyer, a member of theAlabama state legislature, and also owned part of the local newspaper. For most ofLee’s life, her mother suffered from mental illness, rarely leaving the house. It isbelieved that she may have had bipolar disorder.

One of her closest childhood friends was another writer-to-be, Truman Capote(then known as Truman Persons). Tougher than many of the boys, Lee often steppedup to serve as Truman's protector. Truman, who shared few interests with boys hisage, was picked on for being a sissy and for the fancy clothes he wore. While the twofriends were very different, they both shared in having difficult home lives. Trumanwas living with his mother’s relatives in town after largely being abandoned by hisown parents.

In high school, Lee developed an interest in English literature. After graduatingin 1944, she went to the all-female Huntingdon College in Montgomery. Lee stoodapart from the other students—she could have cared less about fashion, makeup, ordating. Instead, she focused on her studies and on her writing. Lee was a member ofthe literary honor society and the glee club.

Aspiring Writer

Transferring to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Lee was known forbeing a loner and an individualist. She did make a greater attempt at a social lifethere, joining a sorority for a while. Pursuing her interest in writing, Lee contributed

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to the school’s newspaper and its humor magazine, the Rammer Jammer. Sheeventually became the editor of the Rammer Jammer.In her junior year, Lee wasaccepted into the university’s law school, which allowed students to work on lawdegrees while still undergraduates. The demands of her law studies forced her toleave her post as editor of the Rammer Jammer. After her first year in the lawprogram, Lee began expressing to her family that writing—not the law—was her truecalling. She went to Oxford University in England that summer as an exchangestudent. Returning to her law studies that fall, Lee dropped out after the first semester.She soon moved to New York City to follow her dreams to become a writer.

In 1949, a 23-year-old Lee arrived in New York City. She struggled for severalyears, working as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines and for the British Overseas AirCorp (BOAC). While in the city, Lee was reunited with old friend Truman Capote,one of the literary rising stars of the time. She also befriended Broadway composerand lyricist Michael Martin Brown and his wife Joy.

In 1956, the Browns gave Lee an impressive Christmas present—to support herfor a year so that she could write full time.She quit her job and devoted herself to hercraft. The Browns also helped her find an agent, Maurice Crain. He, in turn, was ableto get the publishing firm interested in her first novel, which was first titled Go Set aWatchman, then Atticus, and later To Kill a Mockingbird. Working with editor TayHohoff, Lee finished the manuscript in 1959.

Work with Truman Capote

Later that year, Lee joined forces with old friend Truman Capote to assist himwith an article he was writing for The New Yorker. Capote was writing about theimpact of the murder of four members of the Clutter family on their small Kansasfarming community. The two traveled to Kansas to interview townspeople, friendsand family of the deceased, and the investigators working to solve the crime. Servingas his research assistant, Lee helped with the interviews, eventually winning oversome of the locals with her easy-going, unpretentious manner. Truman, with hisflamboyant personality and style, also had a hard time initially getting himself intohis subjects’ good graces.

During their time in Kansas, the Cutters’s suspected killers, Richard Hickock andPerry Smith, were caught in Las Vegas and brought back for questioning. Lee andCapote got a chance to interview the suspects not long after their arraignment inJanuary 1960. Soon after, Lee and Capote returned to New York. She worked on thegalleys for her forthcoming first novel while he started working on his article, whichwould evolve into the nonfiction masterpiece, In Cold Blood. The pair returned to

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Kansas in March for the murder trial. Later that spring, Lee gave Capote all of hernotes on the crime, the victims, the killers, the local communities, and much more.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Soon Lee was engrossed in her literary success story. In July 1960, To Kill aMockingbird was published and picked up by the Book-of-the-Month Club and theLiterary Guild. A condensed version of the story appeared in Reader’s Digestmagazine. The work’s central character, a young girl nicknamed Scout, was notunlike Lee in her youth. In one of the book’s major plotlines, Scout and her brotherJem and their friend Dill explore their fascination with a mysterious and somewhatinfamous neighborhood character named Boo Radley. But the work was more than acoming-of-age story, however. Another part of the novel reflected racial prejudices inthe South. Their attorney father, Atticus Finch, tries to help a black man who hasbeen charged with raping a white woman to get a fair trial and to prevent him frombeing lynched by angry whites in a small town.

The following year, To Kill a Mockingbird won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize andseveral other literary awards. Horton Foote wrote a screenplay based on the book andused the same title for the 1962 film adaptation. Lee visited the set during filming anddid a lot of interviews to support the film. Earning eight Academy Awardnominations, the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird won four awards, includingBest Actor for Gregory Peck’s portrayal of Atticus Finch. The character of Atticus issaid to have been based on Lee’s father.

Later Years

By the mid-1960s, Lee was reportedly working on a second novel, but it wasnever published. Continuing to help Capote, Lee worked with him on and off on InCold Blood. She had been invited by Smith and Hickock to witness their execution in1965, but she declined. When Capote’s book was finally published in 1966, a riftdeveloped between the two friends and collaborators. Capote dedicated the book toLee and to his longtime lover Jack Dunphy, but he failed to acknowledge hercontributions to the work. While Lee was very angry and hurt by this betrayal, sheremained friends with Truman for the rest of his life.

That same year, Lee had an operation on her hand to repair damage done by abad burn. She also accepted a post on the National Council of the Arts at the requestof President Lyndon B. Johnson. During the 1970s and 1980s, Lee largely retreatedfrom public life.She spent some of her time on a nonfiction book project about anAlabama serial killer, which had the working title The Reverend. But the work wasnever published.Lee continues to live a quiet, private life in New York City and

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Monroeville. Active in her church and community, she usually avoids anything to dowith her still popular novel.

Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American author known for her1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with theissues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown ofMonroeville, Alabama. Despite being Lee's only published book, it led to Lee beingawarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States for her contributionto literature in 2007.[1] Lee has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees,but has always declined to make a speech.Other significant contributions of Leeinclude assisting her close friend, Truman Capote, in his research for the book InCold Blood.

Nelle Harper Lee was born and raised in Monroeville, Alabama, the youngest offour children of Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee. Hermother's maiden name was Finch.[2] Her father, a former newspaper editor andproprietor, was a lawyer who served in the Alabama State Legislature from 1926 to1938. As a child, Lee was a tomboy and a precocious reader, and was best friendswith her schoolmate and neighbor, the young Truman Capote.

While enrolled at Monroe County High School, Lee developed an interest inEnglish literature. After graduating in 1944, she went to the all-female HuntingdonCollege in Montgomery. Lee stood apart from the other students—she could not havecared less about fashion, makeup, or dating. Instead, she focused on her studies andon her writing. Lee was a member of the literary honor society and the gleeclub.Transferring to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Lee was known forbeing a loner and an individualist. She did make a greater attempt at a social lifethere, joining a sorority for awhile. Pursuing her interest in writing, Lee contributedto the school’s newspaper and its humor magazine, the Rammer Jammer. Sheeventually became the editor of the Rammer Jammer.

In her junior year, Lee was accepted into the university’s law school, whichallowed students to work on law degrees while still undergraduates. The demands ofher law studies forced her to leave her post as editor of the Rammer Jammer. Afterher first year in the law program, Lee began expressing to her family that writing—not the law—was her true calling. She went to Oxford University in England thatsummer as an exchange student. Returning to her law studies that fall, Lee droppedout after the first semester. She soon moved to New York City to follow her dreamsto become a writer.

In 1949, a 23-year-old Lee arrived in New York City. She struggled for severalyears, working as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines and for the British Overseas Air

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Corp (BOAC). While in the city, Lee was reunited with old friend Truman Capote,one of the literary rising stars of the time. She also befriended Broadway composerand lyricist Michael Brown and his wife Joy. Having written several long stories,Harper Lee located an agent in November 1956. The following month at the Browns'East 50th townhouse, she received a gift of a year's wages from them with a note:"You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. MerryChristmas."[6] She quit her job and devoted herself to her craft. Within a year, she hada first draft. Working with J. B. Lippincott & Co. editor Tay Hohoff, she completedTo Kill a Mockingbird in the summer of 1959. Published July 11, 1960, To Kill aMockingbird was an immediate bestseller and won great critical acclaim, includingthe Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. It remains a bestseller with more than 30million copies in print. In 1999, it was voted "Best Novel of the Century" in a poll bythe Library Journal.Many details of To Kill a Mockingbird are apparentlyautobiographical. Like Lee, the tomboy (Scout) is the daughter of a respected small-town Alabama attorney. The plot involves a legal case, the workings of which wouldhave been familiar to Lee, who studied law. Scout's friend Dill was inspired by Lee'schildhood friend and neighbor, Truman Capote, while Lee is the model for acharacter in Capote's first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms.

Harper Lee has downplayed autobiographical parallels. Yet Truman Capote,mentioning the character Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, described details heconsidered biographical: "In my original version of Other Voices, Other Rooms I hadthat same man living in the house that used to leave things in the trees, and then Itook that out. He was a real man, and he lived just down the road from us. We used togo and get those things out of the trees. Everything she wrote about it is absolutelytrue. But you see, I take the same thing and transfer it into some Gothic dream, donein an entirely different way."