To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. The novel is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. The story centers on Atticus Finch, a white lawyer who defends a black man accused of rape.
The novel deals with the themes of racism and prejudice, and it has become an important work in the fight against these issues. To Kill a Mockingbird has also been praised for its coming-of-age story. The main character, Scout Finch, learns valuable lessons about life and human nature during the course of the novel.
People become aware of these gaps as they get older. People grow up when they are exposed to these disparities and learn about other harsh realities. Harper Lee employs plot elements, conflict, conclusion, character development, setting, and symbolism to portray the theme of maturity in To Kill a Mockingbird.
One plot event that leads to the characters’ coming of age is Boo Radley’s trial. Throughout the novel, the children are fascinated by their neighbor Boo, who they have never seen. When he is put on trial for a crime he did not commit, they see the ugly side of society. They realize that people can be judged unfairly based on their appearance or their background. This experience helps them to mature and see the world in a new light.
Another event that leads to the characters’ coming of age is Atticus Finch’s shooting of the mad dog. Atticus is a moral man who always does what is right, even when it is not easy. When he has to shoot the mad dog, his children see him as a hero. They realize that he is not just a good man, but a brave one as well. This experience helps them to see him in a new light and to understand the type of person he really is.
The characters also go through a lot of personal growth and development. Scout, the main character, learns to be more tolerant of others. She also learns to stand up for what she believes in, even when it is not popular. Her brother, Jem, also matures throughout the novel. He becomes more aware of the inequalities in society and learns to stand up for what is right.
The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird also plays a role in the characters’ coming of age. The town of Maycomb is a small, close-knit community. Everyone knows each other and there is a lot of gossip. The town is also very segregated, with the white people living in one area and the black people living in another. The children are not exposed to much diversity, so they have to learn to be tolerant of others.
There are also several symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird that represent the characters’ coming of age. The treehouse that Jem and Scout build is a symbol of their childhood innocence. As they grow older, they start to lose interest in the treehouse and it becomes dilapidated. This symbolizes their loss of innocence as they come to understand the harsh realities of life.
The To Kill a Mockingbird coming of age theme is conveyed through the plot events, conflict and resolution, character development, setting, and symbolism. These elements help to show how the characters grow and change as they are exposed to the inequalities of society.
The unique tale/events, which is a major component that aids in the Harper Lee display of the “coming of age” theme. Scout experienced several milestones in her early years that caused her to grow up. When Atticus’ teacher informed him that she was no longer permitted to read at home, Scout grew up.
This was a major event in Scout’s life because it showed how much she cared for reading and also how her father, Atticus, had an impact on her. Another way Scout matured was when Jem got shot. Even though Jem survived, this event caused Scout to think more about the world around her and realize that not everyone is good.
The last way Scout matured was at the end of the book when she realized that Boo Radley was just a normal person who was misunderstood. This event caused Scout to change her perspective on people and see them for who they are instead of what she’s heard about them. Harper Lee does an excellent job representing the “coming of age” theme through the main character, Scout.
One of the major themes in this novel is the battle between Scout and how society wants her to act. It may be seen several times, including when Scout’s teacher finds out that she can read at the end of Chapter 22: “After forcing me to read most of My First Mobile Register and stock-market quotations from The Mobile Register aloud, she discovered that I was literate and regarded me with more than faint distaste” (Lee 22).
Society expects her to know her place and not to get ahead, because she is a girl. However, Scout does not want to conform to these expectations, she wants to be able to read and learn like her brother.
This conflict becomes more prevalent when Scout meets Dill. Dill comes from a broken home and has run away from his problems. He spends the summer with Scout and Jem, and the three of them have all kinds of adventures together. However, Dill starts to get homesick and wants to go back home. This makes Scout realize that she doesn’t want to leave Maycomb County, because it is her home. She realizes that even though there are bad things about her hometown, there are also good things.
This passage shows that even though Scout is able to read, most of her classmates are unable. Because the school system, which is a reflection of society as a whole, does not want him to be able to read unless he has been formally taught how to do so by the institution, her teacher forbids his reading. This conflict remains unresolved, therefore Scout resigns herself to the fact that her instructor does not want her reading. The lack of a conclusion on this issue suggests that the author feels that as individuals become aware of issues in society, they develop strategies to avoid addressing them and thus grow up.
This quote also reveals that Scout is not content with following the rules set out for her by society, but instead wants to learn more, even if it means breaking the rules. This desire to learn sets her apart from most of her peers, who are content to just accept what they are told. This again speaks to the theme of coming of age, as Scout begins to question the things she has been taught and look for her own answers.