Journal entry #1: Write two paragraphs in response to your reading of To Kill a Mockingbird. See the journal entry topic ideas listed in the Journal Expectations post.
Your initial response is due by class time on Thursday. Comment on at least three of your classmates' responses to Journals #1 and #2 by Monday (three responses total, not three on each post). Remember that you are also responsible for replying to any comments classmates make to your journal responses.
We have read chapter one and two of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” So far we have learned about some of the characters and a little bit of what the book will be about. When we made predictions in class of what the selection would be about most of my class had the right idea. I think that Dill, Jem, and Scout are going to make Boo Radley come out of the creepy house. This novel reminds me of the “Sandlot” movie because once a baseball goes over the fence and in the old man’s yard it is never seen again. In chapter 1 page 9 it said, “A baseball hit into the Radley yard was a lost ball no questions asked.” It also reminds me of the movie “Monster House” because the way they describe it is scary. It puts a picture in my mind as a dark creepy house that wants to draw you in and eat you.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else think it's weird that we haven't learned much about the narrator, Scout? It’s bothering me that they haven't described her. I am wondering if her personality will have to do with the rest of the story some how. Maybe we will just have to interpret her personality. Out of what we have read so far I am getting the sense that she is kinda tomboyish and shy because she is hanging around two boys and doesn't talk much. Ive also noticed that this book is very descriptive in a way that makes your think. It makes you interpret things a dig a little deeper so you know what's going on, like when they said the house was droopy and sick it makes you mind know it's scary looking and want to know more. It gave many phrases, that make me curious about what will happen next. I wonder who moved the inside shudder. Was it malevolent phantom, Boo Radley?
I agree a lot with your comparisons! The house that Boo Radley lives in, is very similar to the idea of Monster House, and how the kids are so curious about it. I also agree with your comparison to Sandlot, and how behind the fence, and the creepy house are both the same in the sense of mystery to the kids.
DeleteYeah. Have you ever seen that house on the edge of Boone and Ames, where the guy made a huge wooden tree house for his dead wife and kid? It also reminds me of that.
DeleteOne of the first things I thought of after reading about the house was that it sounded like the house in Monster House too!
DeleteYour comparison with Monster house was something that I never thought about until I saw this! That is a very good comparison!
DeleteTo me, despite how the children react to it, the house seemed more sad looking than scary.
DeleteI also thought of the sandlot when i pictured the house but i didn't think about Monster House.
DeleteI like the comparison with Monster House. I knew the Boo Radley place reminded me of something, maybe it was that.
DeleteThanks guys.a
DeleteWhen I thought of the house I thought of a more gothic house. One that looks a little dreary and dark and a little ran down. It's interesting how most of us have connected to similar styles of houses.
DeleteDespite our short, two chapter exploration of the book To Kill a Mockingbird I found it very appealing. I think that the setting is particularly interesting. The town that Harper Lee created, Maycomb County, was described as tired and old. The town seems small because all of its denizens seem to know each other. I'm unsure on the time that the book takes place, I estimate that it's from 1875-1935. I estimate 1875 because the book mentions farmers losing their land due to the Civil War, this means it must take place sometime after the Civil War. I estimate 1935 because so far there has been zero mention of World War Two, so it must take place before it. My time frame leaves 60 years for the book to take place but I didn't catch any other clues that could tell us when the book takes place.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that the characters were very interesting. Jem
seems like the stereotypical older brother. He likes to play with his younger sister, Scout, when they are alone but once they go out in public he wants nothing to do with her. This brother-sister relationship is very common in a lot of books I have read. Very little has been revealed about Scout, we didn't even know her gender until page 7. I think that Harper Lee may have done this so that the readers can view the events of the book without any biases. I find it odd that the siblings refer to their father, Atticus, by his first name.
Because you think the town is old and tired, do you think something big will spice it up?
DeleteI think it is around the time of the Great Depression, 1930's. I think this because of the evidence you gave and also because a lot a people of Maycomb County are very poor and can't afford necessities, such as Walter Cunningham cannot afford lunch.
DeleteDresden, I think so! Because the town is so small and tired I think even the smallest change will be big.
DeleteVeronica, you're right. I wrote this before we got the paper that actually asks us about the Great Depression but still the amount of poverty is a great clue for when the story takes place.
DeleteMy initial thought when we started reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" was that the way the characters speak is the same as in "Of Mice and Men". Their grammar isn't very good and they definitely fit in with the fact that they are from the South. Although we know very little about Scout, the narrator, one thing I noticed was the vocabulary she uses. Her word choice is very advanced for being a first grader. Jem once said that Scout could read even though she hasn't started school, which shows that she is very smart for her age. If I had to compare this with a movie it would be "Sandlot" because the way they say in chapter one, page nine, "A baseball into the Radley yard was a lost ball no questions asked." The movie "Sandlot" has the same idea. Boo Radley's character even reminds me of the dog in "Sandlot". They both have myths about them and all the kids fear it even though they don't actually see it.
ReplyDeleteI've realized that the book hasn't really described any characters physical appearance much. They seem to have skipped over that part so far. They tell you the age of the children and that is about it. It makes it hard to picture the characters. Dill is the best described so far because in chapter one pages seven and eight they describe him as puny and say he has blue eyes and a cowlick in is hair. As for Jem, we only really know he is thirteen. Scout is in first grade and can read. Hopefully, as the book continues we get more descriptions of these characters.
I agree with the sandlot! They are very alike. I also compared mine to the movie "Monster House" because it reminds me of a scary house that has a way of dragging you in. I also realized that there is not much description of the characters, and that really bothers me. I like to read books and picture them like a movie in my head and its hard to do that with so little description.
DeleteI agree with the fact that the descriptions of the characters, Scout in particular have been very subtle and small things. There has been no concrete description of many of the characters. As I have continued to read the book, descriptions slowly appear more and more throughout the reading. I also agree with your comparison!
DeleteI agree with you that there grammar isn't the best. We can definitely tell that now we have better education. Do you think that too?
DeleteI never noticed how little the kids' appearances were described. I guess their personalities are kind of what defines them instead.
DeleteSo far we have read three chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird, so far it has me interested in how the plot line of the story will unfold from here due to the fact that little to nothing significant has happened besides meeting the members of the town and what it is like in an average day of Maycomb county. To me personally this book reminds me of Our Town and Of Mice and Men, due to the similar plot lines so far. In of Mice and Men which took place in the great depression also as this book does, and in Our Town there is very little description of the town or the people that live there which so far has been the same in To Kill a Mockingbird. The little descriptions of people so far have been of Walter and how he does not accept money he can not pay back and of Burris Ewells and how he only comes to school on the first day then never comes back.
ReplyDeleteHarper Lee has written this book in a different way then what I am used to. For example in the first two chapters there was very little dialogue. Which is strange to me because in most novels when a story is trying to be told, most authors use dialogue to help allow the story to flow easier and allow the reader to keep track of where they are and who is speaking. Also other books offer many descriptions of the main characters but as of right now in this book most if not all the descriptions have been about the foil characters or the side characters as i call them
I see how you could connect this book to the other literature we've read so far this year. There are quite a few connections, especially with the settings. I didn't even think about how the lack of description relate to "Our Town" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" until you mentioned it. The book is set up a bit differently than most other books, but I think the little dialogue and mostly description is a captivating way to being a story. It builds up the plot and a good feel for how the whole book is set up.
DeleteI agree with you that there is very little dialogue in the beginning, but I also agree with Trinity that actions speak louder than words. I believe that Scout's descriptions come more from actions rather than just straight up saying her descriptions
DeleteFrom the small amount of To Kill a Mockingbird we have read i have really gotten interested in wondering what is to come. This book reminds me somewhat of Of mice and men. They both take place in the great depression and they seem to start really slow and it's strange and confusing. Both books show that people had poor grammar back in the depression. I really enjoyed Of Mice and Men and I feel like I will enjoy this one as well. This book also describes thing just as any person would describe something if they were looking at it in person. It really brings out every little detail and gives a good picture. Scout, the narrator is kind of a ghost in this book. She tells everything how it is but never talks about herself. She is just there to explain it. I feel like she will have a big role towards the end.
ReplyDeleteThis book just seems rather strange to me. There is a lot of description for a few things. It is hard for me to put into words but we don’t know much about the characters but all of the objects and little things are described picture perfect. It makes me wonder what will happen with the characters farther into the book. Will they ever be described or will they just be there going along with life? This book has something up its sleeve and i’m just waiting to figure it out. The droopy old house is just really confusing. They talk about it like it’s really bad sometimes but other times it’s just a house on the corner. Now that Dill is gone i’m really wondering how it will all shake out.
I also think something big will happen. What do you think the book has up its sleeve?
DeleteI also think this book is unlike any other with they way it describes some things perfectly, while leaving important things very vague.
DeleteI too enjoy the way Scout describes things. It's almost like I'm really there! I also think that the book has something up its sleeve and I quiver with anticipation.
DeleteHm, I think the grammar has more to do with the fact that it's a Southern dialect and not the fact that it was "back then", but, it's not the type of stuff you hear around here. And I agree with the fact that the book is good at withholding enough information to make you curious.
DeleteAfter reading the first three and a half chapters of "To Kill a Mockingbird," I'm generally interested in how everything else like the plot line and how the characters interact will come into play. Some predictions I have for the future in the book are, I believe that Jem, Scout, and Dill will bother the Radley house too much to the point where somebody will come out and cause a lot of trouble. I also think that their father, Atticus, will be a big part in this problem, and he might be the factor that eventually saves the kids. This situation reminds me a bit about the moive "The Sandlot." My reasoning behind this is because everyone is scared of the Radley's much like the kids in "The Sandlot" are scared of the house that has the big dog and the big scary owner. Another reason is anything that went into the yard never came back.
ReplyDeleteThe book from my opinion is a little different than other books I have read. Most books, you start out with a little description of the narrator, whereas in "To Kill a Mockingbird," we know very little about the narrator, Scout, and for that matter we don't know much about the other characters in the book. The only character that I would feel comfortable explain is Atticus. We learned his back story, we know what he does for a living, and we also know he demeanor.
I am also very interested to see how the characters are going to interact with each other because I'm sure each one has an important reason for being there. I have never seen the movie but your explanation for why they're similar makes sense. I agree that there isn't much description about Scout, but I believe that we learn a lot about her by her actions. I think the saying, "Actions speak louder than words," really comes into play.
DeleteJem and Scout are just now finding out things about their father that they did not previously know. How do you think this will effect the relationship between the children and their father?
DeleteI also find it strange that we know next to nothing about Scout and I hope that we learn why the author decided to keep us in the dark.
DeleteAfter reading a good portion of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" I have came to realize the setting throughout the novel has played a large part of the theme. So far, the main character Scout has lived in a place of simpleness and a lack of diversity. She lives in the south, and the people in her community aren't accepting of the African Americans that live among them. They have a traditional way of life there and aren't accepting to change. Mr. Lee has used the first so many chapters to set up the main theme, or what I believe is the main theme, and bring it upon the characters. The first step was the snowman Jem and Scout constructed in their front yard. It was made of earth and snow, the snow covering the earth like whites swallowing up the Negroes. The snowman, to me, was an interesting piece in the story. The way it was described before being covered in snow was horrible looking, and black. Then when it was covered in white snow, it looked better. I believe this has something to do with portraying racism in the book.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the fire brought change. Not only physically,but it represented something else as well. I believe that it is a sign change is coming, and it isn't going to end well. Mrs. Mauddie has accepted the change, but what about the snowman? There is a reason they mentioned the melting snowman in the book when the fire was happening. What happens when snow melts? It turns into a sloppy mess, mixing with the earth. White and black. This is a sign that a racial change is coming, that white and black are going to mix. It's going to be a big sloppy mess when it happens.
I agree completely that a change is coming. I also agree that where Scout lives, lacks diversity. The community is quite racist and don't seem very welcoming or accepting. I also think that the change is going to be rough. I think that a racial change is coming too, I'm interested to see how it's all going to turn out.
DeleteHow do you think Atticus, Jem, and Scout will be involved with the racial mixing?
DeleteJohn-I think it's going to be Atticus, Jem and Scout versus the town due to who Atticus is representing. I believe the children are going to be in danger of some nasty people. I even think Boo Radley may have to save the children at some point.
DeleteI fully agree with you that the setting is a big part of the theme racism. Do you think that the setting will become more of a factor with rascism later on?
DeleteI agree that the snowman and fire are foreshadowing a big change, but do you think it will be positive or negative? If so, how?
DeleteExcellent articulation. I would like to know what change the fire is sybolizing, other than a fire.
DeleteIn "To Kill a Mockingbird" there are quite a few things established in the beginning of the book. We get to learn about the main character, Scout, who we did not even know their gender in the beginning. I think the author did this so we could develop our own opinion of Scout without a gender stigma. We also learn that she lives with her brother Jem, her father Atticus, and their cook Calpurnia. Scout is a stubborn young girl who doesn't hesitate to give someone a piece of her mind. We see that Scout is also pretty smart for her age because of how Miss Caroline puts her on the spot. The setting is stationed in the south with quite a bit of racism.
ReplyDeleteI think that things are going to start changing soon. The two main symbolic things to happen were the snowman and the fire. The snowman that Jem and Scout made was almost foreshadowing what was going to happen. Black and white mixing, with the end being messy. The reaction to change wasn't very good in that situation. When Miss Maudie's house caught on fire, it showed that the reaction to change could also be good. Miss Maudie was looking towards the future and gave reasoning to why she should be happy. What I'm taking away from this, is that there is a big change coming and the reactions from the community are going to be mixed.
Part of me thinks that the reason Harper didn't state the gender of Scout was because Scout is a tomboy so if Harper would've said that Scout is a girl people may see her differently if they knew that right away. With what the snowman symbolizes, do you think the change might have something to do with the races clashing?
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DeleteDo you think the predicted clashing is going to end more like the fire or the snowman? I know you said they'd be mixed, but what do you think the majority will be?
DeleteI also believe that things are going to change soon. The examples you gave are also examples I would have used to predict that a change is coming.
DeleteI agree that that the author didn't state Scout's gender because the readers may have seen Scout differently. I predict that the clashing is going to begin like the snowman but end like the fire. At first things will be difficult, but in the end, acceptance will occur.
DeleteIn To Kill a Mockingbird, I found the characters, the setting and the dialog/context very perplexing. At the beginning of the book, Scout is hardly described. Some background information/memories are told, but there is no straight forward description of Scout. I think Harper Lee does this to let the readers be flexible and creative with how they picture Scout. Another part I found interesting was the setting. The story is set in Maycomb County, a small town, where most everyone knows each other. The town is described on page 5 as "...a tired old town." On page 5, it also says "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself." This gives the readers an idea of how the town is run, as well as the traditional feel to the town, where not much change ever happens. Lastly, I found the dialog and context of the book perplexing because it's told from Scout's point of view. At the beginning of the story, she is only starting 1st grade. Her grammar is decently poor, however her thoughts and ideas are advanced. There is meaning to what Scout does and says in the book, even though she is but a 7 or 8 year-old. I also find it interesting how Scout and Jem, her brother, refer to their father, Atticus, by his first name. The relationships between characters are pretty standard at the beginning of the book. Jem, is Scout's older brother. Jem and Scout are friends and get along, but once school starts, Jem wants no contact with Scout in public. Of course as the characters mature, so does their relationship. They are best friends, and Jem is an example for Scout. She follows after him, and obeys his commands. Without Jem, Scout would not be who she is.
ReplyDeleteNow farther into the book Jem has been distancing himself from Scout, how do you think this will effect her? Will she try to latch on to him, or will she just leave him be?
DeleteI agree. I think Scout looks up to her brother a lot in the book already. Do you think that when she matures she will still look up to her brother as she does now or do you think she will start to become her own person and not need Jem as much?
DeleteSo far in what we have read in “To Kill a Mockingbird” the book seems to be based around the Radley place where Boo Radley lives. Scout, Jem, and Dill all seem to be interested in getting Boo Radley to come out of the house but are too scared to do anything too extreme. It kind of reminds me of the Sandlot because on page nine of chapter one it says, "A baseball into the Radley yard was a lost ball no questions asked." Later in the book they see shadows moving around the house but it’s still dead silent and no one comes out. During Miss Maudie’s house fire someone wraps Scout in a blanket but no one was there. They were convinced it was Boo but there is no evidence that it was him. Another thing I noticed is Scout has a very extended vocabulary being she is in first grade. Scout is also very short tempered and her reasoning skills aren’t very good because she beats up everyone that frustrates her.
ReplyDeleteSomething I wonder about is why Harper Lee decided to write the book about Scout and the Radley place when it’s called “To Kill a Mockingbird” and they haven’t mentioned killing mockingbirds. Something I noticed is symbolism is big in this book, like when they made the snowman and Miss Maudie’s house fire. When they made the snowman it represented the two races blending in the town of Maycomb when the snow blended with the dirt. When the fire happened it represented change and Miss Maudie was able to change her house. She wanted a smaller house so she could have a bigger garden. I wonder sometimes why Scout is angry all the time and I have some sympathy for her though because she doesn’t have a mom around. When her aunt, Alexandria, says those things to her about wearing overalls I think she dresses like that because she doesn’t have a mom around.
Harper Lee has made me very interested in the Radley's. Everyone does something bad in their life but they can still be a good person on the inside. Do you think that Boo is just a misunderstood character?
DeleteThe name of the book seems confusing to me as well. I think that maybe it is showing symbolism. What do you think?
DeleteI agree that it's been based around the Radley house. Do you think something major might happen there that will give more reason for it to based around there?
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ReplyDeleteDuring my reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, I've found it difficult to follow what's happening at some points. The book doesn't give very specific descriptions of some characters. Occasionally the book will skip a chunk of time and I won't understand exactly what's happening. However I am very curious as to how this book will get interesting because right now it just seems like a bunch of short stories. I want to know how the characters change more and how Atticus will become a hero. I'm curious to see if we ever find out what happened to Arthur Radley. I'm also wanting to know how each character ends up playing a role in the overall plot of the story, such as Dill. Dill hasn't done much and I wonder if he ever will. I think this book will get much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this book might follow the path of Of Mice and Men in a way. However instead of people with special needs getting the characters in trouble, it will be the black people in the community who makes things hard on the protagonists. I do not think anyone will killed like in Of Mice and Men though. I feel the themes of these books directly relates to the setting. In Of Mice and Men the setting relates to theme by how they don't approve of special needs people. In To Kill a Mockingbird, I feel like the overall theme will relate to black people and how Alabama hates them. Everyone is Maycomb County besides Atticus hates black people so it would make sense that they are a main part of the theme. Lastly, I think that Scout will end up growing up and maturing. I feel this will show how growing up is important.
In what way do you think Scout will mature? Will she remain a sort of tomboy or will she be the typical women of the time period? And what do you think will happen to the Finch family, due to Atticus representing a black man?
DeleteI respectfully disagree with your idea that time passing in big chunks make it hard to understand. Yes, large portions are left out but that is most likely because nothing important happened. If everything was described this book would be significantly longer.
DeleteJaymin- I think she will become more of a lady and I think they will be attacked.
DeleteMax- You raise a good point sir.
To Kill A Mockingbird’s Dialect Superb
ReplyDeleteTo Kill A Mockingbird is a very interesting story so far. It has very distinctable characters from Scout, Jem, and Dill, with a few others. I myself do have a few thoughts that have traveled into my mind while deciphering this story and its characters. It has come to me that characters like Burris Ewell and his harsh remark to Miss Caroline, “‘Report and be damned to ye! Ain’t no snot-nosed slut of a schoolteacher ever born c’n make me do nothin’!’” (28.) It shows how illiterate that he really is and how crude that his family must be. I wonder how his family started off into that situation and why the law allows it to continue? Considering the knowledge told to me before of how this book inspired lawyers; I feel that this may lead to an importance in this book. It also seems to be revolving around the law and how it has been enforced to how it is being represented. An example of this is mentioned when one of the elder classmate explains the Ewells’ schooling behavior “‘The truant lady gets ‘em here ‘cause she threatens ‘em with the sheriff, but she’s give up tryin’ to hold ‘em. She reckons she’s carried out the law just gettin’ their names on the roll and runnin’ ‘em here the first day.’”(26.)
I believe that Harper Lee has include the interesting dialect to not only use it for characterization but to also show a bit of the setting and to show how things go in Maycomb. It seems to me as a very clever way to go about this, for I don’t only feel like I’m getting background information but I am while the story is progressing. It comes out and says what you need to know with out coming out and stating it. The way that he states the information make me think of when I was just beginning my schooling as a preschool student learning about the others around me. He allows it to flow like real life with subtle hint of background story of the people and how they go about. With the hint of the books that the father reads to Scout, it seems that she is already well educated within the law and how it works. This is exceptionally shown when she states and thinks “‘Atticus, that’s bad,’ I said. In Maycomb Country, hunting out of season was a misdemeanor at law, a capital felony in the eyes of the state populace.” (31.) This came at a huge surprise to me that a first grader should know that not only it was bad but also how unlawful it was. I would have never known much about the law at that age and I probably wouldn’t even know that it was wrong to hunt out of season. Or what a season was in hunting. Lee has done a very good job so far with his character development and also his dialect. I can not wait to learn what else his writing hold.
Do you feel that the Ewell family will play a bigger role later in the book?
DeleteI agree that the dialect is well used, do you think the dialect will evolve and improve throughout the book?
DeleteI agree with your statement about the dialect. It sets up the story and, personally, keeps me interested in the novel.
Delete1. I do believe that the Ewell family, or one similar, will play a larger role in the story. Maybe connecting to criminal activity for Scout to relate to later within the book.
Delete2. I do believe that the dialect will improve later in the book. I believe that it will evolve into a more adult like dialect as Scout ages.
From just the first several chapters we’ve read this story is very intriguing to me. The first thing that stuck out to me was the Radley house and Boo Radley. With Boo being an interesting and creepy character my first prediction was that he would end up killing someone. After reading a little more I think he might just be misunderstood. When Miss Maudie’s house was on fire, Boo was the one to put a blanket around Scout to keep her warm. Clues like this along with Jem’s folded and stitched pants shows that Boo could just be a nice, misunderstood person. Already, this novel has showed us just how quick we are to judge others based on what we hear. Filled with mixed emotions about Boo, I’m curious about what his part will be in the rest of the book.
ReplyDeleteI’ve realised that To Kill a Mockingbird can easily be compared to the movie The Blind Side. Both have many issues dealing with racism and poverty. Walter Cunningham is an example of people living in poverty in To Kill a Mockingbird while Michael in The Blind Side was homeless before he was taken in by the Tuohy’s. Both stories have a major theme about poverty. Also, The Blind Side displays racism by the Tuohy’s being attacked for adopting michael, an African American teen. In To Kill a Mockingbird they show racism on a larger scale. Almost everyone in Maycomb dislikes blacks and Atticus gets called a “nigger-lover” just for defending one. Due to the symbolism with the snowman, I wonder what will happen when both races clash together.
I agree that Boo Radley is just misunderstood, but why do you think he is? He did stab someone with a pair of scissors, but this also could have been out of spite. I think it will be interesting to learn more about Boo's past.
DeleteI agree that Boo Radley is just misunderstood, but why do you think he is? He did stab someone with a pair of scissors, but this also could have been out of spite. I think it will be interesting to learn more about Boo's past.
DeleteI think that Boo just got in with the wrong crowd and made a mistake. People tend to blow stuff out of proportion so I think that's what all of his neighbors did. I also agree that it will be very interesting when we finally learn more about him.
DeleteThe first several chapters we have read has been different but interesting. One thing that really has stuck is the snowman. I think that it really symbolizes the whole big deal of the racism. One character that has really got me thinking is Boo. He seems like a aggressive character. Boo then can be a sweet. I am very interesting to see what the rest of the story line will bring with Boo.
ReplyDelete"To Kill a Mocking Bird" is very comparable to"Of Mice and Men" so far. I think this because they both take place in the Great Depression. They both also show many similar themes like loneliness, friendship, and poverty. Walter Cunningham shows poverty is "To Kill a Mocking Bird". In "Of Mice and Men" Lenny and George show poverty by when they are looking for a job before the ranch. I am very interested to see where the story ends up, and what it teaches us.
I think that I would classify Boo more as an antisocial person rather than sweet or aggressive because I don't think we really know enough about him to understand him. However, I don't understand, do you think Boo is an aggressive character or do you find him sweet?
DeleteAs I have been reading the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” there have been certain things that have interested me. Atticus is a main interest to me. I think it’s kind of weird how his kids reefer to him as “Atticus” and not “father” or “dad”. He is also not like anyone in the town and kind of stands out. He tells his children, Scout and Jem to be kind to everyone no matter their skin color and I believe this is a really important part in the book. I also think that Jem and Scout will show a very important role in the book because they don’t like to be made fun of and when they are they like to show to people that they don’t take criticism nicely. Like how Scout fights with people who make fun of her or her family. Which is a really important trait she possesses throughout the book. I am intrigued to see what will happen later on in the story because of page 88 when Atticus says,“You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness.”Dill is also a person of interest to me. On page 82 when Francis says that Dill doesn’t have a home and that he gets passed around relative to relative. It made me think about how Dill always talks highly of his mother and father. I am also wondering what will happen with Dill’s relationship with Scout and Jem when their father’s case got more immense.
ReplyDeleteThe book “To Kill a Mockingbird” kind of reminds me of the book “Wonder” because Auggie Pullman was a very shy and isolated kid like Boo Radley. Boo stayed in his house for so long he lost a lot of his social skills. Just like Auggie who went back to school and didn’t have social skills. They were both outcasts. But, like Auggie, I don’t think Boo will stay isolated and will eventually come out of his home and maybe even socialize with others.
I have found that rather weird as well, that his kids refer to him as "Atticus". I think that it is because back in the day this is how people talked, but there may be a specific reason as to why Harper Lee did this. Why do you think his kids do that?
DeleteI think that it would be very hard to be in Jem or Scout's position. I don't think that I would be able to just stand there while people are being rude to be or my family. What do you think you would do if you were in their position.
DeleteVeronica: I think that his kids call him Atticus because they were born and raised to call him that. It may be because of the time they were raised in also.
DeleteGabie: It depends on what all they are saying. But, if they were constantly making fun then I would probably do something about it.
DeleteIn the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird it already has shown so much information about the time we are reading about and where it is going on. The setting of the book is well represented in the first few chapter by language used and how many characters act. They have talked about how the whites are seen to be better than the blacks, which gives us an idea of the time, because this was a big deal right after the civil war. Another thing is many of the adults have mentioned “the war” and being in it, showing that the book takes place shortly after the Civil War. The physical location is shown in the book when Scout describes a bit about her heritage, and lack thereof. How the town is stuck in its ways, and is in no hurry to get anywhere. She informs us that it takes place in a small town in Alabama. The book has shown us a lot about the setting within the first chapters of the book, giving us ample information to understand what it was like there and then.
ReplyDeleteOne of the questions I had about the text involved Scout. She often seemed to understand pretty well how things were supposed to happen and how families did things. Then later on the contrast she seems ignorant and oblivious to other people’s ways. This seemed to be happening often in the first few chapters, and puzzled me. I decided that it was probably just showing her youth, that she can understand some things well, but still couldn’t grasp some people’s different ways of life. Another thing I found questionable is that Atticus wants to be completely straightforward with his children. For example when Uncle Jack told a story to distract Scout from the answer to a question she had asked, he confronted him about it and told him to always tell children the truth. This seems contrary to what a lot of parents seem to want to do with their younger children, wanting to protect them from the harshness of reality. I appreciate his honesty, and think it is an overall wise decision. I hope I am not the only person noticing these things, or at least that they actually happened.
By just reading the first several chapters of this novel it strikes me as very interesting. The only thing that I wish this book would have more of is very detailed descriptions of the characters. The characters of this book such as, Scout and Jem, aren’t very detailed. The only characters that are most detailed are Dill, and Boo Radley. Boo Radley is very intriguing to me. He is a very creepy person, but he is also decent. When Miss Maudie’s house burned down he put a blanket around Scout to keep her warm. I feel like throughout the book he will become more noticed. I hope as I continue to read the book, more of the characters will be detailed.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first couple chapters the title was very confusing to me. I wonder why the author decided to name it “To Kill A Mockingbird”. I predict that it has something to do with symbolism, because there is a lot of symbolism throughout the book. I as continued to read the book I have noticed that the mockingbird is a symbol. I think it is a symbol of beauty and innocence. At first Atticus established the idea of it being “a sin to kill a mockingbird” when Scout and Jem received air rifles as Christmas presents. Also Miss Maudie told Scout that the songbird presents no danger, that they only “make music for us to enjoy..they don’t do one things but sing their hearts out for us”. When continuing the book I hope to find more reason to the meaning of the title.
I also hope that later on in the book it will become more evident why the title was named how it was.
DeleteI believe that the mockingbird represents something as well. I think it shows that to hurt someone because of the color of their skin or if they have a disability would be a sin. Just because this 'bird' is an easy target, doesn't mean you should shoot it.
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Delete"He's nothin' but a nigger-lover!" Fransis tells Scout. I think that Harper Lee decided to use this type of language because she was trying to make it seem more realistic. More like it was a long time ago. However, I also understand that it is just how it was used back then. It was just what they said and nobody thought twice about it. I also found it upsetting when everyone automatically thought it was an African American that was snooping though Boo Radley's yard. Nobody could really see anything so they just assumed it was an African American, if there was no proof that it was it should have never been assumed. The word 'nigger makes me upset every time I see it because I can't even imagine how upset I would be if I was treated bad because of the way I looks.
ReplyDeleteThis reading makes me think of Martin Luther King. Atticus does not want to use violence, or even for his kids to use violence. He wants it to be nonviolence just like Martin Luther King did, he didn't fight back no matter what. It took a long time for Martin Luther King to get the equality he wanted and Atticus knows that he probably will not win. He even tells Jem that it is going to be a long process. The one thing that is different in the book is that there is not as much violence. Martin Luther King had a lot more violence being thrown at him and his people. Atticus doesn't have to deal with any physical violence just mostly verbal.
I like the way you compared Atticus to Martin Luther King. But do you think he will remain non violent, considering that it has been revealed he is good with a gun? Or maybe he was violent in his past and this is the reason he no longer is.
DeleteI like the way you compared Atticus to Martin Luther King. But do you think he will remain non violent, considering that it has been revealed he is good with a gun? Or maybe he was violent in his past and this is the reason he no longer is.
DeleteI think it will continue to be non violent because he didn't even tell his kids how good he is with a gun. I don't think he is proud of it.
DeleteI think it will continue to be non violent because he didn't even tell his kids how good he is with a gun. I don't think he is proud of it.
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ReplyDeleteIn "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, there are many aspects of the novel that I find intriguing. The parts of the novel I find most intriguing include details and images. Lee uses minimal details describing characters such as Scout and uses a bit more of a description for aspects such as the Radley house. On page six of the novel, the house was described as "The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of slate grey yard around it. Rain-rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away." Another aspect that intrigues me are some of the images Harper Lee used in the novel. From the objects and characters that are described thoroughly, I can start to imagine how Lee wanted the novel to be seen. I try to visualize the Radley house along with Scout, Jem and Dill.
ReplyDeleteSince the details are minimal for some aspects in Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird", I wonder how the novel would be impacted if there were more descriptions. For example, how would the story be changed if Scout were thoroughly described? Vice versa, I believe the novel would not be as intriguing if the Radley house was not described with as much detail as it was. How do you feel about the novel possibly being different due to the amount of description? I also believe Harper Lee chose to emphasize description for some aspects in the novel over others to add suspense. I personally like how Lee chose to not describe aspects because it keeps readers wanting to know more and continue reading. Do you feel suspense is a concept Lee took into consideration while writing this novel? What other concepts do you think were used to write " To Kill A Mockingbird"?
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ReplyDeleteTo Kill A Mockingbird is a story set in Maycomb County, which does not exist in real life. This story is set in a time period of the Great Depression or the 1930s. It is being told by Scout as she recounts events that happened in her life. The novel so far consists of adventures with her brother Jem and her friend Dill, it also includes her father, Atticus. Some of these recollections are happy and light hearted and others are more hard hitting and serious. Scout has already shown maturing, by turning down a fist fight knowing it is not right. I believe this book will follow along the lines of racism and stereotyping.
ReplyDeleteAs I read Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, there are some topics I find interest in. Such as Atticus, I feel as though he has a past we don’t fully know yet. An example of this would be when he shoots the dog, Jem witnesses this and sees how good of a shot his father is. Which is odd because Scout spoke about how he had never favored guns. It has also been suggested that Atticus is a “nigger - lover” and the author has not made it totally clear as to why many of the characters are saying this. I speculate that he is defending an African - American client, as Atticus is a lawyer. I also find Mrs. Dubose compelling, I wonder what does she represent in this story? She could possibly represent there is still strength, since she beat her addiction. She could also represent someone else in this story who is trying to do the right thing. (cough cough Atticus). She did the right thing, and all Atticus wants to do is the right thing before he dies.
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ReplyDeleteHarper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is an exemplary piece of literature. The whole story is told in hindsight, which is an interesting way of telling it as Scout will often reflect on things that happened from her perspective as she is telling the story, rather than the perspective of when she is experiencing the event for the first time. Harper Lee often uses this to foreshadow events that are going to happen in the coming paragraphs. For example, on page 77 Scout says, "Then Christmas came and disaster struck," This is an intriguing way of telling the story because it gets the reader to wonder what will happen next. It is essentially used to get the reader to keep reading. It's also of note that the narrator, Scout, is a child who is growing and learning. It can be seen that she is applying the lessons that her father, Atticus, taught her. She often describes things as a child would, such as when she called Mrs. Dubose's face the color of a dirty pillow case.
ReplyDeleteThe setting of the story, Alabama, is obvious not only in the climate the region experiences, but in the way the people within it act. The people may come off as racist, but that's only because they are. In fact, everyone but Atticus uses the N word freely. The people also use southern slang like, "'em," or, "ain't," Yet there characteristics the south possesses other than unwavering racism or utter lack of intelligence, such as the climate. The weather is described as being hot. In fact, the first time that Scout saw snow, naturally, she thought the world was ending. Classic Jean Louise.
(Hannah Hikiji):
ReplyDeleteFirst off, Scout is a very interesting character, especially given the circumstances. Society tells her to be a girly-girl, and the very image of a proper lady, when she’s just rough and tough enough to roll with the guys. So much so that from day one at school, she flat out starts beating a kid up. She catches on quickly to things, but still has a lot of learning to do (and she usually ends up asking questions of her older brother). Scout also seems to be very curious, as she was constantly wondering about Boo Radley. But much to my distaste, she starts out as a selfish brat for lack of a better term-a shining example of this is when Jem invited Walter over for dinner, and all Scout did was sit and criticize how his mannerisms differed from hers. To start with, an okay character that was interesting, but also heavily annoying. What I do appreciate very much is her character development. Basically, she starts to grow up. Beating people up on the playground turns into a somewhat withheld weapon she only unleashes on those deserving of it. She grows less dependant on Jem as he distances himself from her and starts to become better friends with Dill. And Scout seems to be less selfish as the story progresses-she gets good dialogue going with other people like Addicus and Miss Maudie, wraps herself up in the Boo Radley mystery, which means more focus on those things and not on her all the time. She’s turning into a cool character.
The second point I wanted to bring up is that the point of view in this novel is really weird. Not to say it’s bad-in fact I’ve gotten used to it, and it works well with the story. The story is from Scout’s point of view, but it’s as if her narration is the narrator himself speaking from her point of view. As a result, you get this very grown-up sounding conscience with a child’s way of speaking, thinking, and acting. Which makes it both very strange and very likeable. It’s boring to just have a kid’s point of view when they either don’t know what the heck is going on half the time or you don’t know what’s going on with the kid half the time. Colorful descriptors from her point of view include, but are not limited to: “Ladies bathed before noon, after three-o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.” and “Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.” And the intensity of her opinions and feelings come across as serious and likeable more than kiddish and annoying.
Throughout reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird so far, I have found a multitude of things quite interesting. The thing I find most interesting is how Scout seems very naive and young when she is speaking to others, but the way the book is narrated makes her seem older and wiser. For instance when Atticus talks to her, she asks him to explain many things, as she doesn’t understand the meaning of them. However, when she narrates the book, Harper Lee uses a more complex vocabulary and a deeper understanding of things, making Scout appear to be much older. This may be from the fact that she learned to read from a very young age, something that was uncommon at those times. An additional observation that I made about Scout is that she is a bit of a tomboy, rather than a “girly-girl”. This is shown in the way that she is not afraid to fight the boys at school, and often plays with boys rather than other girls.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I found thought-provoking was the way that Harper Lee portrays all the citizens of Maycomb. Each character or group of people plays at least a small part in the way of the town. An example of this, is the Ewell family. The children only attend the first day of school, only so that they satisfy the Truant Lad. This type of behavior leads Scout to think that she can also not attend school, as she doesn’t want to go because she had a disagreement with her teacher. Atticus explains to her that she must obey the law, “‘You, Miss Scout Finch, are common folk. You must obey the law.’ He said that the Ewells were members of an exclusive society made up of Ewells,” (34). What I can take from this, is that the people of Maycomb regard certain individuals differently.
Point of view can change almost everything about a story. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the story is told from seven year old Scout’s perspective. This is shown on page six when Scout says, “Atticus, Jem and I, plus Calpurnia our cook,”. Throughout the story, one can tell that Scout is a young child. One example of this is when Scout says to Jem on their first day of school, “‘You mean we can’t play anymore?’”(p. 16). Further into the book, one can tell how young Scout is by the way she looks at the problems in Maycomb. This starts to show on page 20 when Scout tries to explain the ways of Maycomb to Miss Caroline; “Miss Caroline, he’s a Cunningham.’”. Scout thought that this was a good enough explanation for why Walter didn’t have his lunch money, where an adult, or even an older child would have been able to better explain to Miss Caroline why Walter wouldn’t be able to pay her back.
ReplyDeleteI think that the point of view that Harper Lee chose to write To Kill A Mockingbird in is very interesting. Writing from Scout’s point of view allows the story to be told without prejudice. It would be interesting to read To Kill A Mockingbird from another character’s perspective. For example, if it were written for Atticus’ point of view, the book might not be as interesting to read, because you would only get details about his job, and his daily routine, which isn’t nearly as crazy as the adventures Scout goes on daily. On the other hand, the book would be even more different if it was written from Cal’s perspective, seeing what her thoughts are on the daily happenings in Maycomb. It would also be different to see what Cal goes through everyday being a negro at that time, in a mostly white community. While it would be interesting to read To Kill A Mockingbird from any number of other character’s point of view, I think that Lee chose to write the book from Scout’s view as a 7-9 year old to tell the story with Scout’s young, innocent view of the world.