First Impressions

The first question that pops up in my mind while reading To Kill a Mockingbird is why Scout refers to her father as Atticus. In the alluring pages of the 1^st Perennial Classics version of Harper Lee’s only novel, one can find Scout —for the most part— respectful and benevolent to the citizens of Maycomb, Alabama. Being able to call her father by his first name may be part of Maycomb’s homely culture, but I find it ironic how Scout can refer to Atticus as “Sir” and the next minute “Atticus”.

My question was possibly answered on page 21, when Scout tells Miss Caroline Fisher, “‘Jem says my name’s really Jean Louise Bullfinch, that I got swapped when I was born and I’m really a—’” (19). The possibility of Scout being adopted by Atticus could be the reason why Jem and Scout call their father by his name. Although, Scout claims that their mother died when she was two years old, possibly out ruling the fact that she was adopted.

The Southern setting of Maycomb, Alabama reminds me of Eatonville, Florida, the setting of Zora Neale Hurston’s famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Both of these towns share common Southern culture (although each town additionally has its own unique culture), and both take place in the early twentieth century. Both novels share common subjects of a young woman’s growing up, interactions between blacks and whites, and the shared use of Southern dialect. The main difference between these two works, in my opinion, is the point of view. To Kill a Mockingbird is told from a white person’s point of view in a segregated community, while Their Eyes Are Watching God is told from the black point of view. Even though, both novels show a theme of common culture between the white and black communities.

What would a book be without romance? As soon as Dill (Charles Baker Harris) was introduced into the plot, I immediately noted my prediction of a future relationship between Scout and him. My prediction was right, proven when Scout says, “I was miserable without him” (17), and when she tells the readers, “He had asked me earlier in the summer to marry him” (46). Later in the story, Dill kisses Scout, proving my prediction even more correct. However, I question the authenticity of their “love” because of Scout’s lack of affection and Dill’s lack of closeness with her.

The pages of crisp imagery and elaborate description of the Radley Place and its residents throughout the first chapter clearly foreshadow the significance of the house in the future.

I enjoy the narration and point of view in this novel because Lee’s choice of a young narrator allows readers to experience and witness Scout’s realizations and her maturing mentality and temperament.

Being in the midst of Chapter 9, I look forward to what other events unfold in Maycomb. 

To Kill A Mockingbird -Taylor Phan

When I first heard of our summer assignment, I thought that it would just be another complex book with themes and so on that would take hours to decipher. As I read through the first few chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird, I found that the book wasn't what everyone said it would be. The first chapters weren't very interesting, it began with a short anecdote of how her brother broke his arm and traced back to her ancestors to see how they're family came about. This is my personal perception of the first few pages as it may not be completely accurate.

About ten chapters into To Kill A Mockingbird the story begins to pick up and more characters are introduced. Dill was introduced in the first five chapters I believe, and he became Scout and Jem's play partner. As they would act out various scenes. At the end of summer he leaves, which I found usual, because he seemed like a character of importance. I predicted his importance from the way he took interest in the Radley family, Boo Radley to be specific. dill would always be the one to make a move to see if anyone actually lived in the Radley house. I had doubts about Boo Radley even being alive or still living in that town, because of his actions towards his father. Dill leaves but later returns next summer. Later, we find that Boo Radley, in fact still lives there when Miss Maudie's house burns down. Boo Radley appears and covers Scouts head with a blanket I believe and Jem was there to witness it.

Atticus is Jem and Scout's father, and he seems protective of his children. He's not very open, and he doesn't reveal too much about himself to the audience or the his children. For example around chapter ten, his children find out that he was once known as one shot Finch because of his accuracy when hunting. Jem tells Scout to keep it a secret, because if Atticus wanted them to know, he would of told his children himself.

Scout is the narrator, and she isn't very old. She just started first grade and she didn't like it much, because the teacher didn't teach her very well. When the teacher found out that she had been taught to read by her father, she wasn't very happy. She begins to dislike school, but her brother Jem told her that it will get better as time passes. In the novel, Scout is perceived as a trouble maker because of her actions, but from the audiences point of view, we can see clearly that she had a reason for everything she did. For example, when she went to the old house for Christmas. The child there named Francis had disrespected Scout's father saying that he was a "nigger-lover". Scout becomes furious and beats the boy up. Francis tells the grown ups and her uncle Jack spanks her. From our point of view, we can see that Scout was only defending her father, but the characters in the story didn't give her a chance to tell her side of the story until after she got spanked.

To Kill a Mockingbird

A few weeks ago when I began to read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the first chapter did not capture me as much as I had expected, although through the second chapter I began to get a more firm interest on the book. I am glad we get to see the story through Scout's eyes rather than anyone else's because her point of view makes the story seem more interesting to me. I notice how Jem calls her a girl, and how she never mentions any girls her age, so I would wonder if maybe Maycomb Valley does not have many girls, or maybe Scout gets along better with boys than girls? I think it is great how her father had taught her how to read before school, because this would help her with school and further her knowledge and put her past other kids in her classes. Her first year of school seemed to have not been as she expected, seeing how she was so eager to come before it started, and then when her first day went by she was already ready to quit school.
Her teacher hadn't liked that she had already been taught how to read, which made not much sense to me, I do see how the teacher wants to teach her the correct way, but I believe the teacher should have gone to a better way of explaining to Scout how she should solve the problem. The teacher seemed to be unprofessional because she was completely clueless to the events that had occured in the class on the first day. I think that the teacher could have handled the class differently and she should have been prepared for how the students would behave. Scout achieved a better relationship with Calpurnia throughout the first year of school, which seemed like a good thing for her, to feel more comfortable around her house. The second summer with Dill came and it looks like Scout and Dill have liked eachother, although Dill made Scout feel left out which made Scout resort to hanging out with Miss Maudie when Dill and Jem did not need Scout. Scout, Jem, and Dill are replaying what they believe to have been the history of the Radley family in their front yard, and it seems like the neighbors had noticed what they were up to. Near the end of the summer Jem, Scout, and Dill had gotten in trouble from Atticus after he caught them trying to put a note inside the Radley household's window, I thought they would have learned their lesson, and they would stop trying to talk to Boo Radley, but then the last day of Dill's prescense had come, and they decided to go back to the house. The were caught and could have been killed if Boo Radley had better aim, but afterwards Boo Radley tells the neighbors he saw a "white nigger" and that he tried to shoot him. My question is, did Boo Radley honestly think it was someone else? Or did he actually know who was on his yard? This book so far has not showed me any signs of a certain direction it is headed to, but it has shown me how much different life can be in other places and times. This book is a great way for me to understand that I should not take things for granted, because maybe her life is simple and fun right now, but they are not nearly as cautious as people are now. I have enjoyed the book and I plan to take the read slowly and deeply. I want to be able to understand what the writer is trying to put across, and I would like to understand how the characters progress through the story.

To Kill A Mockingbird

I wasn't sure if I was going to like To Kill A Mockingbird because it was a classic and most classics bore me. But this book is interesting and full of complex characters. Scout is a hot-headed child forced to lower her fists, Jem is a boy trying to emulate his father yet his pride still gets the best of him sometimes and Atticus is a lawyer with morals that are ahead of his time.

However, it's not just the main characters, even the minor characters are complex and life-like . Dill is a boy who lies about his father and is slightly obsessed with the Radley Place. Miss Maudie is a woman who is more comfortable outside, tending to her azaleas, than in her own home. And Mrs. Dubose is a hard, poison-tongued old lady determined to get over her addiction before dying.

Each character has their own story to tell and in some way or another each character affects Scout's life. Like in an actual community, the characters are tied to each other like a giant spider web.

Nostalgic and heartfelt read that is To Kill A Mockingbird

When I read that our summer assignment was going to be a reading project about To Kill A Mockingbird (and of course the poster project) I immediately recalled the many comments given to the book during school and especially during my English period. “It was a sad book that I almost cried during some of it.” commented a student. Even my teacher said it was a wonderful book that those who were bound to read it were going to enjoy it. I took their word for it and straightaway, after purchasing, opened to the first page and began to read. I underestimated Harper Lee’s work. I was baffled by the vocabulary words used in the book because they were on such a high level and it was somewhat difficult to understand the situations the character was going through. Then I began to think, “I don‘t think I‘ll make it through this book.” The beginning paragraphs also were slow and unexciting that it created a mindset in thinking that the entire book would be the same as the first paragraphs. Of course, I was wrong.

When I realized I was finally on the second chapter things started to get interesting. I started questioning about the adventures the children would have next. What really did lie inside the Radley house? What would happen to the children when they find out? All the questions I had usually circulated between the kids, Scout, Jem and Dill, and the Radley house. I found it adorable when the children played their games that were fixated on the Radley. It was charming and lovable that it took me back to the years of playing house and making forts out of sofa cushions.

“ “Let’s try to make him come out,” said Dill. “I’d like to see what he looks like.”
Jem said if Dill wanted to get himself killed, all he had to do was go up and knock on the front door. ” (2.16)

" "Lemme think a minute...it's sort of like making a turtle come out..."
"How's that?" asked Dill.
"Strike a match under him."
I told Jem if he set fire to the Radley house I was goingto tell Atticus on him." (2.17)

The light comedy that the author had put in was surprising but since the narration was in an intelligent child’s perspective it was to be expected.

By the time the drama of the book began to kick in I was all ready hooked to it like it was a song that wouldn’t get old. The intensity during the times of walking past the Radley house to and from school, when Scout found herself on the Radley house’s frontyard when being rolled down a hill from within a tire, the knot-hole that had gift’s inside it, Atticus’s court battle, and especially the night of Halloween kept me from putting the book down and because of that I lost some sleep time (Even though I don't sleep a lot anyways). What more can this book do than have the reader dwell in the emotions a young girl, her family and community go through as these events continue to unfold. For me it unleashed different feelings that it caused me to stop reading, look up at the ceiling and think to myself; what would happen if this happened? What else could they do? What if I were in their position? All I can say is that this really is an interesting read. I’m glad I didn’t stop reading it.

(Wow, it's all ready 12? I thought I'd be able to make it in time, but oh well.)

To Kill a Mockingbird

I have to admit, having to read a book over the summer wasn't something that I was looking forward to. At first, the book seemed like a boring read. However, as the story progressed I found myself unable to tear my eyes away.

The story starts with the narrator, Scout Finch, describing the town of Maycomb and the interesting characters that live there. The entire town has its own set of unspoken rules and customs that would seem strange to the people who grew up elsewhere. I found that these rules made the town seem more mysterious. For example, all of the children in town avoid the Radley house because the man that lives there, Arthur "Boo" Radley, had stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. The children don't exactly know what had happened, yet one of the kids that goes to their school goes completely around the town to get to school and avoid the house. The air of mystery around the house keeps Scout, her brother Jem, their friend Dill, and myself, wanting to know more about its, and Boo's, history.

Of all the children, I found Jem's character to be the most intriguing. He is four years older than Scout, but he still plays and looks out for her. Even though he teases her occasionally, Scout still sees that he truly is a hero. The way Jem tells Scout that they could only play together at home and not at school reminds me of the way a lot of older siblings treat their younger sibling.

Scout is a very headstrong, proud, and intelligent girl who even beats up a boy for getting her into trouble on her first day of school. Her relationship with her father Atticus is very touching, seeing as they read the newspaper together every night. Though Scout seems stubborn, she listens to her elders when they tell her to do something.

I am only on the 10th chapter of this book, but I can already tell that this is going to be one of my favorite reads. I love the characters and I even consider the town itself a character because of the personality in it. The rest of this book should prove to be interesting.

to kill a mocking bird

When I first started reading "To kill A Mocking Bird" the only way i could read the book was if I had absolutly nothing else to do but read. As a result, I ended up reading most of the first parts of the book in the car. Eventually I got to the part in which Lee intruduces the reader to charecter Boo Radley. Just as Jem, Scout, and Dil became fascinated with Boo Radley, I too became fascinated with the idea of this supposed monster of a man that eats cats only to be seen at night. A little bit further on in the story and one finds themselves wondering if this fabled man really is as horrible as Lee origanally lead us to belive.
The first of my doubts started when Jem and Scout stared to recive mysteryous gifts in the little hole on the Radley's property. After Jem and Scout send a letter to the Radley's residance about the mysterious hole that always seems to bear gifts to them the hole becomes cemented. This closes all real connection that Boo Radley has with Jem and Scout for the time being as well as his only communication to the outside. The colpret that took that away from Boo Radley was none other then his brother Nathan Radley. With this knowledge the only plauseable explenation is that the only other person that lives in the Radley's property, Boo Radley, would be the supplier of these gifts.
The second instance in which it seemed that Boo Radley is a loving man was the time in which Miss Maudie's house was aflame and Jem and Scout were outside in the cold while the town helped Miss Maudie. During this time Scout accuired a blanket that she didn't remember ever getting. After talking to atticus and Jem she narrows the possible times she recived the blanket and the most probable time she could think of was during the time she was in front of the Radley's house. It seemed that Nathan Radley was attending other business and the only other person in that area was no other the Boo Radley. Once again proving that the image of Boo Radley of some sort of horrible creepy person are false. Even though through out the town he is known as this horrible recluse he is a very loving person. He seems to be an extremley loving person. Jem and Scout both initinally were interested in Boo Radley because of the fact of the rumors surrounding him, yet he still cared for them even if it was in a miniscule was way. In a way one could even compare him to a mocking bird in the way that mocking bird "don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy". In this way Boo Radley like a mocking bird for he does not cause trouble with anybody ,but constantly gives the children little tokens of the great love he has for them.

To Kill a Mockingbird

So when I found out we had to read To Kill a Mockingbird, I was expecting a painfully boring book. I had to force myself to read the first two chapters as Jean Louise Finch was describing her life in the small country town Maycomb with her brother Jem, her father Atticus, and her cook Calpurnia, but after that, I kept wanting to read more. Especially about the mystery of the Radley’s, how the kids curiosity kept bringing them closer and closer to the house. I thought the part where Boo came out during the fire excitement at Miss Maudie’s house to throw a blanket over Scout’s shoulders was adorable.
I am currently working on chapter nine, and I can’t wait to finish this book. The fact that in their town, the Radley’s Place is practically shunned and people go out of their way to avoid that house any way they could is very interesting. Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill are always trying to find ways to get the notorious Boo Radley out of the house. Despite all the talk and rumors about Boo, the trio is determined to find out why he is constantly locked up inside the rundown house.
According to the townspeople Boo was cutting up a newspaper and suddenly stabbed his father in the leg, then continued to cut up the newspaper as if nothing had happened. His father, claiming his son was not crazy refused to send him to an insane asylum, but kept him locked up in the basement for some time. The whole thing just seems to be a lie to me, a made up rumor by the townspeople because of the few events where Boo has actually appeared. As you can tell, my favorite character is Boo Radley right now, because of all the mysteries and rumors. I cannot wait to finish this book and find out if we will ever be introduced to him.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The first couple chapters of this book didn’t make much sense to me and was boring but when Radley place was introduced it started getting interesting.

When I started reading Harper Lee‘s novel to Kill a Mockingbird the characters were introduced Scout, Jem, Dill and Boo Radley. Scout also known as Jean Louise Finch narrates the story. The novel takes place during the Great Depression in a small town called Maycomb where everyone knows one another. Maycomb is described as an “old town, but it was a tired old town when I knew it” (6) this quote makes the town sound like it is boring and lazy and there is not much to do. Scout is an intelligent, brave girl who acts like a tomboy she loves to play outdoors with her brother Jem. Jem gets along well with his sister and is very protective of her. Dill is Scout and Jem’s summer friend.

Scout is a very intelligent girl for her age she learned how to read with her father and write with Calpurnia before she even started school. You would think her teacher would be happy to hear that she can read but when school began her teacher “Miss Caroline tells her to stop reading with her father because he is teaching her all wrong” (39). How can that make sense Miss Caroline’s way of teaching is irrational. Scouts way of thinking and analyzing at a young age is unbelievable considering the fact of her young age.

As the story goes on Jem, Dill and Scout get fascinated about Radley place and want to know more about it. In the novel Radley place is described as “rain rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away” (10). I imagined a dark spooky house that has no life in it. Scout, Jem, and Dill never saw anyone come out of Radley place but a boy named Boo Radley lived there. Jem would ask his father about the Radleys but his answer was to mind his own business. I wonder why Boo Radley never gets out and why his house is so dark and unpleasant. Boo Radley sounds like a depressed unsocial person. It seems like the Radleys are hiding something.

So far I have learned that there are the Radleys who keep their life a secret and no one knows much about them, living in there unwelcoming dark house. The Ewells and the Cunninghams are known as the poor families that live in Maycomb they pay off any debts with whatever they have to offer and their children don’t go to school much.

Can’t wait to read the rest!

Community Project

I have been getting a lot of emails about the "Capture Your Community" project. Simply put, wherever you are on the 4th, whether you celebrate that holiday or not, take pictures. If you need to borrow a camera from a family member or friend, take them on your cell phone to print out later, purchase a disposable camera and then get it developed at Target overnight because that is cheaper than one hour photo ... do it.

We have one of our fellow students spending time in Korea with family, he is going to take pictures of whatever is going on in Korea on the 4th (they do have a 4th of July in Korea, but they don't celebrate America's Independence Day - a classic riddle if you want to mess with people).

If I can help clarify the project let me know, but there should be enough resources out there to get the pictures and eventually get the poster done to have it turned in on the first day.

Let the mockingbirds live! :)

I'll be honest with everyone, this book was like HELL at first. I literally fell asleep after every page. But knowing myself, I knew I had to get through it one way or the other. So I thought to myself, "might as well try enjoying it." So that’s exactly what I did. As I read the book in more of a "focused" manner, I started realizing the recurring themes, motifs, and symbols throughout the story. I also noticed that all these themes, motifs and symbols are linked together in some indexical relationship. Even though I haven't finished the whole book yet, I feel that the book is already powerful.

The book opens to the narrator, Scout (also named Jean Louise), describing her county. She describes the town as if it were dead, as if it was merely a ghost town. “Maycomb was an old town…in rainy weather the streets turned into red slop…there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy, nothing to buy it with, and nothing outside the boundaries of Maycomb county.” (6) I don’t know if anyone else thought this, but the red slop explained in the quote made me think of blood. Since the time period of this story is during the Great Depression, the blood might be a symbol for depression and hard times people are going through. Another significant element about the county was that people stayed linked together because they have no choice. There was nowhere to go, and nothing outside of Maycomb. Since people are linked together in this one community, news and rumors travel rapidly. The beginning of the story is primarily focused on Jem and Scout. They live their childhood lives on imagination. Dill, a neighbor, enters the scene and acts as a significant playmate for Jem and Scout. Towards the end of chapter 1, Boo Radley becomes the focus of their curiosity. Harper Lee already puts hints to foreshadow what might happen later on in the story.

As the story progresses, we constantly see examples of the type of people that live in Maycomb. For example, there is the Cunninghams, who barely have any money to live off of. “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back….They don’t have much, but they get along on it.” (26) Furthermore, there are the Ewells. They are described as dirty, and a disgrace to Maycomb. “Atticus said the Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them had done an honest day’s work in his recollection.” (40) Furthermore, discrimination is a major factor in the novel. Blacks are placed on the bottom of the social level, right next to women. For example, Scout states, “Calpurnia says that’s nigger-talk.” (49)

By chapter 5, we already can delineate the conflicts within the town. Atticus lives in a town of discrimination, where many things are frowned upon. Nonetheless, he still chooses to live above the towns standards and serve as a role to be a “good” man. This is demonstrated when he sides a black man in court. He then passes his way of life to Scout. Scout learned to life live like a good girl, without discrimination or prejudice. However, as she grows up and attends school, she starts realizing all the discrimination around her. This creates somewhat of an internal conflict within her, as her inner consciences fight with the outside influence.

Like I said before, the themes and motifs of the novel have an indexical relationship. So far, discrimination and innocence are the themes of the story. In chapter 10, the mockingbird is finally described as a symbol of the story, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but sing songs for people to enjoy...that’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” From this quote, I inferred that mockingbirds symbolize innocence. (I don’t know if I am necessarily correct, anyone have any suggestions?) This indexical relationship I keep stating is shown through Scout. Her inner conscience and everything about her is innocent. She was raised that way. But as she goes to school and meets society, she starts having conflicts between this innocence and discrimination. Even though discrimination and innocence are ultimately conflicting with each other, there is still a relationship established between them. I’m going to have to read more to prove my statement of this “indexical relationship.”

Finally, I want to make a prediction. I think Boo Radley is going to be this “mockingbird.” This innocent boy that has been discriminated by everyone. I don’t know if I am correct, but it is logical since the books title is called, To Kill a Mockingbird. I think he is a boy that has ultimately been “killed” by evil.

So far, I am actually starting to enjoy the book! my thoughts are kind of random right now, sorry if its not organized. I hope its organized when I write the essay! Ill be posting more after today. Ill make my analysis more clear.

please criticize me if you guys have an objection ;)

(SIN) To Kill a Mockingbird

Maycomb County; a place located in the south, where Jean Louise (Scout) had experienced many lifelong lessons. Her older brother, Jeremy (Jem), her father, Atticus Finch and Calpurnia, their cook are constantly a major part of Scouts life. Scout and Jem also have another close friend, Dill who came to them in the summer time and who someday Scout wishes to marry. They encounter many adventures imaginary or not usually involving people in their neighborhood such as the Radleys.

The story behind the Radleys includes a strange mystery about Arthur Radley (Boo) who was thought to be "high-strung" at times and not "crazy"(11). Jem, Dill and Scout normally feared the Radley Place, but they were constantly curious about it. Jem was dared to touch the Radley Place and Scout rolled right through the gate and into the front yard in a wheel, both of which they were frightened at all times. They've found a secret hiding spot within a tree trunk hole and have valued everything they've received from it. When they attempted to thank whoever left them their treasures, they found Mr. Radley had cemented the hole shut. There encounters with the Radleys did not, they found themselves trying to contact Boo by sending him a letter through an open shutter which ended up with Jem losing and finding his pants mended and folded for him. Scout also found herself covered by a blanket given to her by Boo himself and she was not even aware of it. The Radleys have played a very important part of their lives.

Other than the Radleys, Maycomb County consists of many different families that are judged based on their history. I find it strange how you could judge someone based upon what their ancestors or relatives have done. Just like how one person can ruin a whole entire family's name such as the situation with Atticus being called a nigger-lover by Francis (who is only a child). It seems unrealistic in our time to believe children can be judged by who there parents are as well. The Cunninghams were known to never take things they could not pay back for just as the Ewells went to school for one day and since there were so many of them they never returned until the next school year. The way people interact with each other in this novel has been very interesting so far and I hope it keeps me hooked.

For the record it took me a while to get used to the language and way people spoke. (I hope i wasn't the only one.)

this book..

"Great, this books about Southerners and Negros. Obviously this book is about prejudice and racism.", said I after reading a couple of pages. I stopped reading and and went to my friend's house. I told her about my problem with the book and she gave me a funny look. She told me that the book's more than that. So i gave this book another shot.

How the book started off was pretty boring but the book had to explain how the characters are there somehow so it was alright. I kept reading and i felt as if i was bored but i had to keep reading because i was so interested. What kept me interested was the narrator's father Atticus Finch. He's interesting because even though he keeps a quiet profile, people knew him and he had secrets about himself. How he raises his children intrigued me as well because he is a single parent and he doesnt beat them at all. you would think that Southerners might be uncivilized but Atticus wasn't at all. Last thing i liked was how the narrator was Atticus' daughter Scout. She's an adventurous girl and i didn't know she was a girl until the classroom scene with her teacher. I was getting so confused so I had to go back and try to figure it out. I thought it was really cute how she wore overalls and fought people because she was so proud. I also thought how she cussed alot was really disturbing. I like her as the narrator because I would never think of what the other side of the story would be when it came to white folk versus black folk. I thuoght that typically you would see the Negro's thoughts so looking at what the other side of this battle was kind of refreshing and new to me. It also proves a point that there are white folk that arent prejudice and would defend a Negro. I hope my last thoughts made sense.

I actually can't wait how the second part of this story ends.

Final thought:I find the whole scene about Boo Radly irrelevant. I just found the whole thing really boring. What would really surprise me is if Boo Radly had to do something about Atticus Finch's case. Hah!

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb, a town full of unique characters such as the Cunninghams, Ewells, and the Radleys. Each family is known for their unique characteristics. Cunninghams examplify their uniqueness in chapter 2 when Walter doesn't accept money from the teacher because Walter Cunningham knew he can never pay the teacher back. The Ewells show what their known for in chapter 3 when Burris Ewell attends the first day of school and never attends again. These examples show either how small Maycomb is or how really close people are in this community. Since the people of Maycomb know how families are in Maycomb then the new things from the outside world never seem to enter this town. Because everything has always been the same since everyone is so familiar with everyone.

One of the protagonists in this novel is named Scout Finch. A young intellingent female. Scout is intelligent because she is able to read in the first grade. Scout presents this ability in chapter 2 during her first days of school. She's advance compared to her classmates and Miss Caroline's (Scout's first grade teacher) expectations of what a first grader should know. However, Scout is not like all the other girls. Scout is tough and braver than a lot of the other boy's in her school. For example, in the beginning of chapter 3 Scout made Walter Cunningham eat dirt for getting her in troubleduring the first day of school. But, even if she can be sometimes rough and vicious she has her boundries. Scout listens and with all her heart tries to obey her elders. For example, in chapter 9 Cecil Jacobs taunts Scout by teasing her about how Atticus defends a black family. However, Scout never fought back because Atticus told her not too. Scout has never walked away from a fight. She would fight if her pride was ever hurt. But, it was something Atticus was really serious about, and Scout was willing to obey.

One of the symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird was Boo Radley's blanket given in Chapter 8. This symbolizes comfort and warmth. Something that Scout has always been blessed with. Scout has always had Atticus, Jem, Uncle Jack, and Miss Maudie to comfort her. The love from those people are what give Scout the warmth that she needs. Even Boo Radley has cared for her when he covered Scout with a blanket. This is something important this community has. They all care and comfort each other. This maybe one of the reasons why they all know each other so well in Maycomb.

Here's to killing mocking birds. or not. :)

Summer Reading assignments don't spark the interest of many students, and when hearing the title To Kill a Mockingbird my heart sank a little. It's definitely a classic, because all the older people I know have read it. I never would have guessed that it would have such a play on my emotions. I came to liking it so much, even though I’m only done with part one.

If I weren't older than Scout, then I would place her as my idol. She is outgoing, strong willed, and tough in everyway. She's getting the chance to be a child, and over coming those day-to-day obstacles like they are nothing at all. I envy every part of who she is. She is witty, smart, and doesn’t take put-downs from anybody. Then there is Scout's older brother Jem. He is something else. He is brave, doesn’t stand for harassment in any form, lives to make his father proud, and loves to be adventurous. His relationship with Scout reminds me very much of what my brother and I have. He picks on Scout, calls her names, and is just a pest. However, in the end, he's going to protect her and be there fro her.

I loved reading about their adventures with Dill and going to the Radley Place. The Radley Place is a manor near where Scout and her family live. During the summer, when their friend Dill comes along, they stake it out, watch its activity, and plot adventures involving the property. The way Harper Lee describes it make it sound thrilling. When I read Harper Lee’s description, I got a downgraded picture of the Satis House from Great Expectations. Basically, its seen as a vast house that is a little run down and unkempt. I don’t see the Radley Place being as big as the Satis house though. And towards the middle/end of Part I, I found the tree to be interesting. It was the one that had the gum and the two Indian head coins in it. Maybe the treat-filled tree is foreshadowing something that is yet to come in part two.

Has anyone picked up on a theme along the way? There is so much going on that I can’t figure it out. Maybe it has something to do with the community? Or family values? I could be way off. How bout symbols? I have a few in mind, but I don’t want to be wrong. haha

My favorite event had to have been when Miss Maudie’s house caught fire. Now, I’m not a masochistic person, but that whole section caught my interest. I was prepared to put down the book for a break right before this happened. So much for that idea, cause I couldn’t stop after that! How the whole neighborhood came together and everyone was aware and in action. After all the commotion settled, I got really hooked into when the conversation they were having back at home, and that mysterious blanket. It was funny when Jem flipped out too.

I’m starting part two as soon as I post this, and am so excited. The excitement was being built up, so I’m going to predict a tragic or mind blowing event is about to happen. Its got me hooked already, so we’ll see what I have for the next post 

To Kill A Mocking Bird

I was pretty much bored reading this book but then half way through this book is really interesting to read.

This book explaines how life is living in the south. Theres a lot of innocence and bravery throughout the book.

In the beginning of the story Scout who lives with her family brother Jem, and her father Atticus in a town called Maycomb, Atticus later was called "nigger-lover" people around town. Scout is intelligent and, a she takes her place as a tomboy since she doesn't have a mom. Scout and Jem makes friends with a boy named Dill which he comes only during the summer. Dill gets interested with the Radley Place. In Maycomb, the Ewells are known to be liars. My favorite character throughout the story has to be Dill because how imginative he is. He is the reason why Scout and Jem do the things they do. All three enjoy their time, going on adventures and bothering Boo Radley, their neighbor who no one has ever seen which Boo is the town's crazy person.Boo Radley's house reminded me of Great Expectations and the Satis House. Both houses were run down and were seen as evil. The adventures of Dill, Jem, and Scout attempting to see or leave Boo Radley house kept me reading.



I thought this book will be boring just like the other books i have read. Halfway throughout the book has been pretty interesting.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Scout, the protagonist/narrator starts off the story. Scout and her family live in a town known as Maycomb. From the description of Maycomb, it seems very unenergetic and languish. While Harper Lee describes the city of Maycomb, as "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 shade of the live oaks on the square" (5). These similes creates a vivid image in one's head showing a town almost seeming to be dead or very isolated by tourists.

After the introduction of the town of Maycomb, Scout talks about a phantom and the Rodney's Place through pages 8-9. These struck me as a sign of foreshadowing and questions loomed to my head like who is the phantom? or whats so significant about the Rodney's Place? As i read a little further, the situation on the Rodney Place cleared up, but i was still pondering on the phantom subject. Pages 10-11 talks about the whole situation of Boo and the Rodney Place, but there was nothing about the phantom.

So far from reading this book, there is racism invovled in this book as well as class structure. The word "negroes" and "nigger" is used quite often. Also, people like the Ewell's and Cunningham's are looked towards as the poor class. However, the Ewell's seem to be the lowest family in Maycomb. "They didn't have to go to school, for one thing. Another thing, Mr.Bob Ewell, Burris's father, was permitted to hung and trap out of season" (31)

"[Not] judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

(Although the above quote from MLK's famous "I Have a Dream" speech came later than the time period of To Kill a Mockingbird, I find it to have some relevance to the novel's setting and the beliefs of a few of its characters.)

As I began to read To Kill a Mockingbird, I was honestly bored out of my mind as Scout opened the story by describing the county. However, by analyzing the various settings given and the mindsets present in each -- specifically the neighbors' views versus that of the Finches -- I was able to more easily understand the way each character dealt with one another and identify the reoccurring motif of discrimination and how it causes humans to see others at face-value instead of for their true colors.

As the Maycomb county's expectations of human nature collide with Scout Finch's personal beliefs, the young heroine of To Kill a Mockingbird is faced with the trials and tribulations of fighting between what society wants and what the innocence in her heart feels is right. The difference between how she was raised to be a good person and society's favored female image create tension with Scout's journey through her childhood and establish mixed views about what kind of person to grow up as within a hometown filled with discrimination.

With the story's setting as Alabama -- a state that was a part of the Confederacy -- during the time period prior to civil rights movements for women and blacks, the people of the Maycomb county followed a strict status quo. Negroes were looked down upon and women had a single expectation to be feminine, refined, and anything but risqué; content of personal character played a minimal part in status. This is apparent in the way that Mrs. Dubose criticizes Scout for not wearing a "dress and camisole" in Chapter 11 (101); Aunt Alexandra says Scout, as a girl, should never be doing things that required pants (81); Jem accuses Scout of acting like a "girl" for being scared in Chapter 4 (38); how any phrase with the word "nigger" in it is used offensively; and how Atticus defending a black man in court is looked down upon.

Even with society's harsh and stratified views, Atticus chooses to raise a family that lives beyond Maycomb's standards. Even though he was a well-off and respected white man, he surprisingly refuses to use his social status for belittlement. He emphasized understanding everyone's points of view and that it's not a bad thing to be a "nigger-lover" if your philosophy is to love everybody (30; 108). By treating all people equally beyond the stereotypes of "black", "white", "male", "female", or "child", Atticus taught by example to treat others according to their true nature as human beings; this explains Scout's innocence in regarding race, age, gender, and other face-value characteristics as unimportant while she interacts with others in her community.

The difficulty posed from the two perspectives coinciding on a regular basis served as the motivation of her external and internal conflicts. As far as a physically-seen example, her tussle with her Francis was provoked by his disrespect of Atticus's choice to defend a black man in court (which was a feat that Scout originally had no problem with). Whenever the two opposing viewpoints meet at the same time, Scout plunges into uneasiness: she struggled to keep her fists out of Cecil Jacob's face when he brought up the term “nigger-lover” since Atticus told her not to mind ignorant insults, and she was confused as to why she couldn’t be a “ray of sunshine in pants just as well” as in a dress when her Aunt Alexandra posed her definition of a lady (81).

To wrap things up a bit... the Confederate-state, post-Reconstruction and pre-Civil Rights time period, small-town setting evidently affects the status quo enforced in Maycomb county. It affects the avid presence of discrimination and, with a family that stands against it, two opposing forces fight their way into the developing moral values of the young protagonist Scout. Her journey to become a good person and overcome the determinants of her society helps move the plot forward by affecting her interactions with others and adding depth to actions taken by each character.

Whew, that was a lot to say.. Did that make sense? :P

To Kill A Mockingbird

When I found out what book we were reading this summer I was so excited! I have heard so many good things about it. Only a few people have told me that the beginning was slow. As I read it, I disagree. The way this book is written is phenomenal! I absolutely love it! The way Harper Lee describes the setting and the charactors is great! He really sets a scene. I can picture the whole town of Maycomb, the Radley place and all the charactors. I also love how he has some similies and metaphors here and there, such as, "Ladies bathed bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frosting of sweat and sweet talcum." With such a description how can you not picture it, and how living there would be?

Scout is so far my favorite. She is just like me when I was a kid, like a tomboy. She fun, sassy, adventurous, and yet cautious. She wants to please her brother and not get him in trouble. Her brother Jem is just like my older sisters. He includes her but once he's with a friend, he's like go away or don't say a word. :)

I love how I get into this book! The whole mystery with the Radley Place. It just makes me want to keep reading! The sense of community in this book also keeps me interested. When Miss Maudies house caught on fire and everyone in town came to help, it's heartwarming. You don't really see that these days. Neighbors don't really talk and nobody really knows what other people are doing. Yet this town everyone knows everyone. It sort of reminds me of my old neighborhood. We knew alot of whats going on and the kids play with eachother. This book really gives you a look into the days when that happened.

This book is also very interesting history wise. It shows how it was when African Americans were treated unfairly. The vocabulary towards them is proof enough that they weren't treated the same. Racism was a big part of life back then. Yet it proves that some were treated with some respect. Calpurnia is somewhat outspoken, but I really believe that she cares about the kids.

There was one line that stuck out to me and i don't know why. It just one of those lines that sticks out. When Scout is in class and Miss Caroline tell her not to read with Atticus anymore, she starts thinking how she learned to read. She says it just came to her. Scout says, "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." I really don't know why it sticks out to me. Maybe becuase it seems so wise for a person so young. But I don't believe it was fair for Miss Caroline to tell her not to read.

I can't wait to keep reading this book. Harper Lee truly writes well.

To Kill A Mockingbird

In the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout describes the small city of Maycomb as "an old town, but it was a tired old town. . ."(5). To me, Maycomb seemed as a small town that was very slow and "dead". Harper Lee acknowledges social classes by describing how the Ewell and Cunningham families are known as the poor families in Maycomb. Education is also important in this novel whether it be learning in school or learning to become more mature.

Jean Louise Finch is known by her nickname Scout. Scout is the narrator of this novel; her young age allows a different perspective on events that occur. Scout is a very intelligent girl that is pictured as a tomboy and isn't your typical girl her age. She likes to have fun outdoors playing with Jem and Dill. Scout is criticized by the women in Maycomb because she doesn't wear dresses and isn't how girls should be acting. With all the criticism she hears, she doesn't try to change who she is just to be how others expect her to be. Jem is Scout's brother that matures as time progresses. He would always play games with Scout but later in the book, he pulls himself away from the childish games she plays. Dill is Jem and Scout's friend that comes only during the summer. He had a big imagination which sparks the urge to pester Boo Radley. Atticus Finch is Scout and Jem's father. He is a lawyer in Maycomb that defends a black man; Atticus later was called "nigger-lover" by people around town. He is a good role model to his children but his sister thinks otherwise.

Boo Radley's house had a loose shutter and a high wire fence. The house had "a ramshackle porch. . .and two dark windows between the doors"(52). When reading the description of Radley's Place, it automatically reminded me of Great Expectations and the Satis House. Both houses were run down and were seen as "evil" and dark. The adventures of Dill, Jem, and Scout attempting to see or leave Boo Radley a note kept me reading. The diction Harper Lee chooses sets the setting of Maycomb, Alabama and paints a picture of what's going on in the story.

When I first saw the book To Kill A Mockingbird, I didn't think I would like this book. I heard this book was worth reading so I tried to keep interest an not give up at the beginning. As I kept reading, I couldn't wait and find out what would happen.

Let's Not Kill Mockingbirds :D

As the novel opened, two reoccurring themes stuck out to me: community and the innocence of youth. In chapter 1, Scout describes her small town Maycomb as a place where “there was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County” (pg 6). Right away, not only was I able to capture a mental picture of Maycomb, but I was also able to feel the strong sense of community within Maycomb. Maycomb in my mind was a small southern town, where each person knew one another and news spread so rapidly, no secrets could be kept. The town kept tradition and held on to rumors and myths, such as the story of secluded Boo Radley. In chapter 8, neighbor Miss Maudie’s house catches on fire and despite how late at night it was, “the men of Maycomb, in all degrees of dress and underdress, took furniture from Miss Maudie’s house to a yard across the street” (pg.92). The citizens of Maycomb all came together to help a neighbor in need; there is no better word to describe Maycomb than community.

Just like children today, Jem, Scout, and Dill are oblivious to the reasons behind controversies and communal problems, all they know is what they are told. They are simply too young to understand. In chapter 6, Jem, Scout, and Dill “were going to peep in the window with the loose shutter to see if they could get a look at Boo Radley” (pg. 69). The children’s innocent curiosities drive them to commit daring acts. In chapter 9, aggressive Scout defends her father, Atticus by fighting classmate, Cecil Jacobs, for saying that Atticus, “defends niggers” (pg. 99). Scout later questions Atticus about defending Negroes and Scout is still puzzled by why her father supports blacks. Scout is ignorant of the societal problems between blacks and whites and all she knows is to defend her father.

Chapter 10 is the source of the book’s title To Kill a Mockingbird in this quote: “’Mockingbirds do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (pg. 119).
The quote tells of how killing a mockingbird is a grave sin because they give us nothing but joy. This can tied to people: there are times when the nicest people who have shown nothing but kindness are oppressed because others feel they are unimportant or inadequate. Biblically, killing a mockingbird can be tied to Jesus Christ. Jesus was a loving, peaceful man, but He was crucified for preaching moral and upright virtues like kindness and compassion. When Jesus was put to death, it was similar to killing a mockingbird; both are innocent and deserve more than what they get.

So far, To Kill a Mockingbird has brought me down memory lane to the adventures of my youth. Just like Scout, I was an adventurous, daring child. The novel brought me back to the times where the only worry on my mind was what was for dinner and where playing outside was an every day occasion.

To Kill a Mockingbird

When I heard that we had to read this book during the summer, I wasn't looking forward to it at all. I mean just reading the title makes me want to toss this book aside and read something else that's more of my taste. But I still had to read it and I managed to read the first half in a day. After reading some parts of this book, I could definitely say that it's totally not what I thought it would be like;I thought this book would be some book on prejudice, but it is far from it. Jean Louise Finch, the narrator of this story, tells the tale of her life as it keeps going. All her life its always been her dad, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and her maid, Cal, living in their sleepy town called Maycomb.
Because Jean Louise, or Scout, never had a mother figure in her life to tell her what a lady should dress like and how one should act like, she's kind of like a tomboy. Jem and their summer friend, Dill, are her only playmates, so that's easily understandable. Scout's also intelligent, so when she went to school for the first time, her teacher punishes her for it. But she can't help liking the subject of reading so that's how Atticus gets her to stay in school by compromising with her. In fact she will do anything for her dad because her dad never asks her to do much for him. Atticus is very respectable man;people respect him because he's such a wise and calm soul. He also is a fair guy and in the story, he tries to stand up for a guy nobody likes or trusts because of skin color. At that time people started to disrespect him for that and Atticus tells his children not to mind it because the thoughts of other people shouldn't matter. But that doesn't stop Scout punching her relative, Francis, one Christmas day;she must've been really angry because the other times if something happen like that happend, she would've just walked away.Her brother, Jem, also stops her when she's about to beat someone up. Jem plays a huge role in her life because he's Scout's playmate. What they do for fun reminds me of what my sister, Carina, and I did for fun when we were little. I was practically jumping out of my couch when I was reading the part where they sneaked into the Radleys residence with Dill! Talk about your sticky situation! Especially when Jem got his pants stuck in the fence and had to come back for them;that was soo scary i thought he was a goner! Carina and I have been through alot of sticky situations but none like this. This is definitely a highlight of the book.

I guess you can say that I'm a little excited to read the rest of the book. I'm not gonna lie when I say this, but like I actually got confused a little bit in the beginning especially whether or not the narrator was a boy or girl because of the way Harper Lee, the author, wrote this book. But otherwise this book is kinda good and I'm just anticipating the moment the kids meet Boo Radley (if ever of course).

Help! (Don't read this if you have not finished the book)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and it is a book worth reading twice. The suspense, sweet innocence of the children, and themes of family ties and racism kept me engaged. However, as I got near the end I was left with a question or two.

In chapter 30, Scout is retelling the attack of Mr. Ewell. By the end of her story, Atticus is convinced that Jem must have plunged the knife into Mr. Ewell, but Heck Tate insists that it was accidental suicide. I have my doubts as to whether or not Mr. Ewell fell on his own knife in the struggle, but I am not sure who was responsible for his death. I do not believe it could have been Jem, because at some point he was knocked out. Arthur (Boo) Radley was the one that rescued the children, so he had to be present at the end of the fight- was he the murderer? When Mr. Tate is telling Atticus that he wants to keep the incident quiet he begins describing what will happen if anyone finds out who ended Mr. Ewell's life.

"'All the ladies in Maycomb, includin' my wife'd be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes...taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight- to me that's a sin'" (317).
The shy person Heck Tate is speaking of must be Boo Radley, right?
Who is the murderer, if there is one?
Let me know if you agree with me, or if there was something I am missing.
Thanks!

To Kill A Mocking Bird

As I started to read this novel I wasn't very engaged to it, until I continued to read on. The narrator of the novel, Jean Louise Finch kept me entertained as I finished part one of the novel. Jean Louise Finch, who is known by her nickname Scout has that spunk to her personality. Growing up without a mother by her side and only with a brother and father, she never really adapted to how a young lady should act and present herself. As she grows older, she faces many criticisms. Such as she shouldn't be in overalls, she should be wearing a dress and be playing with dolls rather than sunning around wild. Scout never really lets it get the best of her she dosen't try to change herself, and loves herself the way she is.

One thing I love about Scout and what we have a lot in common, is the way she stands up for her father Atticus. Her father has a different view from many of the people who live in Maycomb, Alabama. Especially in the racial issues that come up throughout the novel. Atticus agrees to defend a black man, and to many people around their neighborhood also to their family is quite a disgrace. He is frquently called a nigger-lover. But, Atticus becomes the bigger person and dosen't let it get to him. In which he continues to teach his two children. Yet, they still make some mistakes along the way. On Christmas Day, after dinner Scout and her cousin, Francis have a little conversation. In the end gets out of hand because Scout could no longer control herself. Francis repetitively calls Atticus a nigger-lover and she punches him in the mouth. But, other times she just stands up and walks away.

What also kept me turning the page, was the adventures her brother, Jem, and their friend Dill would have with Arthur "Boo" Radley. They've heard many stories about him. But, they don't stop at them. Themselves, they try to get a peak and see him for themselves. They find themselves in sticky situations, other times they don't know if they'll find a way out. What kept me intrigued was when Dill and Jem sneaked into the Radleys Place to see how Arthur "Boo" Radley actually looked like. When they heard people coming, I was afraid that they were going to get caught, which kept me reading what was going to happen next. It was quite a suspense when Jem got stuck under the fence and had to take off his pants to set himself free. It also left me hanging until the end of the chapter if they were going to find his pants. It changed my point of view of how the people in Maycomb described Arthur "Boo" Radley to be. Especially if he was the one who sewn Jem's pants and neatly hung it over the fence. I wonder, Are the stories about Arthur "Boo" Radley really true, or are they just myths? As I continue onto part two of To Kill A Mocking Bird will Jem, Scout, and Dill finally meet Arthur "Boo" Radley?

Well, overall I find the novel not one to over look. Harper Lee has her way of shifting to different topics throughout the story, but ends up leading back to where it started, not leaving you in suspense for very long.

To Kill A Mockingbird

As you begin to read To Kill A Mockingbird the main characters are introduced to you right from the start. Such as Jem, Ewells, Dill, Boo Radley, and Andrew Jackson. The book is narrated by Scout, a girl who received that as a "nickname." When Scout and Jem met Dill, they set out a plan to reveal the mysteries of Boo Radley. At the beginning of the story Scout acts like a boy, her actions reveal that she is courageous and is willing to sacrifice things for her family. Although, as you read along the story you find out that it is not a "he" it is a "she."

In chapter 2, Dill had left for school, it was now time for Scout to go to school for the first time. Although, Scout thought school was going to be a delightful place since she was waiting practically her entire life; it wasn't all that great. In fact, it was a disappointment to her. Miss Caroline, Scout's first grade teacher was impressed with the fact that Scout could read very well and write in cursive. Even though Scout was the star of her class, Miss Caroline told her that she couldn't read with Atticus because he was a horrible teacher. Miss Caroline wasn't from Maycomb because she didn't understand why Walter wouldn't take the quarter that was offered to him constantly. Obviously, if they can't pay it back, they won't take it. Scout tried to tell Miss Caroline but she thought that she was just being a little annoying and gave her the ruler to the hand plus the time out in the corner.

In chapter 4,the rest of the school year past like it took forever, boring Scout throughout the year. As so the rest of her public education. The only thing that really brought out the year was when Scout was filled with excitement finding the knothole in the Radley Oak Tree. The first time she noticed the knothole was one day when something shiny caught her eye. She went back to look and found two pieces of gum in shiny wrappers. Jem had suggested a new game, the "Boo Radley" game, everyone was assigned parts in the story that they all heard about Boo Radley. Scout never wanted to play in the beginning she was pressured into it. As it continued, they were to act out each part of a story they heard. When the stabbing came, Jem would go into the house and take the scissors behind Cal's back. They'd stop whenever the neighbors would look, but Atticus caught them. He took the scissors and told them if it had to do with the Radleys that they'd stop playing the game immediately. The reason Scout was afraid to play the game anymore was because, when she had fell onto the Radley's yard, Jem was shouting and laughing; while Scout heard a laugh. She was sure it Boo Radley. The second time was because of Atticus' words, but she was pressured into playing.

Gmail

If you are reading this chances are you submitted to be a part of the blog for your summer assignment, welcome! If you already have a Gmail account, you will be ready for the school year. If you do not have a Gmail account, as some of you asked to be added to the blog with your Yahoo, AOL, or Hotmail accounts; please be sure to go back over the instructions handout I provided that tells you how to go about getting a Gmail account. While you may be able to access the blog, other services down the road, and projects we will be working on during the year, will only work if you have the Gmail account. Whether or not you access your Gmail is up to you, but you will need that info to log in to other resources we will be using.

Happy writing, hope you are enjoying the book. When you have time, don't forget to go through and read some of the passages that others have written. Leave a few comments, that is what blogging is all about.

To Kill a Mockingbird.

When i first heard about this book, i was expecting it to be an old boring book that i would not enjoy reading, however when i started the book, i was enjoying every part of it.

When i got to know the main characters such as Scout, Jem, and Dill, they help me remember of the times when i was their age and how i used to spend my time playing games. Unlike me, these kids are raised in a town called Maycomb. The setting is described as an old aged town in the south. You can infer because of how Scout talks as well as the other characters in the story. Scout talks about how the summer in Maycomb is the best time of the year for her. She loves to stay outdoors and play around in the sun, drinking lemonade and hanging on the trees.

I really like how the book is narrated from the point of view of Scout because it is uncommon. I would describe Scout as a free spirited, playful, and boyish. She likes to be around boys and is not afraid it especially when women at this time are treated with respect. Scout is a type of girl that likes to be herself and enjoy the company of her brother and Dill.

The story about Boo Radley's place is a very mysterious part of the book. Jem, Scout, and Dill are desperate to know the reason why nobody wants to be around that scary setting. I started getting interested in the book when the Radley's house was mentioned for the first time because about the history, it made me want to think what could really be in that house. Can stories be true? or just a hoax? Also the fact when Scout landing accidently in front of the Radley's house and heard a laugh as she rushing her way back to her brother and Dill.

To Kill a Mockingbird

At the start of the novel the Radley Place and the Radley family arouses my interest of reading the book. The Radley house is run-down, secluded, creepy and is off-limits to the children. Furtheremore, it is said to contain a "malevolent phantom" by the name of Boo Radley. The town shows fear and confusion towards the Radley family, so almost every person alienates Boo Radley. Readers hear the many opinions of the people in Maycomb. For some reason, this is what makes things confusing because you do not know what or who to believe and readers cannot really understand who Boo Radley is. I have got a thought that if he is really evil and bad, then he could kill anyone in his neighborhood. For example, Boo Radley could kill Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem), Jean Louise Finch (Scout), and Charles Baker Harris (Dill), because they are always harassing the Radley family.

It is said that in his teens, Boo Radley (Arthur Radley) joined with some of the Cunninghams from Old Sarum in joyriding around Maycomb's square and locking an elderly official named Mr. Conner in the court outhouse. I have got the feeling that Arthur Radley was not very successful at school, so it is the reason why he joined the Cunninghams playing around. The boys were put in trial and the judge decided to send them to the state industrial school, but Arthur Radley was released and shut up at home by his parents.

Then, fifteen years later, Arthur Radley, now aged thirty-three, attacked his father's leg with a pair of scissors. However, his father opposed sending him to an asylum, and eventually took him home. When his father died, Arthur fell under the care of his brother, Nathan Radley. When I was at the part where he attacked his father, I have got a thought that maybe he was not being treated nicely by his parents. Furthermore, Mr. Radley said that he was not crazy, so I do not get the reason why Boo Radley would hit his own father. I have got the feeling that maybe he was being forced to stay in the house too. Since his father said that he was not a criminal and not in jail, he was imprisoned in the family home. For example, Ms. Maudie says that she knew Boo Radley as a boy and he always spoke nicely to her and she also explains that Arthur's family held very severe religious beliefs, which have affected the way they treat Boo Radley.

Community in Maycomb

When I first looked over all of the summer assignments expected of us I couldn't figure out the point of the 4th of July collage. It sounded like fun, but I didn't understand how it related to To Kill a Mockingbird, especially since I was halfway through the book and there was still no mention of that holiday. I took a closer look at the prompt and the title stuck out at me: "Capture Your Community." Thinking back I realized that Harper Lee had established a sense of community in Maycomb several times throughout the story.

In the beginning of the book, Scout describes Maycomb as being filled with the same people-never changing. Later she explains that "the old citizens...who had lived side by side for years and years, were utterly predictable to each other" (149). Everyone grew accustomed to one another and, for as long as Scout can remember, each has treated the other like family.

In chapter 8, Miss Maudie's house catches fire and most of the town rushes out to help. It was one in the morning, but that didn't matter- "the men of Maycomb, in all degrees of dress and undress" began saving furniture, starting with what Miss Maudie valued most- her rocking chair. When the old fire truck broke down because of the unusual cold, no one gave up, instead "a crowd of men" resorted to pushing it all the way to Miss Maudie's place. When it became obvious that there was no hope of saving the house, Scout, Jem, and Atticus rushed to console Miss Maudie only to see she was was not grieving. Upon being asked why she was not upset, Miss Maudie proclaimed she was more worried about the danger she had put the rest of the town in that her lost home.

In chapter 11, Jem, outraged at the remarks of Mrs. Dubose, cuts of the tops of every camellia bush in her yard. To pay back for this outburst, Jem is forced to go over to Mrs. Dubose's home "'every afternoon after school and Saturdays and read to her out loud for two hours'" for a month. Each day the two hours progressively grows longer, turning into three, then four, etc. Growing exasperated with the long hours reading to the drooling old woman, Jem rejoices when the time is up. Atticus, however, tells Jem he must continue to read to her even though the month is up. Jem wasn't aware of it, but Mrs. Dubose was quite near death and was in great pain. Forcing Jem to continue to read to her, was Atticus's way of caring for Mrs. Dubose and providing her with a brief, companionable escape.

In chapter 13, when Aunt Alexandra comes for an unexpected visit she is welcomed by the whole town. Miss Maudie baked her a cake, Miss Stephanie Crawford "had long visits" with her, Miss Rachel had her over for coffee most afternoons, and Mr. Radley even left the quiet of his home to wish her welcome. Everyone went out of their way to bring her into the fold of Maycomb, because she was part of Atticus's family, and thus part of theirs as well.

These are just a few instances where Harper Lee illustrates the sense of community in Maycomb. Each citizen cares for the other, treating everyone like a family. Although, things come along to test these bonds, the town does its best to hold together.

~Rebekah :)

To Kill A Mockingbird :)

In the beginning Lee describes the South as a very hot place. She shows what life is like in the South. It is very old-fashioned and all the people dress in those values. Stating that the town is "tired" makes Maycomb look like a slow, sleepy town. The difference between the social classes is acknowledged when the African Americans are looked down upon and when describing life at Radley Place.

Jem is an interesting character who is very confident in himself and is very protective when it comes to his little sister, Scout. For example, when Jem was dared to jump off the top of the house, he questioned what become of his little sister if anything were to happen to him. He is very proud. For example, is willing to accept any dare given to him. He is very resouceful and observative when he wants to find out things. For example, when he wanted to learn more of the Radley Place he first went to his father and when he received no answers he went around the neighborhood and learned about it from the gossip and Miss Stephanie. He seems to be a very tall, cocky boy from his reaction when meeting Dill.

The Radley Place is very dark and kind of like a jail cell or a haunted house. The setting reminds me of the Satis House from Great Expectations. It's old and unappealing. Although occasionally people visited the Satis House, no one really wanted to visit the Radley Place. Both the houses were set in a very dark place where something tragic had taken place. For example, Mr. Radley was attacked by his son and later died and in the Satis House, Miss Havisham was rejected and yearned for revenge. The oak trees keep the sun from the house, giving it no light. The window seem to be gasping for some sunlight. The house might have reflected the way the Radley family behaved. Since the house was surrounded by darkness, it brought up a very discouraging enviornment. For example, the Radley Place is a very dark place and all the neighbors were too scared to even step on the front lawn or touch the fruit that fell from the trees. since no one wanted to go to the Radley Place, the boys had no friends and were very lonely which could be a reason why they followed the wrong path. The house seems to drowned into the darkness (maybe that's why it's "low").

Thank you :)

To Kill A Mockingbird 50 years later

To have some fun, I decided to try and find a video to put in the blog from To Kill a Mockingbird. I did find a video, randomly, published this past weekend from the BBC on the 50th anniversary of the novel's publication. It was 50 years ago this summer that Harper Lee released her novel of life growing up in the south and it still resonates as strongly today as it did then.

When you can, check out this video which gives a concise brief history of the book and some insight into it's purpose. The other interesting tidbit, in Monroeville - the town that was used as the basis of the story - this book is taught at the junior high level, quite a contrast from your junior year of high school.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10359706.stm

To Kill a Mockingbird :1st Entry

When I heard we had to read To Kill a Mockingbird for our summer assignment, I was pretty excited since I heard really good remarks about how great the book was. As a result, the book ended up being exactly what it was described to be and something I enjoyed reading once I started.

The story gives us a broad description of how life was lived in the deep South of Maycomb, from how the children would roam about and play and the racism towards African Americans, not to mention the roles of women and young ladies if you were one. This role of the typical girl gender would be having great manners and doing what young "ladies" should be doing. Social class also played a role in the story because the color of your skin. In the story there is a lot of suspense on what you would think would happen next such as the scenes with the Radley family. Everytime I read about them and the accusations of the Maycomb neighbors made me want to find out more about the Radley family and I still don't know about them. I really wonder how Boo Radley is, minus the gossip that goes around.

The story introduces many characters throughout the book, beginning with Scout and her brother Jem. Scout is the protagonist of the story, very strong and tough, mostly described as a tomboy. She doesn't care about what people think of her. She as a girl, loves hanging out with her brother Jem and Dill whom only comes and visits during the Summer. Jem is very brave and doesn't like to back down on any dares but tries to conquer all that is said that he can't do. Throughout the story he slowly matures and becomes the gentlemen he is suppose to be.Dill has a very active imagination almost to where you can't tell if he's lying or not. He is one reason why Scout and Jem do the things they do. All three enjoy their time, going on adventures and bothering Boo Radley, their neighbor who no one has ever seen after a scene that happened a long time ago. The children really want to find out more about there anonymous neighbor, from the way he looks and acts. By doing so, they take on challenging missions and sneaky trips that most kids would not dare to do after hearing how Boo Radly enjoys feasting on blood.

Life in Maycomb has its good and bads. The town seems very small since everyone knows eachother. We hear about each neighbor as the story goes on and Scout describes them. Education for the children is taught slowly and each child is expected to be on the same level as the others in the same grade. There is drama between certain neighbors and the Finch family since their father, Atticus Finch is accused of being a "nigger-lover". Boo Radly plays as a great symbol throughout the story bringing the importance of innocence as the story progresses. No one really knows about him but the stories they hear. He is like a child superstition in the town of Maycomb because all the dreadful things that he supposedly does to humans. From the little unnoticed things that he does for Jem and Scout, he becomes more intriguing to them. If he were really bad like he sounds, he wouldn't have put that blanket over Scout when the fire happened or sew Jem's pants when he ripped it at the gate when he was escaping. Boo seems to be just like everyone else but why does everyone analyze him as a bad figure in Maycomb? What really happened that day when he was outside with the knife?

Overall I can't wait to get more into the story as I read along. I finished Part 1 and I am slowly making my way into Part 2. I hope to hear more about Boo Radly since I haven't heard about him towards the end of Part 1. The story is really exciting and something I easily could understand.

To Kill A Mockingbird

When I began reading, Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, I began to imagine what life would be like living in the deep south, in a city like the fictional, Maycomb. Lee does an amazing job painting a pitcure for us of how rascism was directed toward African Americans during this time period. As well, as a "woman's place" in the society. I also noticed that who you are, and what family you were born into seems to matter in this town.

This novel is narrated by a young girl nicknamed Scout. At first, I believed much of the book was going to be of her adventures with her brother, Jem, and their friend, Dill, who visits Maycomb in the summertime. The summer Scout and Jem met Dill, was the summer they became determined to find a way get the mysterious, Boo Radley, to leave the house, where he lived in silence with his brother, Nathan Radley.

Lee using the mockingbird to symbolize innocence in the deep south. In my opinion, Boo Radley, is too, the symbol for innocence. He mostly keeps to himself and stays at home, completely secluded from the outside world, other than his brother, he has little contact with the outside world. However, I believe the children's fasination with him began to make him want more human contact. He began leaving toys and other items in the hole in the tree trunk by the Radley house, which was later filled with cement by Nathan Radley, who claimed the tree, whos appearence seemed perfectly healthy, was dying. The young children had yet another encounter with Boo Radley during the fire at Miss Maudie's house across the street. Boo had placed a blanket on Scout, without Scout or Jem, noticing him or the blanket. The two children were unaware it was even there until their father, Atticus, pointed it out.

Atticus Finch, the father or Scout and Jem Finch, is a lawyer in Maycomb. Atticus is forced to defend an African American man named, Tom Robinson. Many people in Maycomb do not like that Atticus is defending a black man, especially since the case is against a white women. Naturally, with all the rascism and hatred toward Afrian Americans in the deep south, they will always take the side of the white man. Tom Robinson is being accuse of raping a young girl named, Mayella Ewell. Even though, in Maycomb, the Ewells are known to be scum and liars, people still will take their word over Tom's. There is much anger toward Atticus for defending him. People around town begin calling him "nigger-lover" and Scout, who was aware of its actual meaning, did not like it because of the tone of the people who said it. She believed it to be such bad thing. they she ended up getting into a scuffle, even after Scout had promised not to fight anymore. There were so many rumors flying around and Scout and Jem were being taunted by them everywhere they went, by neighbors and other children at school, even family members disapproved of Atticus' case.

Atticus is a good role model for his children. He allows them to speak their mind and to do the right thing. Because of his age, he is very intelligent andwise. He has taught his children to read, so they are well educated. Unfortunately for Scout, this later gets her in trouble with her first grade teacher. Scout could not wait to start school and now, all she looks forward to, in summertime with Dill. When the children's Aunt Alexandra, comes to live with them, she begins teaching, or trying to teach Scout how to be a lady. Jem is starting to mature with his age and he and Scout are beginning to drift apart. Being called a girl used to be an insult by Jem to Scout, but now he wants Scout to start acting more like a girl. Scout and Jem's relationship is changing and I'm curious how different things will become between the two siblings.

I can't wait to finish the book and read the outcome of all that is going on in the little town of Maycomb, Alabama.

My first encounter reading the first few chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird

At first, I was confused of what Jem breaking his arm had to do with Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. I've heard of the novel before but I only saw the 1961 movie based on the book when I was in middle school. The purpose of watching the movie was to understand what life was like in the United States during the Great Depression. The only characters that I remembered from watching the movie were Scout and Atticus.

As I read on, I began to recognize that Scout is a proud, young individual who is not afraid to say the first thing that comes to her mind. For example, she will punch anyone who says something bad about her family. I also learned that she truly acts like a tomboy and does not act girly so she can spend time with her brother, Jem, since he is four years older than her. They live in Maycomb, Alabama, thus, as it was part of the Confederate States during the Civil War, they strongly believed that social status was based on the color of your skin.

Every summer, they hang out together with Dill, the nephew of Ms. Rachel. As the story progresses, Dill becomes interested in who lives in the Radley Place. Based on the knowledge of the neighborhood's gossip, "Boo Radley" (his real name is Arthur) happens to be Maycomb County's town crazy, however, he is rarely seen in public. Yet, is Boo Radley really crazy? For instance, as the children leave from not being able to see Boo Radley "in the window with the loose shutter" (Lee, 31), Jem encounters a shadow (who probably is Boo Radley himself) as they sneak out the back. The children run once they see him and escape through the fence, but Jem's pants get stuck and eventually takes them off and leaves it there. In the middle of the night, Jem goes back to retrieve it and finds it neatly folded on the fence. Another example is when Scout had a blanket that was given to her by no other than Boo Radley when Miss Maudie's house caught on fire. Could it be that Boo Radley is sincere and is just helping the children when they least expect it?

Atticus is the perfect and just father for Jem and Scout. He allows the children to view not only just one side of a story, but also the other side. Although he does not let his work interfere with his children's lives, the gossip from the community finds a way to the children, such as Cecil Jacobs, Mrs. Dubose, and their cousin Francis, who tell Scout as well as Jem that their father is a "nigger-lover". Atticus clarifies this statement by telling Scout and Jem that he is defending a Negro by the name of Tom Robinson. Based on what I've read so far, Atticus is the type of person who does not see only one perspective of the problem, as most of the town does all because Robinson is a Negro. He doesn't want his children to think like most of the community and let's them know everything that they should know for their age.

So far, I don't understand why Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. Hopefully, the book will reveal it soon. Will Scout be lonely as Jem grows up or will she just have to stay with Calpurnia until she grows up? When will Boo Radley not be a mystery to Scout and the town anymore? I know for a fact that Boo Radley won't be a bad person in the end. For now, further reading must occur! :]

To Kill A Mockingbird

I love the way the author, Harper Lee, describes the south. From the actions and speech of the towns people in Maycomb, you can get a taste of the south. Harper Lee shows us how racist people were towards the African Americans in this time period in the south. The only person who seems to not be racist is Atticus who treats Calphurnia with respect instead of cruelty and disregard.

Now about the story. So far we have read about Scout's and ,her brother, Rem's adventures together. Scout and Rem have a four year age gap, yet they still remain close. But as the story progresses, we can see that Scout and Rem start to slowly drift apart. Their age difference and gender difference seem to be the cause of the drifting

From the beginning I could not tell if Scout was a boy or girl because of the way she acted. It was not until the story progressed that i realized Scout was a girl. Scout always acted like one of the boys and despised it when Jem said she was becoming more like a girl everyday. I think that she does not want to be treated like a girl so that she can stay closer with her brother who she knows is drifting away from her. An example of Jem drifting away from Scout is when Dill comes back to Maycomb for over the summer.

Jem and his father Atticus seem to have a weird relationship. Jem desperately wants to make his father proud because Atticus is his role model. Atticus so far seems to be a kind, caring father who scolds both Jem and Scout when they are in the wrong. Atticus is all about manners and constantly tells them to do the right thing instead of taking the easy way out.

Here are some questions. In the story Jem and Scout found someones hiding spot in the Radley's tree. Why do you think the hiding spot is so important to Scout and Jem and to the person who is hiding the stuff? Mr. Radley plugs up the hiding spot in the tree claiming the tree was dying when it really was not. What is the real reason Mr. Radley plugged it up? Last but not least, my final question is what do you think will happen with Scout and Rem's relationship as the story progresses?

Thanks for your time:)

First Entry for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

As I begin my summer, I started to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, thinking it would be boring and expecting all the reviews from the people I know were right, that it was the worst book they have ever read. Finishing the first part of the book, my opinion is different from everyone else’s. Scout is everything I would love to be at the age of a child. She is sassy, tough, curious but also innocent. The things I love about her is that she curses and fights whoever angers her but is not afraid to be called a coward. Scout and her brother, Jem, live in this southern little place called Maycomb County, where everyone knows everyone and knows everyone’s business and the conflict between them and their hometown is to ignore what everyone is saying about their father, Atticus. It is hard, because if anyone was saying malicious things about my father, I would be angry too. The neighbors of Maycomb County all seem to have their own opinions of each other. For example, Scout, Jem and Dill all thought that Boo Radely was some kind of a person who belongs in an asylum but they never met him. Also, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, Cecil Jacobs, and Francis Finch all have something to call Atticus, but do they really know why Atticus is defending a black man? The people of Maycomb County make judgments of others and do not know the whole story. It seems like they only hear it from one perspective, which ties into the character interactions of the people of Maycomb.

Atticus treats his children like they are adults. He tells them directly what something means and he makes sure they see through a different set of eyes from everyone else in Maycomb. For example, Atticus makes Jem read to Mrs. Dubose to see how brave she was but also a punishment for cutting down her camellias. Atticus is an intelligent father. My favorite relationship in this book has to be Dill and Scout. Their relationship is innocent but also confusing to Scout. One day, Dill says that he and Scout are engaged and then the next day he completely ignores her. It is completely realistic about a real childhood love, how children change their minds all of the time.

I foreshadow in the next part of the book, that Boo Radely will become Scout’s and Jem’s guardian angel. He has already provided a blanket for the children when they were outside in the cold waiting to be safe from the house fires and I predict he was the one giving them the gifts inside of oak tree’s hole, which is why Nathan Radely filled the hole with cement. He did not approve of Boo Radely entertaining the children. Boo Radely will be the hero at the end, instead of the mysterious and weird person he came out to be in the beginning of the novel.