To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes

To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by Jenna Louise ‛Scout’ Finch as n adult woman recalling her childhood so thoroughly the adult voice vanishes. One result of this layered narration is that the six-year old Scout seems very precocious both in her understanding of life and her vocabulary, both of which are subtly elevated for a child of her age. This technique allows Lee to explores her dark themes with both the light innocence of childhood and the complexity of adulthood, resulting in a timeless story that remains a beloved American classic. Quotes From To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes about Racism â€Å"Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I dont pretend to understand.† [Chapter 9] While Atticus Finch is deservedly one of the most beloved characters in American literature for his wisdom, compassion, and courage, he’s not perfect. One of his noble imperfections is a sometimes blind faith in justice and fairness, and a bafflement at the racist and unfair attitudes of those around him. Here he expresses an honest befuddlement that other people forget their principles of empathy and fairness whenever a black person is involved. â€Å"I think theres just one kind of folks. Folks.† [Chapter 23] This simple line, spoken by Jem at the end of the novel, may be the simplest expression of the fundamental theme of the story. Jem and Scout’s adventures throughout the story have shown them many sides of many different people, and Jem’s conclusion is a powerful one: All people have flaws and struggles, strengths and weaknesses. Jem’s conclusion is not the starry-eyed faith of childhood, but a more measured and mature realization that no one group of people is better- or worse- in general than any other. Quotes about Growing Up â€Å"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.† [Chapter 2] Part of Scout’s journey in the story is the slow broadening of her awareness. Just six years old when the story begins, she has a very narrow view of the world and her role in it. But by bit her experiences over the years change her. She sees how gender and race, class and economics affect the way people treat you. She sees that her universe is not eternal and guaranteed, and thus begins to appreciate the aspects of her life that she took for granted- like reading. â€Å"Scout, I think Im beginning to understand something. I think Im beginning to understand why Boo Radleys stayed shut up in the house all this time... its because he wants to stay inside.† [Chapter 23] Jem’s quote towards the end of the story is heartbreaking. In his teen years by this point, Jem has seen the bad parts of his neighbors and is disappointed and disturbed by the realization that there is so much violence, hatred, and prejudice in the world. His expression of empathy for Boo Radley is also significant- like his sister, Jem has progressed from viewing Boo as a phantom and an object of fun to seeing him as a human being, and, even more importantly, being able to imagine Boo’s motivations for his actions and behavior. â€Å"Bad language is a stage all children go through, and it dies with time when they learn theyre not attracting attention with it.† [Chapter 9] Atticus is often perceived by his neighbors as an unqualified parent, in part because of his gender- in 1930s American society men were not seen as having the proper emotional and domestic skills to be single parents- and in part because of his bookish, mild-mannered nature. He is, however, a very smart and loving father and a man who has an almost supernatural understanding of the childish psyche. When Scout begins using profanities as a novelty, his reaction is mild and unconcerned because he understands this is just part of Scout growing up, testing boundaries, and play-acting with adult things. This also demonstrates his understanding that Scout is intelligent and verbal, and is excited by forbidden and mysterious vocabularies. Quotes about Justice â€Å"There are just some kind of men who- whore so busy worrying about the next world theyve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.† [Chapter 5] Lee crafts a subtly iconoclastic and liberal tone in the novel. Here Miss Maudie is complaining specifically about the local Baptists who disapprove of her garden because it supposedly represents pridefulness that offends god, but it is also a general admonishment to anyone who seeks to impose their own sense of propriety on other people. This concept forms a part of Scout’s evolving understanding of the difference between what’s morally right and what society insists is correct. â€Å"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.† [Chapter 9] In the beginning of the novel, Scout’s concept of justice and right and wrong is very and simple (as is appropriate for a girl of her age). She believes it is easy to know what is right, she is always willing to fight for it, and she believes that by fighting she will be victorious. Her experiences with racism, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley teach her that not only is right and wrong often more difficult to parse, but sometimes you fight for what you believe in even if you are bound to lose- just as Atticus fights for Tom even though he is doomed to fail. â€Å"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, youll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and dont you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.† [Chapter 23] Atticus has immense faith in the fundamental systems of America, in particular the court system. Here he states two beliefs that define him: One, the supreme confidence that the legal system is impartial and fair; two, that all men are deserving of the same fair treatment and respect and those who would treat you differently because of your race or social position are unworthy. Atticus is forced to admit the former is not as true as he would like when Tom is convicted despite the robust defense Atticus provides, but his faith in the latter remains by the end of the book. Quotes about Innocence â€Å"Mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... but sing their hearts out for us. Thats why its a sin to kill a mockingbird.† [Chapter 10] The central symbol of the novel is the Mockingbird, which is held as sacred because it does no harm- it only provides music, making it a sin to kill one. Several characters are obliquely or explicitly identified with Mockingbirds throughout the novel- The Finches are linked through their evocative last name, for example, and Scout thinks that doing any harm to Boo Radley would be like shooting a Mockingbird when she finally see him for the innocent, childlike soul he is.