Essay with a 1000 word limit written on April 2006 for my academic grade 9 English class this year.

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird took childhood's most valuable life lessons and compressed them into a book and is therefore is a demonstrative 'story about childhood'. In the novel, the change in a Scout and Jem's view of the world is necessary in childhood. They also learn to stop themselves from making generalizations to make time for change as well. The children also learn to question trivial and generalized assumptions that are unproved. Learning these lessons make the roots of Jem and Scout's characters solid and strong. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story of childhood; the time in which the human personality develop the most.

Harper Lee stresses in her novel that in childhood it is significant that children will learn how to value the good and comprehend the bad side of things. When the Cecil Jacobs was first introduced in the novel, Scout was "ready to let fly" at him for saying "my folks said your daddy a disgrace". However, Cecil acted courteously when he had told Scout "You could put yours costume back of the stage next to mine" during the night of the pageant. This goes to show even though Cecil is affect by his parents' narrow-mindedness and tight grasp in tradition, it does not make him entirely ill-mannered or cold towards others. Cecil is sociable, but his parents influence him with their traditions. Scout needs to distinguish this to appreciate Cecil's character. There are two faces, two halves in everyone; childhood will teach that there is a need to know both to make a whole.

It is in the nature of children to make labels of their own, to act before thinking, and to judge before considering. This is demonstrated in the novel when Jem and Scout openly announce to Miss Maudie that "Atticus can't do anything,". Scout even states that they could not say anything about him when the other children spoke of their fathers. However, subsequent to Atticus shooting down a mad dog with one shot, their opinion of him suddenly shift. In their eyes, their father became one of the rare people who "never take pride in their talents." The man once seen as a father who was old and incapable was now an honourable man. Jem even proclaims elatedly that "Atticus is a gentleman," just like himself. Throughout the novel Harper Lee develops Jem and Scout's juvenile impulses to more prudent assessments.

There are many events in which the Jem and Scout fully accept prejudice and stereotypes around them, but they must discover their own answers to their questions. The children simply assumed that Mrs. Dubose was just a petulant old hag. Jem believed Maycomb to be unblemished. These are evidence of their mindless submission to bigotry. The speculation of Boo's character is the prevalent example of the act. Nevertheless, as the plot develops, so do the children. Mrs. Dubose's attitude becomes understandable as Scout and Jem finally grasp the truth of the situation. Jem's flawless picture of Maycomb is shattered by its lawlessness when he witnesses Tom Robinson's trial. Boo turns from a horrible fiend to a selfless protector, not even hesitating for his own safety just to preserve theirs. In the novel, Jem and Scout grow with a blindfold tied tightly over their eyes; gradually, they learn to see through it.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that diligently expresses the journey of childhood. This period of life is a time for discovery and learning. What is learnt and experienced during this time greatly affects a person's moral foundation. In a child's journey in childhood, the vision of the black and white world needs to change into a sophisticated world of grey. Children also need to change their unconscious prejudice to more profound and developed considerations. After that occurs, one will learn to question what he or she was taught. In the novel, Harper Lee takes her readers through these life lessons by using Jem and Scout experiences. Childhood is a time when one discovers the most important and essential lessons of life; To Kill a Mockingbird holds childhood's most precious lessons compressed into a book.

Constructive criticism. No judgements.