Harper Lee uses Scout as a conductor of her main ideals and beliefs about society during the 1930s. A big issue Scout’s character touches upon is the effectiveness of a schooled education. “But if I keep going to school, we can’t ever read no more” says Scout to her father Atticus. This quotation reveals how Harper Lee envisions education going beyond the monotonous walls of school. She rather believes that people don’t need to attend school to be intelligent and be able to comprehend the circumstances surrounding them. Scout has a particular mind of her own and is capable of understanding the economic situation during the Great Depression: “everybody knows the Cunninghams won’t take anything from anybody” “I thought you should thank him [Mr. Cunningham for his nuts]”. Through Scout’s aforementioned quotes, Lee is setting the community into a common ground before Tom Robinson’s trial in order for the reader to know everybody is going through economic hardships; white and black.
Yet although Scout is quite clever for her age, she is still naive on the issue of racism. “I didn’t say it [nigger], Cecil Jacobs did. That’s why I had to fight him.” “If you shouldn’t be defending him [Tom], then why are you doing it?” she tells Atticus. Through Scout’s innocence, Harper Lee transmits her concern on the changes racism makes to people’s morals. She implies racism destroys the character and humanity of a person, to the point that even a child like Scout can perceive the immorality of it. In addition, Harper Lee also communicates the influence of parenting through Scout’s relationship with her father. Scout calls him “Atticus”, instead of dad or daddy. This seems to be a very liberal parenting style for the 1930s but Lee purposely includes it in her book to show enlightenment. Through Scout’s relationship with her father, Lee advocates human understanding and compassion that defies all ages.
I totally agree with you Andi, Scout is the character that would most definitely represent her belief and who she is. Harper Lee masks her beliefs and ideas by making Scout an adolescent and making her childhood innocence seem to be what drives her to be the way that she is, when in reality Lee is conveying her believes. Believes that during the time which she wrote her book, would be deemed wrong to society. Scout is not only the fictional character that represents Harper Lee, but the character that Lee longed to be like.
I strongly agree with this quote. I appears as if scout serves as a vehicle in which Harper Lee can indirectly voice her opinion. It may also be possible that Lee is trying to demonstrate the idea that "with age comes blindness". The idea that with innocence there is a much better understanding of the workings of the world. It could also be that she is trying to say the world is much simpler than we assume.
You hit some very important points in your explanation regarding the innocence of Scout in an era where she was losing it little by little. Also we know that scout is way more mature than most for her age , she is an intelligent little girl , and yet she asks questions that you would not expect a child to ask such as" If you shouldn’t be defending him [Tom], then why are you doing it" it this shows that she understands what is going on but she just wants a reason to back up her findings. We also remember that this same innocence causes her to get in trouble as you have said before when she fought with Jacobs over him saying her father was a "nigger" lover and making her cry because she didn't want Atticus to be upset with her, but as she sees whats going on around her more clearly she can see the injustice behind society
I love how Scouts age dose not relate to her itelligence because she is very mature and aware for her age. Scout is one of the most strogest characters in the book , i feel all your groups quotes fufilled that.
I think Scout represents those who do not under any circumstances understand racism. Of course she is a child and still sees differences and such but a lot of people did not partake in racism and just stood by and lived in it. I think that scout is one of those people; do i make sense? lol
Scout, to me, is a girl that already wants to become an adult. But of course, she's a child that still has a lot to learn about the world. Children are always curious to know what's happening in their neighborhood and why it's happening. Compare it with Boo. Has Scout and Jem really knew Boo very well in the beginning? It's only rumors they heard. And of course, rumors are lies. Scout, daughter of the intelligent man, Atticus, is always questioning the issues that's happening around her and at times, knows what she's doing, such as the fight she put up with Jacob for calling Atticus a 'nigger' lover. And of course, she's very close with her brother, who they always go on their own little adventure!
Harper Lee uses Scout as a conductor of her main ideals and beliefs about society during the 1930s. A big issue Scout’s character touches upon is the effectiveness of a schooled education. “But if I keep going to school, we can’t ever read no more” says Scout to her father Atticus. This quotation reveals how Harper Lee envisions education going beyond the monotonous walls of school. She rather believes that people don’t need to attend school to be intelligent and be able to comprehend the circumstances surrounding them. Scout has a particular mind of her own and is capable of understanding the economic situation during the Great Depression: “everybody knows the Cunninghams won’t take anything from anybody” “I thought you should thank him [Mr. Cunningham for his nuts]”. Through Scout’s aforementioned quotes, Lee is setting the community into a common ground before Tom Robinson’s trial in order for the reader to know everybody is going through economic hardships; white and black.
ReplyDeleteYet although Scout is quite clever for her age, she is still naive on the issue of racism. “I didn’t say it [nigger], Cecil Jacobs did. That’s why I had to fight him.” “If you shouldn’t be defending him [Tom], then why are you doing it?” she tells Atticus. Through Scout’s innocence, Harper Lee transmits her concern on the changes racism makes to people’s morals. She implies racism destroys the character and humanity of a person, to the point that even a child like Scout can perceive the immorality of it. In addition, Harper Lee also communicates the influence of parenting through Scout’s relationship with her father. Scout calls him “Atticus”, instead of dad or daddy. This seems to be a very liberal parenting style for the 1930s but Lee purposely includes it in her book to show enlightenment. Through Scout’s relationship with her father, Lee advocates human understanding and compassion that defies all ages.
I totally agree with you Andi, Scout is the character that would most definitely represent her belief and who she is. Harper Lee masks her beliefs and ideas by making Scout an adolescent and making her childhood innocence seem to be what drives her to be the way that she is, when in reality Lee is conveying her believes. Believes that during the time which she wrote her book, would be deemed wrong to society. Scout is not only the fictional character that represents Harper Lee, but the character that Lee longed to be like.
DeleteI strongly agree with this quote. I appears as if scout serves as a vehicle in which Harper Lee can indirectly voice her opinion. It may also be possible that Lee is trying to demonstrate the idea that "with age comes blindness". The idea that with innocence there is a much better understanding of the workings of the world. It could also be that she is trying to say the world is much simpler than we assume.
ReplyDeleteYou hit some very important points in your explanation regarding the innocence of Scout in an era where she was losing it little by little. Also we know that scout is way more mature than most for her age , she is an intelligent little girl , and yet she asks questions that you would not expect a child to ask such as" If you shouldn’t be defending him [Tom], then why are you doing it" it this shows that she understands what is going on but she just wants a reason to back up her findings. We also remember that this same innocence causes her to get in trouble as you have said before when she fought with Jacobs over him saying her father was a "nigger" lover and making her cry because she didn't want Atticus to be upset with her, but as she sees whats going on around her more clearly she can see the injustice behind society
ReplyDeleteI love how Scouts age dose not relate to her itelligence because she is very mature and aware for her age. Scout is one of the most strogest characters in the book , i feel all your groups quotes fufilled that.
ReplyDeleteI think Scout represents those who do not under any circumstances understand racism. Of course she is a child and still sees differences and such but a lot of people did not partake in racism and just stood by and lived in it. I think that scout is one of those people; do i make sense? lol
ReplyDeleteScout, to me, is a girl that already wants to become an adult. But of course, she's a child that still has a lot to learn about the world. Children are always curious to know what's happening in their neighborhood and why it's happening. Compare it with Boo. Has Scout and Jem really knew Boo very well in the beginning? It's only rumors they heard. And of course, rumors are lies. Scout, daughter of the intelligent man, Atticus, is always questioning the issues that's happening around her and at times, knows what she's doing, such as the fight she put up with Jacob for calling Atticus a 'nigger' lover. And of course, she's very close with her brother, who they always go on their own little adventure!
ReplyDelete