Help with "To Kill A Mockingbird"

[Turk]

Yeah, of course it has to tell something. I am pointing that since i've said it's structuraly weak and relatively easy book to write. Just pick a random time from childhood and write a short story; kinda related to other stories in the book; but when you look for a flow in other parts in book; it just randomly starts telling that. That's why i am telling it's like a collection of short stories concentrated on one subject. I said many times and saying it again; i am not telling it's a bad book and doesn't worth reading. In fact i would recommend that book for children and teenagers especially. But if you compare it with true masterpieces of art of novel, then it's just average.

Technic of book also reminds me Selam Lagerloff's "Searching For Happiness".

Heheh... Sehrazad sent it to me.

[ennison]

'the old hag' is a woman in constant pain trying to kick a dependence on the drugs that have allowed her to function at all. Her significance is partly in Lee's exploration of what constitutes courage. Atticus hopes his son has learned a lesson about bravery from the experience of being sent to read to the dying woman. Lee's handling of the end of that section is very well done indeed for she does not tell us what Jem is thinking but it is implied that he is having second thoughts about a neighbour whom he'd seen only as a vituperative provocative old woman. This is connected to the themes of courage and of empathy.

[Turk]

Yeah that old hag. Don't be defensive, all in all it's just an imaginary character. Anyway, i told my opinion and i don't think just writing few stories about a common theme doesn't makes a novel. That's all, i am obviously thinking different than you.

[ennison]

I've tried to indicate that these are not randomly selected events but are all tied together by theme, by characterisation, by setting. Lee wrote a very well structured novel. Guess it would take a lot more than me to convince you of that.

[ilyana]

My name is Ilyana and I'm a grade ten student. My final is quickly approaching and this year's essay topic for the English final is to discuss the theme of loss of innocence in literature we have studied this year. I've chosen "To Kill A Mockingbird" as the literature in question and have chosen to write about Scout, Jem and Boo Radley. Below, I wrote down (very briefly) some of the material I've already gathered but would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me further, especially in regards to Boo Radley.

Scout:
> Experiences the fact that adults lie (Uncle Jack)
> Learns from Aunt Alexandra to leave behind her tomboy ways and act more lady-like
> The trial
> The attack on Jem and her by Bob Ewell

Jem:
> Is constantly surrounded by adult situations
> Mrs Dubose's morphine addiction
> The trial
> The attack on Scout and him by Bob Ewell
> Boo Radley

Boo:
> Too sensitive for the conservative town of Maycomb
> A symbol and somewhat epitome of loss of innocence rather than a character

[Turk]

I think Boo Radley is symbol of meaninglessness of prejudices rather than loss of innocence.

[BroadwayBaby]

the mockingbird also, in a way, represents innocence, kind of the whole they don't do anything but make people happy, innocence, and then the accusation symbolism, that goes with it because these people are innocent of the accusations, and it kinda sorta represents, that these prematurely judged people give the world joy, but in subtle ways, and if you kill their individuality then you are going to be sinning