Night And To Kill A Mockingbird - 1948 Words

Famous political philosopher William Godwin once stated, â€Å"No man knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who has lost them† (qtd. in â€Å"William Godwin Quotes†). Both To Kill a Mockingbird and Night involve the main characters losing their innocence after being exposed to prejudice and racism, major themes in both books. Elie Wiesel published Night, twelve years after the Holocaust, in 1960. This book, a memoir of the Holocaust, was written from the author’s point of view after their experiences in the horrific time. In Night, Elie, a young boy, loses his innocence after staying in several concentration camps, and being exposed to murder, prejudice, and sadism. Throughout the book, Elie experiences traumatic events, such as†¦show more content†¦Scout and Elie both witness prejudice in each of the books. After the case is heard, Judge Taylor tallies the jury’s votes: I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: â€Å"Guilty†¦ guilty†¦ guilty†¦ guilty†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each â€Å"guilty† was a separate stab between them. Judge Taylor was saying something. His gavel was in his fist, but he wasn’t using it. Dimly, I saw Atticus pushing papers from the table into his briefcase. He snapped it shut, went to the court reporter and said something, nodded to Mr. Gilmer, and then went to Tom Robinson and whispered something to him. Atticus put his hand on Tom’s shoulder as he whispered. Atticus took his coat off the back of his chair and pulled it over his shoulder. Then he left the courtroom, but not by his usual exit. He must have wanted to go home the short way, because he walked quickly down the middle aisle toward the south exit. I followed the top of his head as he made his way to the door. He did not look up. (L ee 282; pt 2, ch 21) The jury all knew exactly what they were doing when they declared Tom guilty. Everybody in the jury could tell he did no wrong, but said he was guilty because they refused to side with a black man. Scout sees obvious discrimination against Tom Robinson, because at the time segregation was common, and Maycomb was not a quite progressive county, being in the south. After the Hungarian police went to theShow MoreRelatedSimilarities And Differences Between Night, And Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee And Night By Elie Wiesel1392 Words   |  6 Pages Compare and Contrast: Night and To Kill a Mockingbird There have been many novels over the years that have sparked conversations about human rights. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Night by Elie Wiesel are two novels that have done just that. Night depicts a firsthand account of the horrors the Jewish people faced during the Holocaust. A similar story is told in To Kill a Mockingbird with the plights of African Americans in the south. Although these novels take place over duringRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Analysis788 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,† (Lee 119). In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, this is the quote that Atticus, one of the main characters, says to his kids. Atticus is a lawyer who takes on a tough case in his town, Maycomb. His kids are Scout, and Jem. Throughout the book, they grow and mature. They don’t mess around with their neighbor, Boo, as much as they used to. But, luckily because of him, they live to see the next day. In To Kill a Mockingbird, it shows that because ofRead MoreAnalysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay1360 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee In 1960, Harper Lee published her critically acclaimed book To Kill a Mockingbird. Only a year after being published the American classic novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction as well as the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Gregory Peck stared as Atticus in the successfully adapted 1962 motion picture of To Kill a Mockingbird that won an Academy Award. This book is based on many childhood experiencesRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Theme Analysis1398 Words   |  6 Pagessomething close to us is the key to growing up, and Scout, the protagonist in To Kill A Mockingbird, is one of those characters. Scout and several other characters in the novel lose their innocence as they begin to see the prejudice and racism of the 1930’s South. All of these characters were innocent and unaware of what Maycomb was, and their innocence was taken away from them because of that. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee relates the theme of growing up and loss of innocence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Kill A Mockingbird, By George W. Bush1376 Words   |  6 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird is still relevant today To Kill a Mockingbird is a common household name. It’s one of the most famous pieces of literature. George W. Bush says To Kill a Mockingbird is â€Å"a meditation on family, human complexity and some of the great themes of American life. At a critical moment in our history, Mockingbird helped focus the nation on the turbulent struggle for equality.† (Wayne, pg. 1) President Bush couldn’t have been more right, To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic,Read MoreLiterature Adds To Reality Essay1648 Words   |  7 Pagesauthor. This quote, to me, is the most appropriate description of the importance of literature in our lives. Literature reminds us of stories, epics, sacred scriptures and classical works of the ancient and modern times, in which the book To Kill a Mockingbird clearly does. Literature is defined as the body of written works of a language, period or culture, produced by scholars and researchers, specialized in a given field. Why is literature imp ortant? Well, let’s see as stated in the quotation byRead More Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay640 Words   |  3 Pagesin To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The mockingbird is a major symbol in the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Harper Lee chose the mockingbird for both the title of her book and as a symbol in her book. I believe she selected it because the mockingbird is a creature that is loved by all for its singing and mocking, for which it gets its name, and how it never intends to harm anything or anybody. Atticus Finch says to Jem, but remember it?s a sin to kill a mockingbird.? WhereuponRead More Examine the Themes of Innocence and Experience in To Kill a Mockingbird870 Words   |  4 Pagesof Innocence and Experience in To Kill a Mockingbird Innocence is a time when a person has never done something; it is the first step of the journey from innocence to experience. The second step in this movement is experience and this is what is achieved after a person has done something they have never done before or learns something they have never known before. This theme of growth from innocence to experience occurs many times in To Kill a Mockingbird and is one of the central themesRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis1244 Words   |  5 PagesWas Atticus Finch was the true hero of To Kill A Mockingbird? Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird narrates the journey of Scout Finch from an immature, feisty, close minded young girl, to a strong, brave and courageous girl that now knows the truth about Boo Radley the towns ‘freak’. Boo Radley is middle aged man who is known as a creep but by the end of the novel they realise that he is a nice man. Scout is the daughter of Maycombs brave and courageous lawyer, Atticus Finch who defends Tom RobinsonRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Critical Analysis1476 Words   |  6 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird is a popular literary title. It’s one of the most famous pieces of literature. George W. Bush says that the book is â€Å"a meditation on family, human complexity, and some of the great themes of American life. At a critical moment in our history, Mockingbird hel ped focus the nation on the turbulent struggle for equality.† (Wayne, pg. 1) President Bush could not have been more right, To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic, with themes that are still relevant in today’s world