What are the THEMES of Mockingbird?

2/7/2013

One of the many themes of Mockingbird is walking in someone else's shoes. Talk about this or another theme.

Jessica Barnes (Oklahoma)

2/10/2013 07:46:50 am

My favorite theme in this book so far has been the importance of moral education. Although Atticus and his family have been looked down on by their peers because of their involvement in the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus has told the children to not let other people's comments affect them because accepting yourself always comes before being accepted by society. I think this theme comes into everyday life, and is a good one to live by.

Sophie [Indiana]

2/19/2013 06:22:56 am

This is a great moral to uphold and I agree it is a main theme in the book. The way Atticus Finch told them to not let other people's comments affect them shows how he's preparing them for society and is treating them like adults.

Emalyn (Indiana)

3/11/2013 05:53:11 am

I really like the theme of walking in someone else's shoes before you judge them. No one deserves to be mistreated, especially if you don't know their side of the story! There are a lot of hypocrites in the world, revolving around this topic. Sometimes I put myself in 'other peoples shoes' and feel what they are feeling on a mental and physical level, and then try to help them. I wish that everyone would be courageous and learn new things, help others, and stop judging people before really getting to know them and their situations/background that they have come from!

Brad D. (Oklahoma)

3/2/2013 06:11:25 am

I agree that it does go into everyday life, as bullying is a social issue run rampant in the country, no matter how old you are. Atticus has mastered the ability to ignore people, as evidenced by him shrugging off Ewell spitting in his face.

Nick R.

3/3/2013 08:33:26 pm

I also agree that bullying is a social issue that runs unchecked in the world. The problem i see with it is human nature. Bullying and trying to control is in our nature as humans. Some people can control it others can not. I just hope we can overcome this one day

Betsy (Indiana)

3/4/2013 09:10:21 am

This, I thought, was the most important theme of the story. Sometimes when Scout would complain about school, I did notice that she was however learning more important things, like courage and acceptance and endurance and care.

Brandon Hoffman

3/11/2013 09:28:57 am

I agree that this is a main theme in the story. I agree that people need to not feel affected by what other people say or do. Many people feel like they need to do whatever everyone else is doing and thats not how society should work. I also agree that this theme is a great one to live by,

Dejanece (Oklahoma)

2/12/2013 08:38:04 am

I like the theme walking in someone shoes before judging them. I agree with the theme that before you go judging someone you need to get to know them first, because you never know what they may have been through. You never know, the person maybe the nicest person you have ever met.

Miranda (Oklahoma)

2/19/2013 07:07:20 am

I feel the same way. People should consider that everyone is fighting their own battle and that people usually act the way they act for a reason. It isn't right to condemn someone before you even know them.

Tori Alberding

2/20/2013 05:49:45 am

I love this theme as well. It's kind of like "don't judge a book by its cover". You never know what a person goes through or what has changed them in their past. What happened to them in the past makes them who they are today. That's why I try not judge people because they could have gone through some tough times.

Ben W. (Indiana)

2/22/2013 04:45:39 am

This is a great theme that is very important. You shouldn't judge people by what you see from them before you even get to know them. You have no clue what has gone on in their life so far and how their past has effected them. Judging people can hurt them especially when you don't even know them.

Victoria Smead

3/11/2013 08:11:24 am

I totally agree with this. it seems that Scott, Jem, and Dill are constantly making fun of the Radley's, especially Boo. They are constantly saying things about the family, that they have only heard, not seen for themselves. It is a lot easier to start the rumor and talk about that, rather than having fact to back up the reason why they are talking bad about a certain person. I agree also that just by saying one hurtful thing, that one thing could change a person's life for forever even when that person that said the bad thing about the other person doesn't know them.

Chris R (Oklahoma)

2/24/2013 12:44:02 am

This has been one of my favorite themes throughout the book. It has always been a personal pet peeve of mine when people automatically judge someone they know nothing about. They don't know what is going on in that person's life, or what conditions they may have, that lead to the behaviors they make fun of.

Chris R (Oklahoma)

2/24/2013 12:57:33 am

This same situation also supports the theme of loss of innocence.

Marilyn C (OKLAHOMA)

2/26/2013 10:40:53 am

It kind of follows that whole saying that goes "You know my name- not my story. You know what i've done- not what i've been through." People these days almost automatically judge people by there personal appearence or even the way they talk. The simpilest of things- such as a stutter - could be because that person got scared or never learned to speak properly. This is a great theme and moral of the story-- more people should be like that. :)

Nick R. (Oklahoma

3/3/2013 08:36:46 pm

Unfortunately many people judge by what they see. Sadly what people see is not always what they get. So, they unfortunately come to the wrong conclussion. Then once they have done that the damage has already been done to the other person.

Savannah Furniss IN

3/3/2013 02:01:28 am

This is definitely an influential theme in this book for me as well. I believe you are right, the towns people did not have the respect for Atticus even though he is one of the nicest people in town. We also see this theme with the Ewell boy at the beginning of the book when Scout tries to explain why he doesn't have a lunch. The teacher, unknowingly didn't consider that some people may have not had money for lunch because she was just using her own perspective. We see it again in the case of Boo Radley. Everyone thinks he is dangerous when he is actually just hiding from people who made fun of him.

Savannah Furniss

3/3/2013 02:09:09 am

Correction: Not the Ewell boy it was Walter Cunningham Jr.
***sorry***

Micaela (Indiana)

3/11/2013 10:07:59 am

I felt bad for Arthur Radley. People really didn’t stop and think about him as a person who had feelings, just as some crazy person who locked himself inside the house all day. I think that in reality, Boo Radley really is a nice person. He was just driven to live his life the way he did because he was being made fun of, like you stated.

Quinn C.

3/11/2013 12:34:27 pm

I felt bad for Boo, because people just judged him without even knowing him. No one had seen him in such a long time and so they just created stories instead of trying to find the truth out by talking to him. This part of the book really saddened me.

Anandi J. (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 07:38:59 am

I agree!! This is my most favorite theme in the book. People shouldn't judge someone if they dont know them. You don't know what that person has gone thru. Maybe they act this way because something happened to them. I beleive that people should be more like Atticus and not judge based on what other people say: but, judge on what they know.

Shannon, Oklahoma

3/3/2013 09:52:24 am

I agree as well. Until you know a person you cannot judge them. Until you have stepped into their shoes and until you know why they do the things they do, you cannot assume you know them. This is a fantastic moral to live by.

Nick R (oklahoma)

3/3/2013 08:35:07 pm

It sounds like an old indian saying. I think it's "Walk a 1000 miles in someone else's moccassins before you judge them".

Amrit (Indiana)

3/6/2013 08:42:15 am

I agree with you. Nowadays this is a bigger issue especially in school Many people don't even meet the person, but just judge them on one action they have done or their group of friends.

Braedon Menchhofe(Indiana)

3/10/2013 08:11:47 am

I agree. No one should judge someone if you don't know the person or understand what there going through. They have their own life and people don't need people judging them
On there decisions. People don't know whats going on in their life or life at home or school.

Natalie Brown (IN)

3/11/2013 06:53:04 am

I like your last sentence, because it is SO true. So many people think that they know a person's story by how they dress or look, but if you are to just go off of that, you will never make any true friends. If people would only dig a little deeper and get to know a person, you would in fact see how different a person is then from how they look.

Katie (Indiana)

3/11/2013 11:12:45 am

I completely agree with that theme. The characters in "To Kill A Mockingbird" all seem to demonstrate this theme in one way or another.

Elizabeth (Indiana)

2/17/2013 05:40:16 am

One of my favorite quotes from the book is “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (pg. 30) This quote definitely supports the theme of not judging someone before you ge the chance to know them. This theme is supported throughout the entire book but i believe the theme is most prominent in this quote.

Madison B (IN)

2/24/2013 08:32:25 am

I think that the quote is a very true and an amazing quote. I believe people shouldn't just judge people on how they look. I think they should realize what that person might be going through or have gone through. I think kids everywhere should realize something like that before they start judging someone and they should also realize what it might feel like to be judged.

Anandi J.(OK)

3/3/2013 07:48:59 am

We also see an example of this theme when scout tries to explain to the teacher that walter wont be able to pay her back. She looked at this from only her own perspective.

Amrit (Indiana)

3/6/2013 08:43:44 am

That quote is one of my favorites throughout the whole book. For me it really made me think if people judge me before getting to know me.

Luke (Indiana

3/9/2013 10:02:24 am

I agree that this quote really does mean a lot to the theme, because a lot of the time in the story people in the story judge other people. For example, when Jem had to go read to Mrs. Dubose and how he ended up kind of liking her.

Maddie Rooney (Indiana)

3/10/2013 06:43:33 am

This quote is also my favorite! I agree that this is where the theme of walking in someone else's shoes is most supported in the book. Before you judge someone, you should think about what it would be like to be them. You never know what kinds of things they have been through.

Annie(Indiana)

3/11/2013 09:54:25 am

I love this quote too! No one should be judged by what others see on the outside because you don't know their situation. Unfortunately most everyone make their decision about a person immediately just by what they see instead of getting to know them. They could even become your best friend.

Haleigh

3/11/2013 02:08:00 pm

Totally how I feel! If you judge a book by it's cover you may never get the good ending it may hold! That made no sense! But, don't judge a book by it's cover.

Brandon (Indiana)

3/11/2013 11:58:57 am

I agree that people cant judge others until they have lived in their shows and have seen the struggles that they go through. People often judge others because they feel like that other person is different or weird, so you assume that their lives aren't any different than yours.But often, they face many struggles each day that we dont know about.

Haleigh

3/11/2013 02:05:31 pm

AGREED! This is what most people don't see in the world and we speak before we think. If we would stop, take the time to actually get to know the person we may actually really like them.

Noah M (Indiana)

2/19/2013 05:18:25 am

One of my favorite themes is when one does the right thing, whether or not it's the thing they would prefer to do. I suppose you could call it a manifestation of duty. I doubt it was pleasant for Atticus to defend Tom, and it was certainly hard on both his children and his sister. Another example would be when Mr. Underwood helped protect Tom Robinson, despite his personal dislike.

Chris R (Oklahoma)

2/24/2013 12:39:59 am

Another situation in which this theme is shown is when the children find Dill under Scout's bed. Jem tells Atticus that Dill is there, despite the other children's protests.

Elizabeth Rudolph (Indiana)

2/24/2013 05:43:28 am

I agree this is a prominent theme in the book. I think its something we can all live by. Atticus is the greatest advocate for this theme. He always does the right thing even if it has some negative consequences. I like how he is teaching his children to live that way as well.

Rocktim (Indiana)

3/6/2013 09:11:30 am

Atticus even went far enough to plan for Jem's trial. Atticus thought that Jem stabbed Bob, and he (at first) wouldn't listen to Heck about "hushing it up". However, I'm glad that, in the end, Atticus learned that Boo had saved his children and went along with Heck's idea. As Scout put it, "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Emalyn

3/11/2013 06:03:34 am

You may not always like what you have to do, but doing the right thing makes a huge difference. A good example of that character would be Atticus. He always does the right thing, and is an excellent role model for others!

Sophie [Indiana]

2/19/2013 06:20:46 am

My favorite theme in this book is to do what's right, even if it's not the popular thing to do. Many people criticized and treated Atticus Finch poorly because he helped defend Tom Robinson but that didn't stop Atticus Finch from doing the right thing. He defended Tom Robinson and fought for justice even if that meant most of the people in the town ostracized him. It may have not been the easiest thing for him to do, but it was definitely the right thing to do.

Miranda (Oklahoma)

2/19/2013 06:55:04 am

I completely agree with you. Of the many themes this novel has, that's my favorite. At any age it can apply to the reader's life and it's and important moral to follow.

Tori Alberding (Indiana)

2/20/2013 05:54:24 am

This kind of reminds me of Robert Frost's poem in which he writes, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the road less traveled." The road less traveled could be the right path but no one really knows because they only take the easy path, the most popular path.

Annie(Indiana)

3/11/2013 10:10:33 am

I thought of this poem as well! Atticus followed his heart and did the right thing by representing Tom instead of following everyone else down the wrong path. I also love that he is teaching his children to live this way.

Ben W. (Indiana)

2/22/2013 04:56:35 am

This theme is very important and can be related so much to today's society. Often times in the present world people will just do what benefits them the most, even when it's not necessarily the good thing to do. In the end, the right thing brings more benefit.

Savannah Furniss IN.

3/3/2013 01:53:13 am

It did more than ostracized him, it most likely effected his business. I would imagine people who had used him before would not use him now due to his decision to defend Tom Robinson. This would cause his family financial hardship. It also caused him emotional stress. But most importantly, his decision to defend Tom Robinson caused a great deal of pain and suffering to his children. And while, they learned a great deal about life and people through this experience, it had to weigh on Atticus as a parent to know he was the reason his children were also ostracized.

Eryn S. (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 06:12:32 am

I completely agree with you! This theme is so important to me. This theme is timeless. Few people are like Atticus and to what is right, but there will always be people like him. Atticus did what was right, and he taught his children to always do what is right. He did what was right no matter how it effected his life and family.

Anandi J. (OK)

3/3/2013 07:42:33 am

This is a great theme and i completly agree with it. Atticus took this case on even if he knew he was gonna lose. Lots of people made fun of atticus and judged him when really he was doing the right thing.

Amrit (Indiana)

3/6/2013 08:40:19 am

I completely agree with you Sophie. Many people don't do what they think is right, because they are afraid to be judged. One of the most important themes of this book is defending what is right and what you believe in.

Kennedy (Oklahoma)

2/19/2013 07:11:17 am

My favorite theme in the book has been prejudice views throughout societies. I love how Atticus goes against the typical and teaches his kids to respect everyone no matter what his race. Maycomb, just like most of the towns at this time, treat people as groups. The people of Maycomb believe in social class and treats people, such as blacks, based on their class. What i love about Atticus is that he treats everyone as equals.

Anna (Indiana)

2/21/2013 05:55:29 am

I totally agree with you. I think Atticus's point of view on accepting others for who they are really helps Scout and her brother become more open to others. I really like how much Scout thinks she should stand up for her father when others make fun of him. As the book progresses she seems to become more mature and realize that this doesn't necessarily solve the problem.

Amrit (Indiana)

3/6/2013 08:45:15 am

I really love this theme. Living in a country like America there are many different races all around us, but the best thing is to accept them, because you never know but they might be very similar to you.

Maddie Rooney (Indiana)

3/10/2013 06:46:51 am

This is also a great theme in the book! I like how you said that Atticus goes against the typical. I think this shows that Atticus has courage. He stands up for what is right, no matter what others think about him for it.

Natalie Brown (IN)

3/11/2013 06:56:28 am

Atticus is the favorable character in the book because of the reasons that you listed. He believes in equality, even though that was a foreign thought back then. With this story set in the specific time period, it makes me realize how much more "equal," things are now compared to then. Not completely equal, but people like Atticus make people realize that there are more people and opportunities than the things inside of Maycomb.

Brandon (Indiana)

3/11/2013 12:03:36 pm

I agree that this is an important theme throughout the story. I also think that when Atticus informs his kids to not judge others by the color of their skin or how they seem to be like in our initial thoughts. I agree that Atticus treats others with equality which is what our society should do but sadly it doesnt.

Anonymous

2/20/2013 11:28:23 am

Emily G

2/20/2013 11:57:27 am

A theme from the book that has really stood out to me is the loss of innocence. As Jem grows up and becomes more mature, the reader begins to see the imprints of Atticus's teachings shown through his actions. Scout doesn't really understand the town's view of a social class system, but Jem is starting to analyze the way different groups and families look upon each other. You can see how Atticus has taught his children differently when it deeply upsets the children when the jury convicts Tom completely unfairly; this doesn't affect hardly any of the adults, and this shows how corrupt and prejudiced their society is.

Julie (Indiana)

2/24/2013 08:15:45 am

I think that this was a major theme throughout the story because I feel that the first half of the book was focused on Jem's and Scout's childhood and how ignorant they were when they were young. The latter half of the book focused on them being exposed to the dark realities of their world and learning to mature from them. This is especially noticeable in Jem as he is becoming more conscious of his actions and the social injustices in his town after the court trial.

Emily G

2/20/2013 10:42:55 pm

*Oklahoma

Courtney K. (Indiana)

2/21/2013 09:03:44 am

I think the major theme in the book is to not judge people, especially if you do not no them. In life you never know what people have gone through unless you have expeirienced it yourself. In other words, don't judge a book by its cover.

Kendall

2/21/2013 11:39:15 am

One of the major points of this book that is brought up over and over is to not let what other people change how you live and think. No matter what happened to Atticus whether he be spit on, threatened or verbally abused he always kept his personal beliefs.

Avery M. (OK)

3/2/2013 04:09:16 am

This is one I don think very many people see. Scout demonstrates this theme quite well. She has Jem telling her "don't be such a girl" and then a chapter later "act like a girl." Aunt Alexandra is trying to force the proper way to do everything down Scout's throat. It seems the only one who is on her side is Atticus, who appears to have no opinion on the matter. Throughout the book though, Scout never ventures far from her chosen path.

Brad D.

3/2/2013 06:17:43 am

I find it ironic that Scout has so many people telling her how she should act, while if Scout complains about someone else, like the Ewells or Mrs. Dubose, she gets "that's just her way" in response. I suppose it's because she's a child and can still be influenced, while adults have pretty much made up their mind.

Luke (Indiana

3/9/2013 10:05:46 am

That is a great point. A lot of the time in the story people were always telling Atticus what they thought of him and how he should change, and your right he didn't. Another example could be how a lot of people were saying the two Finches needed to change.

Megan (Indiana)

2/22/2013 10:43:36 pm

I think a major theme of the book is social injustice. Back then, the lines of the social hierarchy were drawn so distinctly and were a fundamental part of their daily life. This is even more obvious when Scout and Jem are made fun of and bullied by other kids younger them for their dad taking the case. Another example is definitely the outcome of the trial, but, at least, we do see that things are beginning to shift. The trial takes hours to decide instead of a matter of minutes. One can tell that change is going to come for this little town.

Demi - OK

2/23/2013 05:13:17 am

One of the themes about TKAM that strikes me is the prejudice and racism. At the end of Chapter 26, Scout starts to see the uglier side of the people in her life. Her teacher Miss Gates tells Scout that Hitler is a bad person. She explains what Hitler is doing and why it is wrong, but there is some major irony in her statement. "Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced... There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me." That very thing can be said about the majority of Maycomb County, including herself, and the Black community. The Black community has done nothing to deserve the whites' racism. And why Miss Gates or anyone else doesn't think that way is a mystery. Scout couldn't have said it better, "how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-" She's finally realizing that people are two-faced and hypocrites which, I think, shows that she's growing up when she starts to "wake up" to what's really going on in the world. Another theme showed in this situation is child innocence. Scout is losing hers which makes me sad, but everyone goes through it. I think that Miss Gates is a prime example of a two-faced person.

Christina Hubbard (OK)

3/1/2013 08:31:12 am

This is excatly what I've been trying to put into words. Miss Gates, Mrs.Merriweather, and Mrs.Farrow are why Scout ( Harper Lee) has an issue with religion. Atticus rasied Scout so that she would hate racism, and would not take part in it. All three of these Christian ladies are racist. These ladies are not good Christian role models and they put a bad taste of Christianity in Scouts mouth. In the entire nook there's only one Christian lady that Scout respects and thats Miss Maudie. Scout now links racism to gossiping, two-faced, hypocritical Christians.

Anna (Indiana)

2/23/2013 05:33:09 am

I wonder if the title of the book hints at a theme. At one point in the book Scout asked his neighbor, Miss Maudie, if killing a mockingbird was a sin. She said it was because mockingbirds never caused anyone trouble and only gave us the gift of music. During the court case, Scout's father often argues that black people are equal to white people. He says that all men are created equal. Does this theme of treating all people equal reflect on the title?

Chris R (Oklahoma)

2/24/2013 12:37:05 am

I think that there may be some connection between the title and this theme. I think that the "mockingbird" may also symbolize Tom Robinson, considering one of the main issues in the book is the court case deciding whether Tom lives or not. This could also be related back to what Miss Maudie says, as it seems as if Tom is a very kind person, who would never want to harm anyone intentionally.

Christina Hubbard (OK)

3/1/2013 08:11:28 am

I agree. In this book I believe that Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the Mockingbirds. Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he only did kinda acts, such as helping Mayella Ewell for free, Tom, as Link Deas said, has never caused any trouble. Boo Radley is a mockingbird, and at the end of the book Scout even says it. Scout says that telling on Boo would be like killing a mockingbird; everything he has done for the children has been nothing but good.

Michaelle Indiana

2/24/2013 01:52:31 am

I believe equality is a part of it. I think the big part of the title connecting to the book is just to leave what isn't bothering you alone. Scout and Jem shouldn't bother Boo Radley, the Ewells shouldn’t have accused Tom Robinson and shouldn't have lied about him when all he was being was kind, the town just needs to mind its own business until all of the people there really know what's going on.

Preston (Oklahoma)

2/24/2013 04:38:05 am

I believe that the "Mockingbird" symbolized Boo (Arthur) Radley for the most part because there are so many rumors about him among the populace of Maycomb, yet he is so seldom seen, that none of it could be confirmed or proven false, he could in fact be an entirely different character than what is expected

Julie (Indiana)

2/24/2013 08:12:09 am

I think that this theme does reflect on the title because one of the many "mockingbirds" in this story is Tom Robinson. As explained in the story, mockingbirds do nothing harmful and sing beautiful melodies for the town to hear. However, Tom Robinson, our targeted mockingbird, is eventually killed in all of the town's injustices and can be thus considered a sin. This is how I think the title ties into the story.

Melissa S. (Indiana)

2/24/2013 04:38:25 am

Waling in someone else's shoes it one of my favorite things that Atticus talks about. He doesn't want Scout and Jem to judge people before they know what it is like to be in there place and live there life. It is so cool that Atticus always sees the good in people on matter what they have done to him.

Madison B (IN)

2/24/2013 08:29:28 am

One of my favorite themes is the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil. I think that the book does a good job showing Scout and Jem only know good when they are kids because they are shielded from it but as they get older they start to realize that evil is all around them.

Amrit (Indiana)

3/6/2013 08:47:08 am

I like this theme. I agree that the book does a really good job showing how once you get older how prone you are to evil because it is all around you.

Paige, Oklahoma

2/24/2013 12:56:35 pm

My favorite theme in this book is to walk in another person's shoes before you judge them. It is a theme that is not only important in the book, but in every day life. Through out the book, Scout, Jem, and Dill judge "Boo Radley" based off of rumors and other information they have been told about him, yet they don't even know him. Like Scout, Jem, and Dill, people listen to rumors and other people's opinions before they have met the person themselves and formulated their own thoughts. Walking in another person's shoes before judging them is a theme everyone should live by.

Victoria Smead (Indiana)

3/11/2013 08:16:41 am

I think that this is totally a theme in the book. Like I said in a previous comment, I think that people don't have the right to judge until they really get to know someone. Sometimes people are so quick to judge that they really don't get to know the real person inside of someone, and not taking that time could really hurt someone in the long run. Taking a walking in another person's shoes is something that most people don't do in their everyday lives. I feel that sometimes people don't really realize that what they might see in public, is not the real person behind the scenes. Someone's homelife could be really bad or their parents could be in the military or something like that. People just don't have the right to judge until they "walk in another person's shoes."

Jasmine (Oklahoma)

2/28/2013 08:46:06 am

one of the themes I like is where you see things from other people¨s point of view. How Scout learns that things shouldn¨t be judged by the cover or the outer apperance. She learns many things in this book and how to see things in a different way. I think stepping into other peoples show is a good way to see how you would feel if you were in their position, and it makes you rethink the way you view the situation.

Kayla D. IN

2/28/2013 09:35:19 am

I think that one of the several themes of this book is life isn't always fair. If you're like Tom, life stabs you in the back for being nice and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You could also be like Mayelle who just got a bad father whom she can't change. However there are times where life is fair and you get what you deserved. For instance when Bob fell on his own knife.

Emily B. (Oklahoma)

3/2/2013 01:40:42 am

I agree with you about how one of the themes is that life isn't fair, and at the end, Heck Tate is trying to convince Atticus that Jem didn't stab Bob Ewell; however, Heck Tate was really trying to cover for Boo. How could Jem, with a broken arm, pull a grown man off of Scout and then stab him? Boo did. He didn't exactly have a choice; if he didn't kill Bob, then Bob would kill the children. But Heck thought that Boo has already been through enough and didn't deserve any more punishment. That's why when Atticus asked if Scout understood, she replied "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird." It would just be easier to "let the dead bury the dead."

Haleigh

3/11/2013 02:12:53 pm

Life really isn't fair. I should know this first hand! But we just need to accept some people are luckier than others and your luck might just stink and you get the bad end of the deal and your life really isn't fair. Live your life to it's fullest and don't worry about what others get or how they are treated!

Breonna B. (Oklahoma)

3/2/2013 06:17:41 am

One of my favorite themes would be about being courageous. There are many examples of courage in this book including Atticus standing up for Tom Robinson and shooting the mad dog. When Heck Tate stands up for Boo Radley.

Demi - OK

3/2/2013 07:10:19 am

I LOVE that Boo Radley came back at the end of the book. Scout finally realizes that Boo is good. The cliche 'don't judge a book by its cover' is a prime example. Boo seemed mean and creepy and dark, but he's really not. He's just misunderstood and judged and he's really nice and caring and noble. When he saved Scout and Jem, it showed that he can be trusted. He's more than what he seemed. Boo Radley is a really sweet character I think, and the theme of walking in someone else's shoes comes full circle for Scout at the end of the story. She finally finds and understands what she's been searching for the whole time. I love how Harper Lee portrays Boo. She put him in Scout's life to help her grow and mature and see the good in people. I love the ending. I love the book as a whole. :)

Kaitlin Giager, Oklahoma

3/2/2013 07:18:22 am

One reoccurring theme that I've noticed is religion. I think Harper Lee thought that most of the "religious" people of the time were hypocrites. For instance, at the ladies' Missionary Society meeting, they mainly gossip even though it's supposed to be a Christian group. Lee uses this kind of irony throughout the novel to help support her view.

Betsy (Indiana)

3/5/2013 08:13:22 am

That's an interesting thought. It kind of was always there. I think it (the hypocrisy) emphasized all the prejudice and judgements most of Maycomb held. It was almost as though religion was there for the days they'd be feeling pious, but otherwise it was simply a means of proving a point, or securing that place in society that says "I am righteous on the outside, and that's all there is to it."

Mia (Indiana)

3/2/2013 10:22:23 pm

I think that one of the many many themes in this book is to not judge someone, kind of like not judging a book by its cover. In this case, the kids and the towns people are judging Boo Radley based on all the stories they have heard of him and they aren't really giving him a chance. You need to give someone a chance when you meet them, and even if you never meet them, you still should not judge them until you know who they are, what their life story is, and what kind of person they are. Even after you know all of that stuff it is still wrong to judge someone, because trust me, you don't know everything about them.

Dejanece (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 02:00:55 am

I totally agree with this theme. The kids did judge Boo from what they heard from the people in town.It's true that people don't give others a chance, they just go ahead and judge. People judge others based on their appearance, and what they look like instead of getting tot know them.

Betsy (Indiana)

3/5/2013 08:08:03 am

It's so true that people should think of perspectives besides their own. Even the simplest of things, a difference of opinions or beliefs, you can never fully understand what someone else is going through. Like you said, Mia, we can hardly scratch the surface of truly knowing about someone else. There's so much more beneath the layers of skin that people hide behind. We shouldn't judge people, but even more, we shouldn't ignore the little things like just even being friendly or a good listener.

Jacob Domrique (Oklahoma)

3/2/2013 11:09:36 pm

The idea of walking in someone elses shoes is a great thing to live by. It basically means not the judge others before getting to know them. Why judge someone else when you know you are not perfect either. The world would be such a better place to live if people did not always judge others. Having a positive outlook on everything that happens in your life can make a difference. When you judge someone in a negative manner it is not beneficial to you or them. To get the benefits from people you have to look for the good in them and try to block out the bad. Everyone has flaws but that does not mean you have to point them out.

Cameron B. (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 08:21:57 am

I think the theme of the story is more of don't go against your beliefs stick to what you know is right yes learning to walk in someone else's shoes is also a main theme but think Atticus never changes his belief through the whole story. He always believes people are equal unlike the rest of the town, everybody else believed that an innocent black man was more guilty than any white man even if that white man was guilty. Atticus stuck to his belief and took the case

Emily B (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 11:51:08 am

Your comment reminds me of one of my favorite quotes -- "stand up for what's right, even if you're standing alone" -- and that's exactly what Atticus did. No matter what anyone thought or said, he still did what was right because that was just part of who he was, and he couldn't look his kids in their eyes if he changed his character at a time when it mattered most.

Storm (OK)

3/3/2013 11:51:53 am

If you noticed Cameron it wasn't just Atticus that stuck to that belief but also the children. Jem and Scout realized just how fair it was and never changed their opinion about it. There was also Dolphus Ramon. Then there was Mr.Cunningham who wanted an aquittal. So while Atticus may have shown it the most there were also other characters who held the same belief

Bridgette (Oklahoma)

3/3/2013 12:05:21 pm

My favorite theme of this book is to stand up for what's right, even if nobody is standing with you. It's so inspiring to see Scout stand up for herself and her beliefs even when the entire town was against her. Atticus taught Jem and Scout so well, it was so moving to read of Scout growing up in the awful place she did and not give in to the racial prejudice.

Kaitlin Giager, Oklahoma

3/3/2013 12:18:41 pm

One of the most important themes of the novel is loss of innocence. In the beginning, the children thought that everyone should be treated as equals and people should be judged based on their actions. As the story progresses, they realize that their opinions are totally different than the opinions of society. At Tom's trial, they realize that not everyone is treated equally and they begin to mature.

Betsy Bleed

3/5/2013 08:01:56 am

Walking in someone else's shoes was a big theme of TKAM. Scout is a pretty strong-willed character, and she doesn't always do the most kind and restrained actions. However, she does make many references and has many feelings for what situations are like for other people. For instance, she knows her own thoughts at the trial of Tom Robinson, but she also considered the viewpoints of Mayella, Bob, Atticus, even Tom himself. Also, woven all through the book, Scout thinks about Jem and what his life is like in accordance to their predicaments and his spurts of maturity and inexplicable emotions. Scout tries to be understanding of what's going on all around her.

Bryce (Indiana)

3/6/2013 12:23:50 am

The main theme that I found in this novel is a theme that can be found in many books about this time period. It is how unfair black people were treated even after the Civil War. There are more than just this theme in the novel. A minor theme in this book that I think is would be how you never know who will be a hero in a novel. This would be the part towards the end with Boo helping the kids escape from Mr. Ewell.

Maddie Rooney (Indiana)

3/10/2013 06:49:43 am

I agree! I never would have thougt that in the end Boo Radley would be the one to save the kids.

August (Indiana)

3/9/2013 10:01:16 pm

A theme I noticed was sort of a reverse fall from grace. The classic fall from grace involves a fatal flaw in the character bringing them down. Milton's Lucifer serves as an example there. This was different. Here, the setting has a fatal flaw which Scout slowly becomes aware of. In this case, the flaw is extreme prejudice. This flaw lowers the world in Scout's eyes.

Teagan Bowie (Indiana)

3/10/2013 01:52:07 am

A theme that i saw was killers in the world. That may seem wierd but i think that the title is showing us that we need to look at the characters, some like Atticus, the "criminal" that he defends, as well as others like Boo Radley, are sort of the mockingbirds. But the killers like Ewell are the ones that are out too destroy beauty. We are surrounded by both kinds or people.

Maddie Rooney (Indiana)

3/10/2013 06:40:08 am

I think walking in someone elses shoes is a great theme. Before you judge someone, you should think about what you know about them. In most cases you don't know what they have been through. They could have gone through something that makes them the way that they are. So next time, before you judge someone, you should try to get to know them better.

Maddie H.

3/10/2013 06:44:00 am

I really like the theme of walking in someone else shoes. This book for sure teaches us that. I think it means don't judge someone in less you have gone through what they have gone through because you don't know how hard their life could of been. Before judging someone you should know all of the details of the story.

Annette (Indiana)

3/10/2013 07:03:45 am

The famous monologue by Atticus in the last moments of the court trial has very important quotes about the theme of this inspiring and tear-jerking novel. One I like particular states, "The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber." A very long quote, yes. But the message is apparent. Prejudice is a thing of evil. People, despite the irking opinions that have been thrown at us by the realities of great individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr., CONTINUE to ignore the need for change in our society. This topic of discussion is one of my most passionate ones I talk about. There is a gross reality to accept: discrimination will never go away. Even so, just as there will be people to deny every man, woman, and children their rights (FREE OF JUDGEMENT) there will always be people to oppose them. I just can't understand the thought of taking one example of poor behavior by a certain racial man and conspiring false accusations just because it will pass a society of discriminative individuals. We were the ones attacking them! Sure, there are bad African-Americans, but should we judge every one of them to be bad specifically because at least one is bad? Should it come to the matter that one African-American broke the law so now they all have a target on their backs? And who are we to act superior? Yes, we have become more civilized over time but we are still significantly discriminating African-Americans; they are Americans! And still are they treated as inferiors; still they are prosecuted, tried, and found guilty considerably more than their white counterparts. All men are to be treated equal; in the eyes of the law, the society, and the citizens. Or, maybe we should change "are to" to "should."

Alexsis(Indiana)

3/10/2013 09:02:36 am

In "To Kill a Mockingbird" the most important them evident is that you truely cannot understand someone until you have put yourself in their shoes. In the first half of the book Scout is trying to understand this concept for quite some time with the man acrost the street, Arthur Radley. With the Radley family being very unsocialable, seeing how the Arthur has rarely stepped foot outside of his house at the age of thirty, many rumors have been started by the kids in the town. The kids saying that "Boo Radley" is a crazy old man that eats rodents and any kid that he gets a hold of, but really he got in trouble as a teen and his dad has kept in the house ever since. With those rumors Scout, Dill, and Jim play games, daring each other to run by the house and to go up and touch it. One day finding candy and pennies in a hole in the tree, but it took them quite a while to figure out it was Arthur leaving the presents for them. The try to find ways to get him out of the house to see him, but end up getting shot at by Arthur's older brother. A few nights later Scout and Jim are standing outside watching one of the neighbhors house on fire, it being a cold night Boo Radley comes up and puts a blanket around Scout. Scout had not realized who had put the blanket around her, but when she did she freaked out, still thinking Arthur was a bad person. Over the course of the year she really understands that he is a nice person and that she has looked at everything through his perspective, now understanding him. This idea had really sucken in to her when Arthur saved her life later on in the book

Austin W.

3/10/2013 09:51:05 am

To walk into someone's shoes and see the world as they see is an important part of this novel. Scout has seen Boo Radley as somewhat of an outcast to society because he is never seen outside his own home. They make dares to go on to his porch or touch his house because they want to make an attempt to contact him. He somewhat tries to contact them because he places the objects in the hole of the tree which later is covered with cement by his father. It is an interesting ending to see Scout and Boo Radley's relationship change from some weird kid who does not get out much to someone who just saved your life. She and Jem greatly misjudged him because they did not take his position into consideration. They assumed he was a creepy person.

Megan B(Indiana)

3/10/2013 11:35:03 am

I believe that the theme is you don't really understand someone until you put yourself in their shoes. Our first instinct when we meet someone is to judge them instead of getting to know their story. I think this is the main theme in the story. I think it is really pushed in the long speech that Atticus gives.

Amy Hausfeld indiana

3/10/2013 01:26:22 pm

My favorite theme is how you don't really know someone until you take a walk in their shoes. This is one of my favorite themes because its can be applied to almost every part of this book. There are so many different point of views and walking in someone else's shoes could have prevented some of the trouble that happens in this book

Jonah (Indiana)

3/11/2013 07:59:09 am

I agree. A lot of problems in life and even in this book could be prevented by the simple act of not judging someone. It really just takes a little bit of time and focus, and we can see things differently than our on opinions. I'm not saying abandon your morals, just attempt to understand why people do what they do.

Natalie Brown (IN)

3/11/2013 06:50:02 am

I really like the theme of don't judge a person until you walk in their shoes. It just goes to show that people cannot be judged on their appearances or by things that you may hear about them. You cannot fully understand or respect a person until you have talked to that person directly and grasped the situation that they may be in. This theme is great since it it continued throughout the book and can be applied in many different scenarios.

Quinn C.

3/11/2013 12:31:42 pm

I too thought this was a good theme of the book. It makes sense that it would be becuase of the trial and false allocations brought up about Tom R.

Jonah (Indiana)

3/11/2013 07:57:00 am

I think that if we all took the time to stop and think about why somebody did something, we would have a much better understanding of ourselves. The notion of walking in someone else's shoes is actually very accurate, as it forces us to see events through the eyes of someone other than ourselves. We are a very self-centered people, and understanding each other is not always our biggest strength. We have to though, otherwise we would fall apart.

Haleigh

3/11/2013 02:02:33 pm

We don't just fall apart, we bully. All we care about is our selves and our view of a perfect person and if they don't fit it we make fun of them. If we took a deeper look at the person we may not actually judge them and they could be some of the nicest people we meet.

Kiana (Indiana)

3/11/2013 08:31:02 am

My favorite moral was "walk in someone else's shoes" because it seems to be a huge issue around our school. All of the judgemental drama doesn't fix anything and I feel like it is an important moral to understand in order to truly grow up.

Jon Bragg

3/11/2013 09:13:37 am

I agree that one of the mant themes in this book is "waking in someone else's shoes." In todays society, especially at school, many people try to act like something they are not. In order to develop your own personality people need to stop following everybody else.

Micaela (Indiana)

3/11/2013 10:06:52 am

I think the theme of walking in someone else’s shoes is a very important life lesson. Learning how to do this helps us to relate to others. When we walk in someone else’s shoes, we stop thinking about our lives for a short period of time and start thinking about another person. This theme teaches us how to be less self-centered and more compassionate and understanding towards people we may not always get along with.

Megan B(Indiana)

3/11/2013 11:34:19 am

I think another theme in this book is self acceptance. I think it is pushed by Atticus on the children when he tells them always comes before being accepted by society. I really like this theme and think it should be more displayed in our daily society. I think today we all worry about how we will b viewed in society instead of accepting yourself, and not worrying about fitting in.

Haleigh

3/11/2013 01:59:07 pm

I really liked the walking in someones shoes theme because you never know what they go through or their life until you walk in their shoes. You can only know what that person tells you, if they hide something you may never know that about that person. That is wrong with American teenagers. We don't look at people's possible situation and we make assumptions and judge them by their cover. I mean if you should never judge a book by it's cover then think of every person as a book with their own story and even if the cover looks like something the material inside that book may be ten times better. So, walk in someones shoes before you judge them.

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