Harper Lee is a novelist. She writes not to document or to analyze- she writes to convey. Everything in "To Kill a Mockingbird" is significant in its own way. In chapter 29 Lee is showing the reader the contrast between dangers as a child and dangers as an adult, and how important that is to every person's life. As Scout and Jem are walking back from the pageant, before danger strikes in the form of Bob Ewell, Jem and Scout have a brief but important discussion about their diminishing fears of the beasts that tormented their childhood.
"Jem teased. 'Ain't you scared of haints?' We laughed. Haints, Hot Steams, incantations, secret signs, had vanished with our years as mist with sunrise." (292) Jem and Scout, no less then three years ago, were thoroughly terrified by these imaginary monsters. Now they laugh them away. "Vanished with our years as mist with sunrise" is a beautiful simile (my favorite kind, using 'as' instead of 'like') that shows that Scout is aware that her fears dissipated with her journey into adolescence. Jem shares this knowledge. Harper Lee is showing the readers, who are meant to be both teenagers and adults, the real journey, the real difference, the contrast between being a child and being an adult. After Scout and Jem decide that they aren't afraid of looming shadows stalking them in the night, what happens? They are nearly murdered by Bob Ewell, who was not-so-coincidentally stalking them in the night. Lee is telling us an important message- as soon as we let our fears go and move onto being an adult, they become real. Scout accepted that these monsters were imaginary to make room for the shockingly real monsters of life. This was what she was talking about when she said,"Thus began our longest journey together." (291) She wasn't talking about the actual walk, or even the action with Bob Ewell. She was telling us in her own way that this was her journey from child to adult. This transition from the imaginary to the real is not always as clear
and defined as Scout and Jem's pilgrimage from the school, but it is
certainly present. This is a hugely important lesson for all of us as we read this novel, becuase we are all, to some degree, Scout. That is what makes this book so timeless. In 1930, 1960, now, and in a hundred years, adolescence all over will make this journey. It is relevant to everyone, and everyone can or will, at some point, relate to this book. That is the beauty of Harper Lee.
Why do you think Harper Lee never wrote a sequel? Do you think Jem and Scout will be able to pinpoint this moment in their lives, are are they too focused on the action? Do you think this moment is more or less important then Scout's realization in the courthouse, or just different? Where was Dill? Has he not made this journey? Why did Harper Lee choose to use the "mist with sunrise" simile? Can you relate this to any other symbols in the book?
I agree with you Jenna that Harper Lee makes everything significant. That she writes everything for a reason. She adds the smallest details that a person might think is pointless, but it comes back later as a metaphor to one of the characters. I also agree with you that the book has really showed Scouts progression as a person. She started as a girl scared of Boo Radley, and confused about politics. Now she wants to talk about Boo Radley, and is forming her own opinions on racial and political topics.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: Will Scout ever talk or see Boo? Will Scout turn out to be a typical Maycomb citizen.
ReplyDelete*Why do you think Harper Lee never wrote a sequel?*
ReplyDeleteHarper Lee never wrote a sequel to TKAM because, simply put, it would have been impossible. This book is all about Jem and Scout's journey as they grow up. Throughout this novel, this what has happened. This novel shows how much growth happens during these years. TKAM shows that that is probably the most they will grow and mature in their whole lives. So to make a sequel to TKAM would never work in the way that TKAM has impacted readers for more than half a century.
I think it is clear based on the previous chapters we've read in To Kill a Mockingbird, that Scout is not and will never be a "typical Maycomb citizen". Despite her young age, Scout is already becoming more and more like Atticus, and less and less like the Maycomb citizens. Though the town is filled with hypocritical and ignorant people, Scout continues to test the boundaries and stand up for her own beliefs, whatever the cost. "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-" (331). This directly relates to Atticus, who also isn't afraid to follow his own path, who will not back down or buckle under the pressure of the town. Although currently Scout looks up to, and almost praises her father, I believe that once she matures and grows up a little more she will be equally as different, yet respected as Atticus.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your feelings on the last scene in chapter 29? Why do you think Scout started to tear up? How did Boo know that Scout and Jem were in trouble? Who do you think is more mature currently: Jem or Scout?
This is an opinion post, so I'm sorry, Mr. Rossiter, but no citation.
ReplyDeleteWe will never know if Harper Lee ever planned to write a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, but it is clear after reading the novel that she had no need to do so. The novel so effortlessly captures adolescence, and the readers of the novel recognized this. The critical acclaim that the novel received in its first year of publication is more than most novels attract in a decade. The book had such a large impact on the American perspective that no book, written by Lee or not, could compare to To Kill A Mockingbird's resonance with the public audience. Even with Lee's genius, a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird would not be as well received as the original.
I agree with Issay on the fact that it would be impossible to write a sequel. Everything in the story that she was trying to say has been said so it would only hurt peoples opinion of her if she was to write a sequel. I disagree with Jenna when she says that this is where scout transforms into an adult. I think that this is where Jem finally finishes his journey but this is only a large step in Scouts journey. You can tell by the way that Scout just stands there terrified that she is not yet fully mature. While she is incredibly mature for nine she has yet to finish the journey.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Scout has or will complete the journey to maturity by the end of the book? How do you think Scout and Boo will get along? Will being with Boo be all that Scout wanted from it?