To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

Setting: The setting is in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression.

Theme: The main theme in the story is the coexistence of good and evil. The children see the world through innocence, while the adults see it through evil. The children start as seeing the world as innocent, but end as seeing the corruption.

Tone: The tone starts out as innocent, being through the eyes of the child. As the story progresses it gets darker, as the children begin to see the evils of the world.  

Summary: The story is told through Scout Finch, a young child who has a brother Jem. Their Father, Atticus, is a lawyer. Scout and Jem become good friends with a boy called Dill. They eventually venture onto their neighbors land, called the Radley Place. They sneak onto the property during the night and they get shot at by Nathan Radley. During the escape Jem loses his pants, when he goes back for them he sees that they are fixed and placed on the fence. Presumably by Boo, Nathan Radley’s brother. Atticus one day decides to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, in court accused of raping a white woman. His decision brings a lot of heat to his children who still live in a racist community. As the trial takes place Atticus provides sufficient evidence to prove that Tom is innocent and accused wrongly. However the jury still decides that he is guilty of raping and is convicted of the crime. Tom tries to run away and is shot and killed. This really is the transgression of innocence to evil through the children. The final transgression of good to evil was the accused woman’s father Bob Ewell decides he needs revenge on Atticus and his family. One night he attacks Jem and Scout, but Boo comes in and protects the children, and in the process kills Bob. Boo is protected by the sheriff, and the children see the world in a whole new light.