In dit document worden alle mogelijke examenvragen beantwoord voor het boek Hard Times van Charles Dickens. Het houdt een analyse in van bepaalde concepten en vat de grote lijnen van het boek ook samen zodat de achtergrondinformatie duidelijk is.
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mocking Bird
General questions
Explain the title or indicate the link between the title and the story.
The title of To Kill a Mockingbird has very little literal connection to the plot, but it carries a great deal
of symbolic weight in the book. In this story of innocence destroyed by evil, the 'mockingbird' comes
to represent the idea of innocence. Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence.
The phrase "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" refers to intentionally and pointlessly destroying
something that does no harm. The mockingbird is a songbird, not a pest, and it isn't a game bird.
Killing a mockingbird serves no purpose, and therefore is an act of unnecessary cruelty.
When the jury convicts Tom Robinson of rape despite the absence of physical evidence and despite
Atticus’s compelling defence, the jury is guilty of the same unnecessary cruelty. The jury specifically,
and the town of Maycomb generally, destroy a good person who has never done harm simply
because of the colour of his skin. Though Tom is the symbolic mockingbird at the heart of the novel,
he is not the only character who fits that description. Heck Tate also specifically describes Boo Radley
as a mockingbird, in that he is a harmless person who is the victim of pointless cruelty. Unlike Tom
Robinson, Boo Radley is not destroyed, though he does suffer greatly.
Identify the major motifs or themes addressed in the portrayal of the
central character/characters or groups in the novel.
Race
Issues of race and prejudice pervade To Kill a Mockingbird. Tom Robinson's trial reveals racial
tensions that are deeply ingrained in the day-to-day life of the community and its people, even
among those who are not immediately involved in the legal proceedings.
Jem and Scout accompany Calpurnia to church, where all members of the congregation are African
American. There they experience incidents of racism from some of the church-goers. The town's
newspaper publisher shows signs of racism even as he exposes it in the community. Aunt Alexandra
also shows racist tendencies, as when she advises Atticus: "Don't talk like that in front of them
[African Americans]. ... It encourages them."
During the trial the children—and particularly the deep-thinking Jem—are shaken by this sudden
exposure to the town's prejudice. Their reactions in particular make the racist behaviour of the adults
around them look petty, illogical, and unethical.
Class
Harper Lee's exploration of class often has to do with money and power. In the novel Aunt Alexandra
is loyal to Maycomb's existing class distinctions. People know their place, and to keep one's place is a
tedious but necessary job. She makes it clear that Scout cannot invite impoverished classmate Walter
Cunningham to their home because she is afraid Scout will pick up his habits. Aunt Alexandra would
also consider the Ewell family to be in a lower social class than the Finches.
Throughout the novel, especially after Aunt Alexandra moves in, Jem and Scout wrangle with the
idea of class. They often talk about it as "background" or "family," but what they are trying to figure
out is how to navigate the tricky waters of Maycomb's various social classes while remaining true to
their beliefs.
Les avantages d'acheter des résumés chez Stuvia:
Qualité garantie par les avis des clients
Les clients de Stuvia ont évalués plus de 700 000 résumés. C'est comme ça que vous savez que vous achetez les meilleurs documents.
L’achat facile et rapide
Vous pouvez payer rapidement avec iDeal, carte de crédit ou Stuvia-crédit pour les résumés. Il n'y a pas d'adhésion nécessaire.
Focus sur l’essentiel
Vos camarades écrivent eux-mêmes les notes d’étude, c’est pourquoi les documents sont toujours fiables et à jour. Cela garantit que vous arrivez rapidement au coeur du matériel.
Foire aux questions
Qu'est-ce que j'obtiens en achetant ce document ?
Vous obtenez un PDF, disponible immédiatement après votre achat. Le document acheté est accessible à tout moment, n'importe où et indéfiniment via votre profil.
Garantie de remboursement : comment ça marche ?
Notre garantie de satisfaction garantit que vous trouverez toujours un document d'étude qui vous convient. Vous remplissez un formulaire et notre équipe du service client s'occupe du reste.
Auprès de qui est-ce que j'achète ce résumé ?
Stuvia est une place de marché. Alors, vous n'achetez donc pas ce document chez nous, mais auprès du vendeur lou-louvanrobaeys. Stuvia facilite les paiements au vendeur.
Est-ce que j'aurai un abonnement?
Non, vous n'achetez ce résumé que pour €4,99. Vous n'êtes lié à rien après votre achat.
