Paragraph for each of the following three topics Essay Example for Free

Paragraph for each of the following three topics Essay Write one paragraph for each of the following three topics. The entire assignment consists of three paragraphs and should fit in less than one page 1. Why is Capaneus (Inferno 14) so important in understanding the psychology of the sinners in hell? 2. Identify the political and religious issues Dante faces in Inferno 19. 3. Define the allegorical representation of Lucifer (inferno 34) Submit no later than Friday, October 17, 12-noon Make sure you do not go off topic. Be direct and concise, and follow the directions below. Directions for assignments and exams. Assignments consist of three topics, each topic to be developed in a concise paragraph. When you write your assignments and exams, make sure that what you write is based exclusively on the material covered in class, and make specific references (direct text citations for the exams) to the readings covered in class. Do not write information that is not relevant to the topics. Be direct and concise. Before you submit your assignments get rid of anything that does not belong to the topic. Understand the topics before you write, and check it after to make sure you do not go off topic. If you notice that you are writing a summary of a plot, you are off topic. If you receive a low grade for your assignments or exams, you were too vague, or failed to limit your answer to the given topics. Do not repeat the same mistake in future assignments and exams. The course grade is based on the two assignments (13% each) and the two exams (36% each) Exams and assignments must be submitted through Safe Assign Other Information: Assignments and exams must be completed and submitted by the due date Write your assignment in a word processor using any of the Word formats (.doc, .docx). If you do not have Word, convert your document to .rtf format. Your submission must be typed double spaced, font: size 11 or 12. (Do not send documents with the .dat extension) You must write your name and student ID on the upper left corner of your papers. Assignments and exams will be posted five days before they are due and deleted after they are returned to students. All graded assignments and exams will be returned to you only in class. If by any chance you are absent the day they are returned, you can get them during the Assistants office hours for a limited time. Always keep a copy of your assignments If you do not see your grade on Blackboard after it has being returned, contact me immediately, no later than a week from the day grades are posted. Keep a hard copy of your papers until you receive your grade. If you have any problem with your grades, you must resolve it within one week. You cant ask me to review your grades after one week from the day grades are posted. Make sure you have a Stony Brook e-mail address on file with the university, otherwise you will not receive important communication.

The play King Henry IV Essay Example for Free

The play King Henry IV Essay The play King Henry IV revolves around a central plotline spanning a vast period of time encompassing numerous significant events. All of these events, however small, play a key role in the development of the characters as well as the themes within the play. The idea that in coming to power King Henry IV seized the crown, overruling the divine right of kings, is central to the constant theme of corruption and fear which runs throughout the plot. One of the main themes present is the journey from adolescence to maturity. Prince Hal is clearly a wayward character, seemingly dangerously close to losing his right to rule. It would appear that his association with characters such as Falstaff and Poins have nothing but negative implications. This is a key example of an escape from the past into a new future. Hal is attempting to break away from the grasp of Falstaff and his tarnished past into a future of glory, maturity and strong leadership. The idea that in fact past events can have a positive effect is then developed. In a conversation with the King, Warwick states that the Prince but studies his companions like a strange tongue, wherein, to gain the language. This implies that through his knowledge of characters such as Falstaff, and past experience, Prince Hal is in fact gaining a skill that will eventually lead to successful leadership. This past life clearly has an influence on Hal, as it truly demonstrates to him the danger of straying far from the path that one would expect him to take. It seems fair therefore to assume that without this seemingly negative section of his upbringing perhaps he would not later have become a responsible ruler. King Henry IV himself is also running from a past that haunts him and keeps him awake through the night uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. This unrest is partially down to worry concerning Prince Hal, but is also related to the way in which Henry himself seized power. Henrys trouble stems from his own uneasy conscience and his uncertainty about the legitimacy of his rule. Previously he had illegally usurped the throne from Richard II, therefore breaching the divine right of kings, a power bestowed upon the monarch from God. This past troubles him greatly and suppresses his ability to become a great leader. The influence of the past on Henry IV is clearly great; there is no escape from it other than impending death. Therefore one can assume that throughout the play he is simply running from past events rather than focusing on the future, in this case the future of his country. This is therefore an example of how in King Henry IV Part II the past overshadows the present and the future. The role of Northumberland as a leader of rebellion forces is also influenced by decisions made in the past. In the battle of Shrewsbury he decides not to send his military forces, which ultimately leads to the demise of his son, Harry Hotspur. Therefore later in the play when the rebellion forces call upon him once again his refusal to send troops to aid his son introduces an element of guilt as to whether to send reinforcements for the second battle. On one side it seems that due to his initial failure, sending troops would be the only way to regain honour, yet on the other hand it would seem horrific that he would not send troops to save his own son yet would be prepared to do so at this point. Therefore it would seem fair to argue that Northumberlands past decisions overshadow his situation at the present time, showing how that in the play the past has an influence over the present. Falstaff seems to be the only character who can, to a degree, escape the confines of his past. This is mainly due to his nature, and his ability to escape from situations relying on his wit. Throughout his relationship with Doll Tearsheet it would appear that Falstaff had made many false promises, such as marriage and his word to repay his monetary debt to her. However, unlike King Henry he is not haunted by the worry of these events, he instead continues forward allowing them to take their own path, only dodging out of their way when cornered with no chance of escape. He is well aware of his illnesses, yet would rather brush them aside and live his life day by day, he turns disease into commodity and flirts with Doll through a desire which has long outlived performance. In this sense one could argue that in Falstaffs case he lives for the present and the future rather than allowing his past to overshadow his current situation. Therefore, in conclusion it seems that to large degree the argument that the past predominately overshadows the future is valid. In the case of many of the main characters previous decisions and ways of life have a profound impact on the way in which they behave in present situations. The past is clearly a powerful entity and one which plays a key role in defining the plot and decisions made throughout the play, in many cases overshadowing the present and destroying the future.

Genres of Films Topic

Genres of Films Topic Film is an art. Just as the art itself, Film has a complex range of departments. Therefore, learning the classification of the film is definitely the first key for the learning of the film. The genre can also be called type or kind, which is used in the film culture. For example, film production, the popular consumption, the reception of films and etc (Langford, 2005). In the movie world, there are many different types of movies and there are many film classifications. There are a lot of controversies about genres of films, which can be categorized in many ways. For example, in the aspect of the content of the film, there are action, comedy, crime, horror and etc. And also the concept of the genre of films is vague, which means that there is no definite boundaries between two kinds of genres and boundaries of the genre of films are shifting. For example, there are action comedy, comedy horror, military comedy, and etc. The Back-Up Plan is a funny movie. In the beginning of the film, a desperate girl named Zoe wants nothing more than to meet the man who she loves and have a happy family with somebody. And the desire to have a family is more and more strong. Having dated for several years without any result, Zoe decides to solve the problem herself and fulfill her wishes by getting inseminated artificially. On that very day, on which she gets inseminated, along comes the man of her dreams, Stan. Stan is a cheese selling farmer. Hes a handsome young man and he is very charming. The two nice persons fall in love with each other quickly. After learning that Zoe is pregnant, Stan is a little hesitated and amazing. But after some serious considering, he is still willing to help her raise this kid who isnt his actually. They live together for nine months and finally have a baby of their own. The genre of The Back-Up Plan. According to the current classification of the most mainstream, there are adventure, animation, comedy, horror, crime, documentary, drama, musical, romance and etc. For example, adventure is a type of movie hard to explain literally, such as a personal biography or a legend. And some movie is a description of an event, which also belongs to the genre of adventure. Crime can be regarded as a big genre in American movies, which is a popular genre, such as the Godfather series, Pulp Fiction and so on. In these genres, The Back-Up Plan belongs to comedy. Comedy is generally exaggerated and it always has clever structure, witty lines and comic character. In The Back-Up Plan, during the first meet of Zoe and Stan, their lines are very funny. And the leading actressÂÂ  herself is an interesting woman. In comedy, the beautiful idea of life will always be affirmed. In The Back-Up Plan, Zoes desire for a family or a baby is fulfilled at last. Conflicts in comedy tend to be solved more lively and a perfect circle will be achieved. And also comedy films often reveal our social values and some preoccupations in our daily life (Lopez, 2000). When Stan knows that Zoe has a baby, Stan is confused and they have some quarrels. But after his considering, his love for her is more firm. Later, Zoe is not sure about Stans love and she is afraid of his leaving. However, through a wedding of her mother, she goes back to Stan. These problems are solved much easier, which is the characteristic of c omedy. Finally, like other comedies, Stan and Zoe have a perfect circle. Referring to the dimensions of genre, there are Iconography, Industry practice, Audience expectation, Ideology and myth. In the aspect of iconography, the setting of the film is peoples daily life. The character of the film is a woman left on the shelf, who is funny and brave. And then the theme of it is romantic love. Concerning the industry practice, the location of audience of The Back-Up Plan can be regarded as these older women left and it is a typical Hollywood film. The third dimension of genre of films is audience expectation. In the film, the life of Zoe sometimes seems a mess while it makes the audience laugh. Whether the audience is an old woman left or not, he or she will be interested in the strange life order of Zoe. Then the last dimension is genre and myth. From the aspect of theory and other three dimensions, the genre of The Back-Up Plan is romantic comedy. Comedy can be roughly divided into two types: the romantic comedy and satirical comedy. Satirical comedies often take current events as the theme of the film, which always concern the social and political problems by the authors humor writing style. The back-Up Plan is funny and a bit touching. To say in this regard, The Back-Up Plan is a romantic comedy. Romantic comedy often uses the topics like love stories. The plot forward of the story is often organized by some misunderstanding and clarifying (King, 2002). By the conflicts between Stan and Zoe and their clarifying, The Back-Up Plan tells people that it is very important to trust your partner who loves you and also you love and to accept the things he or she does. It is a feel good movie, which lets the women of the world believe that there are still some good men out there. And the other characteristic of the film is that the crazy and tough time that women experience during a pregnancy is presented. These features all prove th at The Back-Up Plan is a romantic comedy. Analysis on Journey to the Center of the Earth. Introduction of Journey to the Center of the Earth. Trevor is a geologist, whose brother, Max believed that the center of the Earth could be reached through the volcanic tubes and disappeared on a mysterious expedition. One day, Trevor is inspired by a password in a previous letter. Accompanied by his nephew, Trevor conducts an expedition to travel through the center of the earth. Before the process, they meet Hannah, who they find living in Maxs former research headquarters near the volcano he was investigating. They drop down from a crater of Iceland. Then in the expedition, they fall very frequently, and very far. However, no matter how frequently or how far they fall, they will land without injury. They always remain remarkably optimistic. They believe that there must be a way out of there. Overcoming all kinds of difficulties, like water shortage, lost, storm, they succeed to come back to the ground from a volcano of the westbound island. The genre of Journey to the Center of the Earth. The genre of Journey to the Center of the Earth is an adventure film. In adventure films, the characters always have some new experiences, which are often exciting or dangerous (Taves, 1993). The themes of adventure films include travels, conquests, expeditions, dangerous situations that the main characters encounter, some actual historical figures, and etc. The setting of Journey to the Center of the Earth is an adventure fanatic. In a rather short time, people have conquered the source of the Nile, the Sahara, Africa, North and South poles and the untouched wilderness on the earth becomes less and less. On the other hand, science and technology, especially archeology and geology have got an unprecedented development. The setting decides that the genre of the film is adventure. The character in the film, Trevor is a curious and clever man, which predicts that he will try his best to find out the cause of his brothers death. And because of his curiosity and wisdom, the journey must be a successful one. And then the audience location can be regarded as these who like risking and expediting. The theme of the film is to prove a new theory about the earth. During the expedition, they encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards. The plot of the film has many ups and downs. The romantic and science imagination takes the audience into a fantasy world beyond space and time. Also it can be seen that adventure films are similar to action films, which shows that the boundary between two genres is shifting and become vague (Brode, 2003). Journey to the Center of the Earth is designed to be active and the characters have energetic experience, which makes the film is similar to action films. Conclusion. Today the genre of films is more and more complex and the boundary between two genres is more and more vague. The full understanding of the genre of films helps people understand and comprehend these film works better and more objectively. At first, the article makes a brief introduction about the genre of films. And then the article focuses on comedy films and adventure films by analyzing the two films, the Back-Up Plan and Journey to the Center of the Earth, which will result in a deeper understanding of comedy films and adventure films.

Mtv And The Madonna Phenomenon Essay -- essays research papers

MTV and The Madonna Phenomenon "Madonna's intuitive grasp on the televisual world in which we live- of the medium's possibilities for engaging spectators in diverse ways- that in part accounts for her success. She is the supreme television heroine." (E. Ann Kaplan 271) "What are the main theories which we have studied so far and how have they affected how you view television?"-This is the question which this paper is supposed to answer. Obviously there is not enough time or space in which to discuss every theory which we have touched on. As a compromise I decided to write about a topic to which almost every theory that we have discussed can be applied: MTV and the â€Å"Madonna Phenomenon†. As E. Ann Kaplan stated in her article on feminist criticism, Madonna is truly the ultimate television heroine. A discussion on contemporary popular culture and especially on media culture could never be complete without bringing up Madonna. She can be discussed in terms of feminism, ideology, hegemony and commercialism as seen in both Kaplan's as well as in John Fiske's article on British Cultural Studies. In order to properly explain how the â€Å"Madonna Phenomenon† has become such an important concept in media studies, one must look first at how influential MTV (music television) has become in the last decade. MTV addresses the â€Å"desires, fantasies, and anxieties† of young people(Kaplan 270) who have, like myself, grown up in a decade when all the traditional institutions and theories that were always respected, are being questioned. It has become the center of discussions of many young people who have grown up idolizing the figures shown on the network. MTV is a culture in itself. With it's own news, fashion and music programs it can easily be the considered the basis for the formation of thought of an entire generation. The images depicted in music videos, of androgynous stars and situations have aided in rendering the clear line between the genders rather blurry. This makes MTV an important aspect in the study of post-modern theories. Videos are often quite abstract and it is hard to figure out their true meanings. Unlike other television programming, videos are usually not made up of clear parts or scenes which produce an easily identifiable and readable image... ...nd in particular those in music videos) quite differently. I would see them,, as I had in the past as victims of the dominant ideology and the patriarchal society which we live in. Madonna proves that women can fight against the regulations which are forced onto women: that if they are sexual beings than they are nothing more than sex symbols, and that society determines how women are portrayed on television. If I could go as far as to describe Madonna in one word it would be â€Å" strong†. I not only enjoy her work but admire her ability to do what she feels like doing, even if she completely disregards society's definitions of decency. She is one of the few women in history who has never asked others to accept or like what she does. To conclude I would like to quote Madonna herself in order to demonstrate her atypical way of thinking which has brought her such undeniable success: â€Å"Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another† -Madonna â€Å"Justify my Love†

Directors Notes Act 3 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet :: Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare Theatre Essays

Directors Notes Act 3 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet Following our breif meeting yesterday, I thought you may apreciate some extra information about Act 3 Scene 5. I belive you are still unsure on some of the lines so I hope you will find the following instructions helpful. Firstly it may help if I explain how this scene fits into the play as a whole. This is an important scene as it shows Juliet's relationship with her father, her father's status in the play and Juliet's views on how she is treated as a child in the sixteenth century. Before this scene happens Tybalt a member of the Capulet family is killed by a Montague, this causes a lot of stress in the Capulet household and when Capulet enters Juliet's room he notices that she is crying, Capulet thinks this is because of Tybalt being killed but the audience will know that this is because of your marriage to Paris. After this scene there will be a great deal of tension between you and Capulet. I feel this scene is very important as it shows the deterioration of Juliet and Capulet's relationship. I think that Shakespeare included this scene in the play because if it is acted correctly then it will have a huge impact on the audience. The stage will be quite simmilar to the sixteenth century stage, it will just be updated for recent technology, it will have the same basic structure including the two pillars in the middle of the stage, also the audience will still be sitting around the outside of the stage. The ceiling will not be the same ornate celing, it will be very plain as this is where the lighting and special effects will come from, also the ceiling will be higher as this way it will not be noticed as part of the scenery. The back of the stage will still have the stairway in the centre but the surroundings will be plain and more modern. I have chosen this setting for the play as I feel the role of Capulet will be stronger in a modern day setting. This will be because a modern day audience will think that the way Capulet treats Juliet and Lady Capulet is not fair and I feel this will have a huge impact on the play as a whole. As Capulet enters the room this will be a great entrance as he needs to be seen with great power, so there will be a loud slamming of a door as he enters and walks towards you. Capulet needs to be noticed

Factors Contributing to Willys Death in Death of a Salesman :: Literary Analysis, Analytical Essay

Willy Loman a self-doubting, delusional salesman enters his house with two empty suitcases; he failed to sell anything that day. He was greeted by his loving wife Linda and asked where he was all day. Willy replied by saying that he went as far as a little above Yonkers. Willy explains to Linda that he suddenly couldn’t drive anymore. In page 13 Willy explains â€Å"suddenly I realize I’m going’ sixty miles an hour and I don’t remember the last five minutes. Linda tries to comfort him by saying it’s your glasses and also by saying that you haven’t gotten enough rest. Willy responded by saying he can see perfectly fine. Linda then said to Willy that you should ask Howard to see if you can work in New York again. At first Willy said that they don’t need them there but gave into the suggestion Linda asked. Willy then suddenly asked if there was anything to eat. Linda willfully answered yes and that she would make him a sandwich. Willy r efuses it and says to Linda to go to sleep and asks if the boys are in. Linda says that the boys are sleeping; Happy took biff on a date tonight. Willy seemed interested and Linda continued talking, it was so nice to see them shaving together. She couldn’t get over that the whole house smelling like shaving cream. During this conversation Willy says an important quote â€Å"Work a lifetime to pay a house you finally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it. I find this to be ironic because it’s true you buy a house to raise a family and when you finally own it there’s nobody to live in it, because everybody is all grownup and going on with there own lives. Willy then goes downstairs and starts to talk to himself, as he’s doing this Biff and his younger brother happy start to talk about there teenage years, and talked bout their fathers babbling. They then talk about how they don’t like there lives at the moment. They later talked about buying ranch out west and thinking about other ideas to be successful. We return to Willy he gets flash backs about talking to his brother and that sho uld gone with him to Alaska and Africa to make money. This eventually leads to Willy’s death when Biff Confronts Willy of trying to commit suicide, and telling his dad to burn the fake dream that it’s never going to happen.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Notes and Quotes

Quotes in To Kill a Mockingbird by theme Pride| * ‘†¦I suppose he loved honour more than his head†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ – talking about Jem when he ran up to the Radley House on a dare. A childish example of the much more complex idea of pride explored in this book * When asked why he is defending Tom Robinson, Atticus reponds that ‘†¦if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold up my head in town†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ * ‘It was the first time I ever walked away from a fight†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ – Scout refuses to fight Cecil Jacobs even though he insults Atticus, because Atticus had asked her not to fight.She gave up her pride for the respect of her father. * While Scout is proud that ‘Atticus is the ‘deadest shot in Maycomb County’, Jem takes more pride in the fact that Atticus is no proud of this talent and does not use it unless he has to, and that ‘Atticus is a gentleman, like me! ’ This is a great example of the way ideas chan ge with youth. * ‘She said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody. Jem, when you’re sick as she was, it’s all right to take anything to make it easier, but it wasn’t all right for her.She said she meant to break herself of it before she dies, and that’s what she did’ – About Ms Dubose, who was too proud to die a morphine addict * A major aspect of pride in this novel if family pride. An example of this is when Jem and Scout withstand all of Ms Dubose’s insults and taunts, until she insults their father. When she exclaims that ‘‘your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for! ’ Jem loses it and destroys her garden. * ‘It was a sad thing that my father had neglected to tell me about the Finch Family, or to install any pride into his children’.As we have already seen, the Finch children are certainly proud of their father and themselves. However, Aunt Alexandra considers family pride upmost – they should not pride in Atticus for his bravery, but pride in him for upholding certain family traditions. To Alexandra, the best families were those who had lived on a certain plot of land longest. | Perspective/understanding other people| * ‘There’s some folks who don’t eat like us’ Another childish example which explores the much deeper idea of perspective * ‘If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks.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. ’ * ‘You children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute. That was enough’ (after the mob scene) * ‘They could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live’ – Mr Raymond – the Ã¢â‚¬Ë œdrunkard’ – who claims he can tell them ‘because you’re children and you can understand it’ unlike the adults. Atticus stands by his beliefs and is even able to see Mr Ewell’s point of view; ‘Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minutes. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢| Femininity| * ‘Sometimes you act so much like a girl it’s mortifyin’’ * ‘†¦Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s who other people hated them so†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ * ‘I declare to the lord you’re getting more like a girl every day! * ‘I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants’ * Aunt Alexandra claims she moved in to provide Scout a ‘feminine influence’ * ‘I felt th e walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢| Growing up/youth| * ‘†We shouldn’a done that tonight, Scout. † It was then, I suppose, that Jem and I first began to part company. ( after the shooting at the Radley house when they tried to peek in the windows) * ‘†¦I was far too old and big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold it in, the better off everybody would be. ’ (About fighting) * ‘When a child asks you something, answer him for goodness’ sake’ – reveals Atticus’ unusual attitude about children; he treats them with much more respect than most adults in the novel. Another good quote for this idea is ‘this is their home sister†¦We’ve made it this way for them, they might as well learn to cope with it’ – after Alexandra questions whether it was advisable to take the children to the hearing * While Scout is proud that ‘Att icus is the ‘deadest shot in Maycomb County’, Jem takes more pride in the fact that Atticus is no proud of this talent and does not use it unless he has to, and that ‘Atticus is a gentleman, like me! ’ This is a great example of the way ideas change with youth. * ‘Jem said I had to grow up sometime’ (about facing Ms Dubose) * ‘It’s time you started being a girl and acting right! – While in the past Jem had used ‘girl’ as an insult, accusing Scout of becoming ‘more and more like a girl every day’, as he matures his perspective on this changes. * As Jem grows up, he develops a sense of ‘maddening superiority’, and considers himself part of the ‘grown folks’ of Maycomb. * Jem ‘†¦broke the remaining code of our childhood’ when he valued adult rules more than children’s unspoken code of friendship and informed Atticus that Dill had run away from home. â €˜They could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live’ – Mr Raymond – the ‘drunkard’ – who claims he can tell them ‘because you’re children and you can understand it’ unlike the adults. * ‘So far nothing in your life has interfered with your reasoning process†¦ There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads – they couldn’t be fair if they tried. ’ * When Scout tell Jem that she thinks there’s just one kind of people (she, like Atticus, believes in the inherent goodness of humanity) he responds; ‘That’s what I thought too†¦ when I was your age.If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? ’ * ‘If Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I’. Far from the fist fighting youth with little control of her emotions, Scout has matured over the course of the book and learned how to hide her feelings * ‘†¦had our classmates been left to their own devices, Jem and I would have had several swift, satisfying fist fights apiece and ended the matter for good.As it was, we were compelled to hole our heads high and be, respectively, a gentleman and a lady’| Morality / good vs evil / the inherent goodness of humanity| * Atticus Finch is unique in this novel in the way that he has seen evil without losing his faith in the human capacity for goodness. This is a major theme throughout the novel, and he tries to teach this lesson to his children by encouraging them to step into the shoes of others. He takes Tom Robinson’s case because of this belief, he knows that he is very unlikely to win, but he believes that it is possible to change the minds of the jury.He, unlike the others in this novel, believe that the jury are possible of the kind of goodness and bravery required to acquit Tom. * Whe n Scout asks if they will win it, Atticus plainly says ‘no, honey’. He fights anyway. * ‘Simply because we were liked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win’ * ‘I think maybe he put his gun down when he realised that God has given his an unfair advantage over most living things.I guess he decided he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today. ’ * ‘Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man’ * ‘I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin abut you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.Mrs Dubose won’ * ‘I was drifting into sleep when the memory of Atticyl calmly folding his newspaper and pushing abck his hat became Atticus standing in the middle of an empty waiting steep, pushing up his glasses. ’ – Scout links these two events together for a reason * ‘Mr Cunningham’s’ basically a good man†¦ he just has his blind spots along with the rest of us’ – A nice insight into Atticus’ mind, a good quote to evidence his belief in the inherent goodness in humanity * ‘You children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute.That was enough’ (after the mob scene) * Scout compares the court day to ‘watching Atticus walk into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but watching all the time knowing that the gun was empty’ * ‘So far nothing in your life has interfered with your reasoning process†¦ There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads – they couldn’t be fair if they tried. * Ms Merriweather believes that many of the people in Maycomb are †˜good, but misguided’ * The novel is concluded with a final moral debate – whether or not to persecute Bob Ewell’s killer. When Atticus thought that Jem had stabbed Ewell in self defence, he was adamant that Jem should go through the proper process in court rather than have rumours circulating about him his whole life. However, when Heck Tate finally convinced Atticus that it was in fact Arthur Radley that killed Ewell, Atticus finds himself in a moral dilemma.He finally concedes that ‘Mr Ewell fell on his knife’, and asks if Scout could possibly understand. She does, explaining perfectly that persecuting Arthur Radley would be ‘sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it? ’ Arthur Radley was already destroyed once by the evil in humanity, and Atticus and Scout agreed that it would be wrong to make someone as innocent and shy as him to defend himself in court, even if he did not do anything wrong. | Racism| * ‘ He’s ruining the family’ * He’s nothin’ but a nigger lover! * ‘Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand’ (Atticus) * ‘Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for! ’ This blatant racism comes from Ms Dubose. * ‘They got their church, we go our’n’ – The racial divide in this novel goes both ways. This is further explored when Jem explains to Scout about ‘mixed’ children, and how ‘they don’t belong anywhere’ * ‘Mr Finch. If you was a nigger like me, you’d be scared too’ ‘The witnesses for this state†¦ have presented themselves to you gentlemen†¦ 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’ * ‘In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black mans, the while man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life’| Innocence| * The children believe in goodness because they have not yet confronted evil. When they do, they respond differently.Dill cries (eg courthouse scene) and prompts the memorable quote ‘it seems only the children cry’. Dill makes the reader long for youthful innocence and belief in human goodness. Jem copes better with the shock initially, but after Tom’s death loses much of his faith in humanity and the justice system. He gets furious at once point, exclaiming ‘I don’t ever wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me? ’ Scout deals better with the shock, and despite the court’s decision, people like Atticus and Miss Maudie help her retain her faith in human goodness. * ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’ – Ms Maudie. A wonderful metaphor for one of the book’s main themes – the loss of innocence. This situation is replicated in a real life situation in the last scene, where Atticus and Heck Tate decide it immoral to convict Arthur Radley of manslaughter when all he was trying to do was protect the Finch children. * ‘Tell him hey for me, won’t you? ’ – Scout’s moving talk with Mr Cunningham proves the power of innocence. It was Scout’s youthful innocence that made Mr Cunningham and the rest of the mob reconsider the position they were in.Her speech broke the mob mentality and brought Mr Cunningham back to morality * Jem compares the reveal of evil in society to ‘like bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is†¦ I always thought Maycomb folks were th e best folks in the world, least that’s what they seemed like. ’ * ‘He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Mr Underwood)| Society| * ‘She has committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time-honoured code of our society†¦ she tempted a black man’ * ‘This is their home sister†¦We’ve made it this way for them, they might as well learn to cope with it’ – after Alexandra questions whether it was advisable to take the children to the hearing * While society shuns and hates the black people living near them, the Missionary Tea Parties give insight into how hypocritical society is when they pity the ‘Mrunas†¦living in that jungle†¦ the poverty†¦ the darkness’ * The hypocritical society is further explored in the brief reference to the Holocaust in the comments of Scout’s teacher (Miss Gates) that ‘ove r here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. ’|