Finally, we’ve met the Finches: Scout, Jem and Atticus. Not to mention the various other characters including Dill and Calpurnia. As Scout’s story continues, we will get to know each of these characters as individuals and feel a connection to them (you will, really!). Before we can further embark upon our study of these characters and their experiences, though, we must pay attention to how Harper Lee chooses to begin her story. She opens with the following epigraph by Charles Lamb, “Lawyers, I suppose, were children once.” Lee opens To Kill a Mockingbird with this quote for a reason—but what, exactly, is that reason? How do you think this quote relates to the novel’s point of view? How do you think it will come into play as the story progresses? How should it guide us, the readers, as we continue with the story?
I think this quote relates to this TO Kill a Mockingbird's point of view because the novel's point of view is told from the view of a six year old. Lawyers were kids once so they have a slight idea of how a kid thinks so they can think like a kid is the case calls for it. As the story progresses, I think that Atticus might have to think like a little kid and he might use that to win a case for a client. I think that sometimes if the reader gets confused by how Scout is acting, they would have to think like a six year old does and maybe that would help their understanding.
ReplyDeleteAdding on to what Edlyn said I think that even though Atticus is a lawyer, he still retains his morals, rather than being corrupt with money and power. Also, I think that the quote does not only apply to lawyers, but to all people. Before someone can be cruel or nice they had to start somewhere. When Dill asks how to make a turtle come out of its shell, Jem tells him to light a match and put it under the turtle. To us, this would obviously cause pain, but Jem insists that the turtle feels no pain. This might be an analogous situation to the way the south treated African-Americans before, during, and after the Civil War. Additionally, I think everyone here has asked a question like that in their early years. The way that they answer it determines what kind of person they become.
ReplyDeleteI think that the quote means that everyone was a child before and thought like one, no matter who they grow up to become. For example, Scout looks up greatly to Atticus, seeing him as very honorable, and as she goes through her life she realizes that even the people that she most respects were children like she is, and went through similar situations as she is going through now.
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