10 ANALYSIS

Write about something in the text in terms of those qualities that professional writers look for in real life: conflict, contrast, contradiction, and characterization.

Harper Lee grew up in Alabama and his ancestor was a general of the south in the American Civil War (Robert Edward Lee). Harper Lee became a lawyer and he represents the law but he wasn’t agreed with the situation of races and prejudices and he couldn’t change anything. So he decided to write a book. And this book is a mix of problems in the Alabama, childlike playfulness, operations of law and Harper Lees own live.

There are many parallels between Harper Lee and Atticus Finch. For example the profession, the domicile and the family. Frances Cunningham Finch Lee was Harper Lees mother. So Harper is a Finch. But he’s a Cunningham to and that’s a bit special because in the book there are Cunninghams to and they are pore and dirty farmer.

Harper Lee ever says “To Kill a Mockingbird” isn't an autobiography of him But I think everybody who writes a book writes a bit an autobiography. And in Harper Lee's book there are so many parallels to his own life that even if he didn't want to he wrote an autobiography.

235 Words (186 words without questions)

9 RECOUNT

Can you picture the location and settings? Draw a map, plan, diagram, picture or any doodle
that helps you make sense of these things.

This is a map of Mycomb County, Alabama, USA in 1935. Atticus Finch lives here with his children Jem and Scout.

8 REFLECTION

At any point, write about how you feel while reading a section of the book. Say how what is happening makes you feel and why? When I was reading the passage in the court I felt a bit like Dill did: helpless, compassionate. Because the innocence of Tom Robinson was really clear. But Mr. Gilmer the opposite lawyer interpreted the facts for his side: Tom is guilty because he escaped. But if he didn’t escape he would have been guilty too because he staid.

The narrative in the book is really understandable and explanations of Atticus were so simple – Every Child can understand them (this are words of Scout) but the jurors didn’t. And so an additional feeling by reading the text was fascination!

At school I read the book “Andorra” from Max Frisch. In that book the main character is excluded and bullied because people think he is a Jew. At the end he was executed. This two books remind me to each other because in both someone has to die because he is part of an unaccepted race. And in both it is really clear the person is innocent.

194 Words (167 Words without question)

7 RECOUNT

In your own words what has happened in the book? At any point in the story, retell the major

details of the story's plot so far.

 At the beginning of the book Scout tells us something about the broken arm of her brother Jem. He was nearly thirteen then and the major story of the book had already happened. Then Scout starts telling the story how it came to Jems broken arm.

First Jem Scout and Dill, their new friend who stays in Maycomb each summer, are playing a lot together. The children are very fascinated of their strange neighbour Arthur “Boo” Radley. In winter Scout and her brother found many little gifts in a knothole of a tree on the Radley Place and they thought they are from Boo.

But the next summer when school starts after the holidays everything in the children live was changing because Atticus had to defend a Negro. In Maycomb Negros were still less worth than white people even if the American Civil War was passed. Now there were many uneasy things for the children because people saw them as niggerfriends.

Then Aunt Alexandra came to the Maycomb for living with Atticus and his children. She wanted to look after Jem and Scout because she thought Atticus’ education isn’t strong enough and their contact to “niggers” is bad for them.

228 Words (202 without the question)

6 CHARACTERIZATION

Describe a character from the book (e.g. physical characteristics, personality, likes, dislikes). Say why you like/dislike the character.

This is a description of Jean Louise Finch bur everyone call her only Scout. At the beginning of the book she was six years old and at the end she will be nine. She lives together with her father Atticus Finch and her brother Jeremy Finch called Jem in Mycomb County in Alabama.

Scout is a very glad and powerful personality. Every time she is doing something without thinking about it before. Her great role model is her brother who is four years her senior. But now when the second part of the boo starts this relationship is going to change. Jem is coming into puberty and he doesn’t like it any more to go to be seen together with her. So Scout searches other contacts. Scout spends much time together with Calpurnia the colored house wife who helps Atticus with the house and his children. At the beginning of the book Scout hated her but now they became really good friends.

The whole changing of Scouts live is very difficult to understand for her. If someone insults her as a nigger fiend or something like that she wants to go and hit him down. But her father said she should keep her had high and know: I’m better than he is because I’m right. He isn’t worth it to fight!

241 words (223 without the question)

5 PREDICTION

At any point in the story take a guess as to how the story (plot) will go on or finally conclude. What is going to happen?

(p.76-82 end of chapter 8) I think this is a very important part of the book because until now it was a good world without any problems where Jem and Scout lived. But now it is a turning point. The story is going to change because Atticus has to defend a “Negro” and people don’t like that Atticus accepted it. The racism was only in the edge and on a funny way (for example the nigger-snowman) but now it becomes important.

I think the part when Miss Maudie’s house is burning is a symbol for the story and its changing. Miss Maudie’s house is destroyed and the Finks can be very happy that their house isn’t destroyed too. Now Atticus defends the “Negro” even if he knows he’s going to loose and even if he knows his own life and that of his family is in danger too. But at the end it will not happen anything really bad to Atticus and his children. Like their house that’s still there and intact.

 199 words (173 words without the Question)

4 REFLECTION

Write about the setting or any of the characters remind you of people or characters in your own personal life. How are the situations or events similar or your own life? How are they alike and how are they different?

The points when Jem, Scout and Dill scout the Radley Place remind me to my brother and me. Near to our home there was an old park with a large villa. It was as fascinating and frightening for us as the Radley Place is for Jem, Scout and Dill. We wanted to know too what there was happening inside the villa. So we broke into the cellar and found there inside the villa an art gallery with many paintings and sculptures… Now it wasn’t interesting anymore.

Jem and the other children only wanted to write a letter to Boo Radley for meeting him, but Atticus the father of Jem and Scout catched them before the finished it and said they should never disturb Mr. Radley again.

But I think Jem and the other Children won’t stop until they will have seen Boo and spoken with him! That’s what I would have done when my father would have forbidden me to scout the villa and I think in this point Jem and I are really the same.

Roger

177 words (with question 219)

3 ANALYSIS

Write about the style of writing the author uses.

I read now about 60 sites in the book and I think it’s time now to analyse the author’s style. I wonder if will think the same at the end of the book.

Harper Lee writes really lively and sometimes difficult (because of the special words and short forms). The story is written from the view of a little girl (called Scout) and you can rally feel her emotions. Its really fascinating how Harper Lee it manages to tell the story like a little girl would tell it but with a really good English.

In the story there are often internal monologues when Scout is thinking about anything. Sometimes there is suddenly in the middle of a conversation such an internal monologue and after it the conversation continues.

To read this book is really amusing because of Harper Lees funny stile.

Roger Fluri

(152 words)

2 EMPATHY

Hello Little Diary

Today it was my first day at school. It would be oene of the greatest Moments of my life, I thougt. Every day in my live since I can think, I was looking forward to this day. But it was horrible. I hate school and I don't want to go to school any more. Burris Ewell doesn't have to go to school mor than one day a year. But Atticus said that's something else and that I have to go to school anyway. When I told him that Mrs. Carroline said I mustn't read any more and he mustn't teach me any more, he said we shoul make a compromise: We read all day together like bevore and I go to school yet. But I shouldn't tell Mrs. Caroline from the compromise - she woldn't be pleasant! And you, Little Diary, you should be a secret too!
I love it to read and to write and it would be terrible if I cant...

By Little Diary
Scout

by Roger Fluri (170 words)

1 REFLECTION

Now I read the first two chapters and I think it is a nice and funny book. Sometimes a bit difficult to read because it's written in excellent English. At the beginning for example I didn't realised that Scout the narrator is a girl. I thought she's a boy.

Two things are a bit confusing yet:

• Whats the meaning of the title? To kill a Mockingbird - It makes no sence for me yet. It will be answered later. I finded out that Mockingbirds are little birds who likes to copy the songs of other birds or the sound of Insects. And I know that a main theme of the book is the segregation and humiliation of races. So a Mockinbird could be a sign for all humans are the same: humans. A Mockingbird looks different from other birds but the somgs are the same. So if someone would kill a Mockingbird, he distroys this sign and thzat means he would make differents between races.
• What's the mistery of the Readlys and their house? The Readlys are strange People and the Readly Place is a dark and frightening place. I think this People an their place will be important for the story.

"The Readly Place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one face its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but long ago darkened to the colour of the slate grey yard around it. Rain-rotten shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket drunkenly guarded the front yard - a 'swept' yard that was never swept-where johnson grass and rabbit-tabacco grew in abundance." - A difficult sequence that describe the Readly Place.

211 Words (307 with the passage)

Test Blogg

This is a test blogg. I want to see if it's all right here.