Differences between the To Kill a Mockingbird movie and book

To Kill a Mockingbird is considered as one of the most famous books in American literature and was made into a movie. The film is based on a Southern Gothic novel by Harper Lee. The film includes the famous Gregory Peck and Brock Peters. I recommend reading the book before seeing the movie because although the movie covers most of the themes shown in the book, there are still a couple of scenes that were not included.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a bildungsroman novel about a young girl called Scout who grew up in the South of the U.S. The book was set in the 1930s during the great depression. The protagonist, Scout, expresses how it is to live in a racist and prejudiced state like Alabama. Her father, Atticus, is a well known lawyer in Maycomb County. One day he was given a case to defend a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. The trial was very biased and Tom Robinson (the accused man) ended up being killed by the police in jail. The guards claim that they only shot him because he was trying to escape. He was in a tough position because he would have faced death anyways.

One of the differences between the movie and the book is that we cannot really see the progression of how Scout is maturing. That is because the movie focuses on the parts of the book where there is more action. For example, in the movie, they did not add the part when Scout was getting bullied because people at school were calling her and her father nigger-lovers. She later on went to Atticus to ask if it was true and he said yes. Then, Atticus told Scout to not get into fights at school because of what other people are saying about him. Scout later on shows a sign of maturity and does not get into any more fights as her father advised her too. I think that this part of the book is important because it characterizes the progression of Scout’s personality.

Another very important scene that was left out of the movie is when Dill escaped from his house in the Meridian. After he escaped his home, he went to Maycomb County and hid under Scout’s bed. After he was discovered, he said that the only reason he escaped was because his father disliked him. But we all know that he escaped because he wanted to spend time with Scout. This is a very important scene because it shows that Dill displays many of the coming of age characteristics like testing boundaries.

The movie also left out the part when Boo Radley, Scout’s neighbor, puts a blanket over Scout when he realizes she is cold. This occurred when there was a fire at Miss Maudie’s house and everyone was panicking. Scout didn’t realize that he had put the blanket on top of her until after the whole incident. This is a very important scene because it tells a lot about Boo Radley. For example, after reading this scene, I realized that Boo Radley was not that crazy kid who stabbed his father and that he has a heart.

Although I enjoyed watching the To Kill a Mockingbird film, I think that they should have spent more time planning and deciding which parts to include because many of the most important scenes were not included. For example, the movie did not include Aunt Alexandra (Atticus’s sister) or even the whole incident with Miss Dubose (wrathful neighbor). The movie would have been better if they would have made it in two parts.

Despite the fact that the movie disregarded several scenes, Kill a Mockingbird is an amazing book and does not deserve to have that reputation taken away by the couple of scenes that were not included. I would give the movie a rating of 3.5/5.

Readers Response – To Kill a Mockingbird

It depends how big the fight is, that will determine if you stay friends with the person or not. One of the main factors that determines if you should stay friends with a person is honesty. In this case too, if they have lied to you, it depends how large it is that determines if you should stay friends. For example, if the person’s dishonesty have had a large negative impact on your life then maybe you should not be friends anymore. When Atticus says that what people are saying about him and the Tom Robinson case are not worth loosing a friend, it shows that friendship means a lot to him and that he should throw it away just because some people are calling him names. I think that Atticus is setting a very good example for Scout and Jem, it is showing them that no matter what other people say about them, they should calm down and control themselves. if our friends and family express and opinion that we do not agree with, I think we should respect they opinion and kindly tell them our point of view. We should not get mad at them or do anything that could end your friendship.

 

Journal Entry 1

Journal Entry 2

Journal Entry 3

Journal Entry 4

Journal Entry 5

Journal Entry – Boo Radley

In Chapter one, we start to see that blacks and whites were not treated the same at that time period. The book was written in the 1960’s, during the great depression. In addition, the Jim Crow Lays were still active at that time. Both races were completely segregated and had completely different rights.

For example, Boo Radley (character) was accused of stabbing his father with scissors in the leg, which resulted in his death. Today, he would have been charges with fist degree murder and sent to prison for life.

Boo Radley was not sent to prison as he should have been. Instead, he was locked up in the basement. “The sheriff said that he didn’t have the hear to put him in jail alongside the negroes.” If Boo Radley would have been black, he would have surely been locked up, even for a smaller crime. This shows that both races were treated completely differently at that time. Boo Radley might have even been hung if he were black.

 

Journal Entry – Writing from a different perspective

My palms were sweaty and my heart was beating faster than it ever had. Atticus told me to stay calm because if not, it would make the situation even worse. He had informed me that he thought some men would come and do bad things to me. I pretended to be asleep so the men would not consider me as a threat. I was lying down for what felt like two hours, in my cell, until finally I heard someone say “He in there, Mr. Finch” Atticus responded “he is and he’s asleep.” The men replied “you know what we want.” I knew what they wanted, me. I did not know what to do. Should I run or continue pretending to be asleep? None of these options seemed like they would help me, so I just stayed immobile, in my cell. In addition to all of that, the sheriff was not there. The intruders had driven him away.

 

Right before I thought the invaders were about to attack Atticus, a little girl came running towards Atticus. This shocked us all. the men did not know how to responds to her. A couple of seconds later, two other kids came running in. This might just have saved me from the very bad things those men would have done to me. I was so scared and confused, that I did not realize that the kids had gotten themselves in a fight with the men, and they were winning! However, this did not last long before Atticus broke up the fight. The little girl did not seem to know what was going on. She had told the leader of group that she knew his sun. What did this have to do with what was currently happening? Surprisingly, the man responded by saying “I’ll tell him you said hi, little lady.” The whole crew left afterwards. This girl might just have saved my life!

What does being a “nigger-lover” mean to the residents of Maycomb? Why is this a powerful insult?

To be a nigger-lover in Maycomb county means that they love black people. In the time period in which the book was written, racism was very common. Blacks were said to be stupid, rude and ignorant. It is such a powerful insult because to be a nigger lover, we need to love blacks, and blacks were said to be stupid, so if we were a nigger lover at that time period, it meant that we were therefore stupid ourselves for loving black people. People in Maycomb county, claim that Atticus is said to be a nigger-lover.

Journal entry – Derogatory terms used to described blacks in Maycomb County

A we all know, racism is very common in Maycomb County, especially towards blacks. Negro, colored, nigger, nigga, African American and black are all names that civilians of Maycomb County have become used to calling blacks. There are actually two definition of the word nigger. The word “Nigger” is a derogatory term that is used against black people. The definition of the term “nigger” is a rude and ignorant person. It was very often used during the Atlantic slave trade, by the late 1800’s. It is commonly used as an offense to African descendants. The word nigga, however, has a completely different meaning than nigger. It is used as a form of slang and it is one of the most popular used world today. The term is mostly used by African Americans and hip hop musicians. However, many people still consider it as a derogatory term because of its roots from the word nigger.

 

The word negro was derived from Spain and means black in Spanish and Portuguese. Negro, in Argentina, Cuba and other Spanish speaking countries is used when talking to friends or family with no racial context. For example, if someone says “Oye, negrito. Como estás?”, it is not considered as a racial insult because the word negrito is referred to as “buddy”. However, if a person which does not speak Spanish says the word negro, it is considered as an insult. As Ta-Nehisi says, it is based on the relationship you have with the person that determines what you can and cannot say. If you say the word negro to a fellow Spanish speaking friend, it is acceptable because you and your friend are not attempting to use the word in a negative what. But if someone that does not speak Spanish says the world negro to a black person is it considered as an insult because they do not know the meaning of the word and most likely are saying it in an offensive way.

 

The term colored is another very commonly used world in the 1800’s. The word is used to describe African American or in other words people that are not white. The word colored is considered as a derogatory term because when someone says this word, it brings back memories of a very hard and racism time, which was when the Jim Crow lays were still active. During that time, the word colored was often written on posters to separate what blacks could use and what they could not use. For example, on top of each bathroom there would be a sign that said colored and white. The colored bathrooms were the ones that blacks could use and the white ones where the one that non black people could use. The way it was used in that time period makes not acceptable to say it in the world of today.

 

Is it acceptable to say “African American”? This term is preferred not being said because it is considered offensive to several people. Many blacks claim that they do not like to be called African American because several of them do not have any African descendants. This term is preferable to not be said in any context because of its offensive meaning. I believe that we should not call darker skinned people black or even African American, we should just call them by their real name. The terms negro, colored, nigga, nigger, African American and black are all word that should not be used in any way to describe a person even if you are black because all of them have a meaning in history that you might not know about and that other people might take serious offense to.

Journal Entry – Atticus is different

In the 1960’s, black  American’s faced humiliation, embarrassed and discrimination by the white people. The average life span of a black person was seven years less than a white person. In addition, they had three times less chance of getting a job than white people. Several black women at that time period served a job as a maid or a nanny. However, there were many restrictions that came with that job. For example, they were not allowed to use the indoor bathroom in the house, they had to go outside. One maid even got fired for using the indoor bathroom. This only one of the many restrictions that they endured.

 

Calpurnia, work as a nanny for the Finch family. Atticus, unlike other men in Maycomb County, permits Calpurnia to educate his children the way she wants to. She is even permitted to hit and reprimand Jem and Scout if they commit an act that she and Atticus do not permit. Other white men in this town would not let a black women hit or even try to educate their children, they would treat her as animal or oven some kind of beast that does not belong here. Atticus treats Calpurnia the same as ant other white person in the world. He respects her. He is not only open-minded, but he does not drink, gamble, smoke or hunt. He is an honorable man.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian – Book Review

Sherman Alexie is a man with many professions; he is an excellent novelist, a short-story writer, a poet and a filmmaker. Like Arnold, the protagonist in the story, he was born on a Spokane Native American Reservation, and as a child, he grew up around alcoholism – his father often left the house, sometimes for days, to go drinking and gambling. At school he would often get bullied because he was born with a condition called hydrocephalus, which made his head surprisingly bigger than usual. Alexie was always a very intelligent kid, which is why he chose to leave the reservation for a better education. All of these experiences make him the perfect person to write The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, a fascinating novel explaining the life of a young cartoonist determined to have a great future, even if it means leaving his beloved home.

 

In the Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Arnold (the protagonist) decides that he should probably leave the reservation if he wants to have a better life than most people in his tribe. As a consequence, his best friend abandons him. This idea was given to him by Mr. P, his teacher, after Arnold gets frustrated because his school is not very concerned about his education. He often draws cartoons when he is bored, tired, or sad; it is his way of expressing himself. Growing up in a Spokane reservation, Arnold realizes all of the problems that lie within the rez, such as alcoholism, drugs, gambling, lack of money, and security. He discovered this as he experiences the death of his sister, his grandmother and his dad’s best friend.

 

One of the crucial coming of age themes demonstrated in the book is “mentors and positive /negative role models.” Arnold’s mentor is undoubtedly Mr. P. At the start, the protagonist felt comfortable in the rez because he was used to life there. He was naive enough to think that he could have a bright future even if he stayed in the rez. But then, he receives a sudden epiphany and he realizes that there is no space for a bright future on the rez because of the lack of education. He discovered this after his mentor informs him that he must leave the reservation because everyone in Wellpinit has lost hope. Mr. P also mentioned that Arnold is the smartest kid in the rez; which made him think that he should take the risk of moving to a school filled with more hope.

 

Another very important coming of age theme that is found in the story is “money, class and socioeconomics.” Arnold is not the most wealthy child in the world. This is shown when the protagonist explains that his fridge is always empty. He often draws cartoons showing his dream that he could eat kentucky fried chicken for dinner one day. Arnold is often obligated to walk home because his parents don’t have a sufficient amount of money to pay for gasoline. In the book, the protagonist explains that he only gets a ride home once a week. Arnold often underestimated his parents wealth. This is demonstrated when Arnold blames his father for the death of his dog, but really his parents just could not afford to pay for medical care.

 

This book does not require strenuous work to read because it is appropriately explained. It is one of those books that whenever you have time, you will just grab the book and start reading, without any further thought. The book is so captivating that once you are finished reading it, you will wish there is a sequel. If you are a teenager, this book is written especially for you because it is written from an adolescent perspective. Arnold probably shares many likes and dislikes with you. There is not a single wasted word in all of the thirty chapters in the book. Every one of them is necessary in the Bildungsroman structure of this exciting novel by Sherman Alexie.

 

The title of the book reveals so much of the story. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian; Sherman Alexie has constructed this title in an ideal way in order to inform the readers that Arnold is facing identity problems. He is a part time Native American because he cannot figure out if he is part of the Spokane tribe, the American immigrants tribe or the cartoonist tribe. It is only at the end of the book that Arnold is wise enough to realize that he can be part of more than one tribe. Alexie has enriched the title of the book with his brilliant choice of words. This novel was formulated in a way to make people laugh- it is Sherman Alexie’s unique style. Arnold’s cartoons were made in a very ludicrous way; this is one of the traits that makes the book so delightful, interesting and addictive.

 

The most powerful message that Sherman Alexie is trying to transmit through the book is that no matter who you are or where you come from, you will always be able to work your way through a better and more liveable future with effort, failure and wise choices. This message is shown when Arnold decides to leave the reservation because he knows that if he stays in the rez, he will not have a bright future. Even though he knew he it would be hard for him to integrate himself outside of the rez and he would get bullied by his former classmates, he still made that choice to leave for a better future.

 

Although the Absolutely True Diary of a Part time Indian is Sherman Alexie’s first young adult novel, it has exceeded many people’s expectations. It has also won several awards, such as the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in the U.S. and the Odyssey Award. I think his goal was to inform the public about life on a Native American reservation. He is also trying to inform the public about why reservations were first invented; they were first invented with the goal of killing all of the Native Americans. In the world of today, many tribes have perished

Was it the right choice to ban To Kill a Mockingbird in Biloxi?

Recently, the southern gothic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird was removed from the 8th grade lesson plan in Biloxi, Mississippi. “Why did Biloxi pull To Kill a Mockingbird from the 8th grade lesson plan” written by Karen Nelson, stated that the school board organized a vote on whether this novel should be banned. As a result, the 8th grade students cannot read the book in the classroom anymore.

The main reason the book was removed is because it was making too many people feel uncomfortable with the use of the (n) word. I believe that one of the main factors leading to the decision being made are complaints made by the parents. The article stated,  “Most of them complained saying that the book was excessively inappropriate.”

I feel that the teachers were not included in the vote because most of them actually  enjoyed the book. One 8th grade teacher was amazed by the book and described it as” a simple love story.” Even though many passionate readers, like her, commented saying that the book should not be removed, it still got erased from the curriculum. I believe that the school board should not have banned To Kill a Mockingbird because it contains several issues relevant to today’s world and if we don’t talk about it, the problems will not get solved. Many consider the book an education about racism and its effects on people.

The banning of this book caused a nationwide response by American citizens. In fact, many people reacted by posting twitter comments saying “If we are going to solve the racial problems we have in our country now, we must confront the truth of how we got to where we are.” Another comment that was widely repeated is “If it is uncomfortable to read and discuss, so be it. Most things that matter deeply are.” I think what these individuals are trying to say is that most important things are not easy to talk about and we should confront it.

In addition, Arne Duncan, a former United States secretary of education is against the banning of the book. He expressed his opinion on a twitter comment when he said “When school districts remove ‘To Kill A Mockingbird‘ from the reading list, we know we have real problems.” I think what he means is that when Biloxi banned To Kill a Mockingbird it revealed that we are facing problems because the banning this book has limiting the students knowledge several aspects of the world that are discussed in the book.

The Biloxi district is trying to ignore the fact that racism is present in our everyday life, thinking that it will go away if we don’t talk about it. I agree with Arne Duncan’s statement because most things in life that have a large importance require hard choices and sometimes will make us feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, this man is a very well educated man and was previously a member of the democratic party.

In conclusion, I think that To Kill a Mockingbird is an American masterpiece in literature and there is no reason to ban it.