Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Who is the best character in TKaM?

Now that you've finished what librarians have voted the best book of the 20th century, I want you to tell me why it's such good literature.

Specifically, address the following things:

1. Who is the best character in TKaM? Why? Explain yourself.

2. What makes TKaM such an incredible novel to read?

3. What have you learned from reading it?

When you've written your post, include your first name and last initial only at the bottom just like I do at the end of this.

Mister B.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

atticus was the best character because he had to do what was right at the right time and more than once,in TKaM he played the roll of going aginast the grain of everybody else by defending tom robinson.
TannerD

Anonymous said...

I belive that Scout was the best character in the book because she kept the novel interesting with her childish thoughts. Scout won my heart over compleatly though when she snuck out of the house with Jem and Dill, to see Atticus sitting infront of the jail doors. She was quite the little character. Those words that she said to those men were halarious to me, but she didn't think anything of them. That the best kind of humer is when its natural.

Janelle M.

BBAXLHS said...

Tanner,

Do you think going against the grain is a good thing???

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

1. I think the best character in to kill a mockingbird has to be scout. She standes up for her self and will fight with every one.


2. I think why to kill a mockingbird is a incre3dible novel is because it makes you think of all the thing going on in life and how some thing might effect you or someone else.


3. I have learned not to judge and think of every one as an equal, no one is better then on other.


Max N.

BBAXLHS said...

Janelle,

Is it her innocence or stupidity that you like?

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

Scout is my favorite character in TKaM. She is so Opinionated and not afraid to speak her mind. That makes her so interesting. We also get to see her grow and change throughout the book.

TKaM was a very touching book. It does more then teach you aboout the Scottsboro trail, it teaches you about life in the 1930's and what it was like to grow up as a black man or woman. But I wouldnt say it was the best book I have ever read. It was hard for me to keep up with the class because I didnt enjoy it enough to keep reading every night non-stop.

I learned a lot from this book. Most of it I already had some knowledge of, but I didnt realize how bad you had it if you were a black man on trial for anything. You chances of winning the case are already bad just because of the color of your skin.

Brittney H.

BBAXLHS said...

Brittney,

Do you still think this is about the Scottsboro trials?

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

1. I think that TKaM best character is Scout because i liked her attuide and just the way she talked in the book.

2. It tought us in the 1940's how prejudice people where. The way the people talked in the book and the way they acted. That what i liked about the book so much.

3. I learned how prejudice people where back in 1930 and how they acted. They acted so much more diffrent then we are today.
Gabrielle S.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

What makes a incredible novel to read is that it shows how people are and how they could be and that it takes a powerful person to do what is right at the right time when you know that to everybody else it wont matter and showing the pride that you have.

Anonymous said...

1)I think that the best character in To Kill A mockingbird is Atticus because he shows how to be a clean cut man. Even though he isnt the best father he teaches the kids what the need to know to make it in life. Another thing that shows that Atticus is a good man is that he help Tom Robison the best he could, showing that Atticus wasn't racist.
2)To kill A Mockingbird is a good book becuase shows how people were back then, and how most people were still racist.
3)I have learned from this book is that people should be treated equally.
Austen R.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKaM is Scout because she is so naive, yet very intelligent in her own way. Her voice in the story adds comedy and gives an inside look to what she was thinking through it all. It was quite interesting to read the story from a small girl's point of view. She understands more than most people think, yet is so innocent.
TKaM is an incredible book to read because it is filled with history. It really shows how prejudice people were in the 1930's, what they did because of it, and how stubborn they were. Atticus provided a prefect defense in the Tom Robinson case, yet the jury couldn't look past their hatred. It's amazing how different the '30s are from today, yet so similar. We have advanced in many ways, yet we can't get past some prejudices. It really comes to show you that no matter how hard you try, there will always be hatred, racism, and prejudice in the world.

-Tessa H.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus because he is really smart and not ignorant at all and he knows whats right and whats wrong, Atticus kind of has to becaus hes a laywer. This book is a incredible novel because it shows the descrimination of other colors. It also tells how bad prejudice can become, which is good in present day. I think it teaches people of my age about rasicim and horrible it is.
Michael O.

Anonymous said...

1.I think that the dad is the best caracter because he wanted his kids to grow up and be good he didnt want them cursing and stuff he just wanted them to be good kids that stayed out of trouble.

2.I liked the book because it was really interesting and had alot of diferent stuff that went on in it like there was this white guy and he saw a black kid in his garden and he started shooting at the black kid .

3.Ive learned that some of the whites were steel prejudice back then and they didnt want to see a black person on there property or they would shoot at them or even shoot them. derrick T.

Anonymous said...

1. The best character in TKAM is Scout because even though she is so young she is so smart but she is still oblivious sometimes about everything that is going on around her.

2. TKAM is such a good beacause it shows how things were in the 1930's and teaches you a really good lesson about prejudice and racism. It is also really good because it is coming from a girl who was so little.

3. What I have learned from TKAM is to not judge someone or something until I get to know the person or have better knowledge of something.
Katie T

Anonymous said...

1.)Atticus is the best charecter in T.K.A.M because he is sticking up for a black man and showing that he cares... that he is not rasist to other people. Atticus is also trying to teach his son and daughter very important values, so they will grow up very strong minded and have integrity.

2.)This is a great novel because it is showing that racism is a very bad thing and that u should not pre-judge someone before you actually get to know them! It teaches alot of good things in this book also! Like to do what you know is right and stick up for what you believe in!

3.)I have learned that people back in the days use to be very racist and that is not good... they treated african americans different then they should be treated and thats not right! Just because you are white doesnt make you the better person or race! We are all the same no matter what your skin color. So people shouldnt treat you different just because they dont know you or what your true values are!!!

BreAnna K.

Anonymous said...

The best character in TKaM is Atticus. Atticus is the best character because he fought for what was right and he didn't care that some people didn't agree with his veiws. If Atticus wasn't in this story, i don't think there really would be a story, he is what makes this novel so incredible. Also, the way he fought for an African American in such times of prejudice. He is what makes the novel interesting to read, you always wonder what he will do next. You're always interested in what is going on in the trial and what atticus is doing, in the second part of the book. I have learned that as American's we have done a lot of things unfiarly in the past. I am so thankful that today things like prejudice in the court room has been changed, and that a lot of peoples veiws have changed.

Katie O.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKAM is Scout. I think that Scout is the best character because she is so innocent but is also very intelligent. She makes the story more interesting by adding spice to a controversial topic. She is wise beyond her years and changes characters perspectives in the story. She is naive and sometimes dosen't know what is actually going on but she has a personality that is very warm and loving.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird is an incredible novel because it involves controversial topics from the past that are still present in everyday life. The narrator is a loveable character that brings spice to the characters lives. The themes of prejudice are in a way 'toned down' by the narrator but still very evident. Some of the characters in the novel have a great deal of integrity. The powerful integrity of some of the characters (namely Atticus, Scout, and Jem) makes yourself as a reader, want to make great changes in the world. I have learned that it takes a strong person with integrity to stand up and make a difference.

Anonymous said...

In my oppinion, the best character is Atticus Finch. He was steadfast and kind, but also he got the job done and did his best even though everyone was against him. He went through with the trial, knowing there was no way he could possibly win it, and he gave his best, putting his support fully behind Tom Robinson, even though he was called names and threatened. He never thought about quitting, and he always put his client ahead of himself, and was always caring towards his family and friends.

This was such an incredible novel to read because of the way it makes you think. You end up asking yourself, "how can people do this?" and you wonder what it would be like if racism was as affluent today as it was in the 30's. It also makes you proud of those people that were smart enough to know that just because of his skin color a man is no less a man. Although you may wish that these events never transpired, or have tryed to forget them. It is best to remember the bad things we have done, and to take action to not let them happen again.

I have learned alot from this book, such as the hardships that African-Americans were put through in earlier America, and the way it affected their lives and families. It makes me not want to ever judge a person by their skin color or religion, and to also take action against those people who do judge that way. I hope that everyone has learned the same lesson and will at least try to be more tolerant towards those they may know nothing about. It also made me proud of the way things have changed from then to today, but still feeling bad for the way we mistreated almost every race and religion in American history. I know also that racism is still around, and that it probably will be forever. But I at least hope that people will learn, and that there will be only few people in the future who follow their racist ways.


Zach G.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKAM is Scout. I think that Scout is the best character because she is so innocent but is also very intelligent. She makes the story more interesting by adding spice to a controversial topic. She is wise beyond her years and changes characters perspectives in the story. She is naive and sometimes dosen't know what is actually going on but she has a personality that is very warm and loving.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird is an incredible novel because it involves controversial topics from the past that are still present in everyday life. The narrator is a loveable character that brings spice to the characters lives. The themes of prejudice are in a way 'toned down' by the narrator but still very evident. Some of the characters in the novel have a great deal of integrity. The powerful integrity of some of the characters (namely Atticus, Scout, and Jem) makes yourself as a reader, want to make great changes in the world. I have learned that it takes a strong person with integrity to stand up and make a difference.
-Sara D.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKaM is Scout. She is very intelligent and I think she is very strong girl for her age. She is intelligent because well she can read all before she is even in her first year of school. She is strong physically and emotionally, she can take on all the things that are going on in Maycomb.She has a really strong opinion on the goodness of people and for a little girl that is quite amazing.

To Kill a Mocking Bird is such a great novel because it goes portrays the life in the 1930's. It also is very realistic, the book takes a real situation from the time ( The Scott's Burro Trial ) and puts it into play, about how people in the community would not be accepting towards blacks and how law forces are sometimes not fair. Since the book is so realistic and you are able to get information from it people tend to enjoy books like these.

I have learned a lot from To Kill a Mockingbird, I learned about the Scottsburro trials and how much racism was going on in the 1930's. I knew there was a lot of racism but to some degree's I didnt know it was that severe at times.

Serena C.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKAM is Scout. I think that Scout is the best character because she is so innocent but is also very intelligent. She makes the story more interesting by adding spice to a controversial topic. She is wise beyond her years and changes characters perspectives in the story. She is naive and sometimes dosen't know what is actually going on but she has a personality that is very warm and loving.
To Kill a Mockingbird is an incredible novel because it involves controversial topics from the past that are still present in everyday life. The narrator is a loveable character that brings spice to the characters lives. The themes of prejudice are in a way 'toned down' by the narrator but still very evident. Some of the characters in the novel have a great deal of integrity. The powerful integrity of some of the characters (namely Atticus, Scout, and Jem) makes yourself as a reader, want to make great changes in the world. I have learned that it takes a strong person with integrity to stand up and make a difference.
-Sara D.

Anonymous said...

I think the best character in TKAM is Scout. I think that Scout is the best character because she is so innocent but is also very intelligent. She makes the story more interesting by adding spice to a controversial topic. She is wise beyond her years and changes characters perspectives in the story. She is naive and sometimes dosen't know what is actually going on but she has a personality that is very warm and loving. To Kill a Mockingbird is an incredible novel because it involves controversial topics from the past that are still present in everyday life. The narrator is a loveable character that brings spice to the characters lives. The themes of prejudice are in a way 'toned down' by the narrator but still very evident. Some of the characters in the novel have a great deal of integrity. The powerful integrity of some of the characters (namely Atticus, Scout, and Jem) makes yourself as a reader, want to make great changes in the world. I have learned that it takes a strong person with integrity to stand up and make a difference.
-Sara D.

Anonymous said...

1. The best character in TKaM I would have to say would be Jem. He is a hot-head sometimes, but he also is more mature then say Scout or Dill. He gets hit more hard by all the things that happen throughout the book and Scout is too young to understand most of what is going on. Jem tries to teach Scout the right things to do and set her straight so her life is say easier. Jem knows what is going and knows what happens throughout the book like at the Tom Rpbinson trial for example, and Scout has no idea what is going on she just kind is sitting there listening to what is goign on. Another example would be when the group of people try to go kill Tom Robinson her, Dill, and Jem go to see whats happening and Jem tells Scout not to go run to Atticus but she does and she thinks she knows everyone in the circle, but she doesn't the only person she know is Mr. Cunningham. She does wind up saving Tom but she still makes like childish decisions.

2. What makes TKaM such a great novel would be what we talk about a lot throughout the book as a class (Prejudice & Integrity & in a sense Pride.) Most people in the book are racist and use the profound word "nigger" a lot. Scout has to deal with her father being called a "nigger-lover" by school kids and even her own but she defends him and Atticus knows the white communtiy in Maycomb thinks he's a "nigger-lover" and don't like it thats he's defending a black man, but he sticks with and tries as hard as he can to defend Mr. Robinson and prove thats he's not guilty even though he knows he'll lose the case already. These three things make the book an amazing one to read, it's funny, sad, and truth-telling.

3. I've learned some more to not be prejudice to people and to get to know them before I make a decision where or not I like them. This book teaches a lesson but it's more a lesson that can be taugh back in the day, because nowadays we don't use the term "nigger" pretty much anymore and there is way less racism then there was in the 1930's.

Quinn C.

Anonymous said...

1. The best character in TKaM, think, is Atticus. Atticus has integrity. He never cusses in this book, and is always trying to set a good example for his kids, and anyone who sees him.

2. I liked this novel because it deals a lot about the depression, growing up in the depression and basically what it was like. It also is comparable to the Scottsboro trials.

3. I learned what it was like in the 1930's and how black people were treated. It is a good book for anyone to read and is a great experience. It jsut shows how hard times were in the Great Depression, such as Atticus owning a car but almost never driving it, and people paying a bag of potatoes for a baby.
Gavin B.

Anonymous said...

1. The best character in TKAM is Scout because she is a young innocent girl learning about life. She is experiencing things about life and how the world is. The world is not always pretty and kind she is slowly, but surely learning this. Scout grew up in a world that was not always fair, but she learned what was fair and what was wrong; just as any young child eventually comes to understand. I love the fact that she is a little girl who does not know exactly all of what is going on, but she definitely does surprise with what she does know.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird is an amazing book because of all of the life lessons you get from it. You are seeing it through the eyes of a young girl who is learning and experiencing the lessons right along with you. You get a good taste of prejudice towards people in that time, and it makes you think of the prejudice in the world still today.
3. I have learned that there was not much people could really do back then to help stop the prejudice. It was tough because people were afraid of change and afraid to really stick up for something that they truly believed in. I learned that there is still prejudice in the world and because people are afraid, hateful, and unwilling to accept change that there will always be prejudice. The only thing that you can really do is to be open minded, kind to others, and be willing to accept change not just for other people and things, but also in yourself.

Cory S.

Anonymous said...

Mister B.

No but it does relate to the trials. Atticuses trial shows how difficult the Scottsboro trials must have been.

Brittney H.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

1.I think that the best character in TKaM is Scout be cause she diffrent attuid and personality.

2.Well there a lot happening. Like how prejudice people were then,and how diffrent people are from one another.

3.that there was prejudice and people thought of each other diffrenty.
Sarah H.

Anonymous said...

1)I really like Scout mostly because she's so young and naive and basicly clueless about what's going on. Also I like the innocence about her. How she wants to know what certain things mean when really no child at her age should know what they mean. And then I like how she believes everything she hears. WHich in some cases could be a bad thing because not everything you hear is true or moraly right.

2)The way it has a child's point of view. Honestly that's the only reason I liked it at all. The things the children do and say are funny. You wouldn't see anybody goijng up and asking adbout someone's entailments and telling them you beat up their son. The fact that she didn't know what she was doing struck me as absolutely hilarious. I generally don't like books that take place in the past but the humor was what kept me interested.

3)I've learned to watch what I even keep to myself. Because eventually the hard feelings I have towards others could turn into prejudice and that is wrong. Even little things like if i don't like the way a person dresses or talks or the fact that they may not have as much money as me, that is predjudice and i need not to let my feelings toward people like that harden and let that effect they way I look at people. Honestly I need to work on seeing people as people and not judge them by the way they look or act.

Sam B.

Anonymous said...

Scout is the best character. I choose Scout as the best character because of our similarites. Were both tom boys who wouldn't be caught wearing a dress.

I didn't like reading TKAM because of the dialect. If there is one thing that I liked the most about it is all the crazy things Scout, Dill and Jem did.

I learned how bad racism was back then. About how the racism effected the judgment the jury made.

Christina S.

Anonymous said...

1. In my point of view my favorite character in TKaM is Scout, because she is has an interesting personality and I can relate to her from when I was younger. When I was younger I was very much liker her, I tried to act like my older brother, I was always getting in to trouble, and I was a tomboy like Scout.
2. TKaM is a incredible novel to read because, I think that a lot of people find racism an interesting subject, and most older people like to read books about childhood, such as scout, and Jem's childhood, because older people can relate their childhood with the children's childhood in
the book.
3. I learned a lot from reading TKaM, I didn't know how much racism effected people in the 1930's, and I didn't fully understand how the black people were treated in the 1930's, I always knew that the white people did not like the black people, but now I understand that the white people did not respect them at all. Also the black people were expected to work and help the white people for free or little pay, which is unfair to the black people.


Bridget M.

Anonymous said...

What is meant by "best"? The most morally upright? My favorite character? The strongest character in the story? The character we sympathize with the most?

The most morally "good" is either Atticus or Miss Maudie. Miss Maudie isn't as inquisitive as Atticus, but Atticus is constantly holding up what he thinks is right.

Unless you happen to have some unusual tie to a certain character (perhaps not unusual, I know a great many adults who 'modeled' themselves after Atticus, for example), Scout would be the one to sympathize with. Not only is it told from her perspective, but she has an ignorant voice which can discover things others are blind to.

There's a certain amount of honesty that gives TKaM a very wide appeal, especially since there are characters representing many different people (Scout for youth, Jem for adolescence, Atticus and others for the closed-mindedness of adulthood, etcetera)
and these people are given life by Scout's basic descriptions. I personally also liked the courtroom scene very much, but that would just be a personal interest.

I can't honestly say I had heard anything from this novel that I haven't heard before, although this was more sincere. Taking a quote or an idea from this novel seems common practice, but often enough, it loses meaning to the reciever because they haven't been taken through each step that came to that idea. It's overcritical of me to judge that though, and so I won't. What I personally learned, I think, or was impressed on, was the importance of a fair trial.

Nik H.

Anonymous said...

I believe that Scout was the best character in the book because she kept the novel interesting with her childish thoughts. Scout won my heart over completely though when she snuck out of the house with Jem and Dill, to see Atticus sitting in front of the jail doors. She was quite the little character. Those words that she said to those men were hilarious to me, but she didn't think anything of them. That the best kind of humor is when it's natural.
TKaM is a great novel because it really shows an inside look on racism and contrary to popular belief, not every white person in the south in the 1930's was prejudice against black people. A
I have learned a lot about the way of life during the depression. Nobody had much, but what they did have they made good use of. People did not always pay with money but perhaps with goods which was fine.
Janelle M.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

What i have learned from this novel is that to do in what you believe in no matter what the reason is and if your going to believe in something dont look back on it. It also showed me that you need lots of power to do what atticus had done and to do what is right even when nobody is looking
TannerD

Anonymous said...

well mr. B i think when it is the right thing to do and you really believe in it than go aginst the grain do you believe in going aginst the grain?
TannerD

BBAXLHS said...

Nik,

Are you saying not everyone gets a fair trial today?

Mister B.

Anonymous said...

Im not really sure who the best charcter in the book is, but I guess I'd have to go with Tom Robinson, because he epitomized the idea of racism and prejudice. He was bascially an example of how predujice can skew a person's view and make them ignore the logic or truth in things.
Ian D.

Anonymous said...

Not exactly. As far as I know, trials are fair today. Because of this, I had taken fair trials for granted, in spite of much advice to realize how important many of the things we have now (fair trials, equality of rights [officially, atleast], etc). The book is much more convincing about how important these things are - that's what I meant.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Baxter,

Not exactly. As far as I know, trials are fair today. Because of this, I had taken fair trials for granted, in spite of much advice to realize how important many of the things we have now (fair trials, equality of rights [officially, atleast], etc). The book is much more convincing about how important these things are - that's what I meant.

Nik H.

BBAXLHS said...

Nik,

Good points. We take for granted many things that we don't typically have to worry about.

Mr. B.

Anonymous said...

1. I think scout is the best character because she is a little funny and she will believe just about anything.

2. Its a mystery sortof a tough mystery and alot of people love a good mystery based novel.

3. what I learned from this book is that predgudisum was very bad in those times and I learned not to believe in everything that some one says.

Justin l.