Turning point essay on To Kill a Mockingbird. What follows is a skeleton outline of an answer which you should try to complete. This will involve you in developing topic sentences into full paragraphs in most cases. I have finished a few key paragraphs for you.
Choose a novel or short story in which there is an obvious climax or turning point. Show how the writer leads up to this turning point or climax, and say what its significance is for the rest of the story.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a novel in which there is an obvious turning point, which is the trial scene. There is a clear difference between what we understand of Maycomb and the main characters before this scene and after it, which helps us to see what Harper Lee is saying about prejudice and its grip on some parts of the USA.
The setting of Maycomb is affected by the trial scene. Topic sentence: At the start it is a place where the history of slavery has ruined the relationship between…
Topic sentence: Maycomb is a place which does not welcome change.
Topic sentence: The theme of prejudice is a problem which has grown out of Maycomb and its history. We see it in …
Topic sentence:The theme of prejudice leads to the further theme of injustice. Tom’s conviction is clearly unjust because Atticus has shown that he could not have assaulted Mayella. This leads to Tom’s tragic death when he gives up hope and attempts to escape jail. As a result he is shot 17 times. He would rather take a wild chance on escape and be shot than endure the prolonged agony of the white mans injustice. The black reverend says,”I ain’t never seen any jury decide in favour of a coloured man over a white man.” As all white men are clearly not good just because they are white, this has to mean that the world of Maycomb is unjust.
Atticus is a character who is understood differently by the Maycomb community because of the trial scene – and most particularly by his children.
Topic sentence: At first the children think their father is quite dull.
Topic sentence: In fact Atticus is quite different from everyone else in Maycomb.
Topic sentence: Atticus shows great compassion for others in a way that others do not. (appropriate to mention his contrasting attitude to Boo Radley here)
Topic sentence: Atticus shows great courage in taking on the Tom Robinson case.
Topic sentence: The structure of the novel helps us appreciate Atticus’ compassion skill and courage all the more deeply because…
Topic sentence: After the turning point in the novel – the court case – there are a few hints of change coming. Maycomb begins to show just a few signs of the very beginnings of change. This can be seen in the few people who can see the injustice of the verdict, including Miss Maudie, Dolphus Raymond and the children. Jem said, “You can’t just convict a man on evidence like that – you can’t”, but this shows how shocked he is to realize the injustice of Maycomb because of its old fashioned attitudes. The change is that Jem can see there is something wrong with Maycomb, which he would not have otherwise realized. Not everyone in Maycomb is happy that Atticus lost the case. The very fact that Atticus was given the case shows that the judge wanted it properly presented, and would not allow Tom to be defended by an inexperienced lawyer. The children have also learned how special their father is because of this scene, which makes it clear that Atticus is the most important character in the book, and in the trial scene we see most clearly what is so special about him.
Choose a novel or short story in which there is an obvious climax or turning point.
Show how the writer leads up to this turning point or climax, and say what its significance is for the rest of the story.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a novel in which there is an obvious turning point, which is the trial scene. There is a clear difference between what we understand of Maycomb and the main characters before this scene and after it, which helps us to see what Harper Lee is saying about prejudice and its grip on some parts of the USA.
The setting of Maycomb is affected by the trial scene.
Topic sentence: At the start it is a place where the history of slavery has ruined the relationship between…
Topic sentence: Maycomb is a place which does not welcome change.
Topic sentence: The theme of prejudice is a problem which has grown out of Maycomb and its history. We see it in …
Topic sentence: The theme of prejudice leads to the further theme of injustice. Tom’s conviction is clearly unjust because Atticus has shown that he could not have assaulted Mayella. This leads to Tom’s tragic death when he gives up hope and attempts to escape jail. As a result he is shot 17 times. He would rather take a wild chance on escape and be shot than endure the prolonged agony of the white mans injustice. The black reverend says,”I ain’t never seen any jury decide in favour of a coloured man over a white man.” As all white men are clearly not good just because they are white, this has to mean that the world of Maycomb is unjust.
Atticus is a character who is understood differently by the Maycomb community because of the trial scene – and most particularly by his children.
Topic sentence: At first the children think their father is quite dull.
Topic sentence: In fact Atticus is quite different from everyone else in Maycomb.
Topic sentence: Atticus shows great compassion for others in a way that others do not. (appropriate to mention his contrasting attitude to Boo Radley here)
Topic sentence: Atticus shows great courage in taking on the Tom Robinson case.
Topic sentence: The structure of the novel helps us appreciate Atticus’ compassion skill and courage all the more deeply because…
Topic sentence: After the turning point in the novel – the court case – there are a few hints of change coming. Maycomb begins to show just a few signs of the very beginnings of change. This can be seen in the few people who can see the injustice of the verdict, including Miss Maudie, Dolphus Raymond and the children. Jem said, “You can’t just convict a man on evidence like that – you can’t”, but this shows how shocked he is to realize the injustice of Maycomb because of its old fashioned attitudes. The change is that Jem can see there is something wrong with Maycomb, which he would not have otherwise realized. Not everyone in Maycomb is happy that Atticus lost the case. The very fact that Atticus was given the case shows that the judge wanted it properly presented, and would not allow Tom to be defended by an inexperienced lawyer. The children have also learned how special their father is because of this scene, which makes it clear that Atticus is the most important character in the book, and in the trial scene we see most clearly what is so special about him.