Discover the narrator of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Gain insight into Harper Lee’s classic novel and uncover the perspective that guides this beloved story.
Jean Louise Finch aka Scout narrated To Kill a Mockingbird, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel –also adapted to film — written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. Scout is the daughter of the book’s protagonist, Atticus Finch, and the story is told from her first-person point of view.
The “To Kill a Mockingbird” story is set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s and revolves around the trial of a black man named Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white woman.
Scout is six years old when the story begins and eight years old when it ends, and she is characterized as being tomboyish, curious, and fiercely independent. Her innocence and naivety provide a unique perspective on the events of the story, as she tries to make sense of the complex social and racial issues that unfold in her small Alabama town.
Despite her young age, Scout is portrayed as intelligent and perceptive, and her observations on the world around her contribute to the book’s themes of prejudice, justice, and morality.
The Narrator
- Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, the spunky narrator of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Go Set a Watchman”. She’s come a long way from the naive 6-year-old she starts out as, maturing into a 9-year-old with a newfound understanding of racism and human nature in her small town.
- In the film adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Scout role was enacted by Mary Badham.
- Scout was selected as the narrator because of her innocence, strong sense of justice, and naive point of view regarding the loss of virtue that Lee aimed to convey as the most important objective.
- Because Scout is very young, she has a unique perspective that plays a critical role in the book’s meaning. Her innocence causes her to misunderstand and misinterpret things, leading to an unreliable narration.
- Scout is a tomboy through and through, spending most of her time with her brother Jem and best friend Dill. She’s not interested in conforming to traditional gender roles, either – when Jem suggests she start sewing and acting more ladylike, she responds with a firm “Hell, no”.
- Luckily, Scout has a dad who supports her – Atticus Finch is a lawyer and a champion of equality for all races, and he raises his children to believe the same. They’re all outraged when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly accused and ultimately convicted of rape by a racist jury.
- Scout’s other best friend is the plucky Dill, who’s obsessed with the mysterious Boo Radley. Despite their childish fantasies about Boo being a monster, they eventually learn that he’s a kind person who’s been misunderstood by the town.
- Sadly, not everyone in Scout’s world is so decent – there’s the Ewells, a white trash family who are nothing but trouble. Bob Ewell falsely accuses Tom Robinson of rape to cover up his own daughter’s advances towards Tom, and his racism ultimately leads to Tom’s unjust death.
- And as if all that drama weren’t enough, Scout’s mom died when she was just two years old. It’s no wonder she’s such a tough cookie!
- “Mockingbird” spans just two years, from 1933 to 1935, but it’s a time of great growth for Scout and her family. By the end of the novel, Scout is 8, Jem is almost 13, and Atticus is still a hero in their eyes.
As the story is told from a first-person perspective, we only see things from Scout’s biased point of view. We get to witness her growth and development from an innocent child who believes in right and wrong to someone who begins to understand the complexities of the world around her.
Scout’s misunderstandings are sometimes comical, like when she thinks her father is “feeble” because he is “nearly fifty,” but they also highlight the importance of perspective and how it can impact our understanding of events.
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Remarks
In conclusion, the narrator of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout. Through her perspective, readers are able to gain a unique and insightful understanding of the novel’s themes and characters.
Understanding the role of the narrator is crucial to fully appreciating the depth and complexity of Harper Lee’s masterpiece. By delving deeper into Scout’s perspective, readers can appreciate the richness of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the enduring legacy it has left on literature and society.
