Thursday, October 19, 2000

Christian, William Discussion Page

21 comments:

  1. Hey im Will. I like to go skating and for walks when its nice out. Whats it like in canada?

    ReplyDelete
  2. My impression of maycomb is that the town is very low on money, and people have a low level of education.

    A few social issues is that everyone is very racist, teachers beat thier kids, and more things like that.

    I think Boo Radley will become a main character in the story.

    Being an outsider to me means no one likes you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think the children are so consumed with Boo is because he is suspicious, and never leaves his house. Since Boo is this way, the children go after him. Children are usually curious to begin with anyway.

    Out by me there are no popular myths or legends sadly.

    To me Boo is a sneaky, quiet, type of person. Boo always is in hiding and doesnt like to be in the spot-light.

    Education today is completely different than in Maycomb. Most 1st and 2nd graders can read, and have a higher IQ than kids in Maycomb.

    I think Boo is secretly up to some thing but the children havent found out what it is yet.

    Personally, I think that Boo Radley is a murderer, or a burgler.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didnt scare you did I? you don't talk much.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think Maycomb is a poor town that is very set in its beliefs, and I also think they are very racist.

    Some social issues are racism, and people who are disappointments like that kid who always comes to school that first day and skips the rest of the year. I don’t think that teachers beating children is really an issue, because it helps make kids more respectful and keeps them in line.

    I think that Boo Radley and Jem may start some sort of friendship or something like that.

    I think that Boo Radley is considered a disappointment to the town, like some sort of embarrassing thing that they prefer not to talk about.

    I agree with you that an outsider is someone who nobody likes, someone who is different than the majority of people. Some people are outsiders because they can’t stand the way other people behave and think, and just choose not to associate with people.

    Chapter 1: Maycomb was old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it.
    I think this also represents some of their old social issues.

    Chapter 2: Mrs. Caroline, he’s a Cunningham.
    This shows the condition of most of the people of Maycomb. Most of them are poor.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No, you don't scare me. Apparently all my previous posts have been unacceptable.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I found it humourous when they were talking about the school system and had no idea what they were really talking about. I had no childhood memories like this. The children are probably obsessed with Boo because they have never seen him but have lots of stories and have very active imaginations. It also helps that they had nothing else to do in the old days. I can’t really relate to this obsession because there is no one that weird around where I live. There are also no myths or legends around my area. I have learned that Boo is probably lonely and shy after all these years of being stuck inside a house. This book gives me the sense that Harper Lee didn’t enjoy her schooling. I don’t really like school either. Education is way different today because no one fails much anymore and teachers aren’t allowed to beat children, and I think that if a kid could read in kindergarten it would be considered a bonus, not vice versa.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This book shows courage in Atticus. He isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in and he does his job no matter what. There is cowardice in all the kids and adults who call the Finches “nigger lovers”. I think so far Jem is the most courageous while the old lady is the most cowardly.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey!
    I just evaluated your posts'.
    You both are doing a great job!
    What you could do to make it better would to reflect on your life compared to the story. You could also try to carry on the discussion, but overall very well done.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Post your final response to the question: Does the perspective from which this story is told improve or detract from the novel? Support your position with specific references to and quotes from the text.

    I believe the perspective that this story is told from improves the novel because it is more interesting from a child's perspective, and even a little humourous sometimes. It is funny when Jem is telling Scout about teaching methods like the Dewey Decimal System.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey! My names Brooke. I'm 15 and i live in wisconsin. I attend Westosha Central Highschool and I'm in tenth grade. There isn't much to do around here so the majority of the time I'm with my friends. I live in an average town where everyone recognizes eachother. Thing i like to do include seeing movies, reading, swimming, photography and hanging out with my friends. You could probably assume Wisconsin is full of fields and cows. Your right. What's Canada like? What do you like to do?

    What i liked most about this book is how the author really got you involed with the characters, and wrote so that you almost felt like you were in their position. A lesson I learned from this book was when Scout wanted to smoosh the roly poly bug and jem told her not to because it did nothing to hurt her. I think Jem learned that lesson from watching Tom get locked up for no reason. Did you learn any life lessons from this book? What was your favorite part?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes i think it is better that it is told from a kids perspective because its funnier.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi am Jason G. and I go to Westosha Central and I am 15 years old. I have a response to Will's blog. I believe the book is much more interesting if it is told by an adult's perspective. When a child tells it is as if the book has lost its serious tone and in my eyes it is considered a joke. I am not trying to belittle you, Will, in any way, it is just my opinion. With that said, I found To Kill a Mockingbird to be a very interesting book that had its own message attached. The message that I believed the book focused on was to treat all people like you would want to be treated and that every person should have equal rights no mater what the color of there skin is.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I believe that Bob Ewell is the antagonist of the novel, because he is going to carry a grudge against the Finches and maybe even the black community.
    I think that Scout’s aunt is an opposing character, and is forcing Scout to reflect and question whether she should act more ladylike or if the way she is currently behaving is acceptable. Also, the kids that make fun of her father being a “nigger lover” force her to reflect on the way that she deals with problems. She would have shut the kids up by beating them into submission, but her father wants her to ignore them.
    I think the way to make a good work of historical fiction is to make characters that you can relate to, and think of as ancient versions of you. If you can get into a character’s mind and understand how they would feel about a certain situation, it makes the book that much easier to get into.

    Christian

    ReplyDelete
  15. One of the symptoms of Jem’s coming of age is a bottomless stomach. He eats a lot, and Scout asks Atticus if he has a tapeworm. Another symptom is his moodiness. When he gets into a certain mood, Scout knows better than to continue bothering him. Also, Jem thinks that Scout ought to “grow up and act more like a girl”. Also, Jem doesn’t want Scout to hang out with him because he is afraid she will embarrass him in front of his friends.
    I don’t really know the symptoms of my coming of age. I think you would have to get a third person point of view to really be able to recognize the changes in my behaviour.
    The mob scene tells us that humans will get a certain idea in their head, like the mob thinking that they needed to take Tom Robinson out into the woods and lynch him, and it takes the innocence of a child to bring them back to reality and for them to realize the error of their ways. It also tells us that someone who you thought was your friend can turn right around and stab you in the back. Atticus helped Walter with his trial, and didn’t demand immediate payment, and Walter paid him back by almost gang-beating him.

    Christian

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think that Bob Ewell is holding a grudge against the Finches and the Black community because of the Court house ordeal.

    Scouts aunt wants scout to act more lady-like because she is getting older. She wantes scout to dress better and clean up more often.

    Toms left arm is crippled because he got it caught in a cotton gyn. And in the court house; he supposadly raped mayella Ewell. The jury is racist so thats how the court room is going, right now atticus is losing. I think her dad beat her up and raped her, i think this because Tom is crippled and most likely cant do that.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi. My name is Logan and I go to Westosha Central. First of all I believe that Scout's aunt not only wants Scout to wear a dress because of her age but also because of their family name. Scout's aunt looks down at Cal in the book and looks down at the Cunninghams because they are "lower" than the Finches.

    Another thing about the court case is that it also shows a major part in Jem's development process. He believes his father is winning but Jem does not yet understand the society in which he lives because Atticus has raised him well.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Focus # 8

    There are some major turning points in this story so far,some of them are like the court case that just ended through chap 24. It changed the way Jem and Scout see Atticus completely. I believe this is the main turning point in the book so far. It is also big because in most books many problems turn out good, but so far Tom Robinson lost the trial.

    Atticus calls out Bob Ewell to the main stands because he changes his story a few times, along with Mayala. Atticus made a statement about the court system explaining how that the court system needs to be fixed because there was no witnesses except the ones in the argument, the jury didn't help at all just saying they believe one person, they actually didn't see anything happen though.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi, Logan again. This trial is a very important part of the story. Even though Tom is innocent and people know if from reading the book, many people in Maycomb disrespect the colored community.

    You can tell that Tom is innocent from the people Atticus brings to the seat and how they react. When the sheriff did not call the doctor it seemed weird. From the text, you could also tell Mayella Ewell was a terrible liar and Bob Ewell did not have any evidence.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think the quote "Atticus had used every tool available to free Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was dead the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed." meant that atticus had to use every trick in the book to try to win, but the town was so racist that from the start the case was already decided.

    The quote from scout about hitler meant that jem hated hitler, but was still mean to people at home. I think that scout doesnt understand the difference of what hitler did compared to what jem does. Jem may only get into little fights with his family, but Hitler gets into fights with the whole world.

    Harper Lees theme of injustice is just like today and even a little in my community of how many people are racist, lie and cheat to anyone if they have to get out of trouble. Harper Lee shows the many problems with todays society in her novel.

    People behave in personal hypocrise because they are looking out for others, but sometimes they just are being selfish.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I believe that Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson are compared to a Mockingbird. They both have never hurt anyone, and all they do is bring good to the people, just like a mocking bird. The differences they have with a mocking bird are little to none. They are the same because they are respectful and harmful people.

    Throughout the novel scout learned many things. Scout learned how to be more like lady. She also learned how to be nice to people, be respectful, and how to act more mature. Atticus taught her how to do some of these things, and Calpurnia was also a big help too.

    The difference between White people and Black people is that in the novel White people hate the Black people, they disrespect them every day, and many White people kill the Black people every day too. Today White and Black people now respect each other and there is no difference between them.

    I think that Atticus is the most heroic person in the Novel, he shows everyone the bright side of things but also helps many people out in thier time of need. He helped a Black person, Tom Robinson with his trial. Many people hated Atticus for helping Tom, But Atticus helped him anyway.

    ReplyDelete

Post Your Message