Analyzing Mrs. Dubose's Character: Courage & Tradition in To Kill a Mockingbird, Study notes of Financial Statement Analysis

Download Analyzing Mrs. Dubose's Character: Courage & Tradition in To Kill a Mockingbird and more Study notes Financial Statement Analysis in PDF only on Docsity! Example of a 5 - Entry Double –Sided Journal Chapter 11 Character& Pg#(s) Mrs. Dubose(100-111) Mrs. Dubose is an interesting woman. Although I cannot stand her because she is cruel to Scout and Jem, I understand that Harper Lee uses her character as a vehicle to develop her themes regarding courage and old tradition. It is obvious that Mrs. Dubose personifies the Old South –she is racist and closed-minded. However, her bout with overcoming a morphine addiction is the perfect opportunity to highlight what Atticus’ idea of courage is –fighting for a difficult goal even if you believe the odds are completely against you. I feel bad for Mrs. Dubose really, but still don’t think she had a right to treat others the way she did. I wonder where her family is... Quote: “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (112). –Atticus This is a really important quote in developing a theme about the idea of courage. Atticus defines courage here, explaining that Mrs. Dubose was courageous because she knew she was very close to death, but still wanted to do what was right, even if it was difficult – in her case beat her morphine addiction. Atticus probably sees himself in a similar way. He knows that the racist town will probably convict Tom Robinson regardless of what the evidence in the case shows, but he is going to try hard anyway because it is the right thing to do. He mentions that courage is not someone with “a gun in his hand” because he saw how impressed his children were by his shooting ability, but he would rather them revere this type of courageous behavior than that kinds, which he likely views as weak because the dog never had a chance against the gun, much like a black man doesn’t really have a chance against a white man in the racist south in which the story is set. Event: Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s Camelia Bushes(102-103) I totally understand why Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s camellia bushes. Even though we learn that she is struggling with addiction, her words are hurtful and mean, and that does not give anyone the right to treat others in such a cruel, inconsiderate way. She comments about his mother, which is clearly a topic of pain and sensitivity for Jem, and continually insults him, his father, and his sister. Everyone has a breaking point. I get why Atticus made Jem read to her, but I also don’t think it’s right that her actions were never addressed directly. I wonder how I would have responded...probably the same way Jem did or worse. Literary Technique: Symbolism Single “white, waxy, perfect camellia” given to Jem from Mrs. Dubose. (111) Before Mrs. Dubose dies, she leaves a gift for Jem. It is a white camellia, a “Snow-on-the- Mountain.” I feel that this represents or symbolizes a few things. For one, it shows that Mrs. Dubose was thankful to Jem, that she did have kindness and goodness in herself, and that Jem helped her bring that person back by helping her eliminate her addiction to morphine. People have addictions in general are usually very angry. Also the fact that it is a “Snow-on-the- Mountain” is significant and symbolic. White often symbolizes purity. Mrs. Dubose has been restored to a pure state and the image of a snow on a mountain shows that even things that are ugly can be restored to beauty, such as in a snowstorm, a fresh snow-covering looks beautiful and pure. Quote: “It’s not time to worry yet” (104). –Atticus Atticus keeps saying it’s not time to worry yet to the children. This is weird to me. It seems like everyone is being really mean to the children already, he said that he knew he wasn’t going to win the Tom Robinson case already, and it does seem like a time to worry to me. The other issue here for me is the word yet. This seems like foreshadowing to me. I’d like to know when it will be time to