To Kill a Mockingbird

Listening to young children giggle as they race around the playground, it is not hard to understand why people associate childhood with being carefree. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. At some point in their life, all children go through the loss of innocence, a life changing experience, if not a series of them, that transforms the world views of children into those of mature adults. During this transition, a child has unstable emotions, changing attitudes, and a shifting moral compass. Consequently, the child is apt to endure substantial internal conflict.

The loss of innocence usually happens gradually as one progresses from childhood to adulthood, but it may occur rapidly as the result of a traumatic experience. The loss of innocence is a common theme in literature, both because the experience is universal and because it is a rich source of psychological turmoil. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye are two well known examples of the bildungsroman, a literary genre centered around a young protagonist’s coming of age. Set in vastly different cultures, To Kill a Mockingbird tells of a rapid and premature loss of innocence that results from trauma, while The Catcher in the Rye portrays a more gradual, yet very traumatic path during which the protagonist loses his innocence. While the cultural settings and the pace of the losses of innocence are starkly different, both stories depict stressful and psychologically challenging transitions.

Harper Lee’s courtroom drama, To Kill a Mockingbird, is set in Maycomb, a small town in Alabama, during the Great Depression. The novel chronicles the abrupt loss of innocence experienced by Scout Finch, a little girl. She is traumatized as the result of witnessing the seemingly nonsensical incarceration of Tom Robinson, a black man, for a crime he did not commit. When Atticus, Scout’s father, decides to defend Robinson in court, all of his family members are affected. Atticus had been well respected in his community up until this point, but his decision to defend a black man shakes his position to the point that he and his children are now subjected to ridicule. When one of Scout’s classmates, Cecil Jacobs, claims that Atticus is a “nigger lover,” Scout becomes enraged. Her terrible fury causes her to physically assault Jacobs.

In the aftermath of this event, Atticus makes Scout promise that she will never beat up anyone again, at least in his defense. Reluctantly, Scout agrees, and though she no longer acts out in public, the events surrounding the trial of Tom Robinson continue to bring her grief. She witnesses her neighbor Walter Cunningham, who she had never seen in a negative light, join an angry mob which attempts to lynch Tom Robinson, most likely assaulting Atticus in the process.

When she and her brother Jem ask how a good person can do bad things, Atticus decides to share one of the cruelest facts of life. “He might have hurt me a little…but son, you’ll understand folks a little better when you’re older. A mob’s always made up of people, no matter what. Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know—doesn’t say much for them, does it?” (Lee 157)

Young Scout learns about the darker side of human nature earlier than would have been typical for a girl during the 1930’s. Through her experiences and her father’s guidance, she understands that human nature is complicated, and that a single person may be capable of both good and evil actions.

In contrast to the rural south in which Lee’s novel takes place, J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye is set in the northeast, during the 1950’s. The story is told from the perspective of protagonist Holden Caulfield, a privileged, yet troubled seventeen year old boy. As the narrator, Holden describes several days of events from his recent past. On the verge of transitioning from childhood to adulthood, the teenager has become increasingly distraught, and is in fact telling his story while a patient in a mental health facility.

The reader recognizes that Holden’s problems have been ongoing for several years, emphasized by his having flunked out of four different preparatory schools. It is clear that he fears making the transition to adulthood. Evidence for this, and perhaps that Holden finds unchanging situations comforting, is his fondness for the Museum of Natural History. Life, particularly the changes it brings, are confusing. In contrast, the exhibits at the museum show items frozen in time. “The best thing about thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move … Nobody’d be different […] Certain things should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.” (Salinger 121-122) Despite being nearly fully grown, Holden is still innocent in the sense that he is naive in his understanding of how the world works, despite believing that he already does understand this.

In addition, despite flunking out of several schools, Holden is convinced that not only is he smart, but also one of the few people that sees society for what it truly is. Holden thinks that others, especially adults, are “phony.” In Holden’s classifying adults as “phonies,” he has constructed a reason for failing to transition towards adulthood, as he does not wish to become like the “phonies” he sees around him. While skipping school in New York, not only does Holden learn that the world is much crueler than he ever imagined, but also that he is insignificant to the world.

Unlike Scout who had a strong, supportive father, a loving relationship with Calpurnia, as well as a bond with her brother, Holden lacks a support system to bolster him in his time of crisis. While he has a bond with his sister Phoebe, she is much younger than he. There is one adult in the story who nearly impacts Holden, having come close to helping him, but Holden finds an excuse to dismiss his advice. Mr. Antolini, a former teacher of Holden’s, nearly penetrates Holden’s protective shell. Holden is nearly touched by Antolini’s attempt to tell him about what will happen if he doesn’t turn things around: “I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall. But I don’t honestly know what kind…. It may be the kind where, at the age of thirty, you sit in some bar hating everybody who comes in looking as if he might have played football in college.

Then again, you may pick up just enough education to hate people who say, ‘It’s a secret between he and I.’ Or you may end up in some business office, throwing paper clips at the nearest stenographer. I just don’t know. (Salinger 186) Holden feels threatened enough by Mr. Antolini’s vision, however, that he attempts to convince himself that Mr. Antolini is a pervert. In Holden’s world view, this would make disregarding the advice seem like the logical thing to do. At the end of the book, Holden not only misses Mr. Antolini, but all of the people that he had previously resented. Holden wishes that he had listened to their advice, a sign that he may be maturing, and that his difficult experience in New York may have changed him for the better.

To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye are two bildungsroman set in very different circumstances. In one case, described is a child’s early and rapid loss of innocence in which she benefits from an effective support system. In the other case, a seventeen year old has a very difficult time psychologically, resulting from his intentionally distancing himself from people who could have provided him the necessary support to get through an emotionally trying time.

Part of the wonder of childhood is being free of responsibility. If not for the loss of innocence, we would forever remain children, never truly understanding the world around us. Stating that the loss of innocence is the most important part of growing up only understates its importance. Rather, the loss of innocence is growing up. Even if a human being were to somehow manage to make the journey from birth to physical maturity without the losing his innocence, he could not function independently. It is simply necessary that one understand at least some of life’s painful truths. For example, people must understand that resources are scarce if they are to buy things wisely, that life is not forever if they are to plan their futures, and that it is unwise to trust everyone if they are to deal with others intelligently.

Whether one’s loss of innocence is a transition that occurs gradually, as it was in Holder’s life, or one that occurs rather prematurely and rapidly, such as in Scout’s life, it will almost always be hard. Perhaps this is one reason that many cultures have specific rituals to celebrate coming-of-age, such as the bar mitsvah or the quinceanera. Through these ceremonies, people can stop to appreciate the positives that accompany the growing pains of psychological maturation.

Allow the speaker enough time to begin and finish his/her thoughts. (Do not be afraid of usually means thinking is occurring. ) j. Bring others into the discussion and ask others to elaborate on their responses. 2. Bring your copy of the paid questions to class. These questions must be completed before class begins. 3. Set a Personal Goal for the Seminar (Talk three times, allow others to speak, give someone praise for an insightful comment, etc. ) 4. Opening Questions a. Who is your favorite character? Why? 5. Core Questions (Analyze the text) a.

Tactics tells the children several times that they need to walk in someone else’s shoes before judging the person. Describe times when Tactics, Scout or Gem walk in someone else’s shoes. How does this change how they view the situations? What role does this advice play in sympathy and compassion? B. Should Boo Raddled have been locked away in a mental institution when he was a teenager? Why or why not? C. At one point Gem describes four kinds of “folks” in Macomb County:”our kind of folks don’t like the Cunningham, the Cunningham don’t like the Ells, and the Ells ate and despise the colored folks. What does To Kill a Mockingbird teach us about how people cope with issues of race and class? Do you classify people in your world as different “folks? ” Do you see those sort of distinctions today? D. In the last few lines of To Kill a Mockingbird Scout says, “he was real nice… ” And Taluses replies, “most people are, Scout, when you finally see them. ” Do you agree that most people In the novel are nice once you see them? How Is Tactics able to see the good side of people despite all he has experienced? Can you? E.

Rank In order of culpability (blameworthiness or responsibility) for the death of Tom Robinson the following characters: Bob Lowell, Mr.. Gillian (prosecuting attorney Male Lowell, Individuals on the jury, and Tom Robinson. F. What do you learn about the different attitudes toward Macomb’s black population from the conversation at Aunt Alexandra ladles tea? How do these attitudes help explain Tom’s conviction? G. When Tom Is being cross-examined by Mr.. Gilder he says, “l felt right sorry for her. ” Why was this a mistake? Why is it that “nobody liked Tom Robinsons answer. H. One of the chief with Boo Raddled and the trial of Tom Robinson are not sufficiently connected in the novel. I. Why do you think Harper Lee divided the book into two parts? Do you think it worked effectively? Find evidence to support your assertion I. Why does the author tell the story through the voice of Scout instead of Gem, Tactics, or Tom Robinson? J. Why did Harper Lee title her book To Kill a Mockingbird? K. This book is continually banned from the high school reading list because of racism, sex, and foul language.

Do you believe this book should be banned? Even though this book was published in the sass’s, how can this book relate to today’s society? 6. Closing Questions a. Has your understanding of the novel matured or significantly changed through this discussion? B. What else did you learn during the course of the discussion? 7. Debriefing a. Did you meet your personal goal during the seminar? / What will you work on next time? B. Was there anything about the seminar that bothered you? C. What could we do to improve the seminar? D. What will you remember about the seminar?

A world where women didn’t receive equal pay for the same work, couldn’t apply to the same colleges, or have equal job opportunities as a man, or even serve in the military (except in nursing positions) is an idea completely unthinkable to many citizens of the United States today. Although a society where these restrictions are customary is immoral and oppressive, before the 1930s, it was widely accepted. In the late 1920s and early 1930s many women began to make a strong effort to gain rights in The United States of America.

Because of the efforts of these women, during the 1930s women began to receive more rights. This trend continued as women’s roles in society became greater and more important over time and up to this day. The women who stood up for their rights in the 1930s have significantly affected the rights and responsibilities that women have in modern times in the United States. The rights that women had in the 1930s are shown in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird by the prejudices and expectations of women in Maycomb, Alabama.

In the 1930s and early 1940s, women were mostly only housewives and mothers, but this changed as women began to demand more rights. Their role at home and in society was mainly to take care of their home and children and take direction from men, especially their husbands. If a woman did work, she was often a teacher, secretary, nurse or worked in domestic service. In and before the early 1930s women began to fight for their rights and other beliefs by forming committees and organizations.

In 1930 women in the Women’s Committee of the Council for Interracial Cooperation took a strong stand against lynching and in 1931 the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom lead a caravan protest across the country to support the World Disarmament Conference. In 1935, Mary McLeod Bethune organized the National Council of Negro Women, a coalition of 14 groups of African-american women. As women showed the affect that they could have on America, they gained respect around the world.

In 1931 Jane Addams was the first women to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Women also became more influential in politics; in 1933 the first female speaker in a state legislature was elected, and in 1936 women finally gained equal representation on the Platform Committee for the Democratic Party. In As World War Two started in 1939, many working American men went off to the war, leaving many jobs open for other workers. These jobs included working in clothing and other factories and driving buses or street cars.

Women filled these positions in the 1930s and 1940s, and began to establish themselves as beneficial members of the work-force. The women would work among men, for many long and hard hours, but still make only two dollars a day (less than the men in the same positions). Many married women were discouraged from working because people believed that a married mother’s place was in her home with her children. Black women often could find work as domestic servants, clerks and textile workers. Women were expected to act, dress, and behave themselves in a certain way.

Women were expected to be polite, good hostesses, cooks, look nice and put together, and excellent, devoted mothers and wives. This idea of what women were supposed to be and how they needed to act to be accepted in society was challenged and changed during the 1930s and early 1940s until women were accepted as important parts of politics, the work-force, society and the United States of America. Maycomb County, Alabama also had many unfair expectations and restrictions when it came to women in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Scout, Jem, and Aunt Alexandra come across gender expectations and stereotypes throughout this novel. Many times, Scout makes comments about what “being a lady” is, or how she was expected to act as a girl and young woman. She explains how she is expected to wear a dress, play with other girls, act polite and quiet around adults and stay out of fights and messy play. Scout is a Tom-boy and doesn’t want to act like “a lady” because in her society women are expected to be quiet, un-opinionated, polite, and perfect quiet housewives and hostesses who can cook and clean well.

When she learns that one of Calpurnia’s jobs is actually difficult, she says “by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl” (116). Like Scout, many americans in the 1930s(especially men) viewed women as unskilled and uneducated people whose sole purpose was to be a polite wife, mother, and home-maker. In Maycomb during the 1930s, like in the rest of America, women had many restrictions put upon them by male citizens. In the 1930s, in many states omen couldn’t work on juries because they were considered to be too innocent to be exposed to court cases. In To Kill A Mockingbird when Scout asks her father why women can’t serve on juries, he says “I guess it’s to protect our frail ladies from sordid cases like Tom’s. Besides,” Atticus grinned, “I doubt if we’d ever get a complete case tried – the ladies’d be interrupting to ask questions. ” The assumptions made by characters in To Kill a Mockingbird were made all around America, that women were inferior to men, innocent, and d of little value besides in the home.

Mrs Dubose

Pg. 119 Mostly in chapter 11 Jem and Scout pass her house and she stirs them up about Atticus defending Tom Robinson. Jem ruins every camellia in her garden, and then both are forced to read to her. Morphine addict. Independent, strong willed, courageous, old fashioned, lonely, cantankerous, contrary, prejudice Helps Jem and Scout to discover real courage, pg. 124 Gained self-control important Fear and ignorance driven people to misunderstand Mrs. Dubose.

Mayella Ewell

Pg. 197 physical description Fragile, confused, nervous, unintelligent Attended the court case, was raped by her dad, case was blamed on Tom Robinson. Pg. 190 – 199 quotes on and about.

Aunt Alexandra

Pg. 141  physical description Harsh, old fashioned, bossy, old, opinionated, honest, over powering, protective, strict. She wanted to change Scout into a ‘proper lady’, determined to make a better difference than Calpurnia. Created more problems than solutions. Didn’t have respect for Calpurnia. Pg. 145, 140 quotes from Aunt Alexandra. Chapter 12 Calpurnia took scout and Jem to black church. Chapter 24  Aunt Alexandra has tea party.

Racism is displayed Calpurnia

Key role is to give guidance to Scout and Jem, shows them the black community. Strong willed, authoritive, responsible, wise, caring, understanding, smart, kind, protective Been with them ever since Jem was born, pg. 6 Pg. 32, 139, 138,

Heck Tate

Sheriff of Maycomb County Pg. 104

Physical Description

Over powering, tall, thin, wealthy, Chapter 10, mad dog shooting Has to arrest Tom, is involved in the court case, Heck Tate defends Jem and Boo from being accused of Bob Ewell’s death Pg. 300 – 304, quotes from Heck Tate

Bob Ewell

Pg. 147  physical description: Involved in the trial against Tom Robinson, rapes his daughter, attacks Jem and Scout Arrogant man, human trash, disgrace, spends welfare money on alcohol, children go hungry, obnoxious, evil, violent, abusive, dirty, rude, Pg. 189 – 192, quotes from court case Pg. 296 – 303, quotes from the attack Miss Rachel: Finch’s next door neighbor. Good friends with Aunt Alexandra, often has tea at the Finch’s house, helps scout to understand that Boo Radley is a nice person, Young, ladylike, mature, Dill’s aunty, Pg. 56, 220, 143,

Scout Finch

Tomboy, always starts fights, rosy cheeks, short black hair, dark brown eyes Independent, courageous, humorous, curious, stubborn, aggressive, short tempered. Story is told by her point of view. Scout saved Tom from being lynched.

Atticus Finch

Lawyer, wise man, highly respected, father, widower, dry sense of humour, sense of morally, one of the few citizens who believes in equality, compassionate, determined, generous, accepting, strong, caring, courageous, humble, calm, courteous, affectionate. The one thing that doesn’t abide by ‘majority rule’ is a man’s conscience.

Jem Finch

Pg. 227  four kinds of people in the world, Pg. 240  why they can’t get along Pg. 13  talking to Dill Four years older than scout, matures throughout the novel, becomes more effected by events because of a deeper understanding, phases in and out of wanting to hang out with Scout, tries hard to protect scout although they fight. Adventurous, imaginative, courageous, caring, loving, righteous, loyal, charismatic, protective, Tall, skinny, dark haired, brown eyes, tries to keep his cool, immature.

Miss Maudie

Same age as Aunt Alexandra, glasses, brown hair, seen as an elderly figure, spends a lot of time in the garden House burns down, Miss Maudie refuses to go to the trial because she believes they are like a ‘Roman Carnival’, great cake maker, supports Atticus’ ideas. Respected, strong willed, friendly, supportive, sharp-tongued, loyal, widowed, brave, idol of Scout Pg. 47 description

The setting is a very important part of any plot. It sets the scene, gives visualization, and develops the theme. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the settings of Scouts house, Mrs. Dubos house and the schoolhouse are exceptionally important. It is in these places that Scout learns important life lessons. In the Finch’s house Scout learns about manners and to tolerate other people. Clearing, the housekeeper, spends lots of time teaching Scout proper manner and how to treat people.

One of the biggest lessons learned is that looks deceive us and not to Judge someone till you walked in their shoes. She learns to tolerate people when Walter Cunningham comes over for lunch one day. Walter Cunningham is described as, “looked as if he had been raised on fish food… Had no color in his face… And fingered the straps of his overalls,” (Lee )which is an insult to his health. It describes his as skinny, pale, and not in good health. As they eat the poor molasses all over his meal, disgusting but also intriguing Scout at the same time.

Not understanding she comments, “what the Sam hill he was doing”(Lee ). This immediately enrages Clearing and she scolds Scout. Callers reaction caused Scout to realize that she must be more aware of the ways of other people and that she needs to tolerate and accept them and accept them for who they are no matter how different or strange. However, Calendar Isn’t the only person In the Finch home that has taught her important lessons. Attic’s Finch has taught Scout some of the most Important lessons about society and why people are the way they are.

To Kill a Mockingbird – Section One Study Questions. 6) What satirical points are being made about education through Scout’s experiences in school? I feel a major satirical point about Scout’s education is the fact that she is ridiculed for learning some place other than school. It’s as if her teacher feels Scout is messing her learning system. She is “introducing a new way of teaching” one which involves the teacher waving cards at the students with simple words printed on them. Scout begins to write a letter, which the teacher stops her from doing.

She also is angry at Scout for writing, because “you don’t learn to write until you’re in the third grade. Obviously, she is stopping her from learning more. School is now a place where Scout is told to stop learning. 7) Why does Scout explain Walter Cunningham’s situation to Miss Caroline? Scout feels that it is her duty, as her classmates were looking at her expectantly. Scout explains Walter Cunningham’s situation because Miss Caroline is not from the area and doesn’t understand the “country folk” or the customs of the county and its people.

Walter may be poor, but he’s not a beggar and refuses to take the quarter from Miss Caroline because he knows that he can’t pay it back. 8) How are Scout and Jem alike? How are they different? Jem is much wiser than scout which makes perfect sense, considering Jem is 4 years older than Scout. He is also better behaved than scout. But they are both alike because they both live under the same circumstances, and they are both afraid of the Radley’s, even though Jem won’t admit it. 9) Describe Burris Ewell. How is he alike and different from the other children?

Burris is one of the eight Ewell children. He and his family only go to school for the first day every year, then leave, and are very proud of that. The Ewell Family is very ignorant and poor, and their father is awfully mean and the town drunk. Burris is incredibly rude, and doesn’t know how to be any other way. Even though many of the other children aren’t exactly “clean”, Burris is far dirtier than all of them. Although, Burris surely doesn’t get enough to eat, like many of the other school children. 10) What is the advice Atticus gives scout and how is it thematically significant?

The thematic advice Atticus gives to Scout helps her understand that school is important to success and education, unlike the Ewell’s who are rude and don’t care about things such as learning. The point that Atticus tries to make is Scout needs to view the situation from every angle, not just hers. 11) What can you infer about Scout and Jem based on their very different reactions to the pennies in the knot-hole? He decided to wait until school starts and ask everybody who they belong to. Jem is careful and honest of the pennies he finds.

He tries to explain to Scout that someone has taken care of those pennies. Scout seems to be relying on Jem’s wisdom, but she does want to keep the pennies. Because when he suggests someone probably left them there intentionally, and they’re probably going to come back for them, she tries to provide a contradicting theory. Such as why would they person have left gum in the knot-hole, if surely it would’ve spoiled? You can infer Scout hasn’t matured much. Her thoughts don’t extend as far as to question the motives of the owners of the objects put in the knot-hole.

She seems to be just a simple minded girl. 12) What do the characteristics of children in general are revealed through the Boo Radley game? Why doesn’t scout enjoy the game as much as the boys do? It shows they are ignoring the teaching of their father, which is to always respect others. Always make sure you put yourself in someone else’s shoes. But the children were more engrossed in the childish game. This reflects the immaturity of most citizens in the town, which is where the children actually learned such things.

Scout is scared the Radley’s will somehow find out about the games they play, which is why she is hesitant. 13) What do we learn about the main characters by their relationships and interactions with Miss Maudie Atkinson? Scout is the closest to Miss Maudie than anyone, and she spends time with her when the boy’s are doing boy things she can’t be apart of. Miss Maudie acts like a mentor to Scout. The boys rarely spend time with Miss Maudie, and Atticus grew up with her. 14) What is significant about Jem’s decision to make a lone, nighttime return to the Radley place?

Jem shows signs of maturity when he decides to return to the Radley house alone to retrieve his pants. Not only does he demonstrate courage in going by himself, but he also demonstrates that not disappointing Atticus is more important than his own safety. 15) What is the significant outcome of Jem’s return? Jem returns from the Radley place with his pants, but he hides the fact that they have been mended for a while; he is obviously bothered by it. When Jem finally tells Scout about the pants, he wonders how it is that someone would know he was going to come back for the ants. Jem finding his mended pants is significant because it takes all the ridiculous Radley fantasies and puts them into reality. Jem and Scout have now had real interaction with the people that live in the Radley house. 16) What does the town conclude regarding the disturbance at the Radley place? They automatically assume the intruder was a “nigger”, not because they actually saw the person, but because if anyone had a desire to commit any crime, it would be assumed to be a black person. This shows how hateful the deep south was at this time towards colored people. 7) What bewildering incidents occur to Jem and Scout? Soap Carvings that remember resemble Scout and Jem appear in the knothole. Then chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and an old pocket watch. Soon, Jem and Scout find that the knothole has been filled with cement. When Jem asks Mr. Radley about the knothole the following day, Mr. Radley replies that he plugged the knothole because the tree is dying; but when Jem asked Atticus about the tree, he claims the tree shows no signs of death. 18) Why is it significant that Jem has been crying?

Because he realized the real reason the knothole has been sealed off is not because the try is dying, but because Mr. Radley is trying to eliminate boo communicating with anyone, and Jem begins to pity him being so lonely. Jem draws the conclusion that his family must be ashamed of Boo, which is something Jem doesn’t have to live with. Fortunately Jem has a loving family. This shows Jem’s maturity, he’s thinking of someone other than himself. 19) How do people react to the fire at Miss Maudie’s house?

The fire shows how the town responds when someone needs help. All of the men in the town show up to help. You can also see how small and poor the town is for one reason the fire consumes the house is that the old fire truck “killed by the cold, was being pushed from town by a crowd of men. ” We can conclude that the community can be very selfless and caring. 20) What characteristics does Miss Maudie show following the fire? She returned to her normal business and was still happy, even with all the terribly traumatic events that just happened.

Mockingbirds: The mockingbird is a symbol that is used to show the idea of innocence. A mockingbird brings nothing but good with its’ beautiful songs, so if you kill a mockingbird it is a sin because it is so innocent. Boo Radley is often connected to the mockingbird because he is innocent in his situation and it is wrong for people to assume bad things about him when they do not really know him, and he is slowly destroyed by the people of Maycomb throughout the book.

The Mad Dog: Tim Johnson was a dog infected with rabies that needed to be put down. The dog is a symbol of racism in the novel. Racism is getting out of control (just like the dog), and it needs to be put to a stop. Atticus shoots the dog to put him down but racism is a harder challenge to try and defeat. Atticus has to do things he doesn’t want to, like killing a dog and facing the court room. Bless Me Ultima: Rudolfo Anaya Ultima’s Owl: Ultima’s owl represents Ultima’s life in animal form.

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The owl that sings to Antonio every night comforts him during his dreams. This is just like how whenever Ultima is around Antonio he feels at ease. When Tenorio kills the owl, Ultima soon dies after because her animal force was killed. The Virgin of Guadalupe: The statue in this novel represents forgiveness and understanding. Whenever Antonio feels troubled he turns to the statue. The statue accepts Antonios failures and always forgives.