Atticus
explained that mobs are made out of people, and that if you single out one
person, the rest of the group will fall apart. When Scout mistook the mob of
white farmers for Atticus’ friends, she looked around for someone she
recognized. Scout spotted Mr. Cunningham
in the crowd, and started a friendly conversation with him. Mr. Cunningham
tried not to notice her, but he realized that she was too innocent for what he
was planning to do. He then called off his crew.
The next
day, Atticus reflected on these events. He told his children, “It took an
eight-year-old child to bring ‘em to their senses, didn’t it? . . . That proves
. . . that a gang of wild animals can be
stopped, simply because they’re still human” (Lee 210). Atticus was trying to
say that every man is human, and has feelings and integrity. When men come
together to form a mob, their own ethics are compromised, and they only seem to
listen to the group think. An innocent child was able to sway a man into
listening to his own moral character. Throughout this episode, Harper Lee shows
that it takes a mockingbird to take down a mad dog. A mockingbird is an innocent
creature whose only goal is to make life more enjoyable and help others. A mad
dog is a crazed animal that is out of control and will harm anyone in its way.
Even though it is small, the mockingbird’s song can ease the suffering of the
mad dog. Although it is not able to cure the dog, it can help. Tiny Scout led
Mr. Cunningham to a different perspective about what he was going to do to her
family. A small voice can sway a big crowd.
How will this them come into play during the trial? Is it possible
for Tom Robinson to be acquitted with this mob after him?
Atticus tells Jem and Scout that mobs are made up of people, but they can be stopped because they are human. Scout is a child and her innocence made the mob connect with being human. Atticus even suggests that there should be a police force of children. When Atticus said to Jem, “You’ll understand folks a little better when you’re older” (Lee 210), he meant that it was Scout’s innocence and unknowing that made the mob disperse. Growing up doesn’t always help some situations.
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ReplyDeleteI also believe that Mr. Cunningham retreats because he knows that, like himself, Atticus wants to be a good role model for his children. When Mr. Cunningham says to Scout "I'll tell him you said hey, little lady," (Lee, 206), I believe that Mr. Cunningham realizes that Atticus is defending Tom Robinson because Atticus is trying to be a role model for Jem and Scout. Mr. Cunningham realizes that and sees that Atticus is trying to teach his kids to be brave and fight for something that you are passionate about even if others are against you. He retreats because he is a good man, even though he has different beliefs. Mr. Cunningham respects Atticus's decision to fight even though he himself believes he is fighting for the wrong side.
ReplyDeleteWhen Atticus says that "a mob's always made up of people," (Lee110) he means that a mob is a dangerous thing, and if you look at it as a whole it's like a non-human thing with only one goal in mind which is destruction. But, if you look closer, there are individuals in this mob who have there own reasons and opinions. I think that this relates to Monster by Walter Dean Myers because in Monster, Steve and Kathy O'brien were trying to make Steve (the mob) a human (individuals) in the eyes of the jury. This also relates to how earlier in the book Scout finds out that Calpurnia has a life and isn't just a cook "That Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me" (Lee 167). Atticus' quote is about looking at people as people instead of things. So to break up a mob, all you have to do is remind the mob that they are humans that have morals, and that what they're doing is not right.
ReplyDeleteAtticus is very right when he says that a mob is made up of people because it's certainly true. A whole can't be truly whole without all of the individual pieces that each add something to create the whole picture or in this case, a mob. Each piece (or person) has their own beliefs, yet they form a mob by taking what they all have in common and then uniting using that as their goal. When there's a mob that's focused on one idea, each individual's other morals are disregarded, and that's why it was necessary for Scout to make the mob about Mr. Cunningham as an individual. When he was singled out, he realized his own views and he knew that he couldn't hurt Scout if he was going to be Walter's father... just like Atticus said that, "If I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town" (Lee 100) when he talks about defending Tom Robinson. Another bigger and more diverse mob is Maycomb. Because the mob is larger, there are more people with more ideas and morals. Some people might realize that Tom Robinson is a mockingbird and a victim, and if they have enough courage to risk being hated like Atticus is, they'll break away from the mob and stand up for what they believe to be right. Although some people are 100% racist, some other people might be empowered by one piece breaking away and then break away from the mob themselves and make it less powerful and untimely less harmful to mockingbirds like Tom Robinson.
ReplyDeleteAtticus explains to Jem and Scout that just becuase someone is part of a mob doesn't mean that they're a bad person. A mob is a harmful thing when looked at as a whole but when you look at the people in the mob they don't seem so bad. "Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man" (Lee 210). Atticus is saying that a person is to be judged based not upon one action but all of their actions that have partaken in the persons life. Just because Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob doesn't mean that he is a bad man. Even though he was in the mob he still has morals and intends to follow them
ReplyDeleteThis is very educational content and written well for a change. It's nice to see that some people still understand how to write a quality post.!
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