SpringBoard 3.15

Review the excerpt on p. 224-225 from Chapter 11 of TKAM Think about the importance of character, conflict, and setting. Why are these literary elements important? How do they connect to larger issues in the novel?

Try completing these statements: The character of Mrs. Dubose represents… The conflict between the children and Mrs. Dubose is similar to… The setting of Mrs. Dubose’s house, halfway between the Finch home and the town, is significant because…

Themes When identifying themes: A theme is a message, not a topic, and it cannot be just a word, such as “prejudice.” A theme from TKAM would be “Prejudice is based on fear.” Avoid clichés such as “Blood is thicker than water.” Don’t state theme as an order: “People must not be racist.” Themes should be universal, not limited to the characters in a novel. “Scout is a tomboy” is not a theme.

Analytical Writing Prompt Analyze how character, conflict, or setting contribute to a “coming of age” theme in Chapter 11. (p. 226) Begin with a topic sentence that connects your chosen literary element to a theme. Include textual evidence in the form of direct quotations from Ch. 11. Include citations. Provide commentary explaining how your quotes support your analysis.

Example The children’s conflict with Mrs. Dubose contributes to the theme that it is better to rise above other people’s negativity than to sink to their level. As Atticus says to Jem, “You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it’s your job not to let her make you mad” (Lee 115). Atticus knows that the children will suffer even more during the upcoming trial if they don’t learn to ignore their neighbors’ taunts and accusations. This “coming of age” lesson comes just in time for Jem. As he reads to Mrs. Dubose, Jem never loses his calm. Scout observes, “Through the weeks he had cultivated an expression of polite and detached interest, which he would present to her in answer to her most blood-curdling inventions” (126). Jem is taking his father’s advice and growing into the kind of man who will not get dragged down by other people’s anger.