Discussion Topic
Deceptive Appearances in To Kill a Mockingbird
Summary:
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores the theme of deceptive appearances through various characters and situations. Boo Radley, initially perceived as a frightening recluse, turns out to be a kind protector of Jem and Scout. Mrs. Dubose, seen as a bitter racist, reveals her courage in battling a morphine addiction. Dolphus Raymond pretends to be a drunk to explain his lifestyle choices, masking his true sober nature. These examples highlight how appearances often mislead reality.
What are three examples from To Kill a Mockingbird that express the theme "Appearances do not always reflect reality"?
Three examples of the theme "appearances do not always reflect" reality are as follows:
Jem and Scout loathe Mrs. Dubose as a mean and critical woman. Jem gets so angry at her that he slices off the heads of her camellias with Scout's baton. But when the two children are forced to read aloud to her, they learn she is a woman of courage. She is determined to fight off a morphine addiction before she dies. After she dies, Atticus calls her a "great lady" and says,
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.
Second, while the Cunninghams seem to want to nothing but to kill Tom Robinson, Atticus reveals he...
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put one of them on the jury. This stuns Jem, but Atticus says if he had had two Cunninghams, he would have had a hung jury, because the Cunninghams are honorable. Jem is surprised, saying:
“Golly Moses . . . One minute they’re tryin‘ to kill him and the next they’re tryin’ to turn him loose . . . I’ll never understand those folks as long as I live.”
Finally, the children prejudge Boo Radley based on rumors about the family and his reclusive behavior, which blinds them for a long time to his good heartedness.
1. Boo Radley is one example. He looks a bit frightening because he's so pale, as he stays inside his house. He appears to be a recluse who cares for no one because he meets no one. He has watched, however, Scout and Jem grow up, and cares for them enough to kill for them.
2. The ladies of Maycomb. They look refined and upright, Christian and caring, but when they are having their "ladies' tea", their true thoughts are revealed. They are bigoted and cruel, thoughtless and proud.
3. Dolphus Raymond is another example. He appears to be a drunk, yet he has Coke in the bottle, and pretends to be drunk in order to give the white folk in Maycomb an excuse to criticise him as a drunkard rather than a sober man, living with his black mistress and children. The whites think it's understandable that a drunk would behave this way. Dolphus sees his community as it really is.
What are three examples from "To Kill a Mockingbird" that demonstrate the theme of deceptive appearances?
In addition to those already cited, here are some other examples of the motif of Appearances vs. Reality:
- Scout's perception of the group of men who congregate in the front yard of the Finch home. She states that there are only two reasons that men do this gathering before a house. But, neither of these reasons is why they come this particular night.
- Scout and Jem's perception of their neighbor is false: Mrs. Dubose's vituperative comments about Atticus do not stem from her hatred of the man because, as Jem later learns, she is under the influence of the drug morphine.
- The children's trip to Calpurnia's church turns out differently from what they expect. As they dress, Jem remarks, "It's like we're going to Mardi Gras." However, they find the church to be poorly furnished and without prayer books as in their own church. Yet, it is filled with better Christians than the white church which houses many a sanctimonious hypocrite such as those at Aunt Alexandra's tea.
Here are a few more obscure answers (if you want to be the kid that finds the ones no one else has said):
- On the first day of school Miss Caroline assumes by Walter's appearance that he needs money for lunch, will take it, and is able to pay her back. She does not realize how insulting her charity actually is - even though the rest of the class does.
- Scout then insults Miss Caroline by attempting to be diplomatic. Miss Caroline again reads into Scout's attitude as disrespectful and out of line. Really, Scout has only innocent intentions. Ironically, Scout feels sorry for Miss Caroline.
- Mr. Dophus Raymond always drinks out of a bottle hidden by a paper bag - perhaps wanting to give the appearance that he is "the town drunk" (a way to escape judgement for his 'mixed children') but it turns out he's just drinking Coke.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses situational irony to address the theme of "appearance versus reality." Here are some examples:
- Aunt Alexandra's Missionary Tea Party appears to be a philanthropic organization but, in reality, it is a social group who refuses to help those in its own community.
- The lynch mob outside the jail wants revenge against Tom, but after Scout disarms Mr. Cunningham, the mob feels guilty and ashamed for its actions.
- The all white jury is expected to deliver a unanimously guilty verdict against Tom, but it takes longer than expected because Mr. Cunningham tries to convince them otherwise.
- The fire of Miss Maudie's house appears to be a personal disaster for her, but, in reality, it gives her more opportunities to garden outside.
What are examples of deceptive appearances in To Kill a Mockingbird?
The character who most illustrates that he is really something different from what people think is Boo Radley. Boo’s existence is surrounded by rumors and myths that Scout and Jem have heard their entire lives. Supposedly, Boo sneaks around town peering in windows, he eats cats and squirrels, stabs his mother with a pair of scissors, and his breath will freeze flowers. His reputation is of epic proportions, and, at first, Scout and Jem believe the terrifying stories and rumors about his life. However, we learn through Boo’s actions that appearances can be deceiving. He leaves presents for Scout and Jem in the knothole of the tree, he covers Scout with a blanket during Miss Maudie’s fire, and, of course, he saves Jem and Scout’s life at the end of the novel. He is kind, caring, and loves the children. He is not the monster the children imagined but a man with problems and issues that we as readers don’t quite understand.
Other examples of how appearances can be deceiving are seen through Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is a symbol of the old, racist South, and her addiction to morphine represents the South’s “addiction” to racism. Before she dies, she wants to kick her habit. When we first meet Mrs. Dubose, she calls Atticus a derogatory word for defending Tom Robinson. Jem is so angry that he destroys her camellia bush with Scout’s baton. Atticus makes Jem read to Mrs. Dubose as she slowly goes through withdrawals from the effects of her morphine addiction. In the end, we realize Mrs. Dubose’s strength to change her life before she dies, and her attempts to thank Jem by sending him a camellia flower. The original characterization of Mrs. Dubose by Harper Lee is different from what the reader ends up believing about her.
Other characters you could put on the list of how appearances can be deceiving are Dolphus Raymond who people think is an alcoholic but isn’t, and Mr. Underwood whose original racist attitudes change when he protects Atticus from the lynch mob and when he writes an editorial supporting Tom Robinson’s innocence.
What examples in To Kill a Mockingbird show that appearances can be deceptive?
One example of people not always being as they seem in To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus Finch. His character is presented as a man who is cautious and careful, very laid-back and non-confrontational. However, Finch is known as the best shot in the county as demonstrated when he was called to shoot the rabid dog. He willing took the case of the black man accused of raping a white girl, and he handled the mob outside the jail who came for the sole purpose of hanging the black man. He definitely demonstrated more courage and strength than the author demonstrated in the beginning of the story.
This question touches on a wider theme that occurs very frequently in a variety of different texts. It can also be called appearances vs. reality, and is used to indicate the ways in which people place trust in appearances often more than they do in reality. The classic example of this in Lee's famous text is of course Boo Radley and the way that the children at the beginning of the novel clearly see him as some sort of bogeyman or terrible creature that never comes out during day time. The games they play all are based around this myth, and it is clear that they have taken and accepted the rumours and gossip they have heard from other residents and built them into an elaborate fantasy of their own. However, by the end of the story, Scout has learnt the important lesson of understanding the perspective of others. Note what she says when she stands on the Radley porch:
Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.
She has been able to move beyond her prejudices and the way that things seem to find out the true reality and act accordingly. This of course has important consequences when the racial element of this text is considered.