to kill a mockingbird quotes

for the exam

--- TOPIC: RACISM & INJUSTICE ---

Atticus Finch on white people cheating Black people:

"As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life..."

Atticus Finch on the courtroom and racial bias:

"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom..."

Atticus Finch on the reality of justice in Maycomb:

"In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins."

Solicitor Mr Gilmer to Tom Robinson on trial regarding feeling sorry for Mayella:

“You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?”

--- TOPIC: SOCIAL CLASS ---

Jem Finch on the divisions among people in Maycomb:

"There's four kinds of folks in the world..." (Outlining the ordinary folks, Cunninghams, Ewells, and the Black community).

Scout Finch on why folks don't get along:

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks."

Atticus Finch explaining Walter Cunningham's family pride:

"The Cunninghams never took anything off of anybody; they get along on what they have."

Aunt Alexander to Scout re mixing with Walter Cunningham:

"Because—he—is—trash, that’s why you can’t play with him, … and I’ll not have you around him."

--- TOPIC: EMPATHY & COURAGE ---

Atticus Finch advising Scout on how to understand people:

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Scout Finch reflecting on Boo Radley at the end of the novel:

“Atticus, he was real nice.” “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.”

Atticus Finch on standing in Bob Ewell's shoes:

"See if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes for a minute..."

Atticus Finch on cranky old Mrs Dubose:

“Mrs. Dubose as the bravest person he ever knew … "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 see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."

--- TOPIC: INNOCENCE ---

Miss Maudie on why it is a sin to harm a mockingbird:

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

Dolphus Raymond predicting Dill's future loss of innocence:

"Let him get a little older and he won't get sick and cry."

Jem Finch realizing the unfairness of the jury's verdict:

"Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard."