To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Elements Essay Sample

In the novel “ To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee there are many points of literary elements showing characters coming of age sense. The author Lee is very good at putting in these coming of age moments throughout the entire novel. Two different kinds of literary elements in To Kill a Mockingbird are Setting and conflict which  both elements are shown early and later on in the novel. 

Later on in the novel there is a conflict between Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell. Tom is accused of coming into Mayella's home and beating her badly and then proceeding to rape her then her dad comes in and makes tom run away. Tom says he is called to Mayella's home multiple times a quote provoking he didn't just enter her home “ She’d call me in, suh seemed like everytime I passed yonder she’d have some little somethin for me to do ''(218). This quote proves he did not just forcefully enter her home. Tom is also told he struck on the right side of her face which is something a left handed person would end up doing. Tom got caught in a cotton gin when he was young and couldn't use it. Mayelle’s dad is left-handed and probably struck her when she wanted Tom to do things with her. 

In addition to Tom being a black man accused of raping a white girl and having majority of a town in support of Mayelle, The time setting was during the 1930’s in the quote they say “ In the farcorner of the square the N sat quietly”(182) the word or term has not been used in decades and is a word used during the time of the trial. The jury for Tom's trial was an all white jury that could show even if there is enough to prove he's innocent, racism has an effect on the ruling. Which it does Tom Robinson is ruled as guilty after the jury makes a decision. And Atticus and others supporting Tom and how he is innocent are all shocked about how much evidence showing this assault and rape never happend to Mayella.

In conclusion, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird has multiple literary elements throughout the story. They show racism as a big effect of things during the setting of the 1930s and that the conflict is affected by racism during the novel's time period.