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How To Kill A Mockingbird Contradicts

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Many people say that seeing is believing, but that simply is not true, well at least not according to the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The book constantly contradicts the idea that seeing is believing. Several different characters go against what is believed and observed about them, which in turn surprises other characters. To start off, one of the biggest characters that contradicts what is believed about them is Atticus. He is seen as this polite, simple man, but when a mad dog is spotted in his neighbourhood he is quick to take a rifle and shoot the dog. Scout describes it as so, “Atticus’s hand yanked a ball-tipped lever as he brought the gun to his shoulder. The rifle cracked” (Lee 127). Scout and Jem saw this as beyond out of character for their father. They have always seen Atticus as a very calm, passive man, so for him to pick up a gun was almost entirely out of the blue. …show more content…

He has been said to be a “little drunk” ever since his wife left him. Later on, during the court case, it is revealed that he was only Coca-Cola. This is revealed in a short conversation between Scout and Dolphus, Scout recalls it as such, “‘You mean all you drink in the sack’s Coca-Cola? Just plain Coca-Cola?’ ‘Yes ma’am,’ Mr. Raymond nodded” (Lee 267). This completely contradicts the idea that he is a drunk and always has whiskey with him, something believed by almost the entire town. He then later on states, “I try to give ‘em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason” (Lee 268). This is his explanation of why he deceives people. He deceives them simply so he can live his life the way he wants to, which is possibly a sound reason to deceive his appearance, but yet he is still deceiving

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