Student Essay on Forshadowing, Conflict, Irony, and Symbolism of "to Kill a Mockingbird"

Forshadowing, Conflict, Irony, and Symbolism of "to Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

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Essay

Foreshadowing

One example of foreshadowing is when they Doodle and his family find the Scarlet Ibis on the ground. The Ibis had traveled a long journey to get to where it is now and has died red. This was a hint or subtle clue that something bad might happen to Doodle, since the same thing was happening when the ibis died.

Another example in the story of foreshadowing is when it is a stormy and rainy day when the scarlet ibis dies, and then right before Doodle dies the rain is falling even harder, and it is stormy so this makes you have a feeling something bad is going to happen.

Main Conflict

In this story the main conflict is that the narrator has a brother born slower then the average person. The narrator is disappointed in or ashamed of his brother since he can't do all the things a regular brother normally can do and had to be treated gently. In this he does everything he can to help Doodle learn to walk and do things like that that he isn't capable of. He pushes Doodle to do things that are hard for him, mostly not for his benefit, but only so Doodle's brother can benefit. (Doodle's family all struggle with the problem, because as they watch him get older they know that he will always need more special care. All in the entire problem is not Doodle's underdevelopment necessarily, but other people's problems in accepting it.)

Irony

In this story the irony is that when Doodle is showing everyone he can walk and everyone is congratulating and giving him hugs, the narrator; who's been the one helping him get to where he is feels bad and that he did it for the wrong reasons and only for himself.

Symbol

In this story one symbol is that whenever anything bad happened or that was associated with something bad, red (mahogany, scarlet, etc.) appeared in the story.

Examples:

· The scarlet ibis is red and dies after its long journey.

· When Doodle dies he is also red.

· Doodle's casket that he was supposed to be buried in just after he was born was "red."