Wednesday, May 6, 2015

In "To Kill a Mockingbird," what are the similarities and differences between Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell? E.g.: atticus-righteous and...

I would say the most important way they are alike is that they both have to deal with people who clearly hate them.  In Atticus' case, many people in Maycomb think he's a "nigger-lover" and are very vocal about sharing that opinion.  In Bob Ewell's case, people think he's white trash and I think that even he knows that they secretly consider him below the hard-working blacks.  I think that's why he hates blacks so much.

But that similarity leads to the most important difference.  When Atticus feels like the world has turned against him, he continues to do the right thing, even when it's him against a mob and he believes he is going to lose.  He doesn't scramble after some illusion of power.  But Bob Ewell is determined to prove his "worthy" by proving that he has power over others.  He dominates his daughter (and possibly rapes her, which is a clear power play).  He accuses Tom Robinson and essentially gets him killed.  He attacks Jem and Scout, two children who are no match for a grown man.  He wants power, and he abuses others to feel more powerful. 

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In Act III, scene 2, why may the establishment of Claudius's guilt be considered the crisis of the revenge plot?

The crisis of a drama usually proceeds and leads to the climax.  In Shakespeare's Hamlet , the proof that Claudius is guilty...