harper lee book summaries

“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.”

Atticus Finch tells this to Scout early in the novel, teaching her empathy after she has a difficult first day of school.

“It's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Miss Maudie Atkinson explains this to Scout and Jem after Atticus tells them it's okay to shoot bluejays but not mockingbirds, symbolizing the protection of the innocent.

“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.”

Atticus Finch explains to Scout why he must defend Tom Robinson, emphasizing the importance of fighting for justice regardless of the odds.

“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”

Atticus Finch says this to Scout when discussing why he must take on the Tom Robinson case, highlighting the importance of individual moral integrity.

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

Scout says this to Jem, expressing her simple, innocent view of humanity, contrasting with Jem's growing disillusionment about the divisions in Maycomb.