“To Kill a Mocking Bird”
Chapter 18
Literary Elements
By: Hannah Maher
Symbolism.
• Symbolic meaning or character.
• Mayella represents battered girls.
• The way Mayella stutters, or hesitates before she begins to
answer a question represents that she is hiding something.
• The author included this element to hint things to us,
instead of taking the fun out of it and stating those things.
Imagery.
• The formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of
things, or of such images collectively.
• “Mr. Ewell had a scalded look; as if an overnight soaking
had deprived him of protective layers of dirt, his skin
appeared to be sensitive to the elements.”
• The author included this element, so that we could create a
picture in our head of the characters, and the scenes in the
book.
Setting.
• The surroundings or environment of something.
• “ A young girl walked to the witness stand”
-In a court room
• “Mr. Gilmer asked Mayella to tell the jury in her own words
what happened on the evening of November twenty-first of
last year...”
- That they are in session
• The author included this element because, it help us to create
a picture in our head of what is going on in the book. It helps
us picture things the way we want to. Makes it more
interesting.
Theme.
• A unifying or dominant idea.
• You have to be careful who you listen to, not everyone tells
the truth.
• The effect this them has on me, is that some people that you
trust will lie to you, even if you want to believe they won’t.
Foreshadowing.
• To show or indicate beforehand.
• “Mayella stared at him and burst into tears.”
- This foreshadows that Mayella will most-likely lie
on stand.
• This element helps develop the theme that people will lie to
you.
Characterization.
• Portrayal, description.
• This chapter portrays that Mayella isn’t the most honest
person. Neither are the Ewell’s.
• The author included characterization so that we as the
audience would know not to believe Mayella, and that Tom
Robinson is not guilty.