Essay #12

FINAL DRAFT

Austin
English 8
Mr. Salsich
1/21/10

Atticus’s Statement after he Returns from the Courthouse:
An Essay on a Quote from To Kill a Mockingbird

(TS) Without the periods of time people use to meditate, life would be chaos. (CM) It is absolutely essential, that there is a moment, brief or extensive, where we can contemplate our thoughts. (CM) These moments are necessary to our well being, for without them, people would never find a way or understand how to resolve circumstances. (CS) A character named Atticus from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird says something simple, yet his statement has a deep meaning of meditation that anyone can relate to.

(TS) In the novel, Atticus’s statement, “I’m not bitter, just tired. I’m going to bed” (Lee, 285) has interesting implications for the entire novel and myself. (SD) First of all, Atticus implied he just needed time to think over what just happened in the courthouse. (CM) This relates to the rest of the characters because sometimes they need a moment or two to mull over what they have going on in their lives. (CM) When their lives are void of opportunities to reflect, they lead to Atticus‘s exhaustion, and interrupted sleep. (SD) In particular, Dill, having witnessed rudeness and cruelty during Tom’s case, needed a moment to think about how people could be so sinister and how he would cope (S-V split). Without that moment, there would have been turmoil in his heart, and he wouldn’t have returned to the courtroom. (CM) Also, that moment may have prevented Dill from becoming traumatized by that experience, but if he had been, he would never go in a courtroom again. (SD) Much like Dill and Atticus, I sometimes need moments to collect and organize my thoughts. (CM) Occasionally, events in my day trouble my mind, leaving me restless. (CM) When that happens, I need to take a break, slow down, and decide how best to solve the matter, calming my mind. (CS) Whenever a troublesome event transpires in fantasy, or reality, there is a simple, brief moment that people require to alleviate the stress the incident inflicted.

(TS) Some of the most crucial moments are when people relax and reflect on their life. (CM) When Atticus lost in court, he knew he needed to take time and collect his thoughts. (CM) If he never organized his thoughts, Atticus might have grown weary with concern that he could have done better on the case even though it was the racist jury’s fault he lost. (CS) Atticus’s simple statement has an incredible powerfulness, representing the fact that small moments we use to contemplate and organize our thoughts, are the most important ones.


Self Assessment

The hardest part of writing this essay was composing the opening and closing paragraphs. I have a hard time determining the best way to draw the reader’s attention, and then making the concluding paragraph turn the essay into a circle so it begins on the same topic and ends on the same topic. The most significant difference between my first draft and this draft I think is the smoothness of the sentences. After I go back and work on the draft that will be graded, I try my best to fix the awkward sentences so that they flow with the rest of the essay. I particularly like my opening sentence because it is a very bold statement that will grab the reader’s attention. I think the part of this paper that could still be improved is the tightness of the sentences. I like to thoroughly explain what I am stating to the reader, but sometimes I get carried on, making my sentence ramble and get a little confusing.