Uses of Figurative Language to Convey Tone

Uses of Figurative Language to Convey Tone

The book To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee in 1960. During this time period, civil rights movements were beginning to take a stronger hold of the United States. The novel is set in the segregated south during the 1930s and is told through the eyes of the main character, Scout, who recalls the events she experienced during her time in Maycomb. In the first chapter of the book, Lee uses personification, alliteration, and diction in order to establish a morose tone.

As Scout begins to illustrate the town of Maycomb, when she first knew it, there is a significant emphasis on the glum ambience. Personification and alliteration come into play as the narrator describes how "streets turned to red slop" (Lee 5), "grass grew on the sidewalks" (Lee 5), and "the courthouse sagged" (Lee 5). The streets, grass, and courthouse are all personified alongside with the alliteration of the letter "S". Phonetic repetition of the letter "S" implies snake-like qualities, such as slow movement-usually due to heat and discomfort. Alliteration continues when Scout presents the image of "bony mules hitched to hoover carts flick[ing] flies in sweltering shade" (Lee 5). The phrase begins with the calm and easy sounds of the letter "H" which are followed by the percussive effect of the letter "F" and ends the smoother effects of the letter "S". Sudden interruptions of smooth phonetics with sharp accents relate to the way Maycomb's easy going atmosphere is vexed with pestering heat that chafes the residents' attitude before simmering down.

Diction is presented when Scout begins to describe the people of Maycomb. She portrays how the "people moved slowly" (Lee 6) as they "ambled across the square" (Lee 6) and "shuffled in and out of the stores" (Lee 6). Emphasis on the slow and sullen gait of the people is brought