Zizzy Zizzlefritz

English 11, period 1

10-10-10

Mockingbird essay

In Your Own Words? Plagiarism…

“Thank you, sir. Mr. Ewell, would you tell us in your own words what happened on the evening of November twenty-first, please?” These are the words the prosecuting attorney uses to most of the witnesses he deposes. This comes from the novel written by Harper Lee called, To Kill a Mockingbird. In this novel, two children observe life around them during the 1930’s, and come to a clearer understanding of others and themselves. In a strange allegorical sense, this novel is also about the problems students have when writing their essays on this novel’s themes. Students have been getting mixed messages for years about how to write essays. Do they write in their own words and risk getting a low grade for an essay riddled with grammar and convention mistakes; or do they “use someone else’s words” instead of their own and try for a better grade. Plainly, use your own words. One can only build skills if they are practiced.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the judge acts like many of these types of teachers who terrify students when they write their essays. Mr. Ewell can not speak standard English. In fact, he probably cannot even rise to the level of sub-standard; he speaks non-standard English, inappropriate to the courtroom. The judge says at one point, “There will be no more audibly obscene speculations on any subject from anybody in this courtroom as long as I’m sitting here. Do you understand?” “Mr. Ewell nodded, but I don’t think he did.” (p172) Here the judge tries to correct Mr. Ewell’s non-standard, slightly obscene and inappropriate statements, but even though Ewell nods that he understands, the corrections are not understood by him. Throughout his testimony, the judge glares at Ewell, almost daring him to make a mistake. Ewell becomes very meek on the stand, scared to say what is really on his mind. He finally breaks down and crows out, “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!” The courtroom erupts at this outburst. The Judge, after getting control of the courtroom simply says, “Mr. Ewell, you will keep your testimony within the confines of Christian English usage, if that is possible.” (p174) I doubt if Ewell will be able to comply since his education is limited. But the fact remains that for students, this is how they feel about their writing for teachers. Like Mr. Ewell before the judge. For students, to get better at writing, one needs to write more and more. It is only with practice that the skills of writing improve.

Tom Robinson seems to have the same problem with his testimony during the trial. He is asked a question that might be answered in a slightly obscene, non-standard way. His answer will put him at the same level as Ewell, but his attorney, Mr. Finch demands his answer. “Tom, you’re sworn to tell the whole truth. Will you tell it?” Even the judge adds, “Answer the question.” (p194). Tom responds, “Mr. Finch, I got down offa that chair an’ turned around an’ she sorta jumped on me.” That answer doesn’t seem too offensive although not standard English. Tom brings his response up from a non-standard, to a sub-standard (more acceptable) response. This is okay. This is what teachers will accept from student essays. Would it get an “A?” No. But at least it is in the student’s own words. This would be a good rough draft, one that could be improved with revisions and editing.

“Jem grinned and pushed his hair back. Just-in-your own words was Mr. Gilmer’s trademark. We often wondered who else’s words Mr. Gilmer was afraid his witness might employ.” (p172). Well, how about it. Can’t a student write an essay in his or her own words and still get a good grade? When Mr. Durr copies and pastes paragraphs from student essays into Google and gets complete essay hits, that is plagiarism. When students exchange essays between teacher sections, so the same essay is turned in by three or four students to three or four different teachers, that also is plagiarism.

Atticus goes into a rant about equality near the end of the trial and says, “The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious – because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority.” (p205). He states that everyone is different, with different skills, different work ethics, and different goals. This teacher wants to remind the students to write their own essays; ones that build writing skills. So students, when writing your essays, “would you tell us in your own words what happened on the evening of November twenty-first, please?”