Reason Vs. Madness in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are many recurrences of the theme of reason vs. madness. An all too familiar scene is when the mad Tim Johnson is seen "moseyin'" down the road by Jem and Scout and is put out of his misery by Atticus, who at first is reluctant to take the shot. This scene not only strengthens Atticus' character, but sets a prime example of how reason takes on the madness of the situation. This same theme is repeated in different forms throughout the novel and is very important as it serves to control other themes of the novel such as innocence.
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