Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee told the story of two siblings, Jem and Scout, who went through a series of events that ultimately made them realize how serious being prejudice can be. The fictional book focused on a mysterious next door neighbor and a trial against an innocent black. Throughout the book, Scout learned many different things, including how to look at things from another perspective and the idea that prejudice and injustice exists. The three themes addressed in the novel were growing up, courage, and prejudice.

First, the constant theme of growing up in the story was presented with each event Jem and Scout are involved in. For example, “I looked up, and his face was vehement. ‘There’s nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who’ll take advantage of a Negro’s ignorance.

In one instance, “... ‘the evil assumption that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negroes are not to be trusted around women…’” (273). It took courage from Atticus to ask the all-white jury to put aside the previous judgement and opinions they had on blacks for the purposes of this case. Atticus realized that every man, black or white, should be granted a fair case; one where the jury did not make their decision based on one’s skin color. Furthermore, “‘... if I connived at something like this, frankly I couldn’t meet his eye, and the day I can’t do that, I’ll know I’ve lost him’” (366). It took courage from Atticus to tell Heck Tate that even if Jem killed Bob Ewell, he did not want it covered up because if it was, he could not face Jem without guilt. Atticus would rather have the whole town have a harsh attitude toward him for covering the murder up than to have the guilt lingering over Jem’s head: a true act of courage. Atticus’ courage in the book not only made the book more interesting, it made Jem and Scout reflect on