Perspective and Racism: An Analysis of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has a large number of themes that help expand on the story and provide life lessons to the characters and reader. Perspective is one of the major themes in the novel and repeatedly shown through the dialogue and actions of the characters. The book is set during the Great Depression in the small town of Maycomb County. The author majorly focuses on racism and how it affects a trial that occurs in the story. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch is a girl who’s life the reader follows over a period of three years in which she learns about the “real world” from experiences such as the trial. In those years, Scout and her brother, Jem, speculate over a man named Boo Radley and in the end realize that their perspective

Atticus Finch was appointed the defense of Robinson and fought for him unlike many other white lawyers, who would not have if they been chosen for this position. During the trial, racism played a key part and it was that factor which led to the outcome. While it is not explicitly stated in the book, Mayella Ewell lies on the stand about Tom Robinson’s actions. Atticus says, when he is defending Robinson, “She did something every child has done--she tried to put the evidence of her offense away from her” (272). Mayella was trying to close off what was happening, she knew what she saw and did but her perspective on the world and how her family and such would react to it made her accuse Tom Robinson. The trial was a showing of how people limited their perspective. Judge Taylor says “People generally see what the look for, and hear what they listen for” (??) Racism, Sexism and all forms of hatred lead to the clouding of judgement and hiding what they actu.ally may see or feel. A person’s perspective is important in cases like this because they may not see the full story, such as the jurors, or they may hide the story, such as