Beliefs In To Kill A Mockingbird

What ideas and beliefs does Harper Lee present in to kill a mockingbird?
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents the readers with what she believes are admirable ideas and beliefs. She introduces three main ones such as empathy, addressing racism and what true courage is.
Lee shows the importance of expressing empathy towards others around you. She shows this a few times through the novel. The first is when Atticus agrees to help Tom Robinson in his court. Even when no one else in his town notices that Tom is not guilty, Atticus realises how unfair it is to accuse someone for something they didn’t do. Atticus is an empathetic and kind character and Harper Lee tries to showcase that to the readers. This is also shown when in the beginning of the novel Scout, Jem and Dill try to get a look at Boo Radley and Atticus tells them not to disturb Boo. This shows that Atticus knows that if someone wants to be left alone, then you should respect their needs and leave them alone. Atticus also holds

other great qualities like tolerance.
Another focal point in the novel is racism. Tom Robinson is a black person and when Atticus gets involved in his case, his neighbours are unimpressed. At school all of Scout’s class mates call Atticus a “nigger-lover” and she beats up anyone that does. Atticus is not discouraged by all the comments and snide remarks because he’s figured out that having a different pigment in your skin doesn’t make a less important person. Racism is also shown when Tom Robinson is proved guilty. Even before the trial the jury decided that Tom was guilty, this shows that they wanted him to be killed even if he wasn’t guilty, mainly because he was black. It is also shown how grateful Tom’s community is to for Atticus for helping them as no one is as helpful to them, they show their gratitude by giving Atticus’s family food.
Courage is another idea presented in To Kill a Mockingbird.

It plays a big part of the book. A quote that helps presenting this is; “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” This quotation is used when Atticus tries to show Jem why he made him read to Mrs.Dubose. Another time courage was shown is when Atticus agrees to do Tom Robinson’s case. Atticus accepts the case even though he knows he’s going to lose. He realises that the reason Tom is going to lose is because he’s black, making him nervous. In Chapter 9 Scout asks Atticus why he’s defending Tom Robinson and he replies with "For a number of reasons...The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something

again."
Harper Lee presents three main ideas and beliefs in To Kill a Mockingbird. These are showing empathy towards others, racism and what true courage is. The story of racism and courage in a small town effectively conveys these ideas to the reader.