Is the eye enough?
People are emotionally complex and multifaceted beings. We form opinions and views through experiences and they influence our actions. With this in mind, almost every person has one or more blind spots. Blind spots are instances when emotion and personal bias control thought and action alike, when one only acts on a primitive level. They stem from lack of personal knowledge of others. Causing the person to not see the right or wrong in their treatment of others. They can result in positive or negative reactions to situations. These blind spots good, or bad can and will define a person. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird the reader is presented with many characters who display blind spots that contribute to conflict
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within the story. Prejudice, and hatred are rich within the thought provoking novel and through its lessons a conclusion can be drawn. People’s negative blind spots come from the inability to consider other’s viewpoints and are the roots of conflict in this ever changing world.
To Kill A Mockingbird provides many characters who have blind spots. They are positive and negative but they all cause the characters problems and fuel conflicts in the story. One of the main characters, optimist lawyer Atticus Finch, even displays his opinion on blind spots when he says, “Mr. Cunningham’s basically a good man, he just has his blind spots along with the rest of us” (Lee 210). Atticus is correct here, Mr. Cunningham was going to attack Atticus for defending black rapist Tom Robinson, but was talked out of it by Scout Finch. Mr. Cunningham evidently does not understand Atticus’s motives and morals and is therefore blind to his own behavior, but is not necessarily a …show more content…
bad man because he could still be convinced he was doing wrong. Nevertheless it stains his character as a racist and prejudice man. Another subject is minor character Mrs. Dubose, a neighbor to the Finches. She is blind to other people’s feelings due to her long-time morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose once says to Atticus’s son Jem, “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for” (Lee 135). As a result Jem destroys her gardens in anger, but does not realize why the woman is so blind. Atticus explains this to Jem, “...didn’t you know what her fits were?...Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict” (Lee 147). He is trying to explain to Jem her blind spot and that Mrs. Dubose was not evil, only her illness. It may have been minor but her blindness caused conflict between her and Jem, and exposed Jem’s own blind spots. He needed to consider things from Mrs. Dubose’s point of view before he criticized her. Not only is there these negative blind spots causing negative conflict but, positive blind spots doing the same. Atticus himself is even subject to criticism because his auspicious blind spot is one of the most impactful. He is unable to see the bad in people and it could have costed him greatly. When speaking to Heck Tate about Bob Ewell trying to kill jem and scout the exchange closes with Atticus saying, “I can’t conceive of a man who’d -” followed by Heck Tate “Mr. Finch, there’s just some kind of men you have to shoot before you can say hidy to ‘em” (Lee 361). Tate understands Atticus and knows how he sees the world, while Atticus is baffled, Heck sees the breed of man they’ve just dealt with. This blind spot brings appreciation to Atticus Finch as a character but his constant unacknowledgement of Bob Ewell’s evil almost cost him. He would be constantly threatened and disrespected but a blind spot is a powerful thing. A similar case is Scout, Dill, and Jem. Their innocence allows them to look beyond the prejudice and racism towards the black community. They are simply blind to a common blind spot. The children treat people like Calpurnia, Reverend Sykes, and indirectly Tom Robinson, with equal and open minds. This blind spot causes them to be at odds with people like Aunt Alexandra, their classmates and the people of Maycomb County Alabama. Positive or negative the final blind spot is the contributor to the events that rocked Maycomb. The most obvious, and problematic blind spot of all is the one that occupies the white American South in the 1930’s. A large percentage of white people practice the unfair treatment of the black community. Atticus once said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee). This is a defining quote of the book. Once the people of Maycomb learn to consider things from the black man’s point of view they will never change, there will always be this blind spot. It is the greatest cause of conflict in the entire story as well. If Bob Ewell did not have this blind spot and was also not a drunk, rapist, incest-practicing father, he may have never needed to deal with or blame Tom Robinson for beating Mayella Ewell. Maybe all of Maycomb would not form a mob to harm Atticus Finch. It is possible that most conflicts ever started in maycomb would never exist. Nevertheless, the question still remains, are people still good with all these blind spots? The gray area is massive here. Some say yes, if Mr. Cunningham and the mob can be talked out of killing than anyone's blinders can be taken off. Others claim, If a blind spot can cause a man to want to kill in the first place it has marked him forever. Atticus claims Mr. Cunningham is still a good man even when he was part of the mob, but with knowledge of Atticus’s own blind spot he may not be credible. Either way, blind spots cause considerable conflict on many fronts. To Kill A Mockingbird is a lesson on natural human behavior and blind spots.
Every character has them and they almost always lead to conflict with others. It is clear that the story needs blind spots or else Maycomb County is a perfect place. As imperfect humans many people fail to see things from others point of view before acting against them. These are our blind spots, our inability to relate to one another and tendency to act unfairly, blindly. Even though this story is almost a century old blind spots are relevant today and the cause of disputes between, countries, races, religions, and people in general. The good blind spots can still negatively affect people. It is imperative that one’s views and morals not cause them to hate another’s. Human beings are the same just become different as life goes on. Blind Spots may never go away, but the more you know about your’s, the less likely it is to cause
damage.
... Even so, compassion emitted from Atticus towards his children is able to shield them from the disease and make them much like Atticus, someone who would see it like it is rather than be blindfolded by the pre-conceived ideas. Wisdom and life experience are also shown as very desirable traits to have as they can motivate you through the toughest tasks and drive you to do what should be done instead of abandoning your duties. In conclusion, Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird highlights the horrible prejudice and ignorance towards black people in the southern town of Maycomb, but also shows wisdom and compassion as not only desirable but necessary traits to have to withstand the bombardment of pre-conceived ideas from the people surrounding you, and also portrays these qualities as a shield to people around you.
Cunningham for his payment because he knew that it would only embarrass him and make him feel of a lower status. When Scout asks Atticus about Mr. Cunningham's payments, he simply replies saying that the only way the family could repay him was through wood and other goods because they don’t have enough money. This demonstrates Atticus’s understanding of Mr. Cunningham’s condition and what struggles he is facing. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a hallmark of empathy and he continues to teach his children to be able to see something from someone else’s eyes.
Metaphorical blindness is found throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee. The best example of this blindness is Bob Ewell. His ignorance and lack of experience has lead him to be blinded from the real world. He is unaware of his wrongdoings and is, perhaps, too ignorant to see through the darkness he has created. He is a racist man and believes that the whites are more noble and superior compared to the blacks; yet, Bob is the complete opposite of his own beliefs. He can be seen to be far more unfortunate than the blacks. Bob’s residence is located near the cabins of the blacks and it is filthy and unpleasant; ironically, he lives right behind Maycomb’s garbage dump:
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, the themes of perspective and viewpoint are very evident and create a unique dimension to how the book can be considered. It gives the reader the ability to visually examine the book through different viewpoints and to have a different reading experience each time the book is read. Some of the very important reasons why perspective and viewpoint are so important towards To Kill a Mockingbird for many reasons, but a few of the most important include the narrator’s (Scout’s) outlook based on the fact that she is a young girl, the fact that black people are very mistreated, and do not feel they should be and the way that Boo Radley outlooks on life. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee wants one to comprehend
One of the first lessons taught in Mockingbird is the power of understanding other people’s perspectives. Initially, Scout has trouble empathizing with other people, especially her first Grade Teacher, Miss Caroline, whom Scout becomes frustrated at for not understanding Maycomb’s complex social structure. After hearing his daughter complain, Atticus tells Scout that she'll “get along a lot better with all kinds of folks [if she] considers things from [their] point of view” (39). After ‘standing in the shoes of another person’, it is much harder to be prejudiced towards that person. Indeed, this may be because a key tenet of prejudice is disregarding the views of whoever is being judged. Nevertheless, it proves difficult for Scout to grasp this relatively simple concept, who begins to hear rumors of Boo Radley, an enigma who has not been seen outside his home for over 30 years. Thus begins Jem and Scout’s quest to make Boo Radley come outs...
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, many notable themes arise, but the most prevalent theme is undeniably the theme of man’s inhumanity to man. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Scout Finch, who is naive and oblivious to the discrimination that occurs in Maycomb. However, through many events and through meeting many characters, we soon begin to realize that the world may not be so nice after all. Our suspicions are only confirmed once we witness the terrible injustices that occur during the trial.
Many characters in to Kill a Mocking Bird experience racial prejudice whether it be directly or indirectly. This novel is about a sleepy southern town filled with discrimination, and a lawyer determined to step away from the racial prejudice and teach his children, Jem and Scout, to see everyone as equals. In Maycomb, Atticus was known as a man who was “the same in his house as he is on the public streets.” (47) That was the standard he lived by. He did not have one set of morals for business and one for
For instance, if one has a tolerant perspective, he or she will make considerate choices. Scout Finch and her father, Atticus, both view the matters from the perspectives of others like Arthur, Mrs. Dubose, and Tom Robinson. Their perspective influences their decisions, such as Scout deciding to stop being afraid of Arthur, Atticus deciding to be gracious to a rude lady, and deciding to defend a black man in a society where coloured people are inferior. However, there are individuals who 's prejudiced perspective influences their decision that lead to hatred, violence, and discrimination. For instance, Jem decides to cut off Mrs. Dubose 's Camellias using violence because of his prejudiced perspective of her. Bob Ewell decides to murder Jem and Scout as revenge as well as lie in court because in his perspective, he believes Atticus is humiliating him and Tom is inferior to him because of his colour. Also, people in society decide to send an innocent man to prison based on lies and their prejudiced perspective. The juries are supposed to be honest, but they decide Tom is guilty because of his colour. One 's perspective is significant because it impacts the decisions one makes as expounded upon in the novel, To Kill A
Growing up in a prejudiced environment can cause individuals to develop biased views in regard to both gender and class. This is true in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, where such prejudices are prevalent in the way of life of 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. The novel is centered around the trial of a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. The narrator, a young girl named Scout, is able to get a close up view of the trial because her father is defending Tom Robinson, the defendant. The aura of the town divided by the trial reveals certain people's’ prejudices to Scout, giving her a better perspective of her world. Throughout the story, Aunt Alexandra’s behaviors indirectly teach Scout that prejudice is a disease with deep and far reaching roots.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, many different themes come into view. One major theme that played a big role in the character’s lives is racial prejudice. Racism is an unending problem throughout the book. The song “Message from a Black Man” by The Temptations has many similarities to the theme of racial discrimination. Therefore, both the novel and the song prove that racism was a great obstacle for some people at a point.
Additionally, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird also demonstrated racism through the use of hyperbole, which is an exaggerated statement. Atticus says, “Maycomb's usual disease” (Lee 187) this quotation is a hyperbole, the author exaggerated the meaning by the use of the word disease, he means the people of Maycomb are racist. Atticus tries to raise his children in a way they will not have this “disease” and accept everyone as an equal. When Atticus agreed to be Tom’s lawyer he knew the jury would take Mr.Ewell’s side without considering any facts other than race. This is due to the contagious “disease” of racism in the town. Another example of hyperbole is when Atticus tells Jem and Scout, " Mr. Cunningham's basically a good man, he just has his blind spots.”(Lee 157) When the author uses the phrase “blind spot” he does not mean the literal meaning rather it refers to Mr. Cunningham
Lee writes about the importance of acceptance in a society corrupted by prejudice. This discrimination is purely based on appearance. The foundation of society was flawed, as it was dependent on the segregation of black and white citizens. However there are people who comprehend this problem that stand out from the crowd. Atticus was dedicated to delivering justice to Tom Robinson, regardless of the fact that he lost the trial. Finch, Tom and Boo Radley were all judged by the majority of Maycomb for their choices; however none of these people have done wrong. They believed discrimination was wrong. Lee used symbolism of the mockingbird to highlight this fact; as Finch said: “shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”. These characters stand against society’s flow because they understand the importance of accepting others differences. Skin does not reflect the content of character; it was unfair to judge others. “You never really understand someone until you consider things from his point of view… Until you
"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among stones"- Charlotte Brontë. Nearly every problem and unfortunate mishap in Harper Lee's, To Kill A Mockingbird, has been somehow revolved around prejudice or discrimination. Many different forms of prejudice are found throughout the novel, with racism, sexism, and classicism the most common. The residents of Maycomb have discrimination running through their veins and were raised to be racist and sexist, without realizing. They see nothing wrong with judging other people and treating people that they find inferior harshly. Prejudice is a destructive force because it separates the people of Maycomb, both physically and mentally.
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” said Atticus (Lee 30). Atticus tells Scout that if you want to understand someone, you must look at things from their perspective. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells a story about how all types of people are accepted for who they are: race, age, and value. Tom Robinson, a colored man accused of rape, is shown acceptance by Atticus Finch even though during this time he would not be.
Harper Lee uses blind hypocrisy in certain characters to show how moral education instills social conscience. During a class discussion about current events, a student mentions how Hitler has been treating Jews unfairly. Miss Gates agrees that what Germany is doing is wrong, and she explains how America is a democracy and how Germany is a dictatorship. “Over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. Prejudiced,” she enunciated carefully. “There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn’t think so is a mystery to me” (Lee 281). This incident sheds light on the fact that not much has changed in Maycomb. Miss Gates is quick to show sympathy for the Jews, but seems