Examples Of Deception In To Kill A Mockingbird

Being an adult isn’t as amazing as children imagine it. It is full of deception, hatred, and just plain awful things. There comes a time in every child’s life when they begin to realize these things. For Scout, however, it came sooner than others. It also came very quickly, because she learned these adult-like traits within a matter of only a few years. Scout learns about deception and discrimination through many aspects of Maycomb, some of which, are discovered through her family and close friends.
Dishonesty takes many forms: lies, secrets, and rumors. Throughout the story, all forms arise. Many rumors are spread around the entire town. For example, Arthur, Boo, Radley is a figure whom everyone fears. “People said he went out at night when

Any stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work” (Lee 10). Although this idea is conveyed throughout the book, Scout finds out that Arthur is very welcoming and enjoyable. When the whole town seems to believe one thing, the whole town could be wrong. Another instance of spreading rumors is evident in Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Mr. Raymond is believed to drink whiskey constantly, but in fact, he just drinks Coca-Cola. When asked why, he simply says “I try to give 'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... that's why he won't change his ways... that's why he lives the way he does” (Lee 268). Mr. Raymond’s decisions are confusing and different to the town’s folks. He pretends to be drunk so people will justify his actions through alcohol. As well as rumors, adults try to keep secrets and hide information, whether it is for the greater good or not. During the trial, Atticus doesn’t want Scout or Jem at the courthouse. He explicitly tells them “Jem, I don't want you and Scout downtown today” (Lee 211). He does this because he knows that they aren’t ready to witness the extreme nature of the trial. When they disobey and attend the court, Jem and Scout are heartbroken when the verdict is reached. Although

Maycomb experiences many forms of discrimination, whether it be by race, social class, gender, or age. Scout learns a few of these forms within the book. Racial discrimination is prominent almost all the time. For example, white people, no matter what the circumstances are, are always better than even the best black person. “There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life” (Lee 295). When an innocent black man is convicted based on his skin color, something must be wrong with the community. Also, when comparing both races, white people often have better living and recreational conditions, such as houses and churches. When Cal takes Jem and Scout to church, Scout notices many things that are ‘odd’ to her. “First Purchase African M.E. Church was in the Quarters outside the southern town limits, across the old sawmill tracks. It was an ancient paint-peeled frame building, the only church in Maycomb with a steeple and bell, called First Purchase because it was paid for from the first earnings of freed slaves” (Lee 157). She notices many things that she is used to as a member of a white church missing within the black church. Pianos, organs, hymn books, and church programs were all absent from the environment.