Justice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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The Pulitzer Prize winner, To Kill A Mockingbird, not only alerted the world of social inequality in the South, but also highlighted the significant impact of one man’s will to bring justice to all members of society. Scout, the young and naive narrator, details the events of her life in the American South during the Great Depression, while also providing the reader a look into the racial inequality and bias that plagued her world. Harper Lee uses her book to establish the idea that while living in a an unjust society there still exist individuals who have a desire to fight for justice. Scout, through her innocent narration, establishes the South to be a harbor of injustice and severe inequality. Her matter-of-fact account of her neighborhood …show more content…

When questioned by his very inquisitive daughter as to why he had chosen to do such a socially unwise thing, Atticus responded with his usual candor when he spoke, “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…”(100). Atticus takes on the case to hold up the law against what his family and townspeople told him, so that he could fight for the justice that Tom Robinson deserved. Atticus not only holds his principles of justice and equality in high regards in his legal practices but also in his home. This can be seen through his treatment of Scout, his young daughter, as an equal member of society when he explains rape to her, something Calpurnia refused to do. Similarly, Oprah redefined the role of women on TV when, against the opinions of many, became not only the first African American but also female talk-show host on Television because she believed that one's physical characteristics mustn’t stand in the way of their …show more content…

Arthur is considered to be old and senile, however, in his case he is also considered to be the antagonist. Many of the townsfolk believed that he had murdered his father and also joined a gang. However, Mr. Arthur fought all misconceptions regarding himself when he saved Scout from Mr. Ewell as she recalls, “Suddenly he was jerked backward and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him” without any hope for a reward from society (Lee 351). Mr Arthur fought for justice as he believed it unjust for her to be killed by Mr. Ewel as she had done nothing to deserve murder. Additionally, Mr. Arthur, despite his knowledge of his standing in society as a murderer, saved her life not so that he could rid himself of that claim but simply so that an innocent little girl did not suffer unjust consequences. Similarly, Mr. Hamilton, a pizza delivery guy in Deklab County, GA, saved a little girl from a house fire without expecting a

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