Hypocrisy In To Kill A Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the reality of the world in the 1930s through the point of view of a little girl named Scout. She starts as a carefree tomboy, but learns to be more ladylike as the story continues. Her life really starts to change during a trial where her father is defending a black man. Also, she learns that killing a mockingbird is a sin.Overall, she grows up throughout the book, and starts to realize all the issues of Maycomb. One of the many lessons Scout learns is how to put yourself in other people 's shoes. “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” (33). Atticus teaches this to Scout when he finds out

When Scout is with The Ladies Missionary Club she starts to pick up on hypocrisy. They want to help the African kids, but they do not want to help the African-Americans in their own town! They are also they are prejudiced against the black community in Maycomb. Another time Scout becomes aware of hypocrisy is with her teacher Miss Gates. As Scout starts to pick up on hypocrisy, Harper Lee is showing another way Scout is growing up. “Over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced” (281). This quote is from Miss Gates is full of irony. She says this to her class as she is trying to describe persecution to her class. She does not think Hitler should victimize the Jews. However, Miss Gates persecutes the black community in Maycomb. She clearly shows her hypocrisy during the trial when she persecutes Tom Robinson. Therefore, Scout picks up on hypocrisy and prejudices in the people of Maycomb. Finally, Scout establishes an understanding of

When Scout and Jem get rifles for Christmas they learn why they should not kill a mockingbird. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (103). Mockingbirds represent happiness. They do not cause any harm to anyone or anything. Therefore, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Tom Robinson, a black man, is the man who was falsely accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell, a white woman. “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (275) Tom Robinson is one of the mockingbird symbols. He was convicted and was murdered for the rape of Mayella Ewell. He did not rape Mayella but he was blamed for it. Since this took place in the 1930s, they black people were not believed over white people. So when Tom was killed it was like killing a mockingbird. He did nothing but help people, but he was killed. He only brought joy and happiness, not hatred. Tom Robinson was not the only mockingbird symbol in the novel. Boo Radley was also a symbol of a mockingbird. Boo Radley saved Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. He ended up killing Bob while trying to save the kids. Heck Tate, the town sheriff, could prove that Bob fell on his knife. He did this so Boo would not get in trouble. “Well it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird,