Scout Finch Moral Growth

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The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" was published in 1960 and is an American literary work. It explores the themes such as racism, injustice, and moral growth through the perspective of the characters, Scout Finch. This novel is set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, and it describes Southern societies struggling with prejudice and moral problems. Moral growth is one of the themes in "To Kill a Mockingbird," and it is mainly explored through the development of the main character Scout Finch, and her brother Jem Finch. They have changed a lot in the face of injustice and complexity and have a moral growth in the community of Maycomb, Alabama. Their moral growth is reflected in many ways. Moral growth refers to the process by which individuals …show more content…

As they mature, especially through their interactions with Boo Radley and the trial of Tom Robinson. They learn to empathize with others who are different from themselves. In the beginning chapters, Scout and Jem's innocence is referred to; they infer Boo Radley and create myths about him without truly understanding his situation. Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo. “Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time." Chapter 1 Page 11 This shows their imagination and lack of understanding about Boo Radley, emphasizing their innocence at the beginning. During Tom Robinson's trial, Scout and Jem see the deeply racial prejudice in their community. “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no …show more content…

In the novel, Scout and Jem struggle to understand the meaning of racial and social injustice. It is also a part of moral growth. “That’s okay, ma’am, you’ll get to know all the county folks after a while. The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back—no church baskets and no scrap stamps. They never take anything off of anybody, they get along with what they have. They don’t have much, but they get along on it.” [Chapter 2 Page 17] Scout tries to explain to her teacher that Walter Cunningham comes from a poor family and cannot afford lunch money. However, Miss Caroline does not understand the reason and is angry with Scout for her attempt to explain. This expresses the class differences and the misunderstanding between Scouts, who are more familiar with the local community and its values. But her teacher comes from a different background and she cannot understand it. It also reflects the prejudice and misunderstanding in the novel. Scouts experienced prejudice and misunderstanding to achieve moral growth and shaped their views on morality and the pursuit of

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