Similarities Between To Kill A Mockingbird And 12 Angry Men

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Since the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of our country, this statement has been the foundation of our nation. However, this phrase is also one that is often forgotten and easily ignored in favor of prejudice. Atticus, from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Mr. Davis, from Reginald Rose’s 12 Angry Men, give an example of the bias that continues to surround our society. Although they are men of different occupations born in different times, their independent fairness and intelligence indicate their similarities as people.

The backgrounds and jobs of the two men do vary. Atticus, a lawyer and a member of the state legislature, was a well-qualified person whose sense of duty prompted him to defend the defendant. He lived in the middle of the Great

Depression, when racism presided in every town. In contrast, Mr. Davis was merely an architect, a regular person with little knowledge of the law, who was chosen to be part of jury. From the 1950’s, his life was filled was a different type of prejudice, one based on birthplace, upbringing, and wealthiness. Despite these differences, however, both these men prove the resemblance of their characters through their noble actions.
Atticus and Mr.

Davis are both unprejudiced people. They are strong individuals who treat everyone fairly, follow their own values, and refuse to give in to the pressure of the biased society. Whenever Jem and Scout got into fights, Atticus always made sure to listen to both sides of the story before passing judgment. Besides these small things, Atticus’s righteousness also shines through in other ways. In a time where racism was prevalent and all black people were considered to be of a lower caste, Atticus was frequently mocked for legitimately defending a Negro in court. The townspeople claimed he “lawed for niggers and trash” (Lee, 138). However, he ignored their verbal abuse and stuck with his own morals, telling his children to keep their head high and not let other people’s ugly words get to them. He wholeheartedly defended the Negro, saying “some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral…but this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men” (Lee, 273). This showed that Atticus was a fair man who could look past the prejudice of the common people and make good on the promise of equality for

all.
Under similar circumstances, Mr. Davis also made the decision to stay true to his morals and be a fair person. The jury represented the chauvinism of the society and the unfair treatment of the “lower class”. Just because a boy was raised in the slums, they said, “They get drunk, and bang, someone’s lying in the gutter. Nobody’s blaming them. That’s how they are.”