In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee writes many themes into the novel and expresses them in unique ways. Lee uses these themes to make the book’s message more impactful. An important theme is racism and social inequality because they help further develop the characters. Having the courage to persevere is an impactful theme because it allows characters to make decisions that they otherwise wouldn’t. The coexistence of good and evil in this book because it illuminates the overall message that there are people that are not entirely bad or good and that most people live morally grey as opposed to all good and all bad like Jem and Scout think at the beginning.
One of the most prevalent themes is social inequality and racism. These ideas affect everybody in Maycomb and this is evident when Jem says “There’s four kinds of folks in the world. There’s the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there’s the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes”(302). When Jem divides “the Negroes” from everybody else, it shows that even though Jem is not racist, there is inherent racism in the town of Maycomb. By
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One of the characters that embody this trait is Mrs. Dubose who insults Jem and Scout, yet Atticus describes her by saying “she was a great lady”(149). Even though Mrs. Dubose is racist and insulted the Finch's, Atticus still commends her for her bravery. She is not entirely good or bad, but she is both good and bad with her own unique qualities. Another character who is an example of this is Boo Radley. At the beginning of the novel, Scout sees him as “a malevolent phantom”(10). For most of the novel, he is perceived that way but when Scout finally meets him, she sees him for who he is. The town thinks he is an evil, scary man who hides from the world when their own misconceptions are what keeps him hidden
Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, communicates a central idea that society has good and bad qualities by using an epigraphic symbol and dynamic characterization of the novel’s protagonist, Scout. The theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is that individuals affect society in both good and bad aspects. Lee demonstrates this idea by utilizing a mockingbird as the primary symbol of the novel and characterizing Scout to reveal and understand that both good and bad exist in the world. Scout learns that all a mockingbird does is good, it sings, but never does anything that people hate (Lee 90). In the novel, mockingbirds ...
In the town of Maycomb, a man who stands up against racism forever changes people’s views on racism. Scout, Jem and Atticus Finch all stand together against racism and prejudice in the tiny town of Maycomb. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, in the town of Maycomb, prejudice is a disease, but Jem, Scout, and Dill are immune to this illness because of the people who raise them. For example, when Cecil and Francis told Scout that Atticus was a disgrace to defend Tom Robinson, even though Francis is Scout’s cousin. When Scout and Jem hear the verdict of Tom’s case, they both cry and are angry about the sentence while the rest of the town is ecstatic.
The lack of knowledge in Maycomb about the outside world and their opinions about black people ingrains ‘Maycomb’s usual disease’ into their minds as they have no other opinions about black people. This is shown by the crowd’s outrage as they gather to lynch Tom, not knowing that he was innocent, but blinded by their pre-conceived ideas about black people, thinking that Tom obviously did it as he was black. Their prejudice and ignorance blinded them to the fact that the Ewell’s had manipulated him for their own benefit. Also, this prejudice causes the people who are prejudiced to be as prejudiced towards people who are not. This is shown by Mrs Dubose’s statement to Jem, “Your fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for.”
Two of the main characters in the book are stereotyped: Scout and Atticus Finch. Scout Finch, the main character of the book, is a nine-year-old girl who is the narrator of the story. Scout’s Aunt Alexandra stereotypes Scout in the book many times. She says that Scout was born un-ladylike and that she could never be a lady because of the way she dresses. This point is proven when Scout says, "I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said [.] that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year" (Lee 81).
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many themes that are portrayed in the novel. Some of these themes include courage, social inequality, and more. Harper Lee develops the theme of a loss of innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird through Jem Finch and Boo Radley in many different ways.
To Kill A Mockingbird displays an environment where one must be inhumane to another in order to become socially compatible. Maycomb has established a hierarchy where social compartmentalisation is the way of life. Men with a profession and a career are superior, while the farmers are near the bottom of the social strata and are considered inferior. No matter which remarkable qualities Negroes possess, they are always s...
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, many notable themes arise, but the most prevalent theme is undeniably the theme of man’s inhumanity to man. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Scout Finch, who is naive and oblivious to the discrimination that occurs in Maycomb. However, through many events and through meeting many characters, we soon begin to realize that the world may not be so nice after all. Our suspicions are only confirmed once we witness the terrible injustices that occur during the trial. The predominance of inhumanity throughout the novel is what makes it such an important theme.
One of the values of Maycomb is racism. However, there are a few that does not believe in this value, including Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a white man married to a black woman and has mixed children. He does not believe in society’s ideology regarding racism and knows that some citizens of Maycomb antagonize him. However, he does not care, as he prefers the colored people over white. He knows how unfair society is, from the way he gets treated. Moreover, Jem realizes the falsities of society, due to the injustice he sensed. After Tom’s verdict, Jem’s first clear sense of injustice provided a new perception on the world. When he was young, he believed that the people of Maycomb are the best folks, but the outcome of the trial changed this thought. Furthermore, Scout’s realization of the falsehood in society is with the hypocrisy of Miss Gates. She was taught by Miss Gates how Americans do not believe in persecution. However, Scout saw Miss Gates talk about the African Americans in an adverse way. Learning about the falsehood in society is part of
Sum up, the social relationship between these people here, this old town Maycomb is complicated and pretty tense. This novel has taught us so much, thanks to Harper Lee – one of the greatest writers of all time. It has opened our eyes wider about racism at that time and compared it to nowadays it has become so much better. People are equally, no matter what skin color you are, what religion you have, or where you’re from, what you’re appearance looks like, we are all equal, and we are all the same – human. So instead of treating badly to one another we should all united and make the world a better place.
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “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 case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. Some are blatant and open, but others are more insidious. One obvious way that racism presents itself is in the result of Tom Robinson’s trial. Another apparent example is the bullying Jem and Scout had to endure as a result of Atticus’s appointment as Tom Robinson’s defense attorney. A less easily discernible case is the persecution of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who chose to live his life in close relation with the colored community.
Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.
Many students believe that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays social issues in early America. At this time, standing against common customs was unacceptable, a violation of society. People believe that today courage has overcome adversity that was displayed in early America. Courage is the common theme of To Kill a Mockingbird, which allows Lee’s novel to defy the changing times of humanity.
The “timeless novel” To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is not as timeless and worthy of continuation as many perceive. It is filled with many cliches and simplicities and is frankly outdated in usefulness. In the book the town of maycomb is comprised of many white characters of many of which are characterized to some extent, especially in the terms of the Finches and Ewells. However, on the other side there are many black characters in the story of importance yet are characterized minimally or very stereotypical.
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him,” said Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. The characters of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee soon learn this from the examples of their father, Atticus Finch, or other important characters in their lives like Miss Maudie. Scout Finch, a character who soaks up each bit of knowledge she can learn from her father grows as she learns who she wants to be and how she want to treat people. In the 1930s, prejudice and racial bias were normal in the ways of society, forcing a growing child to choose how they want to live, based on the examples of others. In the beginning of the story, Scout is daring and headstrong, then later becomes curious and considerate,