To Kill A Mockingbird Injustice Quotes

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere”. Martin Luther King envisioned a world in which society lived without hate but in peace with one another, his dream was cut short when he was assassinated purely because of the racial prejudice someone had. The injustice he faces relates heavily to his quote as it speaks the truth about the innocence of one person and it must be protected from the evil of society. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee, addresses the cruel society in which injustice is served based on the withstanding prejudice and racism the town of Maycomb contains. The author addresses this to the reader through the use of characters that symbolize the victims of

the society's prejudice that lead them to injustice. Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch are among those who have been subjected to Maycomb's curse and have been victimized by either the members of the town or the moral code that the community has committed to. Lee questions the reader's mind through the use of symbolism to demonstrate the series of injustices done in the town.

Symbolism is significant throughout the novel with the mockingbird used to symbolize the theme of injustice committed upon the innocent.

To begin with, Tom Robinson is an excellent example of portraying the symbol of the mockingbird. Tom being an Black African American in the late 1930’s, when society in the southern parts of America were filled with racial prejudice, is the best example of an African American not receiving the justice he deserved. The amount of racial prejudice in the town afflicts people's judgement and it labelled an innocent man, a convict. When waiting restlessly for hours at the courthouse in anticipation for the final verdict of the jury, Scout says,“ I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty… guilty … guilty… guilty… guilty” (Lee, 282). A society's view of a black man is the ugly kind, their moral code does not allow them to be in favour of a black man, despite all evidence proving the innocence of one. Moreover, Tom knew he was unable to defend himself when the whole event of “rape” that took place, because he knew it he did say anything or did anything thin in his

defence, it would led to his death. The idea of the mockingbird futher symbolizing Tom Robinson is furthered when the Finch children receive guns as a Christmas gift, and Atticus informs the children of a rule they had never once heard him say, “Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee, 119). Atticus creates a metaphor that applies to the situation of injustice Tom faces before his accuser, Bob Ewell. Mockingbirds only bring joy by making music for us to listen to, much like how Tom Robinson went about with kindness and positivity. However, when his accuser appears, Bob Ewell, Tom becomes defenceless in front of him. Much like how a helpless mockingbird is defenceless before their prosecutor shoots them. Additionally, Tom is inevitably killed even though he committed no crime but was locked up in prison based purely on the colour of his skin. A mockingbird should never be imprisoned, they lose their ability to bring joy and spiral into a depression. When the Finch children question their father's ability to win Tom Robinson’s case and ask him why they the verdict of the jury happened as it did, Atticus replies with, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (Lee, 323). No matter how the evidence proves that Tom was innocent something the judgement of people and their hate will always get in the way of their opinion which is what he tries to explain to his children. In any scenario where there is a situation between black and white, the blackman will always face prosecution, no matter the circumstance, and this happened to be the unfortunate case for Tom Robinson. A man faces injustice and unreason because of the sheer colour of his skin, and it eventually kills him, no one should have to live in a world of fear because of injustice served upon those who are different.
Furthermore, Arthur "Boo" Radley is another symbol of the mockingbird being a victim of injustice because of the judgement and social prejudice the town of Maycomb feeds off of, leaving a man hidden in the shadows. Boo has disputes and a few tarnishes with the law but it does not initially reflect his true character, although this, the town decides to use him as a target for all mishaps and accidents that occur. Especially when it comes to the accusation that Boo Radley attempted the murder of his father when Miss. Stephanie Crawford informs the Finch children that, "Boo was sitting in the livingroom cutting some items from The Maycomb Tribune to paste in his scrapbook. His father entered the room. As Mr. Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities" (Lee, 13). There is literally no proof of this incident occurring, as it comes from the source of Miss. Crawford- who is well known as the town gossip- and it is suggested in the novel that Boo was being abused by his family. Additionally, this story helps the town of Maycomb believe that Boo Radley is some type of psychopath who is plotting to murder people and results in fear inside of the community. Making Radley appear as some kind of monster who seeks revenge and blood. The rumors do not stop there, they continue to spiral throughout the town to scare the young children and adults into believing he is the real life boogeyman so he would be avoided and left alone. When Scout craves more detail about the “malevolent phantom” of Maycomb she decides to ask her brother Jem more of the description about him, Jem considers him: “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”(Lee, 16). Even children as young as Jem victimize Boo into some kind of a monster, the town treats him as the laughing stalk, as if he is not even human as if he is a ghost and does not even exist. As we see further into the novel, Radley is a kind hearted soul, who some can say he is much like the guardian angel for Scout and Jem as he comes to their rescue. Not some imaginary ghost who haunts the town of Maycomb. Lastly, the reader continues to hear more from Miss. Stephanie Crawford and her magnitude of encounters with Boo. Miss. Stephanie seems the most fond of getting the word of Boo out and her imagination seems to run wild, almost as if she is out against him in some ways. She claims while she was asleep something appeared to her in her window she describes it as, “Was like a skull lookin’ at her”(Lee, 16). These rumors, this judgment will haunt Boo Radley wherever he goes as the town will see him as monster with every lurking eye that looks at him. They will never look at him as a just another being who wants love, friendship, kindness but as an evil the hids in the shadows. When society feels someone is different they alienate them, exclude them push them further away from society, this happened to be the misfortune of Boo Radley.
Lastly, Atticus Finch a man who only wanted to do good, is victimized, and threatened, because his help was considered the wrong kind.

Atticus thoroughly believes that there should not be a cultural divide between races and therefore proceeds to take on the case of Tom Robinson. Bob Ewell, father to Mayella- who accuses Tom of rape- becomes frustrated after being made a fool in court and even though Tom was jailed, but wanted to get back at Atticus for taking on the case to begin with. After Tom was arrested and taken to a county jail Bob Ewell mumbles these few words to a follow member of the town, “One down, two to go”(Lee, 323). He refers to killing the Finch children to gain revenge on Atticus for his decision. This man was filled with so much hate, wickedness, prejudice he decide to plot the murder of a man's own children. Atticus is innocent as he has done nothing wrong to deserve such evil acts, representing again the mockingbird and how it is once again defenseless as there is nothing it can do before it is shot. In spite this, Atticus begins to be verbally abused by the towns members as they believe that he is a traitor to their own race by protecting a black person. Fellow neighbour Mrs. Dubose takes it upon herself to criticize the Finch family in front of the children and decides to say, “Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!” (Lee, 135). Majority of the town does not understand the decision of a white man taking on a black mans case

and in spite of that he faces criticism towards his family and who they are. Atticus firmly believes in equality and justice, the reasoning behind why he was so confident taking on the case. Despite that, the town and its members decide to use a series of racial slurs to make their point across for the hate they poess towards black folk and Atticus as they believe he much rather associate himself with the African American community than helping his own. Additionally, it is also quite ironic in order for Mrs. Dubose to survive as long as she has at her old age she relies on the use of a black house maid, once a black man seeks the help of a white man and willing obligues it becomes a sin to do so. At least in eyes of certain members in this community. Finally, Atticus is a wise man filled with kindness and does not believe in a cultural divide and that is a dangerous thing in this generation and time. Again, we see this racial hate from Bob Ewell as it gravitates around him and demonstrates itself as physical violence Ewell uses to afflict upon Atticus. When Atticus returns to work after the trial an infuriated Ewell approaches him and decides to spit on him, the news reaches the Finch children from Miss. Stephanie when she says, “This morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him” (Lee,) . The violence shown is as a result of unfair treatment towards Atticus for showing the innocence of Tom Robinson. Atticus does not deserve this as he purely and genuinely wanted to help and everyone knew he was right, but despite that, someone such as Bob Ewell doesn't believe in protecting African Americans, let alone defend them- since Atticus proves Bobs lies in court- and therefore must deal with these despicable acts of hate. A man with other views on how society could form itself into one takes a shot at it and is ultimately threatened to be killed for it as he believes differently.
The mockingbird is thoroughly used in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, to address the injustice the town of Maycomb has inflicted upon some of their characters and have symbolized them through the use of the mockingbird. Tom Robinson, a town filled with such racial prejudice it convicted an innocent man with crimes he did not commit and it killed him. Boo Radley, the towns Gray Ghost has hid himself from society from the unjustified hate he receives based upon preconceived opinion the community has about him. Atticus Finch, a man threatened, attacked and discriminated knows the truth about Tom while others are too afraid to admit it. Society fears the unknown and reacts to it in ways that are unjustifiable which applies to the series of characters who symbolize the mockingbird. Injustice committed upon those who are innocent, is a deadly weapon.