“...there was no ‘race problem’ for me because I had simply never thought about it”(Conine, “How a Southerner Licked Intolerance”). Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird creates a similar situation by demonstrating that prejudice is a dangerous force that can change an individual’s sense of right and wrong without him or her even knowing. To Kill a Mockingbird features two siblings named Scout and Jem Finch, who are growing up in the racially-biased town of Maycomb. A black man named Tom Robinson is on trial for raping Mayella Ewell, and it seems that he is innocent. Nonetheless, a guilty verdict is delivered due to the entire jury being white men. Additionally, Scout and Jem spend much of their time tormenting a poor, misunderstood Boo Radley simply because of the stories they heard about him. Harper Lee, through the characterization of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, asserts that prejudice creates a blind spot in one’s moral righteousness.
At first, Boo Radley is presented as a horrible and
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An eavesdropping Scout hears Atticus Finch, her father as well as the lawyer on the case, say to her uncle, “It couldn’t be worse, Jack. The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells’”(117). Atticus is perfectly aware of the racial bias that the jury will have towards Tom Robinson, but Scout is bewildered. Scout was raised by an unbiased Atticus, so she is shocked that something as trivial as race could determine the value of a man’s word. Moreover, Atticus informs Jem that the jury will likely be out and back very quickly, and Jem asks, “You think they’ll acquit him that fast?”(277). Jem is another child that is free of racial bias, and does not understand the possibility that Tom Robinson will be found guilty without evidence. He cannot comprehend that those men would allow their own prejudices and biases to cloud their judgement of what is
Tom Robinson is caught kissing a white woman from Maycomb named Mayella Ewell. To prevent being frowned upon by the local citizens, she instead said that Tom Robinson raped her even though that was far from the truth. He’s taken into trial with the help of Atticus, and the case is unarguably one of the factors that help further the theme of innocence in Scout’s view. Atticus is determined to help Tom, even if it means that the citizens will turn against his own family because “killing a mockingbird is a sin.” As events progress, Scout is taught that discrimination solely because someone is “different” is
Atticus is a very successful lawyer and is going to take on the case of Tom Robinson being accused of raping a white girl. The case’s verdict of accusing Tom guilty impacted Jem’s perspective pretty hard, Jem was very mad that the jury accused him guilty even though Atticus made a very valid point on why there was no way Tom raped and beat the Ewell girl (girl who claimed Tom raped
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, a six year old girl, grows up in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930’s. Scout is a curious and intelligent child who is confronted with a harsh reality of discrimination and injustice in her small town. Atticus Finch, Scout's father, is a well respected lawyer in Maycomb. Atticus took on the case of defending Tom Robinson, a Black man who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young White woman. Atticus is aware that there is a lot of racial tension and prejudice in the town, and he knows that his decision to defend Tom Robinson will not be well received by many members of the community.
“Do not judge my story by the chapter that you walked in on.” Nobody knows who wrote this quote however it is very good nonetheless. This quote shows that one should not judge another without first learning about their past and holds great significance in the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird. More specifically this pertains to Boo Radley. Over the course of To Kill a Mocking Brid Boo is seen as a maniac but as the story progresses the readers view of him changes from a crazed psychopath to simply a misunderstood boy.
In the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson, a black man, is unfairly accused and later found guilty of a crime he didn 't commit. While talking to Jem and Scout Finch, Ms. Maudie says “Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. And I thought to myself, well, we’re making a step – it’s just a baby-step, but it’s a step.” During our recent “Socratic Seminar”, Adam Ross made an insightful comment. He argued that the events that took place in the courtroom that night were not a step in the right direction, as the time that the jury took was just part of the due process of the court.
Despite race discrimination around the world, there are still people who overcome and persevere through these challenges - often at great risk to themselves. During the 1930s, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, a small town called Maycomb held a trial against an innocent African American man accused of raping a Caucasian woman. The reader experiences life in Maycomb through the eyes of ten year old girl name Jean-Louise Finch, Scout. In this case, Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, was assigned to be the lawyer for the accused, Tom Robinson. However, Atticus has integrity and tries his best for Tom even if his own life is at risk.
Tom says he feels bad for Mayella, and everyone in the courthouse is shocked because African American children were taught not to “feel sorry” for white people. Lee’s novel highlighted the innocence and evils of the world and society throughout it. Scout and Jem learn that every man deserves a fair trial no matter what skin color (Smiley 504). By the end of the
Jem and Scout realizes that the obstruction of the mindset leads to blindness, which is called prejudice, when they finally encounter Boo Radley. This situation has affected them negatively before when they based their thoughts on beliefs and not facts, which absolutely demonstrate that people should not judge others without truly knowing them.
Growing up in a small Southern town in the 1930s, Scout Finch and her brother Jem absorb a variety of racial viewpoints throughout their childhood. In their community, Blacks live on the outskirts of town, and are seen by most as inferior, suspicious, and unworthy. Yet the Finches’ cook, Calpurnia, doesn’t fit this description for Jem and Scout; she’s like a mother to them. Even more, their father, Atticus, sees it as the only right thing to do to take on a court case in which he is the defense lawyer for a Black man wrongly accused of raping a White woman. So what should the children believe?
Jem expressed his thoughts on the verdict by saying, ‘‘‘Doesn’t make it right,’... ‘You can’t convict a man on evidence like thatyou can’t’’’(220). Jem knows that something is not right because the evidence obviously proved that Tom was innocent. He is learning that the judicial system is unfair and bias against blacks. Since the system is prejudice against African Americans, there would be no way Tom would be ruled innocent.
Atticus understands that, people must have both good and bad traits. He understands to appreciate the good aspect and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life in their footsteps. He teaches an ultimate lesson to Jem and Scout to show them that it is possible to live with moral sense without losing hope or becoming doubtful. Scout at last sees Boo Radley as a human being and is able to view the world from his perspective. “No son, it’s not right” (Lee Pg 284).
After Atticus loses his trial, Jem notices that the Maycomb County justice system is broken and it needs help, “Then it all goes back to the jury, then. We oughta do away with juries. ”(294) This shows that Jem now understands that people are racist in everything and racism needs to be fought. On top of realizing that the justice system is in shambles, Jem realized that Tom Robinson’s case was very good at showing that.
Scout learns about the prejudice the black community faces during Tom Robinson’s case. Tom is a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell and is ultimately given a guilty verdict. After news spread of Atticus being Tom’s lawyer, people around town began calling the Finch family derogatory names. This led to Scout understanding that society doesn’t respect the black community or even treat them as equals. They believed that Tom was guilty even before the trial just because he was black.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells a story of racial prejudice during the Depression and how it is combated. The main development in the novel is that a Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, has been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a young white woman named Mayella. Many people in the town of Maycomb, particularly people involved with the case of Tom, have a negative attitude towards African Americans. Prejudice was a terrible issue in the South during the Depression, but Atticus Finch shows that racial injustice can be combated in two main ways, each having different levels of effectiveness.
Over the course of time, however, Scout and Jem begin to understand Boo and learn that appearances are not always what they seem. Through various events and circumstances, Boo Radley’s real persona as a kind, thoughtful and courageous person is revealed, as he and the Finch children develop a special friendship. Rumors, especially untrue ones, can destroy a person from the inside out.