Symbolism is used by many authors to convey a specific message that carries a deep meaning. In Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the primary symbol is the Mockingbird. There are numerous references to the mockingbird in the novel, which can be seen through some of the characters. The allusion of the mockingbird is used to represent the idea of innocence. In fact, the mockingbird is portrayed by Boo Radley, Tom Robinson and Mr. Raymond.
“I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man.” (Lee 208 par. 11). This quote shows that all jury’s pick whites as innocence before blacks even when whites have no evidence to prove innocence which then makes the trial an unfair trial since colored people were considered lower class than whites no black person has ever won a trial against a white person. Society influences everyone including the way blacks are being treated. It depends on the time period of which you could be affected by.
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird has many examples of prejudice. The prejudice presented is against people such as Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, and Boo Radley. Each is discriminated against either because of the color of their skin, who they represent in court, or just how much they isolate themselves from the town. Harper Lee’s stance on racial prejudice is that it is a foolish practice, no matter who does it. Prejudice is a very large part of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Another character who is victimized by racial discrimination and its consequences is Dolphus Raymond. He is a prosperous white man who lives outside of Macomb with his black paramour and his mixed children. Dolphus fakes being drunk so that the people in Macomb have an excuse for his inappropriate behaviours. He prefers the citizens of Macomb to despise him for a valid excuse rather than to discriminate him based on his personal choices. Racial discrimination negatively effects Dolphus and his children. As Jem remarks that the mulatto children “ ‘don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they're half white, white folks won't have 'em 'cause they're colored, so they're just in-betweens, don't belong anywhere.’ ”(Lee 215). No one considers to take the mixed children because they are half
Mr Raymond Dolphus shows another form of resistance in the face of those social norms when he preferred to marry a black woman and have mixed race children cursed to never belonging to either groups so to prevent that from happening he sent the elder one to the north of the country where a change of people’s views is happening .Even with his wealth, he did not chose a bourgeois white woman, his behaviour was measured as pure madness thus he was out-cased from the society.
Social prejudice is shown throughout Harper Lee’s award winning book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee powerfully analyses the theme social prejudice, and its effect on people. Such as how the
How did prejudice happen in this world that God made? Prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. In this world, there are a lot of prejudice. Prejudice doesn´t happen suddenly but it happens from a root. Everything happens from a root and that causes to be or do something. For example, hatred comes from your feeling. Everything comes from a root and it is not possible to fix unless somebody takes an action in this world. In order to fight against prejudice, one needs to first see that the root of the problem is superiority, fear, and hatred, then work against it by staying positive, getting out of denial, and serving others.
Harper Lee touches upon many social issues in To Kill a Mockingbird. Among these issues is the matter of racism in America during the 1930s. This novel focused on the issue of racism through the case of Tom Robinson which conveyed the strong hostility towards African-Americans in Maycomb, Alabama. Other various occasions in the novel exhibit racism’s potential and influence in this country including Aunt Alexandra's disapproval of Calpurnia, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s hidden life. Through the results of these instances, Harper Lee shed a new light on racism and how it will always persist in America.
“Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.”-Alex Haley To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel that is greatly affected by the way others see the world. Scout, a young girl, growing up in Maycomb a place where racism is accepted. She is constantly learning how racism affects the community through different altercations in Maycomb. She realizes that racism shouldn’t exist due to the side effects. In To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee conveys that racism causes inequality between people, isolation, and injustice.
Cultural norms are what make and shape a society. They are the guidelines, and or patterns, that are to be followed, in order to be considered a normal, typical, everyday citizen. As such, it does not matter if the norms are right or wrong. As long as the citizen is still a part of their society, right and wrong does not matter, as far as they are concerned. In the case of To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the cultural norm, of Maycomb County, embraces the wrong, in the form of extreme prejudice behavior. A behavior, of which, presents itself heavily while either talking, and or mentioning, the topics of religions, racism and classism.
How does Harper Lee vividly capture the effects of racism and social inequality on the citizens of Maycomb county in ‘To kill a mockingbird’?
How did the time period of the novel (30’s) affect how black people were treated?
Many people in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper lee, isolate themselves. Sometimes Isolation turns out fine for them, but other time is can hurt them in the inside and make them feel lonely and sad.
Prejudice in the 1950s was a problem and it still is in 2017. When it comes to the topic of prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys it is important that before judging someone, get to know them better.
Today the world is open to people of all races, economic classes and much more, but in the 1930’s the world was not as accepting. To Kill A Mockingbird, is a book by Harper Lee which takes place in the 1930’s. Throughout the story there are issues with feminism, racism, and injustice. It starts with a young girl and her family, and as the book progresses the reader gets to find out some of the things that go on in their life and around them. Such as a stressful case which includes, a black innocent man who is accused for something he did not do. It is clear that To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee demonstrates Marxist theory by displaying the characteristics of power differences, conflict between classes, and