Examples Of Intolerance In To Kill A Mockingbird

A Ripple of Innocence in a Sea of Intolerance

No child is born racist, and the children of Maycomb County are no exception. Set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a heart-wrenching story about growing up surrounded by poverty, ignorance, and discrimination. Lee uses Scout Finch, the six-year-old daughter of controversial lawyer Atticus Finch, to showcase the belief that innocence is crucial in a world corrupted by prejudice. When Scout wonders about the hypocrisy that goes hand in hand with intolerance, strikes up a conversation with an angry mob, and attacks anyone who insults her father, she portrays innocence.

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout continuously wonders why there is such an apparent double standard surrounding prejudice. Despite the citizens of Maycomb looking down on the Ewells, when the family accuses a black man of a crime against their daughter, all discrimination the Ewells faced is pushed onto the said man. After going to church with Calpurnia and learning that no

Oblivious to the crowd’s intentions, the child began to make small talk with a family friend, casually greeting him with a “Hey Mr. Cunningham” (Lee 174). Not getting a response, she informed him that “[she went] to school with Walter,” and asked him if he could “tell him hey for [her]” (Lee 174). The pure naivete of Scout’s comments shocked the mob into stunned silence. It was clear to the mob that Scout didn’t understand why they were there, however, they were taken aback by such casual words in such an tense situation. For a few moments everyone was silent, then, Mr. Cunningham told the mob to “clear out” and “get going” (Lee 175). Through the usage of this subtle but significant interaction, the reader gets to experience the full effect that innocence and an unbiased perspective can have on a