Examples Of Irony In To Kill A Mockingbird

When Scout remarks that Jem is color blind and when Lula judges them based on their color is ironic because you would expect that Jem and Scout would be the ones to judge others on color and not the other way around. Another example of irony would be from earlier in Chapter 12 when Jem and Scout see Atticus in a cartoon on the newspaper. The newspaper tried to insult Atticus, but instead it was taken as a compliment to him. “‘That’s a compliment,’ explained Jem. ‘He spends his time doin’ things that wouldn’t get done if nobody did ‘em’” (Lee 155).

I would explain Lula’s antagonism towards Jem and Scout as racism. She seems aggressive to them for the sole reason that they are white “Lula stopped, but she said ‘You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here---they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’”

In To Kill A Mockingbird, there is a theme about racism that says it changes people who are otherwise nice, and some characters are meant to represent that. Those characters are Mrs. Dubose, Lula, and Aunt Alexandra. Mrs. Dubose is shown to be a racist throughout Chapter 11 from all the times she insulted Scout’s father, but Atticus himself said she was a great person. “‘I think that was her way of telling you---everything’s all right now Jem, everything’s all right. You know, she was a great lady’” (Lee 148-149). Atticus says she was a great person, but she was influenced by her racism into calling Atticus rude names. The second person that is meant to represent racism is Lula. Lula judged Calpurnia for bringing whites to a black church. Lula should have been accepting of them, but instead her racism got the best of her and she became angry. “‘She’s a troublemaker from way back, got fancy ideas an’ haughty ways--we’re mighty glad to have you all’” (Lee 159). Lula was just a