Theme Of Isolation In To Kill A Mockingbird

In a county like Maycomb, it is frowned upon to talk to another black man about things other than business so when Dolphus gets married to a black woman the town is outraged. They question his sanity and bother him frequently about his life decisions. As a result, Dolphus pretends to be drunk so people will have an illusive reason about his life. Due to the racial tension in Maycomb, Dolphus Raymond has to act A certain way for his life choices to be considered normal because normally drunk people make stupid decisions. Given these points, racism has a negative effect on many characters in the story To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Northerners lost interest in the South and their problems. “Weary of the ‘Negro Question’ and sick of ‘Carpet-bag’ government, many Northern voters shifted their attention....” (Document C). The North was tired of being asked the Negro question (where blacks being protected in the South) and having to worry about the corrupt government in the south. This quote is explaining that the North decided to go elsewhere and deal with other problems. The South decided to continue to fight about the ‘Carpet-Bag’ government and resisted the North’s help when it was offered.

“Lemme tell you somethin’ now billy, you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger.” “Yeah but he aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it.” (Lee, 165) This quote is purely just ignorance and prejudice, this quote is a good example of how most of the town feels, they are mad at atticus not for taking the case, but for actually trying to give Tom a fair trial. People in this town in this time period were extremely racist and prejudice, and it’s very clearly shown in this quote, at first the man says, you know the court chose him to defend this negro; meaning they didn’t think it was bad to be appointed, the townspeople thought it was a terrible idea and decision for Atticus to actually give this his all, this also shows how the town has very little respect for Atticus, as soon as he took the case people started turning on him for simply defending an innocent

Men in both The Crucible and in Twelve Angry Men were angry because of the situations placed upon them. Juror three’s bad relationship with his son was reminded to him during this case, angering him. Infuriated with the claims that Salem was impure, the court sought to eliminate anyone associated with it. Many convicted of witchcraft were either poor or of a minority group. Likewise, the boy was of a minority group, people who are viewed as inferior.

I believe Mayella thought about everything he did to her, and also realizes she does not know what real love is because she never got it from her father. In conclusion, throughout the novel of To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee takes time to expand on the meaning of racism, poverty, and domestic violence. The Cunninghams and the Ewells are key examples of what it is like to live in poverty. Tom Robinson is another primary symbol of how life is when you are a colored folk living during the Great Depression. Finally, Mayella Ewell who shows what domestic violence can do to an individual at home.

In Maycomb County, the Negroes are viewed as inferior, and in addition, the Jim Crow laws are enforced to ensure segregation. As a result, they do not have equal rights as the other citizens. When Atticus is asked to defend Tom Robinson, a Negro man accused of raping a white girl, he accepts. To the community this was improper. The community’s disgust at Atticus’ decision is expressed when Scout is irked by Cecil Jacobs, a boy in her class, when he announces that, “Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers.” (p. 82).

The autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Hanley, is describing how rough, violent, and racist it was during the era Malcolm X was born. They weren’t wanted in the in towns, cities, because they were a different race, the “white people” didn’t respect them, always treating them poorly. Everywhere they go, would be different, they can’t get paid as well as the white people. Different race people were still considered as “slaves” basically. Malcolm X tries to overcome what the white people have thrown at him, by choosing to be on the dark side.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a story that takes place during the Great Depression in a small town located in southern Georgia in the 1930s. The book focuses on Jean Louise “Scout” and Jeremy Atticus “Jem” and their coming of age and the major events that made the two grow up. One of the events was the trial of the Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, in which their father, Atticus Finch, was defending Tom, a man of color. Mockingbirds are used throughout the book to represent people that were harmed by the society even though they were innocent. There is a common misinterpretation of the meaning behind the Mockingbird leading many to believe that Scout is the Mockingbird in the story.

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.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” In Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote, he expresses how much danger ignorance can cause upon our world. Ignorance can lead to racism or being prejudice causing which can cause damage. Likewise in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, During the Great Depression Scout learns in the county of Maycomb located in Alabama learns that the ignorance of others can lead to prejudice during the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was not guilty, but due to the town’s ignorance they failed to see who was really guilty. In the novel, Harper Lee shows that one’s unchecked ignorance can lead to prejudice that may prevail over justice.