Theme Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is an inspiring tale exploring an abundance of flaws in humanity and giving insight into the worst kind of people we can be. The novel covers many controversial topics, such as rampant racism, prejudice, and hypocrisy. The story follows Jem and Scout Finch, the children of Atticus Finch, a lawyer appointed to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman in 1930’s Maycomb, Alabama. This forces Atticus to deal with the stress and judgment of defending Tom in a society where no one wants to side with him, while Jem and Scout face a similar judgment for being Atticus’ children. Lee uses this setting to paint an extremely vivid picture of prejudice, which shows just how profound their effects can be. Throughout the book, Lee uses irony and characterization to demonstrate how hypocrisy and prejudice can permeate into a society 's beliefs.
The irony in Maycomb society highlights hypocritical situations, as shown by the Missionary Circle. “‘Not a white person’ll go near ‘em, but that saintly J. Grimes Everett.’ Mrs. Merriweather played her voice like an organ: every word she said received its full measure: ‘’The poverty… the darkness… the immorality-nobody but J. Grimes Everett knows.’”(Lee 309). Here Mrs. Merriweather is claiming that Everett is a role model. She says he is a great person who they should follow because he is working with the Mrunas, an African tribe, and showing them compassion in a time of crisis. However,