To Kill a Mockingbird Essay To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a about the Journey of young Scout and growing up in a time of ludacris racism. Things that are next to non-existent today were the norm for her. This damage that america placed upon itself would take years to rebuild. Lee is trying to get its readers to understand that racism plays a massive part in shaping future generations, especially when young minds are influenced by its ways, and continue the tradition. An example of Scout already being influenced by the unethical ways of racism is seen here, "Scout," said Atticus, "nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It's slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody." "You aren't really a nigger-lover, then, are you? (107-109)” here Atticus is trying to revive the good in Scout but she has been brainwashed and will continue to be because of her hate filled society. We see countless quotes throughout the book with these brainwashed children speaking in hateful manner, for example, "Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro." (199), is just one of many …show more content…
We see it when Scout is again confronted by Cecil Jacobs: “. . .I faced Cecil Jacobs in the schoolyard next day: "You gonna take that back, boy?" "You gotta make me first!" he yelled. "My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an' that nigger oughta hang from the water-tank!,” Scout being taunted because of her father helping opposing races makes her more likely to fall into the trap of racism. And now people aren't just thinking and saying racist things, they are beginning to get in fights over it. Situations like this are what are making racism not only hateful but also
This affects Scout because she feels it’s an insult being said about her father. One of the most important parts of the story and racism is the Tom Robinson trial. In the story Scout asks, “Why do you defend n******s?” Atticus responds saying he has to or he wouldn’t feel like a good person. This affects Tom Robinson because even Atticus’s kids question why Tom Robinson deserves to be defended.
However 1 specific quote displays it very clearly. Lee says "He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finche's daddy defended niggers. I denied it, but told Jem". In this context, a boy that Scout Finch goes to school with makes fun of Scout because her dad talks to and helps African Americans. Scout gets embarrassed because in the time period it was frowned upon to associate with African Americans.
Jasmine Guinness, a designer and a fashion model, once said “Be kind, don’t judge, and have respect for others. If we can all do this, the world would be a better place. The point is to teach this to the next generation.” In the small town of Maycomb there are many characters that get wrongfully accused that are like mockingbirds, they never do anything that is harmful to anyone else, and all they do is help. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are many mockingbird figures including Tom Robinson, Arthur “Boo” Radley, and Jem Finch.
The main characters Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Bob Ewell face moments that deal with racism all told from the perspective of a six year old girl, Scout. The intended purpose of expressing racial relations in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,”
Some may think education is not important, but it can lead someone do doing the right thing, even if they are in a bad situation. When people are uneducated, they can lack empathy and integrity, which can have a big impact on the society around them. In situations where empathy or integrity is needed, it can be hard for people to express their thoughts or feelings to another person. When Bob Ewell attacked Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Arthur (Boo) Radley came to the rescue by stabbing Bob Ewell. When Mr. Heck Tate got there he knew what had happened, but to save Boo´s reputation, he said, ¨ Bob Ewell fell on his knife.
At school, Scout nearly starts a fight with a classmate named Cecil Jacobs after he declares that her “daddy defends niggers” (Lee, 74). Scout being too young to fully understand this statement automatically denies it. Atticus, who has been asked to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman has received many controversial remarks on his take of the case. Although Scout does not initiate the fight with Cecil, her “fists [a]re clenched and [she is] ready to let [them] fly” (Lee, 74). This depicts another one of Scout’s un-ladylike reactions because the ladylike response would be to simply ignore the boy and to remain prim and proper.
This shows that they are defined by their name which could be a good or bad thing. Those on the opposing side argue that To Kill A Mockingbird should not remain on the banned book list because it has very important standards of life that are taught within the book. Although this is true they fail to realize that these standards are taught in daily life and within these standards that are expressed in the novel it is taught in a very negative way using racism and prejudice ways surrounding these life lessons.
Atticus surely answers Scout that he defends niggers because it is morally right and just because they have a different skin color does not mean they are people too. In the novel, this shows the theme of Racism. Symbolism ""'When I went back, they were folded across the fence... like they were expectin' me"" (78).
“Your father’s no better than the nigger and trash he works for” yelled Mrs. Dubose to Jem and Scout as they walked back to their home (Lee 135). This quote demonstrates racism present in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The movie To Kill A Mockingbird presents two radically different interpretations of the storyline. The movie downplays racism that is being portrayed by scenes in the book. The film does this by omitting Calpurnia’s church, Tom Robinson getting shot 17 times, and a political cartoon of Atticus.
People of the town including children refer to black people as “Niggers”, and raised to think of black people as lower class individuals. “To Kill A Mockingbird” has a strong message towards racism, this is learned from Scout & Jem as they mature throughout the novel and are constantly being exposed to demeaning segregation in Maycomb County. In giving Scout a lesson about racism, Atticus also does the same for the readers of the novel. This happens when Scout asks Atticus what the term ‘Nigger-lover” meant, after being insulted several of times and not knowing if it is an offensive word or not, but had a slight feeling it was when Atticus was being called at. A quote from the novel: "nigger-lover is
Through the lesson Atticus tries to teach Scout, she learns that people will follow biases and prejudices rather than the truth. Within the book To Kill a Mockingbird the main character, Scout, her father is defending a black man in court. During his time defending, he is called name foul names by people in the community. This is a quote from the
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee as the novel progresses Scout’s innocence is gradually evaporating. Scout is losing her innocence of a child from being exposed to the “real world” and experiencing the prejudice ness of others. At the beginning of the novel Scout is a young girl who has never faced the “evil” of the world. Maycomb county Alabama during the Great depression is extremely racially prejudiced. Scout encounters the evil of society when Atticus takes on the case of Tom Robinson.
People learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to human heart than its opposite”(Nelson Mandela). In chapter 11, Atticus tells Scout the definition of n**** lover. Lee states, “Scout”, said Atticus, “nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything--like snot
The name of the novel being explored is 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1950's in Alabama Maycomb during the racist times towards the blacks. Throughout this topic the focus is on the main character/narrator Scout (Jan Louise Finch). This essay will explore Scout's character and the negative and or positive influence she has on other characters at the start, throughout and at the end of the text. At the beginning of the novel 'To kill a Mockingbird' Scout is a naïve, has a very tomboy like personality, is a judgmental five year-old girl who was oblivious to the cruelty's of the outside world.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that show the life of a southern state od Alabama during the “black racism” time period, where majority of the people had the mentality that (quote) with the exception of a few. To chosen to portray it from the eyes of Scout Finch, from a child’s point of view. Living in Maycomb, in the midst of a conservative society of the 1930’s and 20’s Southern America Scout Finch is an extra ordinary child.