...In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates the negative effects of prejudice by showing it in racism like the Tom Robinson trial, social class like the Ewells, and sexism by showing that the women are not really a big part, they are just there to keep things clean. Racism is a huge negative effect in Maycomb because like during the Tom Robinson trial most of the people in the courtroom were like why is this even an issue, he did it, he is guilty. “I didn’t know what Tom had done so I asked. Cal sighted, “old Mr. Bob Ewell accused him of rapin’ his girl an’ had him arrested an’ put in jail—” Pg 124-125 This shows racism because just because he is a black man does not mean that he always does things that will get him in trouble. The quote above also shows racism because almost everyone in Maycomb are not happy that black people live in the same town as them, so they treat the black people...
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...We all know the old cliche to judge a book by it's cover you don't know the story in till you read it. You don't a person till you talk to them and get to know them. You can't judge a person by their appearance. In Harper lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird she drive this point home by using a racist courtroom to teach us not to judge people by the color of their skin. Harper lee uses the setting to show us racist em. She uses a small southern town, a all white jury, white lawyers and a white judge. Even win all the evidence showing Tom Robinson is innocent the town convicted him because of his skin color. The kids Dill, Jem and Scout can not see why he is guilty. Each of them finally see through it and see the racist em. When finally Dill see why is guilty the way people were treating Tom. “That old Mr. Gilmer doin him...
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...“Prejudice is the child of ignorance” (William Hazlitt). Throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird people judge others before they truly have a right to judge. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama many individuals make judgements about Boo Radley and Tom Robinson before they know the truth. Scout Finch is a rare breed in this time, with her father defending Tom Robinson and her brother Jem and her interested in finding more about Boo Radley she constantly gets a chance to make unprejudiced judgements on people. Harper Lee helps the reader better understand prejudice using symbolism , imagery, and metaphors throughout the story. Prejudice was common throughout the story To Kill a Mockingbird, this could be seen through symbolism. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, this is explained when Miss Maudie says “they don’t do one thing...
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...story, builds up a suspenseful tone to the story. When Scout finally sees Arthur Radly, Scout’s superstitions disappear, and she finally comes to peace with her curiosity. Through this quote, the author reminds the reader of the main themes of the book, such as prejudice and the innocence of children. In current times, the world is full of prejudices and...
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...Analysis Inequality and prejudice plays what I believe is the most important role in the story To Kill a Mockingbird. Events such as Tom Robinsons trial emphasize this point. Also points such as the game Scout and Jem conjured up to be about Boo Radley’s life. Some points of the book where Aunt Alexandra talks about others as if they are less than them shows that she is basically the living embodiment of racial and social discrimination. These all show the strong tension between the people of Maycomb and those who they believe are different. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee emphasizes the theme of inequality and prejudice through metaphors, tone and characterization. My first piece of evidence to support the theme of prejudice in the town of Maycomb is when Aunt Alexandra was talking to scout about inviting Walter Cunningham (Jr.) over for dinner and Scout is complaining why Aunt Alexandra wont let her play with him and she says, “I’ll tell you why…Because—he—is—trash, that’s why you cant play with him.” This is an example of a metaphor used to describe that Walter is “Worse than them” essentially. This supports the theme of inequality by showing that Aunt Alexandra doesn’t want Scout playing with Walter because she believes they are in some sort of higher “social class”. For my second piece of evidence I have another quote from Aunt Alexandra. This time she is speaking with Atticus about getting rid of Calpurnia because she is black. The quote reads, “You’ve got...
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...Even in today’s society, we see prejudice everywhere. We see it to women, poor people, and black citizens as well. Heroes even receive prejudice for do what is right, but you would not hear anyone get referred to as a mockingbird. Many people were given the symbol of a mockingbird in the past because of the prejudice they face from others. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates how misunderstood people are portrayed as mockingbirds because of the help and kindness they provide to others while still receiving prejudice from the community. Atticus Finch was portrayed as a mockingbird because he didn’t show prejudice towards Tom and simply helped him out. Atticus Finch is a lawyer in Maycomb that has been asked to defend...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a chilling historical fiction novel that centers around the trial of an innocent black man who is accused of raping a white woman. The novel is set in Alabama during the 1930s, and it follows an old lawyer and his family in the small town of Maycomb. Atticus Finch, the lawyer and father, is often called upon by the town for help due to his stature. He is level headed and focuses on the belief that everybody deserves to be treated equally. It is this belief that leads him to being chosen to represent Tom Robinson, the accused black man, in court. Because To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Alabama during the 1930s, the odds that he will be found innocent are exceptionally low, so Atticus must do everything...
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...Maya Angelou once said, "Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible." Angelou warns about the negative affects of prejudice. The excerpt of Elizabeth Eckfords story, "She Walked Alone" and the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" written by Harper Lee both share the common theme of prejudice, specifically racial prejudice. Throughout both texts the authors purposefully discuss the issues regarding racial prejudice. They share a similar over meaning and central idea. The central idea shared is that the color of someone skin can affect the mount of respect they receive and how the person is treated. Sadly, people would assume mostly negative things about a person if they were colored, and...
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...The benefit of reading is to learn from the character in the book.This is shown in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, “Reading and literature makes us smarter and nicer” by Annie Murphy Paul and Shami Sivasubramanian 2016 article, “Study Finds Reading Fiction Develops Empathy”. Harper Lee teaches us about prejudice, family and fear, through the eyes of the characters in the book. Firstly Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to a land of prejudice known as 1930’s Alabama. This teaches us how bad prejudice was back then and how much it has improved. “He despises Negroes, wont have one near him” is an example of prejudice. Atticus tells us that “there’s something in our world that make men lose their heads, they couldn’t be fair...
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...Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird “Prejudice is a learned trait. You’re not born prejudiced; you’re taught it.” -Charles R Swindoll. The town of Maycomb is a close locale full of kindness and courtesy, but also one of hatred and prejudice. Scout and Jem are growing up and learning from the adults in their community, meaning that they are not only learning kindness- they are also learning judgement. Chapter one of To Kill a Mockingbird sets the scene of the town specter, Arthur “Boo” Radley. Scout, Jem, and Dill sit in awe of the Radley household, reflecting over Boo’s story- and the conspiracies surrounding him. The passage that begins the subplot surrounding Boo Radley shows that prejudice can happen within close communities. Jem, Scout, and Dill’s childish fears toward Boo Radley symbolize the town’s feelings toward the Radley family. The passage that symbolizes this is as follows: “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night and when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people’s azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them, Any stealthy small crimes committed in...
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...Racial Prejudice in the 1960’s How would you feel if you went to a store and the cashier made you pay more than normal, only because either you were from a different country, a different skin color, or had a mental illness? Wouldn’t you feel that you didn’t really belong to that society? That’s how African-Americans felt during the 1960’s. That’s how they were treated in the book “To Kill A Mockingbird”, in the trial of Emmett Till, and that of Scottsboro trial. In the book, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, the trials of Emmett Till and Scottsboro, prejudice is displayed by the acts of hate and misunderstanding because of someone’s color. In the book, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, people of color (blacks) were the majority that were treated unfairly. During those time period, black people had to use separate bathrooms, drinking fountains, sections in restaurants and even in the courtroom. One good example of discrimination in the book was how Tom Robinson a young African American was accused of raping a white girl and was found guilty of the charges against him. In the book, it was quoted, “I'd rather you shoot at tin cans, in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat gardens or nest in corncribs they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us that's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”. (Page...
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...our social world and respond to new situations rapidly, because we may have had a similar experience before. Stereotyping can lead to prejudice, an opinion of someone that is not based on actual experiences. This prejudice appears a great deal in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The charters within the novel will judge someone just based on age, race or sex. This leads conflict within the small community of maycomb county, within the days leading up to a major trial between an african american and white man. Society often will label people based on age, sex and race; leading to stereotyping and a false prejudice...
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...Analysis of Symbolism in To Kill A Mockingbird Most people would think of love when they look at the symbol ‘heart’. A symbol is an important literacy feature that is used to represent larger or abstract ideas. Symbols are often used by authors to deepen and further extend themes. In Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, her effective use of symbols and their deep meanings contribute towards the development of some important themes. The uses of symbols, a mockingbird and blue jay, significantly develop the key theme that the coexistence of the good and evil always remain. A mockingbird and blue jay prove that the good and evil coexist by utilizing two characters, Bob Ewell and Boo Radley. First, Bob Ewell...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee speaks tales of courage in society, and what it takes to uphold it.The story embarks with Scout Finch, a young daughter of a lawyer who becomes enveloped in a world of racism, prejudice, and injustice.Through the eyes of Scout, she looks up to her father, a figure of respect among many in Maycomb county, in times where his morals are pushed to the limits. .In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee stems Courage from the struggles of a community, where moral values allow many characters to stand up for themselves and others. Many characters such as Jem, a young boy who learns of world around him through his experiences and Ms. Dubose, a hot-tempered old lady with the hidden secret of fighting her addiction gives meaning to the symbol of about their flowers, Camelias. A character that encompasses these traits is Atticus, a lawyer who was tasked to defend a African man during a time of racism. Atticus became a prominent character who shows his colors during his Town's needs, such as the attack of the Rabid dog. Scout, the main protagonist who learns from these characters, their decisions and values which demonstrate what it means to be courageous. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee distinguishes many characters for their acts of courage, putting them in situations that push their morals and beliefs.After returning from Ms.Dubose's house, Scout questions her father about Ms.Dubose intentions concerning Atticus defending Tom Robinson...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird Essay The story To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb Alabama in the 1930’s. The Great Depression was in effect so not a lot of people had any money. However, this was not the only thing they had to worry about. There was a lot of Racism, class prejudice, and sexism that all lead up to not only the kids, but also adults facing the destruction of innocence. One example, is the mockingbird. This represented innocence because Atticus stated it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds never do anything but sing beautiful music for us to listen to. They are peaceful animals that don’t hurt you. Innocence was taken away from Tom Robinson. He was accused for raping a white girl Mayella because he was black. Tom was innocent until they made him guilty. He tried to help her but it backfired. She told him to come inside and tried to have sex with him but her dad came in and Mayella blamed Tom. This was taken to trial and Tom was announced guilty because of destruction of innocence. Another example, is Boo Radley. Just like Tom the town made him seem like the bad guy from rumors and town gossip. Boo was locked inside his house most of his life and everyone thought he was scary and shouldn’t trust him. In reality he...
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