Examples Of Institutionalized Education In To Kill A Mockingbird

As Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, who is a black man. Many citizens of Maycomb don't understand his choices for doing so. Atticus is questioned by Scout, she asks him “If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doing it?” Scout says that to Atticus because people from Scouts school have been telling her that defending a black man is a negative thing to do. By asking Atticus this, it shows that others see black people as lower class compared to others. As the majority of Maycomb see them that way, they don't understand why Atticus should and would defend them. Atticus sees the whole situation as him just “Simply defending a Negro,” because he sees everyone nas an equal which everyone else should too. As the citizens of Maycomb don't understand why Atticus is defending Tom, some finally start to see the trial just like Atticus. In chapter 15, a mob is called upon Atticus for defending Tom. It is led by Mr. Cunningham, who has a son named Walter, which Scout goes to school with. While the mob is after Atticus because of him defending Tom, Scout is able to stop the mob. She stops the mob by telling Mr. Cunningham about his son and how Atticus has helped their family, which then calms him down to see the mob isn't right. As Scout’s kindness towards Mr. Cunningham helps him decide to call off the mobs, it also helps him to see Atticus is a good person for defending and helping Tom Robinson because Atticus did the same towards him. Atticus’ choice to defend and help black people is hard to understand for many, butin the end it is important to realise why he choses to defend

In the country town of Maycomb, people were easily influenced so prejudice was shown by most. The citizens knew that the colour of your skin determined your place in life and that Negroes were to be treated differently. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there was only one true character that portrayed the true essence of tolerance. Atticus Finch stood on his own two feet, and never formed an opinion unless he had prior knowledge on the particular person or situation. Throughout the entirety of this novel, it was Atticus alone who not only was tolerant, but set an exemplarily example to his children, and the town, of how knowing before judging is not only important, but vital to society. “First of all…if you can learn a simple trick Scout, you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person till you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (p.33). This is a perfect example of how Atticus passes on his knowledge to his children, and educates them on how respect

Jones contrasted the attitude of the daughter to the attitude of the mother. After they got rejected from the wrong school. The girl was worried that she could not go to school. She said “Mama, I can’t go to school?” (Jones, 1990’s, p. 1). After she said that, her mother replied, “One monkey don’t stop no show” (Jones, 1990’s, p.1). This shows that a parent will have a positive attitude and will keep trying for their kid no matter how many obstacles that will come in the way. The child is just worried that they might not be able to do something. There is a difference between the different schools that they go and check out. The first school that they mother wants the girl to go to, Seaton Elementary School, is not as big as the other school, which is Walker-Jones. The girl likes Walker-Jones because it is newer and it is larger. The mom does not really like it because it is not by the church that she goes to and it’s not the school she wanted her daughter to go to (Jones, 1990’s, p.1). But the mom deals with it because it is the school that her daughter can gto to. This shows that even though a parent may not agree with the school that their child has to go to, they deal with it because they just want the child to go to school and get an education. When they went to Seaton Elementary School, and they got rejected, the mother said, “I want her to go here” “If I’da wanted her someplace else, I’da took her there” (Jones, 1990’s, p. 1). This just shows that a parent

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, all the literary features are established making this novel very worthy to read. This excerpt is from chapter three of the novel. It is the evening after Scout’s first day of school, and Scout seeks for help from Calpurnia, and Atticus. Scout questions the need to return back to school to Atticus, as she does not accept Miss.Caroline’s perspective on Scout having to stop reading at home.With the use of imagery and the characterization of Atticus, this excerpt proves that family with always educate you, and spoil you with

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout’s father, Atticus demonstrates his self-control and empathy towards Scout and her problems which makes him a positive role model in his daughter’s life and maturation growth. After school, Scout exclaims to Atticus that she does not want to attend school anymore due to the fact she had a dreadful first day of the first grade. She complains to Atticus about her teacher, Miss.Caroline and how she disapproves of Scout’s competency of reading and writing. Miss.Caroline expresses to Scout that she should not be literate at her age and now has to undo the damage that has been done by her father; this statement is ironic because teachers are supposed to encourage learning and help further advance their

Maycomb's unjust beliefs on race determined the outcome of Tom Robinson's trail. Atticus´s defence was more than enough to set Tom free, but Maycomb's ignorance and narrow-minded view on African Americans set an innocent man to jail. Atticus told Jem "If you had been on that jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man" (Lee 295). The jury members had been affected by the ignorance of society. They convicted Tom because when they grow up they learned racists beliefs and they do not know any other way. In Maycomb, racism is a normal part of everyday life. When kids at Scouts school call Atticus a n***** lover. Atticus explains to Scout what it means, "Scout," said Atticus, "n*****-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.¨ (144). The racists views and attitudes determined the guilty verdict of Tom. In Atticus closing argument, he says "She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man¨(272). Society has a set of rules which are not written but known, these rules tend to be ignorant and impartial. When it comes to race and the misguided beliefs about race, there is a profusion of ignorance. The expectations on race set by society affect the actions and events of life.

One of the many things Atticus is passionate about is to teach his children that everyone is equal and not to judge others “until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Much of Maycomb believe that Atticus is wrong by taking the case of Tom Robinson and thinks he is an inadequate parent. Even Jem and Scout’s cousin Francis quotes, “I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family… t's bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he's turned out a nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'”. Scout attempts to understand the town’s disappointment towards her father and whether he truly is a ‘nigger-lover’ and receives the answer; “I certainly am, I try my best to love everybody…if I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to hold my head up in this town. ” Atticus best

During this divide in Maycomb, racism was shown in many ways. Atticus, Jem and Scout’s father, is defending Tom Robinson in his court case. Many white people in Maycomb are upset that Atticus is defending him, including their neighbor Mrs. Dubose. The sentence, "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!"

Brian Herbert once said “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill, and the willingness to learn is a choice”, this quote embodies the underlying message in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960). The story follows a little girl named Scout who is retelling the story of how her brother broke his arm. The novel depicts how Scout begins to gain more knowledge and understand the world around her. The theme of this story is that it is important to use the power of your mind. Throughout the story Scout is guided by her father Atticus as she develops her personal values. Atticus is an effective parent because he teaches empathy, humility, and courage.

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee talks about the small sleepy town of Maycomb. Most people didn't leave, and most people don't come to stay for long. Macomb is ware Jem, Scout, and Dill spend their long summers days looking for adventure. Jem and Scouts father Atticus was a lawyer. In this time racism was present especially since they lived in the South in Alabama. It was a big deal not only for the Finches but for the town that Atticus was defending an African American man accused of rape. This affected the Finch family greatly, because of what people were saying to Atticus and his children about him and the case. Atticus made it a point not to let these comments bother him or his children.

Negroes were often despised by the white people of Maycomb and lies were often told as well. Before the trial occurred in chapter seventeen Atticus was a very respected man and well spoken for, until the whole town found out he was defending a negro, Tom Robinson. He was then called “nigger lover.” For example Atticus said “They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience”(Lee 114).

Maycomb is a town where half of the people believe blacks and white should be separate, while the other half would support a law that made everyone equal. When Atticus came home to tell Calpurnia that Tom was dead, Miss Maudie comforted Alexandria, “Have you ever thought of it this way, Alexandra? Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we’re paying the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It’s that simple,” (Lee 316). In other words, Atticus was appointed the case because everyone knew he was going to defend a black person for the right reasons. Everyone seemed to call him “nigger-love”, but directed it more toward his kids than him. Scout did not even know what the word nigger meant. She asked her father, “Do all lawyers defend n-Negroes, Atticus?” (Lee 100) and he responded of course, and that he tried his best to love everyone. I admire Atticus for trying to teach his daughter to love everyone. Scout was teased at school by children, by adults in her neighborhood, even family. Obviously everyone was bigoted toward the idea of equality still, but we will talk about that next

Referring back to the previous paragraph, it mentions that many people of Maycomb dislike the African Americans. Atticus portrays respect and fairness not only to white people but to all people. On the porch, Atticus explains to Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). This showed Scout a new point in her life and to see things and people in different ways. It taught her that not every person is the same, hence it is right to respect them and their differences.

Scout is told by her father to treat people equally and that no one should be picked on or left out. Many people in the town of Maycomb are very racists so Scout sees and hears them talk down about African-American people. Zacary Crockett states, “Society, at large, has its own conceptions: she is told that African-Americans represent a dark side of Maycomb by some, while others try to relate to her that good and evil should be colorblind”. Scout learns many things about how people judge other so harshly throughout this novel.

Scout has many encounters with education-based challenges throughout the novel in school not only with teachers but also with classmates. “Miss Caroline told me to tell my father not to teach me any more, it would interfere with my reading” (Lee 17; ch. 2).