Life lesson. Noun. Something from which useful knowledge or principles that which can be learned. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee; is filled with tons of life lessons that the reader can learn from. It goes from discrimination, equality, to courage, yet those are just a few examples in the book. To Kill a Mockingbird reminds us that history is important because it shows the effects of American racism against blacks, the views of Jim Crow laws by the whites, and to those who challenged to change the mindsets in that time period.
In the book, it shows a clear picture of the effects of American racism against the blacks. The time period of the 1930’s, it was filled with harsh and cruel words spoken to the African Americans. The
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As, you know already the era of To Kill a Mockingbird is based in a horrible history that the America has faced with racism against the blacks. Those who challenged to change the mindsets of having equality for blacks and whites got negative feedbacks, not only themselves but their families and friends who support them. There are a few characters who I try to change the mindset of others in Maycomb. mentioned before, Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. As soon as he decided to defend Tom comma he challenged to change the mindset of others. He wanted to show that black folks are just like them; it is not about color. Atticus challenged then further when he debriefed his case saying “ you know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some negro men are not to be trusted around women - black or white. But this is a truth that applies to human race and to no one particular race of men.” (Chapter 20, page _) Also Tom Robinson had challenged to change mindsets. As he got question from mr. Gilmer, he stated “I felt sorry for her… (chapter 19, page _), he was talking about my Mayella Ewell. When he said his statement everyone was shocked because they Black Folk should not feel sorry for a white butt the other way around. With that Tom challenged the people of Maycomb to see that a black folk can show sympathy to
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that takes place in Alabama during the Great Depression. It is narrated by the main character who is a little girl named Jean Louise Finch aka “Scout”. Scout has a father named Atticus who is a lawyer and an older brother. The Finch’s are a white family and when Atticus goes to defend a black man, the whole town is shocked.This novel has tons of racism. Racism is an issue that is still current. Large amounts of racism are expressed in the novel still happens today through racial profiling, police brutality, and segregation.
Most the story in To Kill a Mockingbird is about a trial about a black man, Tom Robinson, being accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. There was not any evidence that Tom actually raped Mayella but since he was caught running away from the “crime scene” and he was black he was accused of rape. Mayella was not actually raped by anybody but beaten by her father when he found out that she wanted to be with a black man. Learning about the racism during the time period of the novel can help the students get a better feel for what it was like during the 1930s. Being educated about racism is important to teens because they are going to see it throughout their lives and by making them aware they are about the mistakes of the past, to not make the same mistakes in the future. Racism is a hard concept for most teens and people and by exposing teens to it early they are able fully understand the effects it has. This book is also relevant to society today because society still experiences racism and when teens are educated about it in high school they are more capable of making rational decisions about how to handle it. Racism is a touchy subject and by learning about it early in life teens will be able to get a full grasp of the effects it has on
To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about a girl growing up in a southern town. This story was written in 1960. Today this book is considered an American literature masterpiece. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird one of the themes the author had in her story was racism that existed in the south. Much of the book is filled with racist comments, talk, and actions. In this book even the “lowest” white people are “better” than blacks. The book also shows that a white man’s word overpowers a black man’s word. The author uses stylistic devices to show examples of racism.
Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, illustrates various morals and life lessons that reflect the attitudes of individuals towards notions of self growth, prejudice and innocence. The novel encompasses Atticus Finch’s courage and determination as he goes against the social conventions of Maycomb, Alabama and fights for justice whilst also teaching his children extremely valuable lessons. Harper Lee’s extensive exploration of these ideas are expressed through her literary techniques and characterisation within her work.
He had a different view on Tom’s case than that of many other Maycomb citizens. “...there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man.”(Lee 100). Atticus’s feelings about the case are different than the majority of Maycomb’s feelings on it. Atticus is a change in the racist tradition of Maycomb treating black people like they are lesser beings. Atticus thinks that everyone has a right to fair representation, and puts that principal before the opinions of the rest of the town.
He wanted to prove the just because the skin color of a man or women is different does not mean that they should be looked at any differently or judged in a different manner, one night he stays outside of Tom Robinsons jail cell to protect him from the townsmen that showed up one night to kill him, Atticus stood his ground in front of his cell and talked the whole crowd out of doing anything to him, instead they all just went home.
African Americans still face many of the horrors they faced in the 1940’s. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a book that takes place in the early 1940’s during a time of great segregation. The novel incorporates many hardships of black people during the 1940’s that can still be seen in today’s society. African Americans often faced prejudice in courtrooms and daily life that didn’t allow them to be treated equally. Many people during this time didn’t think that African Americans were people that deserved rights, so they didn’t give them any. This made life harder for the average black American. The prejudices African Americans faced in the 1940’s can still be seen today through conviction injustices and average pay rates, but, many people
To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel used to bring ideal imperfections of people that found themselves in an imperfect world. Racism and tradition are key focuses with both the trail and conflicts between completely different thoughts of racism, which was an effect of
By addressing many of the common issues in today’s world; such as racism, violent riots, and judging someone by how they live, the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, proves to be a more sufficient book. Racism has shown to be a big issue in today’s world. Through police shootings and violent crimes, people always find a way to blame it based on someone’s skin color. It has stuck with us from the beginning of the foundation of America, to now. The issue of racism is shown to be in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
Millions of humans have suffered at the hands of racism and discriminatory events throughout history. The majority of these racial and discriminatory events are the basis of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel references Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, as well as the issues of racism and discrimination in that period of time.
No matter where or who a person is, they are always learning something, either about themselves or about the environment around them. In Harper Lee's heartwarming novel titled To Kill A Mockingbird, the main characters Jem and Scout grow and mature throughout the story as they learn both more about themselves and the world around them. As the story progresses, they learn many life lessons including those about prejudice, people and how they have been categorized and judged, and, last but not least, gender issues.
In our society today the racism cannot compare to the racism and prejudice that African American’s had to face throughout the 1800’s and on. This topic is a prominent point in the development of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book focuses on the hardships of a young girl, Scout, during the years of the depression. Her family is greatly impacted by specific laws set out for coloured people called the “Jim Crow Laws”. Throughout a trial that her father is involved in, we see the rights that are violated when it comes to black people.
We can use the characters, the setting, and the relationships between characters in To Kill a Mockingbird to understand how the past affects the future. When Lee’s novel takes place, it is during the prime of racism and discrimination in America, specifically Alabama. Caucasians are incredibly rude to African-Americans solely because of skin color. Many cities and states are segregated during this terrible time period. To Kill a Mockingbird accurately illustrates how life during the 1930s was when it came to racism, the Great Depression, and false rape accusations.
Atticus is an example of a character that tries to bring equality to Maycomb, while Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra are two characters that think Maycomb is fine the way it is now. Atticus believes that all people should be equal, in the court at least. He says "But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal--there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. . . Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal" (205). Bob Ewell is a man that does not think everyone is equal and thinks that Maycomb is fine the way that it is now. It can be seen through this quote he says; “Why, I run for Tate quick as I could. I knowed who it was, all right, lived down yonder in that nigger-nest, passed the house every day. Jedge, I’ve asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they’re dangerous to live around ‘sides devaluin’ my property” (177). Aunt Alexandra is similar to Bob Ewell, but hides it more. This can be seen through this quote; “Grandma says it'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 agin. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'" (85). Through these characters, Harper Lee shows the racial stereotypes in Maycomb and how they affect the
To Kill a Mockingbird is an iconic story that expresses a time period of America that struggled with the idea of racism, sexism, and also the judgment that people hold over one another that leads to segregation and discrimination. This is a book that many students can learn from and help change the ways we did things in the past. Everyone is created equally and To Kill a Mockingbird shows us that no matter your skin color, your race, or your social class, everyone has a part to play in this world. Racism plays a huge role throughout the book as it is set in the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s.