How Gender Discrimination Is Not The Only Type Of Prejudice

Throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the main characters, Scout, is impacted by sexism from her family, peers, and community. The book is set in the 1930’s when women were definitely not thought of as equal. There were certain social rules that girls should follow and the ways that society told them to act. The scout is a character that is impacted by sexism throughout the story. She is a young girl that changes because of the oppression that is placed on her by her family and peers. The character Scout is affected by sexism, which Harper Lee uses to develop the reader’s perception of Scout from indecisive and confined to determined, criticized, and conflicted and finally to confident, conflicted, and decisive.

Scout is stereotyped by her gender because she is a female and Scout feels like the only way she can fit in is if she acts like a boy because all of her friends are boys. “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.” 4.119. This shows how scout thinks that acting like a girl is bad and it’s better to act like a boy.

First of all, Scout is more a tomboy than a girl. Boys tend to live by the phrase, “Boys rule. Girls drool.” Scout expresses,” I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.” (45). This quote implies that Scout thinks girl things are bad and boy things are good. She has constantly been taught this. Scout believes she can avoid being a girl by not acting like one. Being a girl to Scout is more about what she does than what she is born with. Another example of Scout being more of a boy is how she reacts to the situation with Walter Cunningham and Miss. Caroline. In the text, Scout states, “Ah-Miss. Caroline? Miss. Caroline, he’s a Cunningham.” (22). The gender role of a girl would usually to sit back and watch everything go down. In Scout’s case, she is outspoken and has no filter. She has to tell Miss. Caroline what everyone else is thinking. It is in this sense and others that Scout challenges the traditional gender roles throughout the

Throughout the book, Scout was being discriminated because she was a girl. Dill said, “Jem, you and me can play and Scout can watch if she’s scared” (Lee 51). This demonstrates that Dill and Jem think she can't do certain things just because she is a girl. Scout was always convinced that being a girl was a bad thing and by doing boy things, she could avoid being a “bad girl”. “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could go off and find some to play with” (Lee 54). This justifies how Scout is doing everything she can to not become a girl, even if it means hanging out with Jem and Dill. When Jem and Dill were going to peep in Boo Radley’s window, Scout got nervous because she was afraid that they would get caught, and how Boo would respond. Jem said, “Scout, I’m tellin’ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home-I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day” (Lee 69). This proves that Scout is getting yelled at for thinking like a girl. She is noticing Jem’s recklessness ideas. This states that sexism is a notable topic in To Kill a

Scout was particularly affected by gender discrimination as she was a girl. She was told she acted too much like a boy when she should be acting like a girl. Scout described Aunt Alexandra as “Fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pant” (108). Aunt Alexandra discriminated Scout for not wearing lady like attire and told her that if she continued to dress that way then she could not be a lady. Aunt Alexandra soon became determined to put an end to Scout’s non-feminine behavior. Atticus tried to explain to Scout that "She asked me to tell you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it's meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you'll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly"(178). Atticus decided to take his sister’s word and told his children what they should act like despite him not approving of this. Scout’s behavior is what leads her Aunt Alexandra to discriminating her and telling her she will never be a lady if she continues to not dress

128) The quote shows that women are often perceived as gossipy, and care a lot about their appearance, because Maycomb's version of “feminine influence” is equal to Aunt Alexandra's personality and lifestyle. This could be true for both genders and it is stereotypical to believe that woman gossip and worry about their appearance, 24/7. Furthermore, being a girl is stereotypically associated with being delusional. In chapter 4, Scout says “Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so” (4.119) Kids are heavily influenced by adults, from what Jem says it shows that it's a stereotype for girls to be delusional and it's bad to be a girl. It's shown here that Scout believes that being a girl meant you had to be delusional, which is not true and just a stereotype. Now Scouts so afraid that anything she does results in would make Jem see her as unworthy, even though being a girl is something to be proud of.

In the beginning of the novel, Scout acts masculine and is unable to stand being called a girl by Jem, creating a negative connotation with being a girl. “‘Scout, I’m tellin’ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home- I declare to the Lord you’re getting more like a girl every day!’ With that, I had no option but to join them” (Lee 69). To Jem, calling Scout a girl is insulting, and indicates uselessness and weakness. He stereotypes all

Scout does not conform to the typical standards of southern girls in the 1930’s: she does not act like a lady, gets in fights, and curses. Scout especially hates dresses. She loves her overalls, and will do anything to avoid wearing a dress. At one point, Scout actually considers running away from her family: “I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away. Immediately” (Lee 182). Scout harbors so much hatred towards the stereotypical feminine attire that she contemplates running away. This quote demonstrates the level of distaste she truly has for dresses, and the overall confines of femininity. Scout persistently defies gender roles and acts differently from the conventional woman. This defines Scout’s personality and shapes her adventures throughout the entirety of the

During the times of slavery, Sykes and Delia would have to work for whites, and for him, nothing has changed. Furthermore, in an attempt to regain some control and boost his damaged ego, Sykes acts out by harassing and cheating on his wife. Likewise, in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Scout does everything she can to avoid being called a “girl”. On page 119 Lee writes, “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that 's why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.” Being a girl for Scout is less of a matter of what she’s born with and more a matter of what she does. To avoid undertaking society 's expectations of girls, Scout acts out and does ‘boyish’ things. In all these works, a main character is seen undergoing oppression from society or peers and because of this, the character retaliates by attempting to empower himself or herself: Dave buys a gun, Sykes abuses Delia, and Scout acts like a boy.

Jem changes his attitude as he gets older, and he starts to feel like Scout should act a certain way, telling her ““Scout, I'm tellin' you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you're gettin' more like a girl every day!" With that, I had no option but to join them.” (Lee 58). At that time, being girly means that you are a coward and that’s why Scout couldn’t take it and had to defend herself. Through To Kill a Mockingbird, The role of men and women during that time, were very traditional and stereotyped.

She believes girl things are bad and that boy things are good. Scout doesn’t care how she was born but more about how she acts. After reading you quickly see Scout is who she is because of Atticus. Atticus has taught Scout the way to live without forcing her to be who she isn’t. Scout’s solution to everything is fighting; “Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting any more; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.”

But, specifically for women and girls. They didn’t get many rights and freedom as they do today. Also, it was a big deal for a woman or girl to not match society’s standards because it wasn’t common. That leads into how Scout’s representation of a girl is viewed in various ways by others. Back to the day when Alexandra first comes, she starts hammering on Scout, starting with what she said first: “We decided it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys-” (Lee 170). Scout doesn’t like what she said because she simply isn’t interested in what Alexander says she should be. Again, it seems that Alexandra doesn’t like how Scout isn’t fitting into society’s standard for girls. Scout is also convicted of being different from Jem. Jem’s view on Scout is the complete opposite of Alexandra’s, meaning he isn’t used to or wants Scout acting ‘girly’. Jem started to notice change in her when Scout refuses to sneak into the Radley’s property to see inside of the house. “Jem, please-” Jem replies,"Scout, I’m tellin‘ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!" (Lee 69). Scout isn’t intending to act differently than she has used to, but she is saying no because she knows it isn’t a smart decision to begin with. Later on after the trial, Jem is

Scout lacks a female influence in her life since her mother died when she was two and Jem and Atticus are the only two she can look up to. Since she lacks the influence in her life, Scout is more of a tomboy rather than a lady. She associates being ladylike with frilly dresses, gossip, and a lack of fun. Since her aunt is staying for a while, Scout realizes she must follow her rules, to her dismay. In TKAM, Scout states, “I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away.

Her Aunt Alexandria scolded Scout for never acting like a young lady should. Scout says this, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches” (Lee, 81). The gender roles were so heavily branded into the minds of young girls and older women that if anyone didn’t stick to them they weren’t proper women. Though Scout is too young in the beginning of the story to realize this, she matures and grows and realizes there are plenty of women around her who defy the gender roles set out for them.

Gender bias, also known as sexism, is a full of attitudes, laws, taboos, preferences, and behaviors that differentiates and discriminates against either sex. These may be a position of which male dominance and female subjugation in the modern society. It could also be a form of sexual stereotypes between men and women, these are commonly experienced in employment versus other positions. A final place that discrimination is faced is the academic environment, the female to male ratios are not in sync in certain programs and courses because of this and it is pressuring men and women to not go into certain fields and do what they love and please. Most advertisements on Television, magazines, newspapers, online ad’s, use a charged sexually image with a female as the star. Women are to be a pleasure for men, and nothing else. Many people have different opinions on genders and sexuality and that is okay, but sometimes you just need to keep them to yourselves.