Prejudice In Today's Society

To Kill A Mockingbird is an important book that has continued to teach people about race and prejudice for over 50 years. Harper Lee’s message is the harsh reality of how prejudice is built into society and is one of the most important messages of the 20th and 21st centuries. This book teaches us to stand up to prejudice and spread more love. It teaches us to look at things from another person's point of view and to be accepting of those who are different from us. Even to this day we face issues involving prejudice such as police brutality, the achievement gap, homophobia, and equal

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee and was published in 1960. This novel is included in various curriculums to enable students to take this well-written novel to identify the themes and messages and be educated from their literature. Prejudice is defined as a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. The different forms of prejudice that will be analysed are racial, class and social, thus, leads to the citizens of Maycomb to marginalises characters and treat them as an insignificant. It is evident that many characters in this novel suffer from different types of prejudice, which creates a sense of marginalisation. Tom Robinson, Mayella Ewell and Arthur Radley are the important, main

Prejudice is one of the world’s greatest struggles. It does not only hold society back, but is harmful to the people who do good .In Harper Lee’s book To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Jem live through and witness prejudice and racism in the small town of Maycomb. They see someone wrongly accused of a crime because of his race. Scout and Jem also witness and take part in prejudice against a man no one knows anything about. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee uses characterization to show the negative effects of prejudice and racism.

Prejudice in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a very common problem in the society Maycomb; prejudice does not only harm an individual but also a society. Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch and Boo Radley are all victims of prejudice, and all three characters are affected by this. The prejudice exhibited towards them traps them, kills them or makes them stronger.

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

Prejudice, like evil, lurks in everyone, whether it is visible or hidden beneath the surface of a calm, clear pool. It is the cause of an invisible line, a separation, between people. Often that line is unreal, created in the minds of people, but requires conformity and rejects individuals. Prejudice is explored in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a captivating novel that revolves around the experiences of two children, Jem and Scout, who witness prejudice and hatred in an unfair conviction of a black man, but also morality and courage through their father and other characters. At the same time, their childhood innocence and unawareness of underlying evil fall away, leaving them to face the realities of maturity and adulthood. As the children grow up, the veil of childhood leaves them, revealing the evil and prejudices hidden under the exterior of their neighbors, and discover the harmful consequences of sexism, social hierarchy, and racism.

Prejudice should not exist in this world. But unfortunately, it does and it always will somehow. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is an inspiring book and brings out hard truths about how the world used to be, about the great depression, and in some aspects how it still is today. It follows a girl named Scout and her family through three years of her childhood. Her father, Atticus Finch, took on a very big challenge to defend a negro for raping a girl. The book sort of revolves around this event. Prejudice is in many different forms of discrimination. Throughout the book it is demonstrated by race, class, and gender.

What really is prejudice? Prejudice is an opinion based only upon personal bias, and not any actual facts or evidence. Within the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are a variety of situations where prejudice is taken into effect over facts and evidence. When Lee does this, he is not only just giving the characters some detail, but he is also showing what prejudice really means and how it can affect people. A few examples could be when scout is basing her opinion on no facts, Lila at the church getting her opinion from just the kids being white, Boo Radley being judged without facts by everyone, and Tom Robinson being black meaning is already guilty.

Prejudice is defined as: “An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.” Harper Lee explores this theme throughout To Kill A Mockingbird with various characters demonstrating or being affected by it, especially because it is set in the turbulent time of 1930s southern USA. In particular, the theme is prominent in the characters Arthur (Boo) Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson. I will begin with Arthur (Boo) Radley.

Prejudice is seen throughout the world in many forms even after the Civil Rights Movement. To Kill a Mockingbird shows the extreme prejudice that African Americans were faced with at that time period. This book shows prejudice through character interactions.

Some people say prejudice is just a word, but it is action at the same time and could have a huge impact on people. In the novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, it shows many examples of prejudice.

Although all evidence points at Robinson’s innocence, he is still proven guilty by the jury. Although Atticus promises Tom everything will work out, Tom attempts to escape prison and is shot seventeen times. Tom knows he will be given the death sentence, not because he is guilty, but because he is black. Tom’s failed escape may have been him facing the odds of maybe escaping versus definitely dying at the hands of his oppressors, or perhaps him trying to take control of the way he died. The type of prejudice demonstrated towards Tom Robinson ties back to the definition: “A preconceived judgement or opinion.” Maycomb decides Tom is guilty no matter what, simply because he is black. Tom Robinson’s trial is a historical reference to the Scottsboro Boys’ trial, in which eight young black boys were accused and convicted of raping two white women. There are connections between the two trials in the inconsistent testimonies, the evidence that favors the accused, and the unjust verdicts that ruined nine lives. The trial of Tom Robinson is a reminder that prejudice can and will kill. There are other citizens of Maycomb that are affected by prejudice; however not all of them have such a tragic end as Tom’s story.

Firstly, Tom Robinson is just one character that is prejudged in the novel. He is accused of raping a white girl named Mayella and it is a problem to the jury that a black man is trying to defend himself in court. Atticus realizes how Tom is being treated unfairly and that it is uncommon for African Americans and white people to associate with each other. During Atticus’s speech, Mayella is accused of lying in her testimony when “she kissed a black man [which is] something that in our society is unspeakable” (Lee 272). The black man who Atticus refers to is Tom. He is ridiculed and judged by several people in the book and he gets all this

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible”(Maya Angelou). To Kill a Mockingbird is about a young girl called Scout and the important lessons she learns through the events of a racist trial, the mysterious neighbour, and growing up. She learns many lessons about perspective and understanding people. One of the most important lessons she learns about prejudice. Lee demonstrates the message that prejudice does not only harm an individual but damages a society in the events of “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Prejudice becomes affects society most when the views become what people expect. We can see this in the three main types of prejudice, racial, gender, and class or wealth.

Mrs.Dubose yells at Scout for having on overalls instead of a dress. She addresses this in the worst way possible. “What are you doing with those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady!”(Lee 135) She is stereotyping women, saying that all women should wear a dress and camisole. Overalls cannot be for women? Scout starts to learn what a girl “should” act like after Jem yelled at her to grow up acting like a girl. “She [Calpurnia] seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think that there was some skill involved in being a girl”(Lee, 154). Calpurnia is slowly showing Scout what she is supposed to live up to. Aunt Alexandra stays with the Finch’s to push Scout to be a lady! “We [Aunt Alexandra and Atticus] decided it was 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). Aunt Alexandra is trying too hard to change Scout’s life by making her wear dresses and stereotyping her to be a “little lady” instead of taking it one day at a time. “When I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing anything that required pants” (Lee 108). Aunt Alexandra wishes Scout would play with “ small stoves” and “tea sets” because that is how little ladies are supposed to act. Scout does not care what Aunt