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Racism Quotes In To Kill A Mockingbird

Decent Essays

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a powerful novel that explores the widespread racial discrimination in 1930’s Alabama. Throughout the novel rarely is Alabama’s racism bridged, with the exception of three main protagonists Scout Finch, her brother Jem Finch and their Father Atticus. Lee’s use of symbolism, foreshadowing and irony present the consequences of the loss of innocence and the penalties that racial prejudice can have on a community. Throughout the novel Lee employs symbolism to how the small town of maycomb Alabama are petrified of any cultural variance. Point: Whilst Tom and Boo embody the theme of mockingbirds the two individual mockingbirds represent two different “socially unacceptable” ends of the spectrum. Tom …show more content…

Despite his acts of kindness to the children, including gifts of a “broken old pocket watch” and the reparation of Jem’s pants, he goes unacknowledged by the children. Boo, a man forced into solitude. Symbolises a mockingbird who was abused at the hand of his own father. Like boo, tom struggles with the power mishap of cruelty from someone in a higher social standing. The children’s growth is full recognised when boo’s act of protection at the end of the novel epitomises not only his strong moral nature. But finally the children realise that boo radley is not the gothic themed “six and a half” feet tall, squirrel-eating monster their innocence portrayed him to be, and instead is a kind man who ultimately save the lives of both kids. This epidemic leads scout to the conclusion that punishing boo for him chivalry acts “would be like shootin’ a mockingbird wouldn’t it?” Comment: through the use of the mockingbird metaphor Lee carefully portrays the inequality in maycomb. Through the innocent, unfiltered eyes of scout, boo and tom are portrayed as the personifications of good who were destroyed by evil. The intention of this stylist feature was to expose the nature of mankind to be stereotypical and show prejudice towards others, rather than empathetic and understanding. Lee also highlights how misunderstanding …show more content…

When the rabies-infested dog is first shot by Atticus and is witnessed by his two children, they perceive their father as radically changed. With their only perception as their father as a sensible, respectable man who is true to his beliefs and wise interpretation of the world. Evidence: In killing the ‘mad dog’ the first initial reaction leaves the reader with an ironical sense of “why would Atticus do a cruel thing like that?” feeling. This concept is an idyllic symbol that represents the whole society of Maycomb as a whole. There is the way Atticus is indeed against using a gun normally as it “gives him an unfair advantage over nature”, however, since he knew he had to terminate the rabid dog and keep it from harm to anyone, he did it. Comment: This scene foreshadows multiple things. First, the fear that the dog puts into the neighbourhood foreshadows the fear that many feel towards Tom and the Negroes in the community. Most people hide from the dog and often avoided confrontation with the black community as well. Secondly, it foreshadows the fate of Tom and his trial. The dog is running around and then shot just as Tom will be running from the courthouse and shot, the dogs’ name, coincidentally is also Tim Johnson, which is remarkably similar to tom Robinson.

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