Scouting Out Racism By Harper Lee

Everyone is brought into this world as innocent and pure. But events that follow a person in life can change their perspective on the world, and make them start to question if the things they have learned about human nature are true. This scenario can be used to describe the life of young Jean Louise Finch (Scout) in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This riveting novel takes place in the time era of the 1930s when the Great Depression was demolishing lives, and racial discrimination was high. Told through the eyes of Jean Louise, readers learn about Jean’s father Atticus Finch.

Atticus said, “They’ve done it befor and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it-seems that only children weep”(Lee 285). To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee. It is about two siblings , Jem and Scout, who live in a small town called Maycomb. Their father Atticus, is a well known lawyer, who is defending an African American that was accused of raping a white women. Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout are introduced to discrimination and learn that it’s an everlasting problem. Prejudice and discrimination are important themes in To Kill a Mockingbird because of racism, sexism, and ageism.

The entire world views and is affected by many immoral and cruel behaviours. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, the citizens of Maycomb County are harmed or troubled by vices that are seen throughout the text, such as racism, sexism and prejudice. It is obvious that throughout the work of To Kill a Mockingbird, the vices of racism, sexism and prejudice harm and negatively affect the community and it’s people.

Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published in the year of 1960, and is one of the few American classic novels awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The racism that is prevalent in many southern American towns in the 1930s is brought to life with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are several characters in the book, yet the true main character is the narrator's father, Atticus Finch. He is a man of great integrity and intelligence. A very heroic figure in more ways than one, Atticus possesses traits like being principled, determined, and, more importantly, he teaches others. When looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee uses lots of description, dialogue, and actions to portray Atticus as a heroic individual.

Harper Lee, author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, acknowledged the prejudice in 1930’s America. This novel won the Pulitzer Prize for its strength in upholding the prejudice in a small town in the south. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a town called Maycomb, where a family of three and their cook lives and deals with this animosity everyday. Atticus, the father, is a well-respected lawyer and Alabama state legislator. He chooses to defend African American Tom Robinson against charges of assault against Caucasian Mayella Ewell. Although Atticus knows that he would not win the case, he still wants to defend Tom to teach his children, Jem and Scout, a valuable lesson. Harper Lee made the right decision in having Atticus Finch defend Tom Robinson; however, the decision came with consequences (Lee).

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, shows how life was for those in the southern part of the United States, during a time when racism ran rampant throughout the land. Many injustices were committed to those of “Negro” descent, and it was up to those behind the law to protect them as well as those who lived by the law. Atticus, attorney at law, defender of the people, and father to Scout and brother Jem is safeguarding Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. As the story continues though, Mayella’s accounts of the facts aren’t quite as how they actually happened. Together, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem and Atticus show courage to stand up for what is right, defend the innocent until proven guilty, and how to remain

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless American classic that has been appreciated and loved by readers for decades. Harper Lee explores the story of a lawyer and his family in the deep parts of the South who is given the task of defending a black man accused with the rape of an adolescent white girl. Atticus Finch, the father of the protagonist and narrator Scout Finch, represents an elite group of minds that see beyond the invisible lines of race and wish to treat everyone with respect and equality. Atticus faces a series of external and internal struggles that brings meaning to the novel and reveals the overarching themes of the novel. Through several

As the United States “progresses” in economic, educational and technological advancements we still are fighting for racial equality. With more than 50 years since the brown vs. board of education case there is still incidents like Ferguson, Baton Rouge, and Phiando Castile where many questions are still unanswered. However, Harper Lee dealt with these same problems in 1960 when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee created an emotionally confronting story. Lee writes through the eyes of “Scout” a lawyer’s daughter in a small sleepy town of Maycomb in Alabama during the great depression. Throughout the book “Scout” learns coming of age lessons from Atticus and her own experiences. But when Atticus takes on a case defending a black man (Tom Robinson) convicted for rapping a white woman (Mayella Ewell) and is found guilty. “Scout” her brother Jem begin to understand the effects of the prejudices in society. Therefore, Lee applies the literary concepts of diction and tone to revel the truth that prejudices in society negatively affect the way people treat each other in To Kill a Mocking Bird.

Harper Lee communicates the heartless universal racism through her book. Not only are the colored people evaluated from the whites but also the Radleys are part of the white society that was categorized. The Radleys lived inversely from the rest of the Maycomb people. However, just by living in a different style, the people believed that they were unusual people. Even Jeremy labeled Boo Radley as "about six-and-a- half feet tall, judging form his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch that is why his hands were bloodstained." This is rather a portrayal proper for monsters than a person. Just by a altered life style, people create weird conceptions about Radley. Also, racism in Maycomb is very serious; they have different churches and different picnic areas. Racism comes from different eras, or different appearance. However, once this digs a crack between two civilizations, it builds up a great feeling of dislike between two civilizations. They just need to understand each other but by trying to keep their own inconsiderate minds, they create racism. If they cannot fathom each other, then everyone would have to live in jail alone. This is why racism is a irrational idea. Once whites believe that blacks are lower than they are, this is the same as favoring themselves that they are equal to the blacks. This is because if people get insulted and reply, "it just shows how poor that person is." This is just the same as when Jem and Scout fight, although

she is firm in what she believes to be right and has a lot of

To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic story of growing up, racial discrimination, and symbolism. Harper Lee has written a story that has gone down in history and will never be forgotten. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a six-year-old girl Jean Louise Finch, better known as Scout, narrates a story about her young life in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama. Her brother Jem Finch and friend Dill try to meet the secluded and mysterious neighbor. Meanwhile, her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer that takes on a case in hopes of claiming the innocence of a young black man accused of rape. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses symbolism as a literary device to compare Tom Robinson and Boo Radley to a Mockingbird.

Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, is about a young girl named Scout Finch and her brother named Jem. They are joined by their friend Dill into the journey of growing up in Maycomb, Alabama in 1933. Their father is defending for a colored man named Tom Robinson, who was undergoing rape charges against a teenage girl, Mayella Ewell. This case makes the Finch’s social outcasts, as if they weren’t already. Even though Mayella lied in her testimony, she should still deserve sympathy because she is pressured by her father and society, beat by her drunk father, and has a lonely life.

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells the story of the lives of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch and her brother, Jem, growing up in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Their father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer defending a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the book, Scout and Jem start to understand the world in more adult ways. The Tom Robinson trial allows the children to view the world with a much wider point of view. They start to notice and comprehend all of the problems of discrimination, prejudice, ignorance and hypocrisy in the Deep South of the 1930s.

To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, was published in 1960 and is known as the greatest novel of all time. It has sold millions of copies worldwide, and it even became an Oscar-winning film. The story is narrated by six-year old Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, who lives in a small town called Maycomb in Alabama. Taking place in the 1930s, it was during this time when racism and segregation were still prominent in society, and Lee does not fail to capture the effects of such attitudes within her characters. Although Scout is young, she is already exposed to the ugly realities of life, such as the prominent presence of discrimination, inequality, and racism within her small town.

Harper Lee uses her novel to teach us important lessons from the characters presented in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus, a fair and moral character, whose parenting style is unique, lined with honest and example, teaches us to follow his ways. Scout, an innocent girl who teaches us what’s important in life. Tom Robinson, someone who is ostracized for being African American, can teach us the importance of equal treatment and awakens us to our surrounding society. Lee’s construction of characters gives us perspective to issues in our society today, how they still matter and what we can learn from the novel such as compassion, justice and understanding.