Sexism In To Kill A Mockingbird

The act of prejudice is one that everyone experiences. Whether it be, a person who is distributing hate, or a person who is receiving hate, everyone has contact with it. Although it is present all over the globe, it is prominent in the United States. Both in the present and the past, endless acts of discrimination have taken place and left a monumental impact on the country. The effect that it leaves can be seen in the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. In this story, sexism, racism, and isolation, are demonstrated in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s. As the story progresses, Lee compares these concepts to one another and uses them to make a statement about the problematic nature in America.

Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, is also a victim of stereotyping. Atticus decides to help a black man (Tom Robinson) in court. Because of this decision, the people of Maycomb have a set opinion of Atticus Finch. They say that because he is working for “niggers”, he must be like them. They also say that because he chose to help Tom Robinson, that he doesn’t like white people, and more specifically, Mr. Bob Ewell. One day while strolling back from town, Scout and Jem see Mrs. Dubose. In response to saying hello, Mrs. Dubose says, “’Yes indeed, what has the world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I’ll tell you!’ She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it

By using characterization in To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee shows how people try to drive others to follow their gender role and makes us wonder, why do people want this? In an argument with Aunt Alexandra Scout says, “I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could not do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.” (108). We can clearly understand that Aunt Alexandra is trying to make Scout stop wearing overalls and instead wear girl clothes, in doing so, she is restricting Scout from doing the activities she enjoys like playing and running. Not only does Aunt Alexandra want Scout to stop wearing overalls which are for boys but also wants to make Scout a lady, she wants her to learn a woman's role, which helps prove my claim. In my theses I mention that people try to change others and in this case Aunt Alexandra is trying to change Scout into someone she is not, as can be seen this is not the only time people try to change the way Scout behaves. During Christmas at Finch's Landing Uncle Jack is correcting Scouts behavior, “Scout, you will get in trouble if you go around saying things like that. You want to grow up to be a lady, don’t you? (105). The reason for Scout getting in trouble is a result of her unladylike language, her uncle warns her that she is not to use that sort of language. As the book advances Scout becomes develops into a girl who is learning new skills and expressions every day, but because some aren’t appropriate for her, a woman, she is prohibited from doing so, or she will face ramifications. If Scout doesn’t want to face the consequences, she will behave and act like a lady, which is the last thing she wants to do, she will become one of several who had to adjust their lives in order to be a member of the society they live in.

In the passage Mrs. Dubose is portrayed as a mean lady who doesn’t know boundaries and yells mean comments at children. When Jem and Scout walk by her house, she starts to yell things. She realizes these are going nowhere so she ups the ante with the next insult, which she hits home with Jem. What she yelled was, “Your father’s no better than the n*ggers and trash he works for”(Lee 2). This

In the novel, Scout 's cousin, Francis Hancock, said “I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family–” (Lee 110). Francis criticized Atticus through Scout. He did not believe that whites should be helping blacks. He called Atticus a “nigger lover” like many others in Maycomb, even though Atticus was simply trying to help an innocent man, treating him the way everyone should be treated. Mrs. Dubose disapproved of the man that Atticus decided to defend. She believed that Atticus has gone against what he was taught when he was raised. To Mrs. Dubose, anyone associated with the Negroes were no better than them. Many people in Maycomb had the same views as Mrs. Dubose. They believed that being friends with a Negro made you trash like them. Therefore, they had been calling Jem and Scout names and insulting Atticus by calling him a nigger lover. Like Mrs. Dubose, Francis said that Atticus had gone against the family.

Scout also faces prejudice among the people she knows very well, but Jem, her brother also has to face prejudices from the community as well, some of these people being their neighbors. ”But Mrs. Dubose held us: “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!” Jem stiffened. Mrs. Dubose’s shot had gone home and she knew it: “Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I’ll tell you!” She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it away, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for”(lee 135). Mrs. Dubose, being the neighbor of Scout and Jem harasses them

People are not born prejudiced. “It is something that is learned". It can be learned in the same way other attitudes and values are learned, primarily through association, reinforcement and modeling. For example, children may learn to associate a particular ethnic group with poverty, crime, violence and other negative things” (2006 Anti-Defamation League). Also, prejudice in “children may be reinforced by listening to derogatory ethnic jokes, especially when others laugh along or think they're cool”. Lastly, children may simply imitate the prejudices of their older family members and popular friends. Prejudice is to pre- judge. “Prejudice is a baseless and usually negative attitude toward members of a group. Common features of prejudice

Women should be caring, humble, quiet, intelligent. These are some of the generic characteristics of a stereotypical "women". If you opened a newspaper from the 1950s you would be bombarded with advertisements about women being the perfect housewives and men being strong leaders. A survey taken in the mid-1980s by British Social Attitudes showed that close to half (43 percent in 1984 and 48 percent in 1987) of people supported a gendered separation of roles, where the female was a caring mother and the male the masculine handyman. If you were to go to any social media site these days, you would see women that are changing the game with twenty-first-century texts posted everywhere that significantly challenging gender stereotypes for women.

Throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird Lee discusses the effects of ignorance and the toll it takes on people such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Scout herself, and many more. Through her examples of sexism, prejudice, and racism, from the populist of poverty stricken Southerners, she shows the readers the injustice of many. The victims of ignorance are the ‘mockingbirds’ of the story. A good example of this injustice is the trial of Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white girl and is found guilty. The book is from the point of view Scout, a child, who has an advantage over most kids due to her having a lawyer as a dad, to see the other side of the story. Her father tells her in the story, “you never really know a man until

Dubose. Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict who was rude to everyone around her. Most citizens of Maycomb ignored her when she lectured them. However, Atticus was always polite to her. For example, when Atticus passed by her, he stated, “Good evening, Mrs. Dubose! You look like a picture this evening.” (133) This shows that Atticus treats her with respect, knowing that he is doing the right thing even though many others in Maycomb would disregard her. Despite Mrs. Dubose’s stereotypically rude attitude, Atticus is polite because he believes that stereotypes do not define one’s character. Also, when Scout told Atticus that Mrs. Dubose called him a “n-word lover,” he did not even get mad. Instead, Atticus told Scout, “... it’s never an insult to be called what someone thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you.” (144-145) Atticus realizes that Mrs. Dubose’s remark toward him represents how society viewed him, as he was defending a black man. He never resorts to revenge against others because he does not allow the remarks to affect him. Instead, he is polite to them, knowing that he is doing the right

Understandably, Scout is quite offended by her aunt’s criticism, but Atticus assures his daughter that she is just fine the way she is. Nevertheless, Scout can’t help but be bothered by the fact that her aunt does not appreciate her personality. Mrs. Dubose, of course, comments on Scout’s tomboyish behaviour. She is malcontented with the way that Scout acts and, as always, makes it known. “what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways – a Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Café – hah!” (135). Mrs. Dubose has been described as “the meanest old woman who ever lived” so it is not surprising that she would judge Scout like this. Regardless of her character, it is unseemly of her to claim that Scout will amount to nothing. The fact that Scout does not usually wear dresses or drink tea like a typical lady in her time, does not mean she won’t succeed in life. She is a strong-willed, clever girl, who is capable of impressive feats. Mrs. Dubose is wrong in making assumptions about Scout’s future based on the fact that she wears overalls.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” However, I will not be silent. Sexism is a thing of the past, present, and future. Women have never been seen as equal to men. This idea and concept affect how women carry out their lives. Women may act different or speak different just based on society's thoughts about their gender. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and in today’s society it is clear that because of women’s perceived “weakness”, men now dominate women legally, physically and financially.

When the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, was written by Harper Lee, the Southern United States was still clinging tightly to traditional values. Southern societies pressured men to behave as gentlemen, and women were expected to be polite and wear dresses. These stringent gender roles were adhered to in small southern towns because they were isolated from the more progressive attitudes in other areas of the United States. Harper Lee documents the life of one young girl growing up in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. Jean Louise Finch, also known as "Scout," is a young girl searching for her identity. Scout, a young tomboy, is pressured by adults who insist she should conform to the

To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic piece of American literature, written by Harper Lee, it is very significant because it deals with countless issues, such as prejudice, growing up, and courage. This commendably written novel contains a variety of unique characters that have their own set of values and beliefs. In the book there is one particular character named Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is an elderly, woman who lives near the Finch family. Mrs. Dubose targets Atticus Finch, who is defending a black man, and torments his children, Scout and Jem. Mrs. Dubose may deserve pity because of her condition, but she is still completely in the wrong due to the fact that she instills fear in everyone around her solely through the power of her words.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is an ideal display of feminism that takes place during the period of depression in the south. It portrayed the two kinds of women found in the south during this time, the women who were pro the feminist movement, and the average Southern women. Sadly some women mistakenly rebelled against the ideals of society, by just being themselves. Men and women were to conduct themselves as ladies and gentlemen, were men were expected to dress in suit and ties and women were expected to wear dresses and be courteous. Since southern towns were so sheltered from the liberal views of the rest of the world they had no chose but to abide by these gender roles.