Examples Of Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, published in July 11, 1960, shows the discrimination throughout the small town of Maycomb. Scout, the daughter of a white lawyer named Atticus, tells what she saw while she was growing up. Harper Lee uses foreshadowing throughout the entire story. When Atticus defends Tom Robinson in an alleged rape case. The people of Maycomb automatically start calling him, Scout, and Jem “nigger-lovers” for defending a black man.

Through one of the main themes of the book, coming of age, the author is able to help the readers understand more fully the coexistence of good and evil in everyone. During the start of the novel there are many stereotypical statements said that the kids have always believed because they had no other knowledge of their own to rely on. But, as the children grow, loose their childhood innocence, and gain an understanding of others on their own, they are able to begin to see the good they have never seen, or the bad they have never seen. One example of this is when, at the end of the novel, Scout is describing Boo Radley to Atticus. “'When they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . . .' His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. 'Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.' He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He

Over the course of the novel, the reader watches Jem mature from age 10 to age 13, growing up from a brave and playful boy, to a calm, collected young man similar to the likes of his father Atticus. One of the most important life lessons that Atticus teaches Jem is to always do the right thing even if it’s the hardest thing to do. Atticus Finch is known as a man who is “the same in his house as he is on the public streets.” (Lee, pg. 61) He lived by morals, and always abade by them. After Atticus took up the court case of Tom Robinson, a coloured man, he had many people insult him and make fun of him. Atticus knew that he couldn’t refuse the case, as he stated “before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”(Lee, pg.140) Atticus took the job that no person wanted, especially knowing that he was going to lose the case before it even began. In doing so, Atticus shows Jem that you should always be a man of your morals, that you should always do the right thing even if it is the hardest thing to do. Although he has a hard time understanding Atticus’ actions at first, Jem begins to comprehend his father’s values in the world around him, with more mature eyes.

Because of this situation, Jem has developed a moral that will stand strong not only because of his father but because he has seen the wrongfulness of the town due to prejudice and racism.

Discrimination is prevalent in the story “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the most obvious being the excessive amount of racism (Lee). Racism is the easiest to see but there are more forms of discrimination (Lee). Boo Radley is ostracized from the community when truly nobody really knows him (Lee). People discriminate Scout for being a tomboy not a lady (Lee). The last one that no one ever thinks about is how reverse racism is seen when people threaten Atticus for defending Tom Robinson in court (Lee). Discrimination in any form is a controversial topic but everyone knows that it is not right to discriminate against people.

Jem’s empathy towards others is supported vigorously throughout the book. One way this is done

The author, Harper Lee, said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view”. The citizens in To Kill A Mockingbird do not follow that quote. Some of the characters are very judgmental to those they don't know and make assumptions about them.Harper Lee uses the character Jem to prove to us the power of integrity,courage, and being true to yourself will help you in a racist town.

Discrimination, it has been part of human nature for a long time, especially relevant subject in literature such as To Kill a Mockingbird. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the main character of Scout Finch was exposed to different types of discrimination as she grows up. Discrimination affected the lives of characters in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird because of society’s prejudicial views of race, gender, and class.

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.

Jem’s entire perspective of the world is thrown into chaos so he retreats into a state of disillusionment. However, Scout, maintains her faith in humanity. Atticus elaborates by saying as you grow older; you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life. Lee uses this scene to show the reader that racism is learnt. Scout gradually emerging from her innocence to the realization that people have different outlooks on the world and that these often include prejudice and hate which have been obtained by harsh experiences. Lee intends to show the reader that innocence is precious and once experience marrs, you cannot return to innocence. When Scout meets Dolphus Raymond, she learns not to trust the stereotypes that society casts on people because you never really know a person until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Scout’s narration showcases her struggle with the realization that not everyone values integrity and morals.

Jem, as a child, has little respect for life or Scout his younger sister. When Jem, Scout, and Dill are on the hill Jem takes revenge on Scout by “pushing the tire with all the force”. As a child, Jem does not realize how important life is. He pushes Scout extra hard because she made him mad not knowing she could get seriously hurt. As Jem matures he has compassion for life and a realization of how important life is. Scout was going to “mash” a roly-poly but Jem asks her to spare it “ Because they don’t bother you.” Jem does not want Scout to kill the roly-poly because it is innocent. Jem’s statement is very reminiscent to Atticus telling the children to never kill a mockingbird because “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” The court case brings out Jem's adulthood as he starts to understand the unfairness of life and has a newfound compassion for what is right. Jem tells Atticus “that it ain't right” when he hears the guilty verdict, although knowing he is innocent. At this moment, Jem loses his childhood innocence as he realizes that the case should have been innocent but it was not because of the people in his town. Jem loses his childhood belief that everyone will treat others fairly and now has a compassion for what is right. The decisions Jem is faced with like the roly-poly and the court case brings out Jem's compassion in his coming of age.

In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses Scout and Jem to suggest that discrimination and prejudice mindsets force to choose a herd mentality or to choose individuality.

“But now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruining’ the family, that’s what he’s doing’.” (Lee 110). The power of hatred is one so strong, that it imprisons the Finches and African Americans of Maycomb County. In Alabama of 1920 to 1930, segregation is an established action of the Southerners, it’s a lifestyle. The slurs passed from the mouths of white Southerners and ending with the shooting of a black man, the ways of Maycomb County are ones seen as either shocking or common in today’s eyes. To Kill A Mockingbird is an eminent novel by Harper Lee that illustrates the aspects of discrimination and prejudice, tolerance and courage during a time in America where racial inequality

To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, that offers a view of life through a young girl’s eyes. The novel is focused on two main themes which are racism and discrimination.

The moral nature of human beings also ties into the theme of justice and fairness. Scout and Jem assumed that people were good just because they never encountered evil. Now that they have seen evil, they must put it into their understanding of the world. “‘Thank who?’ I asked. ‘Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’ My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held up the blanket and crept toward me. ‘He sneaked out of the house- turn ‘round- sneaked up, an’ went like this!” (Lee 72). This is after Miss Maudie’s house caught on fire and Atticus was wondering where the blanket on Scout’s shoulders