Walter Cunningham In To Kill A Mockingbird

Racism is witnessed many times throughout Scout's life, but not many times through her family as Atticus believes all people are equal. The only times she really sees it in her household is when Aunt Alexandra gets there. Jem and Scout talk to each other about what Aunt Alexandra says to Atticus and it shows her views. “She won’t let him alone about Tom Robinson. She almost said Atticus was disgracin’ the family. Scout… I’m scared.’ ‘Scared’a what?’ ‘Scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him”(167). Not only does this quote show her views about a different race, it also shows her directing her thoughts towards Atticus. She is trying to guilt Atticus into changing his mind and to keep the Finch family legacy going strong. This method of persuasion obviously does not work on Atticus, as he continues with the trial, despite Aunt Alexandra’s perspective on the

During the winter, Scout wakes up to snow and is scared since she has never seen it before. Her father reassures her and she goes to play with Jem in the snow. School ends later that year and dill come to play with them during the summer. During the Summer Atticus accepts to defend Tom Robinson in court. Tom Robinson was a black man who had been accused of raping the daughter of a wealthy man named Mr. Ewell. During the trial, Scout learned racial equality was a necessity that people needed to learn for a man with a white skin is just as valuable than a man with a black skin. Atticus does not win the trial, since the jury cannot convict a white man against a black. This cause a feud between the Ewells and the

He implies if one does not follow their conscience will, they will live overwhelmed by guilt. Here, the moral of human beings is threatened by the recurring subject of racism, as well as discrimination issues. Jem is an epitome of a corrupted person as he justifies that Atticus is wrong because everyone else thinks so. Nevertheless, he finds himself after the testimony is given. When it comes time for the trial, Jem follows it closely. Having grown up in the home of a lawyer, Jem understands the workings of the courtroom, besides its racial bias. Once the judge goes over the evidence, Jem becomes increasingly confident that Atticus won but his belief that Tom is innocent contrasts with what actually occurs: Tom is found guilty. While looking at Jem, Scout sees how his “shoulders jerked as if each ‘guilty’ was a separate stab between them.” By comparing Jem’s reaction to a “stab,” Lee not only shows Jem receiving blows of devastation over the case and feeling physically attacked but also points to the broader attack on things that Jem thought were once true. This is something that causes him great emotional pain as he has a hard time coming to terms with general unfairness. Jem has counted on the strength of bigotry but in

On Scout’s first day of school, her teacher, Miss Caroline, yells at Scout to “tell [Atticus she will]  take over from here and try to undo the damage” in the middle of the class when Miss Caroline learns that Atticus taught Scout how to read. This shows Scouts loss of childhood innocence because Miss Caroline was doubting Atticus and criticizing Scout on her above grade level learning skills. Miss Caroline is not encouraging Scout to explore her advanced learning skills and to do the best she can in school. Also, Miss Caroline says that what Scout has been taught all wrong and that she will fix it. Miss Caroline is killing Scout’s childhood ambition to finally go to school and learning. Towards the end of Tom Robinson's case Jem’s “hands were white from gripping the balcony rail,” and “his shoulders jerked as if each ‘guilty’ was a separate stab between them” (282). The imagery of Jem’s grip on the balcony rail clearly shows the intensity of the case. Jem feels astonished and is shocked how the people in Maycomb are so racist and prejudice towards African Americans. Jem knew from the start that Tom Robinson was innocent and was completely shocked by the

Also as the lynch-mob arrives to murder Tom Robinson, Atticus refuses to compromise and stands his ground. This event shows Jem and Scout how brave their father is to have stood up for his client the way he does without means of violence and without using guns. up to this point The children believe that it is a man’s gun that makes him, they now see courage in a whole new light. Thanks to her father, Scout gained the courage to confront Mr. Cunningham the same evening and is successful in causing Mr. Cunningham to call off his Old Sarum mob. She talks to Mr. Cunningham on a personal level “Don't you remember me, Mr. Cunningham? I'm Jean Louise Finch. You brought us some hickory nuts one early morning, remember? We had a talk. I went and got my daddy to come out and thank you. I go to school with your boy. I go to school with Walter; he's a nice boy.”(chapter 15, Lee)

My assigned multigenre project character is about Tom Robinson. He is first introduced in chapter nine, on the following page 100. Tom Robinson is illustrated as a Negro, that “lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump. He’s a member of Calpurnia’s church, and Cal knows his family well. She says they’re clean folks” (Lee 100). From this short little summary, it’s possible to conclude that Tom Robinson is a dark-skinned (Negro), poor man (lives near the town dump), who is in need of a lawyer (Atticus is a lawyer). I feel that Tom Robinson is going to be a very substantial character in this particular book because of Atticus’ decision to support a Negro when himself is a white male. Since this book is set in the early 1930s, it’s around

Atticus teaches the children how to not only recognize this problem of prejudice, but also how to defeat it. When a mob of men try to lynch Tom Robinson at the jailhouse and Atticus protects Tom, Scout innocently involves herself in the situation and as a result forces Mr. Cunningham to put himself in Atticus’s shoes. In his moment of realization, he disbands the mob, which saves Tom’s life. Atticus later explains to his children that “A mob’s always made up of people, no matter what. Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know - doesn’t say much for them, does it?” (Lee 179). Atticus says this in order to give his children a better understanding of the events of the previous night. He also wants the children to understand that all chains have a weak link, and finding that weak link in Mr. Cunningham

When Atticus, the protagonist's father, got his new case he chose not to assume Tom Robinson, the defendant, is guilty just because he is black. Most other lawyers would assume Tom is guilty because it was a Jim Crow era social norm that blacks were almost always guilty. Atticus tries to teach his daughter, Scout to also not assume and judge others on first impressions. However Scout is very slow to learn this skill which is seen when she judges others because of their traits and problems. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, a recurring theme is a quick judgment of others can cause false understandings and misconceptions which is shown when Scout judges Mayella Ewell, insults the Cunninghams, and disapproves of her Aunt Alexandra.

“I thought Mr. Cunningham was a friend of ours...You told me a long time ago that he was...He still is. But last night he wanted to hurt you… He might have hurt me a little,” Atticus conceded, “but son, you’ll understand folks a little better when you’re older. A mob’s always made of people, no matter what. Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little southern town is always made of people you know…” (pg. 157). Though this discussion Scout began to learn about the unbending prejudice of people who have been raised in a racist environment. Through this event she learned that people in groups are capable of doing things that they wouldn’t ordinarily do on their own.

An example of this is when Scout asks permission to invite Walter Cunningham over to the house for the night but is denied by Aunt Alexandra who says that “...he is trash…” and that “...Finch women aren’t interested in that sort of people”(pg. 300, Lee). Scout is confused by this because Aunt Alexandra had never met Walter before and was judging him based off of what she had heard from other people. Prejudice had corrupted Aunt Alexandra, but Scout did not have the same views as her because she was raised by the mild-mannered

Scout’s school did not stress the importance of equality, and it showed in the town’s ignorance. But, Scout did not let school taint her perception of others, and she believed “everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’. That Walter’s as smart as he can be he just gets held back [...]. Nothing’s wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” (Lee 304). Scout’s friend was going to get held back in school because he was poor and unable to attend as often. She stood up for him, because she thought everyone deserves an equal chance. However, a place that did not give everyone an equal chance was the courtroom where Atticus defended a black man accused of a crime he did not commit. After losing the case, Atticus consoles his children and tells Scout and Jem that “as you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, or how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295). While others may see a situation such as this and say that the black man was at fault, Atticus sees through the color of a man’s skin. He wants to make sure his children do this, too. Growing up in the south, racism was expected to be seen. But, just because something is common does not make it right. Atticus made it a priority to teach his

Lee uses Scout’s situation to suggest that people’s prejudice mindsets about some individuals are forced upon by society. After Atticus reveals that the Cunninghams were in the jury, Scout asks Atticus a question."Why didn't Tom's jury made up of folks like the Cunninghams, acquit Tom to spite the Ewells" (Lee 226). Here Scout sees that the Cunninghams and the Ewells dislike one another, but does not understand that both of these families

B.In the event that Scout plays with Walter, Aunt Alexandra believes that Walter is a bad influence on Scout. For fear that Scout might pick up bad habits, she is not allowed to play with Walter. Though Aunt Alexandra barely knows the Cunninghams she acts like they are barbaric and judges them even before she knew them. Aunt Alexandra herself is an example of prejudice, she doesn’t like associating herself and her family with below below her.

Atticus is the town’s most respected lawyer. He is not wealthy, but he is well off in the community and is very kind towards everyone. As a single parent, he faces the world, raising his two children with his maid, Calpurnia, who experiences better conditions and responsibilities than other African Americans of her time, due to Atticus’ beliefs. He has a reputation for being an open-minded, fair man, and a unique personality that is overflowing with honesty. He has been assigned a case of defending a black man who is apparently accused of rape. Now Atticus is both loved and unloved by the townspeople. Since they live in the South during the 1930’s, Atticus gives a lot of advice to his children, Scout and Jem. Atticus tells Scout and Jem that they should not say anything about a person especially when they do not know that person. Atticus describes what he means in a quote “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around it”(Lee 39). Atticus defends a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a girl. Atticus has the confidence and the courage to defend Tom and prove that he is innocent. Scout does not believe that her father is nice enough or has the courage to defend Tom. Atticus proves that

An example of this is when Scout asks permission to invite Walter Cunningham over to the house for the night but is denied by Aunt Alexandra who says that “...he is trash…” and that “...Finch women aren’t interested in that sort of people”(pg. 300). Scout is confused by this because Aunt Alexandra had never met Walter before and was judging him based off of what she had heard from other people. Prejudice had corrupted Aunt Alexandra, but Scout did not have the same views as her because she was raised by the mild-mannered Atticus.