What Is The Theme Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee is best known for writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel takes place during the depression in Alabama with the main character, Scout, viewing her lawyer father, Atticus, defending a wrongly accused black man of rape. The reader gets to understand Scout’s childhood view of this controversial situation. Scout’s character in to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is really the author’s own life playing out in the novel, which is most likely why this novel is thought to be one of the best American Novels of the 20th century.

In the story “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the main character Scout realizes the town she lives in is full of bias and prejudice toward negros. Scout, the only daughter of lawyer Atticus Finch, is faced with the activism that follows this prejudice when her father decides to defend a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law. She is constantly harassed and tormented by the residence of their small town, Maycom. What Lee is trying to show through these events is that people are always going to have prejudices, and sometimes these prejudices come from the people you least expect it form. In the story, neighbors, friends, and family all show their prejudices about the defendant Tom Robinson to Scout, who finally realize the world isn’t perfect but is, in fact, full of flaws and prejudices.

Matt Berman from Common Sense Media commented, “This richly textured novel, woven from the strands of small-town life, lets readers walk in the shoes of one fully realized character after another.” To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one of the major messages is identity. Harper Lee lets the people look into the perspectives and identity of some of the characters that make it seem very life-like. In the novel, many characters possess both admirable and dislikable qualities which are shown through their actions. With the nurturing of her father, Scout contains the charming qualities of being courage and mature for her age. The father that instilled these characteristics in Scout, is Atticus Finch. While dealing with the stressful case of Tom Robinson, Atticus maintains to keep the likable aspects of sympathy and strong will. The antagonist in this novel fighting against Tom Robinson is Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell has instilled, in him, the terrible qualities of cruelty and racism. These life-like characters that Harper Lee illustrates gives people a clear vision of who the characters portray.

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, there are many characters that demonstrate heroic qualities. The story is narrated by a young girl named Scout Finch who lives in Maycomb County Alabama in the 1930’s. There is a lot of racial prejudice in Maycomb County and Scout’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer defending a black man named Tom Robinson. In the novel, Atticus, Scout, and Scout’s brother Jem have to overcome many insults and bullying because Atticus is defending a black man. While the trial is going on, Scout and Jem befriend their mysterious neighbor whom they have never even seen. Through this friendship and the trial Scout and Jem are able to open their eyes to the injustices and prejudices of the people of Maycomb. Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson are all heroes in the small town of Maycomb.

“Prejudice is a learned trait. You’re not born with it; you’re taught it,” said Charles R Swindoll (Author). Prejudice is incorporated into How to Kill a Mockingbird in many ways. Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Miss Maudie are some of the ways prejudice is shown.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a coming of age story of two young children, Scout and Jem Finch, who learn how to live in the prejudiced society of the fictional town, Maycomb, Alabama. Many characters are involved in helping Scout and Jem learn important lessons and mature, whether it is by mouth or through actions. They learn how to be more gentleman and ladylike, they learn that people are sometimes cruel and ignorant, but most importantly, they learn to look at people with more than one perspective. Harper Lee uses the characters Atticus, Dolphus Raymond, and Boo Radley, to show the idea that one cannot fully understand another person until he or she walks in that person's shoes.

Prejudice is defined as: “An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.” Harper Lee explores this theme throughout To Kill A Mockingbird with various characters demonstrating or being affected by it, especially because it is set in the turbulent time of 1930s southern USA. In particular, the theme is prominent in the characters Arthur (Boo) Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson. I will begin with Arthur (Boo) Radley.

Decades ago, in the 1930s, people of color were not treated fairly. Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird took place in the 1930s in the fictional place of Macomb County, Alabama. It was narrated through a young girl named Scout Finch. Throughout the novel, Scout, her older brother, Jem, and their good friend Dill discover realities of society. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, was appointed to be the attorney of a black man. Because of the time period, the case was almost hopeless, but Atticus fought anyway. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays universal themes such as racial intolerance and innocence of youth.

Analyse how symbolism was used to convey an interesting idea in an extended written text

To Kill a Mockingbird is a fictional book written by Harper Lee. It touches many topics, such as racism and prejudice. The book takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, in which a series of events that shape the narrator's childhood occur. The story follows Finch, the narrator, and her family consisting of Jem and her father Atticus as they go about their daily live. The children spend time with their friend Dill, while messing with their neighbor Boo Radley. Things begin to stir when Atticus takes on a case defending a black man named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a young redneck women named Mayella. Things continue to get wilder and wilder until the end of the book, which doesn’t quite end the madness. It is an overall good book that touches many topics. A topic that this book touches in many ways is prejudice, such as the prejudice against Boo, Tom and Mrs. Dubose.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a beautiful story depicting a family living in the South of the 1930’s, and their struggle against the prejudice which was common to that time. The book centers on Atticus Finch, the father of the family as well as a lawyer, and his fight against prejudice. We see the story unfold through the innocent eyes of his young daughter, Scout, who is free from prejudice and not yet jaded. By viewing events as Scout sees them, the author shows us how to overcome prejudices, and gain tolerance.

The Book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee protested the bringing of prejudice into the court of law. This was highly relevant in the 1930’s, when the book was set, and played an important part in the plot of the novel. In addition, this theme can easily be applied to today’s courts or other parts of our punishment system, when cops are less likely to give African Americans the benefit of the doubt, or when women are most likely to win custody of children, or in countless other scenarios where on group is consistently favored over another. In ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, a black man named Tom Robinson was accused of rape by Mayella Ewell, a white girl of 19. Despite lack of substantial incriminating evidence, Tom was found guilty and sentenced

“To Kill a Mocking Bird” is a novel which was written by Harper Lee. In my essay I will discuss how Harper Lee explores the theme of prejudice by looking at the writing techniques and how they affect people.

To Kill A Mockingbird, a book for everyone by Harper Lee shows great life values. In this book, Scout Finch lives in a small town called Maycomb Alabama where a lot of life lessons are to be taught. Especially when a case is brought up and it’s up to her dad. I would recommend this book to anyone because it teaches you the values of life and how we can’t stereotype people for their appearance or actions. Throughout the book Prejudice occurs a lot.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel based in the 1930’s in a place called Maycomb. This was a small town in Southern Alabama and was home to residents of white and colored people. The novel is set during the Great Depression and is based off of the previous experiences of Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird. This novel is told in first person by a little girl named Scout Finch. She has an older brother named Jem and a supporting father Atticus.