Concept Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

1322 Words6 Pages
Grace Graham Block: B English 1 Ms. Fields Thursday, September 19, 2014 To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a fictional book set in the small segregated town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930’s. Narrated by young girl named Scout Finch who is growing up with her older brother Jem and friend Dill. Scout explores with little understanding the concept of racism through the town gossip, and her own first hand experiences. She begins learning more about her father…show more content…
Caroline (Scout’s teacher) is angry with Scout because she discovers Scout is literate and feels Scout is not taught correctly how to read by her dad. Scout goes home angry at Ms. Caroline, and explains her day to her father. Scout says, “Atticus said I had learned many things today…but if I had put [myself] in [Scout’s teacher’s] shoes [I'd have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (p. 33). Here Scout realizes that when she looks at things from another’s perspective, people gain a greater understanding of another’s actions. Her realization is brought about by Atticus’ discussion with her regarding Ms. Caroline. Despite the early introduction to this lesson, Scout doesn’t fully understand it, or at least learned it yet. This idea that Atticus presents is a core concept of perspective in the novel and gives the plot legs to stand on. It is the basis for Atticus’s morals and legal strategies. Later in the novel, Atticus reminds Scout and Jem that you can’t fully understand a person, “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (p. 33). By that he means to to look at things from someone else's point of view which is important for Scout to know to help her cope with enormous controversy and adversity. If Scout had applied that lesson to multiple events in the novel, then she would have an easier time dealing with…show more content…
Tom's story is definitely a common one, many coloured people living in the south during Harper Lee’s time period were prosecuted or accused for no other reason than their skin colour (example: Scottsboro Boys). African Americans were an easy way to lay the blame on someone else if you were feeling guilt. Mayella was feeling shame and self-reproach after the she lied about what happened the day she claimed Tom raped her, and she-along with her father found an easy way to get rid of those feelings—by accusing Tom of raping her. The men deciding his fate weren’t willing to stretch themselves and go beyond the boundaries of color to save a man’s life. Both Tom and his town would have been a lot better off if the jury would have been able and willing to see his side of the story or if Mayella had thought about how her decisions might affect Tom, like what Atticus said to Scout on the first day of school, “‘First of all,’ Atticus said, ‘If you can learn this simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view’” (p. 33). This statement connects the reader back to the theme of the novel. Even when Atticus is threatened, his way of thinking remains after the trial. Atticus was approached by Mayella's father, Bob, when he sees Atticus near the post office one day. Bob spits in his face and threatens
Show More
Related

  • Literature Review: To Kill A Mockingbird

    1366 Words  | 6 Pages

    Literature Review Report: To Kill A Mockingbird As part of my personal novel study, I have decided to read Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Furthermore, I believe that this novel is an excellent match for my interest in the Southern Gothic genre. I enjoy this category as it mostly explores the social order of the southern part of America. This can be demonstrated through the interactions between characters, which I believe often invoke the burden of judgements and inequality that the community

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast To Kill A Mockingbird

    361 Words  | 2 Pages

    running time of the film, To Kill a Mockingbird, it surprisingly grasps much of the main idea of its corresponding book. However, readers of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee could easily identify the major differences: the absence of some influential foil characters, the lack of a couple important scenes and the different characteristics of the main characters. Even though the book and the film contains many notable differences, they share the same morals and concepts that the novel contained including

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Racism And Prejudice Quotes

    423 Words  | 2 Pages

    In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout Finch learn about racism and prejudice through a legal battle involving their father at the young ages of 11 and 8. One person who introduces them to this concept is Mrs. Dubose—and not in a good way. Mrs. Dubose, while her character could be defended, should be held accountable for her actions. Her age does not excuse her racist, sexist, purposely provocative words. The things she said to Jem and Scout was said with the intention of upsetting

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Reflection

    1085 Words  | 5 Pages

    As children grow, their minds expand through their experiences, environment, schooling, and ultimately the choices they are faced with. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird follows the life of Scout, a young tomboy, as her father defends a black man against a white man in court over rape. Set in Maycomb County, Alabama, in the 1930s, Scout, her older brother Jem, and Atticus are faced with backlash from a racist community as the court case plays out. The experiences Scout and Jem took away from the

    Read More

More about Concept Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document