Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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The definition of prejudice is the preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. It is said to be a part of human nature, something that people are born with rather than assimilate. However it is in fact learned over time, starting at the beginning. Prejudice is a habit never grown out of fully by anyone. It can be learned in many different ways, but it all starts in childhood. One way a child learns prejudice is through parents and family. They have the most influence over that child and teach them to be a prejudice person. “Children learn their parents’ prejudiced attitudes by simply observing their parents talking about and interacting with people from other groups” (“How Do We Learn Prejudice”). Family is one of the biggest influences on children, good or bad. This results in them learning their parents ways and beliefs on how they see people, whether they know it or not.…show more content…
Schools teach a child to be prejudiced by telling them to treat everyone as an equal, but speak about someone as though they aren’t a part of everyone. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird that is exactly what happens, “‘Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. Prejudice,’” she enunciated carefully. “‘There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me’”(Lee 329). Scout later says, “‘... I heard her say it's time somebody taught 'em a lesson, they were gettin' way above themselves, an' the next thing they think they can do is marry us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home”(Lee 331), showing that even her teacher is prejudice, despite what she
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