To Kill A Mockingbird Argumentative Essay

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Ashley Lau Mr. Onishi Honors Freshman English December 16, 2015 The Ugly Truth awareness through the last few decades. On the contrary, discrimination still takes place within society. According to CNN, “Americans ages forty-five and over are more likely than those who are younger to know whites who are prejudice against blacks”. This is because ours is the generation that is fighting discrimination. Throughout generations, people go through different events that guide their opinions in certain directions. Like Dolphis Raymond, a fictional character created by Harper Lee, is a white man who has a unique opinion that’s guided away from others in Maycomb. He comes to a realization about “…the hell white people give colored folks without even…show more content…
They grew up surrounded by discrimination and learned that Caucasians were inherently superior to colored folks. While Alexandra speaks with her niece, Scout, she tells her that not only does Atticus let her and Jem run wild, it “turns out he’s a nigger lover. We’ll never be able to walk the street of Maycomb agin. He’s ruin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin,” (Lee 83). Aunt Alexandra continues to have the mindset of white superiority whereas Atticus believes that discrimination should be stopped. Atticus explains that “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 84). He attempts to persuade others that discrimination need not continue. With this belief, Atticus raises Jem and Scout to see all people as equals. While Scout speaks with Mr. Raymond, she tells him that "Atticus says cheatin’ a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin’ a white man… says it’s the worst thing you can do” (Lee 201). Though Atticus may fail to change society, he successfully raises his children to view everyone as…show more content…
Solely because of the color of his skin, he was found guilty before the trial started. While the jury contemplates their verdict, Revered Sykes explains to Jem that he has never “seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man” (Lee 208). Discrimination is so engrained in Maycomb that the color of your skin is enough to send you to prison. Regardless of whether he committed the crime or not, Tom Robinson was found guilty simply for being a colored man. After being convicted, Tom tries to escape jail by climbing the fence. While doing so, the prison guard shot him dead. After hearing the news Atticus reveals that, “Tom was tired of white men’s chances and preferred to take his own” (Lee 236). While Tom was being punished for the vindictive opinions of racist people, he was done having his life controlled by people who believed they were superior. Hearing the news, Atticus begins to unveil his opinions about society when talking to Jem and Scout. He exposes Jem to the ugly truth and explains how “there’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads- they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always win. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life”(Lee 220). Knowing the truth about society, Atticus attempts fight discrimination by starting with his

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