Adversities In To Kill A Mockingbird

Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” One must grasp the idea of being able to learn and grow from difficulty. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird explores the impact that adversities have on a person’s identity. This is portrayed through Scout, who struggles to fit in with her tomboy attitude in the proper world she lives in, and her inquisitive nature that gets her into trouble with school and even with family. Atticus, a white man who defended a black man both in and out of court in a time of strict segregation and discrimination. They, along with

He believes not in the belittling, apartheid system of society, but in the individual man. During the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus did nothing but his job and what he felt was correct, both ethically and morally speaking. Unfortunately, that did not come without a price. His own family members chastised him for being a nigger lover. Bob Ewell spat in his face. He even got in dangerously close contact with death by almost getting shot, just for defending a black man. Regardless of the adversities that Atticus had to face, he managed to push through and rise. He stayed true to who he was, did the job he was assigned to do, and made a mark in Maycomb County. The best lawyer defended the lowest of the lows, and that would stick out for the people around him, even though he lost. Atticus not only shaped his identity through his adversities, but strengthened them as well. “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” (pg

That was the case for Tom Robinson. Being a black man was burdensome, but he was also accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. His innocence was stripped completely from him just by the color of his skin. Tom was subject to oppression from almost every white individual, in and out of court, and through that was given a false identity. He was believed to be a useless, incompetent, lowly rapist, when in fact, he was far from such things. He was a mockingbird. “They don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.” (pg 103) Throughout the trial, Tom did nothing but state his own case in a gentle, yet fearing tone. Even through these adversities, at least one person knew his true identity; Atticus. Even then, that sometimes isn’t enough. Tom ended up dying from multiple gunshot wounds. He is a prime example of someone who managed to shaped an identity, be it true or untrue, using just his adversities in