Backlash In To Kill A Mockingbird

The Intolerance Backlash In the last century, the epidemic of racial discrimination in America is showcased by how society functioned in areas like the South. Their entire social structure once revolved around segregation of not just race, but gender as well. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the normalcy and expectation of racial prejudice is demonstrated in 1930’s deep south. In the movie The Help, directed by Tate Taylor, the ever growing civil rights movement of the 1960’s began to change the view of some southern citizens. The main characters, Scout Finch and Skeeter Phelan, both witness the bigotry and injustice within their society. They both are angered and baffled by the blatant racism and sexism in their

Oftentimes, Scout is confused as to why someone would treat her or anyone differently because of their gender, age, or skin color. For example, on Scout’s first day of school, she tells her teacher, Ms.Caroline, that she can read. Ms.Caroline is not happy about that, and tells Scout to stop reading. Scout is angry at Ms. Caroline, and says to Jem, “...that damn lady says Atticus been teaching me to read and for him to stop it…”(Lee 23). This shows how Scout is angry that Ms. Caroline is trying to change how she learns. Scout believes teachers should teach students at their level, even if it is more advanced then the teacher assumed a student would be. Also, Scout believes she should be free to learn at a faster pace and not be held back. Scout is confronted by Cecil Jacobs, who insults Atticus, at her school. Scout is confused by his actions, but rises to defend Atticus anyway. Scout yells at Cecil, “You can just take that back, boy!”(99) when Cecil slanders Atticus for his part in the Tom Robinson case. After Atticus explains to Scout why he was being called out, Scout is puzzled. She wants to know why people are angry just because Atticus is doing his job and defending his client. Furthermore, Scout is angry that anyone would insult her father for just doing his job and providing fair trial to everyone including blacks. Scout is always willing to defend herself and others

When Skeeter first returns to her hometown, her friends poke fun at her for taking so long to complete college.This angers Skeeter,who wants to have a real career as a writer. In retaliation, she strikes back with sarcastic comments about their lack of a complete college education (Taylor). This shows how how Skeeter believes that women can have successful careers without it just being a way to find a husband. Also, this shows how Skeeter condemns the sexist ideals of her hometown. To most of her neighbors, women went to college to find a husband, not get a degree. When Skeeter began writing The Help, she and the maids faced the threat of arrest or worse for what they were writing (Taylor). This scares her, but also makes her all the more determined to write what people have been hiding. Skeeter believes in writing the truth, even if it is not what people want to hear. She realizes how theses laws restrict anyone who supports blacks and wants to tell the truth of how they are treated. These laws are restricting their freedom of speech just because the South does not want to face what they do to other human beings. Despite the great peer pressure of their surroundings, neither character crumbled to the crushing discrimination all around them. Both Scout and Skeeter reacted to the prejudices against them and others with anger and dignity. They believed that everyone should be treated equally,