Both “The Reader” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” contain societies that struggle to change their views. Does justice prevail in these texts? In both Schlink’s “The Reader” and Mulligan’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, justice only prevails to an extent when perspectives and views begin to change. When “baby steps” are taken by society, they begin to “understand” those they feel “responsible to enlighten and accuse” leaving justice to “the courts”. In Mulligan’s film, Atticus is portrayed as a righteous, esteemed member of the Maycomb society, who can understand “anyone or anything”. His ability “to climb into [a person’s] skin and walk around in it” makes him the only one who is willing to defend a “black man” and see him as “not guilty” due to ability to go against societies “evil assumption” that “black men are bad”. Even though society …show more content…
He always treated her with respect as he believed that “all men are created equal”. During the trial of Tom, Atticus frequently went to visit Tom’s family and spent a night outside his prison to protect him from the lynch mob. This shows his empathy towards others and his willingness to protect those outcast by society, an understanding that leads to the “baby steps” taken by society to trust in “the moral integrity of the courts” and to not take justice into their own hands. In comparison, Hanna’s lawyer in “The Reader” seems disinterested in her case and does not understand her and her story. He lacks the perspective