Examples Of Moral Dilemmas In To Kill A Mockingbird

+5 The Moral Dilemmas in To Kill A Mockingbird

By Emerson Lee

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, ignorance and stupidity in characters and in society causes racism, gender norms, and issues with economic status. There are many moral problems posed to the citizens of Maycomb, but how they respond to them differs greatly. Among these are race, gender, and class.

One of the most prominent moral dilemmas in her novel is race. Throughout the book, racism causes countless moral dilemmas for many of the characters including Scout Finch and the ordinary people on Tom Robinson’s jury. For example, earlier in the novel Scout has made a promise to control her temper the best she can; but when she is in the schoolyard,

“‘You gonna take that back, boy?’...‘My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that ‘negro’ oughta hang from the water-tank!’” (Lee 87)Since the racism is extremely common amongst not only the adults in town but also the Maycomb children, Scout almost reneged on her promise to keep her head high and fists down. If Scout chose to fight Cecil, she would disappoint Atticus, but more importantly herself. After Tom Robinson is wrongfully convicted of rape and assault by the jury, Jem is furious and doesn’t understand why they even have juries. He even goes on to say that we oughta “do away with juries.” Jem says, “‘He wasn’t guilty in the first place…’” And Atticus responds with, “‘If you had been on that jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man…Those are twelve reasonable men in everyday life, Tom’s jury…In our

During Aunt Alexandra’s ‘campaign’ to teach Scout how to be a lady, she had her stay with her neighbors during their social talk. All of them started asking Scout questions about what she wanted to be when she grew up. At first, Miss Stephanie asks Scout if she wants to be a lawyer since she has already gone to court, but Scout is pressured into saying she wants to be a lady. Lee writes, “Miss Stephanie eyed me suspiciously, decided that I meant no impertinence, and contented herself with, ‘Well, you won’t get very far until you start wearing a dress more often.’” (Lee 263) The problem about society during that time was that these women are probably right. If Scout does not conform to typical feminine ideals and practices, such as wearing a dress, she is likely to be treated as an outcast to society. At the trial for Tom Robinson, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell’s father, has just finished being questioned, and Mayella Ewell is called upon to recall what happened the night of when Tom supposedly raped and attacked her. Judge Taylor questions, “‘Who is ‘he?’ Mayella pointed to Tom Robinson. ‘I'll have to ask you to be more specific, please,’ said Mr. Gilmer…’That’n yonder,’ she said. “Robinson.” (Lee 205) In this scene, Mayella Ewell has two choices. One,