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Examples Of Nonconformity In To Kill A Mockingbird

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John is an important member of a job search committee for his company. His company has reservations about hiring applicant Louise, but John gathers that she is qualified for the position and that the majority of the search committee is eager to have her. John hires Louise despite reservations expressed by his colleagues, and is later fired for being ‘unreliable’ in his decisions. Because John perceived that Louise was best fit for the job and went against popular opinion to hire her, he lost his job on account of reliability. His reluctance to conform resulted in the hardship of unemployment. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and The Help, by Katherine Stockett perfectly display the fact that nonconformity requires courage and strong perseverance …show more content…

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee largely demonstrates the courage and consequences that coincide with nonconformity. Firstly, Atticus Finch is publicly shamed for his determination to properly defend Tom Robinson. News of Atticus’ case and controversy regarding it spreads like wildfire; soon enough, even Scout’s classmates are commenting on it. A prevalent example of this disapproval can be observed in the taunts of Cecil Jacobs, who Scout gets into a fight with on account of his “[announcing] in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy [defends] n----” (Lee 99). The hate expressed by such a young child is shocking evidence of the quick-spreading shame Atticus and his children face for defending Tom. Additionally, Atticus receives a multitude of threats to his well being for defending Tom. For instance, directly following the case, Atticus has an encounter in town with defendant Bob Ewell, who “[stops] [him] on the post office corner, [spits] in his face, and [tells] him [he’ll] get him if it [takes] the rest of his life” (291). This comment is clear representation of the resentment Atticus must face from some people for defending a black man. Simply because he is rejecting regular customs in

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By looking at Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, one can see through Lee’s use of characterization of Atticus Finch, standing up for what he believes in is an admirable trait, which is important because in today’s community, there are people who are afraid, and decide to conform to societal norms. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee uses the scenarios where she illuminates Atticus’ courage in many forms. Due to the whole neighborhood watching, Heck Tate stated that this has to be done in one shot and gives the gun to Atticus and he shoots the dog. Scout and Jem have excitement and curiosity beaming out of them as Ms. Maudie informs them: “He’s civilized in his heart.

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In chapter 22, Miss Stephanie says “this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he'd get him if it took the rest of his life.” As is shown throughout the book, Atticus is one of the most respected people in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. As mentioned earlier, Atticus embarrassed Bob by defending Tom. He was filled with anger and he took it out by spitting on Atticus. Everyone knows atticus is a good man who does good things.

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“I do my best to love everyone” are the wise words from Atticus Finch, one of literature’s most beloved upstanders. In Harper Lee’s famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, set in the 1930s in a small town in Alabama, there was a lot of racism. Atticus Finch was a white lawyer who stepped up and defended a black in a time when a black man would not get a fair trial based on the color of his skin. In the segregated South, it was commonplace for blacks not to receive justice in the legal system, and this fact was not only accepted but encouraged in society. It was clear that a fair trial was only for those with fair skin.

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Even when Atticus realizes they lost the case he still goes out of his way to try and prove Tom’s innocence. Most people would have given up when they saw they lost, some would not have even made it through the beginning of the case, but, Atticus put in the time and effort that was needed for him to attempt to prove Tom’s innocence. Why would he put in so much effort for a black man but still show racism towards someone that he considers

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Harper Lee is the author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird which has prevalent themes of tolerance and hypocrisy. The novel realistically portrays how innocence in children may shift due to being exposed and influenced by the ideas of the adults to whom they have given their trust. Not only does this factor into what they think as adults, but they are also guided by their own innocence in their attempts to not let it be corrupted. These children are doing their best to maintain their innocence while being taught the importance of empathy and tolerance, even in the many faces of hypocrisy. The reader is able to feel empathy for many scenarios in the book involving social expectations based on trivial and grievous judgments.

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Jose Nava Mrs. Eichorst English 9 Honors 30 March 2023 Conformity in To Kill A Mockingbird Do you think that you're different from others? Well as much as you might think you are you probably act like others more than you would think, this is called conformity. Conformity is something that all people have experienced at least once in their life. You experience it in school, around your family, and with friends, it’s something that in today's society is drastically normalized.

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A man named Tom Robinson is an individual in society singled out because he is a black man. Society will not look past the labels to realize we are all the same.(shmoop.com) Atticus his lawyer even feels alone and misunderstood, he feels alienated to his own home. He is being discriminated against for looking past the labels to support what 's right. Tom is nothing but a compassionate husband, and father. "

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Atticus made the choice to defend Tom and it put him and his family at risk, Bob Ewell threatened Atticus, Spat in his face, and went so far as to go after his children, Jem and Scout. These repercussions show how the acts of prejudice go farther than the initial

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When approached by Bob Ewell after the trial, Mr. Ewell spit on Atticus’s face, but “Atticus didn’t bat an eye, just took out his handkerchief and wiped his face and stood there and let Mr. Ewell call him names” (Lee 291). Instead of lashing out and making the situation worse, he was able to keep himself contained and away from further trouble. As humans, when someone does something that they didn’t appreciate, their first thought is usually revenge. Atticus’s first thought was to not make things worse and to have that necessary self-control. If Atticus had lashed out at Mr. Ewell, the community between that town and those two groups of people would have been even more disturbed than before.

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He was appointed to defend a black man named Tom Robinson for raping Mayella Ewell. Most townsfolk caught news of this and instantly began to give Atticus dirty looks and began calling him vulgar names. Atticus, is a very nice person who wants to do the right thing, and he has an opinion about people who disagree with him defending Tom Robinson. “They’re certainly entitled to think they, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions.” (120).

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Likewise when Uncle Finch hits Scout without hearing what she needs to state, her side of the story he condemns without endeavoring to look for reality. The novel presentations to us that are it little or substantial occurrences alike one should attempt and endeavor to see both the sides of the story before passing judgment on anything. The significant distinction amongst equity and in all actuality equity is influenced and changed in view of the partiality and biasness of the general public while truth is the impartial, unaltered realities about what really happened. Judgment is absolutely the aftereffect of the equity framework and the discipline given ought to mirror the wrongdoing. At the point when the equity and truth are as an inseparable

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830 Words | 4 Pages

Using common goals, the characters in “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and people today all take advantage of others through dishonest methods, which is why the novel is still prevalent in today’s society. Throughout time, lies and manipulation have both been used to forge the pathway for injustice and control. Used both by modern day parents and the people of Maycomb County, lies are often bred to force results. After being informed that the knothole in the tree was cemented by Nathan Radley because it was “sick and dying”, Atticus tells Jem “That tree’s as healthy as you are, Jem” (Lee 63). Upon the realization of Mr. Radley’s lie, Jem is left crying.

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1163 Words | 5 Pages

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”(Lee 30). These are the words of Atticus Finch, the wisest character in the famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a fictional man that embodies human traits that all people should strive to emulate. In the novel; narrated by Atticus’ daughter Jean Louise Finch, more often referred to as Scout; Atticus defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. The main message of the text is the prominence of racial injustice, specifically in the 1930’s, the era the novel takes place in.

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1045 Words | 5 Pages

Atticus, a lawyer, truly believes that Tom Robinson is not guilty and should be emancipated from his sentence. However, a majority of the population of Maycomb county believes that Atticus is a loser defending a black man. Atticus receives different insults and even gets death notes from many people. But none of that nonsense changes how Atticus feels because he has deep devotion towards Tom and the case. Atticus even runs the extra mile and tells the Jury, “I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family.”

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“Anyone who is different or slightly out of the norm, is considered crazy.” (Eric Cantona) This quotation, by Eric Cantona signifies that by going out of the norm, it encourages others to believe that one who is different, is crazy. This effectively applies to real life, as well as the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee portrays many characters that go out of the norm, and by doing so they receive negative reactions.

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