Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Zeke Vanguardia

Mrs. O’Hagan

Language Arts 2

05 June 2023

Innocence of Mockingbirds

Prejudice and stereotypes are of human nature; though, they are commonly rooted through misguidance and rumors. In Harper Lee’s golden classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch is exposed to various forms of prejudice and stereotypes in her adolescent years. The novel takes place in 1930s Maycomb, Alabama–a town that was told to be rampant with prejudice and stereotypes known as “Maycomb’s Disease.” Told through Scout’s perspective, the classic recalls eye-opening events of Scout’s youth, such as the heavy tension between families and Tom Robinson’s trial. Another essential account occurs when Scout and her brother, Jem, had received air rifles

With Maycomb’s Disease, Arthur’s reputation had been destroyed through the various rumors which dehumanized his image and character. This came with the isolation and irregularity of the Radley house in general, such as how the family had also kept their doors locked on Sundays—a differentiation from the Maycomb custom. One of the first rumors which introduced the readers to Arthur Radley was told by Jem, in which he told Scout and Dill, “Miss Stephanie Crawford said she woke up in the middle of the night one time and saw [Boo] looking straight through her window at her…” (Lee 16). People, such as Miss Stephanie Crawford who was supposedly up-to-date with Maycomb’s daily gossip, have destroyed Arthur’s image by spreading such defaming rumors. When told to those with an impressionable mind, such as the youth and adolescents, they continue to destroy his image through generations by presenting him as a fearable character, such as a man who supposedly stalks his neighbors in the silence of the night. Another rumor which introduces the reader to Arthur was a physical description given by Jem (yet again), in which he states, “...Boo was about six feet and a half tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch. That’s why his hands were bloodstained—if [someone] ate an

One of the first moments the reader is exposed to the innocence of Atticus is when Tim Johnson (a dog) was seen with rabies. Calpurnia had called the sheriff, as well as Atticus, to take care of the matter, which led to Atticus having to put Tim down in a single shot. Scout, who had previously questioned her father’s talents, was astonished when Atticus revealed his excellent marksmanship. This is when Miss Maudie, who had come to see the commotion, had stated, “If your father’s anything, he’s civilized in his heart. Marksmanship Is a gift of God, a talent–oh, you have to practice to make it perfect, but shootin’s different from playing the piano or the like. I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things, guess he decided he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today” (Lee 130). What Miss Maudie had conveyed was that Atticus had fully acknowledged his unfair advantage over other living creatures with his marksmanship, and with that, he vowed to only use it when necessary. Atticus’s perspective differs from other characters such as Scout, who would most likely use such an advantage and abuse it in their favor, which is what makes Atticus truly innocent. As time passes, Scout becomes more aware of the upcoming situation with Tom Robinson’s case through the racial remarks received throughout town. When confronting Atticus about