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Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a novel about two siblings, Scout and Jem Finch growing up in Maycomb County, a very prejudice town in the 1930’s. In the beginning of the novel, the children soon become interested in the stories of their neighbor, “Boo” Radley. Boo has been locked in his house his whole life, so the children start to believe the stories of how scary and dangerous he is. Soon after, Boo starts to leave Jem and Scout gifts in an old tree when Atticus, their father, gets assigned to defend a black man. As the trial was coming up, Atticus had to prepare to prove that the black man, Tom Robinson, didn't rape a white woman. At the trial, Jem and Scout had to watch an innocent black man be accused of rape because of the prejudice in Maycomb. One thing from the book that I liked was how prejudice taught Scout and Jem Finch about the reality of life. The prejudice in Maycomb prepared the children for how the world felt about blacks. In the novel, when Calpurnia took the children to a black church Scout realized that blacks didn’t get the same treatment as whites. For example, Scout noticed that in the black church many of them did not know how to read, unlike her. Prejudice in Maycomb helped the children understand the sad reality of life in Maycomb. …show more content…

In the courtroom, where everyone should be treated equally, blacks were still convinced of crimes that they might not have done. For example, when Tom Robinson was accused of raping a white woman, even though there wasn't any proof, he was found guilty. Another thing that I didn't like was how many of the ladies in the town felt bad for poor Mrunas who lived on the other side world. The ladies wanted to help them, but they didn’t realize that many blacks in their own town were poor and mistreated. Blacks in Maycomb were treated unfairly and with little

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The interactions between those of a different race in Maycomb is looked down upon. Therefore, many african americans are wrongly punished and treated as though they are less than human. African-Americans are often seen as inferior to caucasians.

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This shows the readers how grateful the friends and acquaintances of Tom Robinson are for Atticus defending him in court. The black people of Maycomb are tired of the racial discrimination and segregation in and are ecstatic to see progress being made. At the end of the service when we were all leaving, Reverend Sykes said to us, “We were ‘specially glad to have you all here,” said Reverend Sykes, “The Church has no better friend than your daddy” (Lee 163). To add to the this point, even though Atticus and Tom Robinson did not win the trial, the black citizens of Maycomb stood up out of respect to Atticus as he walked out of the courtroom.

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Things in Maycomb, Alabama were pretty normal. Until one day, when news went around saying that Mayella Ewell had been sexually assaulted by an African American named Tom Robinson. This struck the town by surprise because the Ewells were not exactly the most admirable family. Mayella had very little power because of her race, class, and gender. Ordinarily being white back then was of higher rank, but considering where she came from, her race did not do her any good.

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“To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee is an award winning novel published in the 1960’s it explores the main theme of racial differences in the early 1930’s and the many struggles, acceptance challenges and problems that black people faced during this time period. Set in the country town of Maycomb County, Southern Alabama it follows the story of a family, a lawyer named Atticus Finch and his two children Scout and Jem. As the two children, Scout and Jem grow up their father teaches them life lessons which in that time and in their community were said to be different and unlike everyones else’s ideas which were therefore redeemed as un normal. Proceeding through the story it uncovers the harsh ways of growing up and being introduced

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To Kill a Mockingbird is an important text worthy of all the recognition it received in the time following its original publication. A prime piece of fine American literature based in a period of extreme racial segregation and inequality. Set in a southern town of Maycomb Alabama during the depression, Lee follows three years of the life of eight-year-old Scout (Jean Louise) Finch and her older brother Jem (Jeremy) Finch as their father is, for three years, a fundamental figure in a case that had punctured the town as a result of the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man. As the years commence/continue, Scout and Jem, alongside the audience grow increasingly aware of prejudice throughout society as they learn the importance of perspective and being courageous when faced with adversity. By illustrating the influence of prejudice on society, Harper Lee challenges the perspectives of society, criticizing the nature of humankind to stereotype and be prejudice towards one another and in doing so, she successfully convinces the author to look beyond the facade society creates and locate the humanity that is concealed within everybody.

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As stated in “The Scottsboro Boys” by Jessica McBirney, “The Scottsboro incident was one of the earliest signs of the need for racial justice in the U.S.” (McBirney 4). This quote represents how injustice is a problem in places like Maycomb, especially when it comes to race. In To Kill a Mockingbird, injustice is shown all throughout Maycomb, with many different characters who show that injustice is commonly present in Maycomb.

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To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAMB) was written by Harper Lee in 1960 taking place in 1930s Maycomb County, Alabama. TKAMB is a recount of Lee (Scout)’s childhood, during which her father (Atticus) defended Tom Robinson who was charged with raping Mayella Ewell. Other characters include Calpurnia (their colored housekeeper) and Jem (Scout’s brother). As a result, TKAMB runs deep with gender, racial and social prejudices. These prejudices surrounded the people of Maycomb every day and influenced their outlook of the world, thus giving them such wayward views on the world.

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Prejudice meaning adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge of the facts, was a huge factor in the novel, '' To Kill A Mockingbird'' by Harper Lee. There were three types of prejudice throughout the book, they are the racism prejudice, gender prejudice and the social classes prejudice. Also prejudice was pretty common thing in the middle 1900's, so be glad you weren't raised then. There are handfuls of examples throughout the book, some of them being very discreet. ''

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Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, reveals the truth that people do not always act respectably towards the good, but instead treat innocent people negatively because of prejudice. In the novel, a peacemaker who does not intentionally wish to inflict harm upon others symbolizes a mockingbird. On the other hand, a mad dog is someone considered as a threat to the community. Conflict should be prevented by changing one’s perspective but continually arises when mad dogs irrationally attack innocent mockingbirds.

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The Courthouse, ironically enough, is a place that represents injustice in Maycomb. It is also a factor in the children's new perspective on the world as they gain a new understanding of people and lose their innocence as they mature and go through these situations and have new experiences. At the courthouse, Scout is describing all of the different people she sees such as the, ”more affluent who chased their food with drugstore Coca-Cola and bulb-shaped soda glasses,” and the, ”Negroes who sat quietly and the Sun dining on sardines, crackers, and the more vivid flavors of Nehi Cola,” (214). Here, she recognizes the physical differences of the people and Maycomb as she loses a little more of her innocence as she points out that the Negroes sat in the sun whereas the Whites sat in the shade. This is significant because even here, when both parties are so close in proximity, they still try to be as segregated as possible; the Whites get to be more comfortable than the Negroes.

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Racial disparity in Maycomb is shown vividly. People of color are oppressed and discriminated against in Maycomb, from Lee's portrayal of the town throughout the entire book. The novel's representation of the African American community makes clear use of this imagery. African People are depicted as being ostracized and subject to prejudice on the part of the white community. They are portrayed as being helpless, illiterate, and poor.

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Option 2 Literary Analysis To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel set during the 1930s in a small town in Southern Alabama called Maycomb. The story is told through the narrator, Scout, a young girl who lives with her father, a lawyer, and her older brother Jem. As a child, Scout is portrayed as a stubborn and obnoxious little girl who loves to read, play with her brother Jem, and fantasize about her mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. However, her life gets turned upside down when Scout’s father agrees to do something that is deemed unacceptable in the south; he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping a white girl. Instantly, Atticus and his family go from being respected and beloved by their town, to being

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In To Kill a Mockingbird there are lots of racial, gender, and religious, discrimination. Which is shown a multiple amount of times throughout the novel. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee which takes place in Maycomb Alabama, where there is a lot of racial discrimination. But there is also some gender, and religious, discrimination.

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In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us about the town of Maycomb County during the late 1930s, where the characters live in isolation and victimization. Through the perspective of a young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, readers will witness the prejudice that Maycomb produces during times where people face judgement through age, gender, skin colour, and class, their whole lives. Different types of prejudice are present throughout the story and each contribute to how events play out in the small town of Maycomb. Consequently, socially disabling the people who fall victim from living their life comfortably in peace. Boo Radley and his isolation from Maycomb County, the racial aspects of Tom Robinson, and the decision Atticus Finch makes as a lawyer, to defend a black man has all made them fall in the hands of Maycomb’s prejudice ways.

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“You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” This quote by Atticus Finch describes the nature of the book To Kill a Mockingbird. In the book the reader gets to see the true side of Maycomb by seeing everything through the eyes of the protagonist Scout Finch. To Kill a Mockingbird gives the reader a true look at the racism, sexism, and classism deeply rooted in Maycomb culture, by letting them see the reality of others’ lives. Racism is common practice in Maycomb.

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