Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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. Throughout the novel, mad dogs represent characters who act unpredictably. For instance, when Tim Johnson, a dog infected with rabies, unconsciously wanders the streets, Calpurnia warns the neighbors of the incoming threat: “Calpurnia’s

For example, Miss Maudie backs up Atticus’s rule about never shooting mockingbirds: “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90). Here Atticus and Miss Maudie are talking about living mockingbirds and the positivity that these birds give off for humans. Symbolically, mockingbirds are harmless and beneficial people. They do not want to purposely hurt anything or anyone. Furthermore, Mr. Underwood has his own opinion concerning killing and death: “Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (241). Mr. Underwood desires to protect the innocent from the “senseless slaughter” that may come upon them from unjust people. He believes that the harmless “songbirds” are victims of irrational thinkers. Lastly, Scout connects Boo Radley to mockingbirds, showing the importance of keeping Boo’s heroic action unheard of: “...like shootin’ a mockingbird” (276). To kill an innocent man, either physically or emotionally, is a sin. Boo never does anything to ask for attention; he just protects the children from an attacker, which is the