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Examples Of Sexism In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Sexism in Dress Codes Human beings are born with many rights and freedom, including the fundamental right to choose clothes. As a result, looking at their clothes is one of the most common ways to distinguish between two different identities. Moreover, clothing is one of the standards when we evaluate or form the impression of others. Nevertheless, gradually, the human right to choose clothes freely is somehow restricted on some specific occasions. In formal parties, it is rational to set dress codes for everybody. It is also reasonable to require different genders to wear separate clothes for better management in some places like schools. However, some dress codes are set by subjective, selfish, and old-style humans. Furthermore, these people …show more content…

She, an independent girl, often wears overalls, a shirt, and a straw hat to protect herself from the sun while playing outside. However, her neighbor Miss Stephanie Crawford, a so-called lady, tells Scout, "Well, you won't get very far (from becoming a lady) until you start wearing dresses more often" (Lee). For Miss Stephanie, if a girl wants to be a true lady, wearing a dress is a necessary step. She restricts Scout's freedom to choose clothing to some extent because Scout has to obey her rule as the younger female generation. On the contrary, Scout's brother Jem has never been reprimanded for his clothing though he is also expected to be a gentleman. The dress codes in Maycomb are unfair to Scout, but she chooses not to challenge Miss Stephanie's opinions. Instead, she just says nothing. Many factors lead to this result. First of all, Atticus encourages Scout to be tolerant of others and treat all people with respect and dignity, , even when she disagrees with them. Also, Scout witnesses that when others disregard Atticus, he is still calm and polite. Atticus's personality influences Scout's behavior unconsciously. In addition, Miss Maudie's action also impacts Scout's behavior and demeanor. When Scout is feeling mad, Miss Maudie touches her hand to warm her, providing her with the energy to stay calm and collected. All of these factors come together to help Scout maintain her composure and independence in the face of societal

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721 Words | 3 Pages

Scout is curious about many things throughout the novel. “That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it” (Lee 119). Scout is curious about why her father would tell her something is a sin, so she decides to get another adult’s view on it. Scout asks Miss Maudie what Atticus can do (Lee 120). Asking Miss Maudie about Atticus was a good way for Scout to learn more about Atticus.

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531 Words | 3 Pages

Now, the character is understanding and this would not have been possible without her experiences with the Tom Robinson trial, and Boo Radley. The trials really helped Scout understand how some people in Maycomb county are treated poorly because of their skin color, and she doesn’t think that is right. As for Boo Radley, she now realizes and understands he is actually not a bad person whatsoever. Because Scout learns this lesson it is clear that Harper Lee wanted her audience to understand how everyone person is a human being and should not be treated differently from everyone else, but instead

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652 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus is a very fair man. He treats everyone the same. As his daughter Scout likes to dress in shirts and overalls with a short haircut, Atticus doesn't treat her like she needs to be the stereotype of what a girl is supposed to be like. She doesn’t wear dresses because she doesn't like them and Atticus respects that about her.

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1353 Words | 6 Pages

When the rumors about Atticus are spread across the town, Mrs. Maudie does not speak about him like the rest of the town. She performs small and subtle actions to show that she is trying to defend the Finches, such as by holding Scout’s hand when she is near the townspeople. During Aunt Alexandra’s usual neighborhood meeting in the Finches’ home, the guests discuss the Tom Robinson case. Mrs. Merriweather, one of the guests, begins rambling about how her servants have acted poorly since the beginning of the Tom Robinson case. Mrs. Merriweather states, “I tell you there are some good but misguided people in this town…

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1026 Words | 5 Pages

For Scout, she is either too girly or not girly enough. Mayella on the other hand, never being treated like a lady, is unaware how to act like one. When Scout is having a conversation with Aunt Alexandra she is told, “(she) could not hope to be a lady if (she) wore breeches…(she) wasn’t supposed to be doing anything that required pants,” (Lee 108). Aunt Alexandra assumes that Scout ‘hopes’ to be a lady when really, Scout is happy being herself. Because of the time period, Alexandra is so wrapped up in the standards of a lady she cannot comprehend that Scout can be happy without wearing dresses.

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997 Words | 4 Pages

Only partially aware of the magnitude of the case Atticus is involved in, Scout does understand that many citizens in Maycomb–and now her cousin–disagree with what Atticus is doing on account of racial biases, and, wanting to defend her father’s dignity, she lashes out at her cousin. She allows Francis’s words and actions to influence her emotions, later leading to discipline. While Scout allowed Francis’s words to influence her emotions and actions, the exact opposite occurs when Aunt Alexandra comes to live with her for some time. Puzzled at first by her Aunt’s presence, Scout inquires as to the purpose of her visit, to which Aunt Alexandra replies, “‘We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys—’”

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584 Words | 3 Pages

First of all, Scout and Atticus have a good relationship because he teaches her respect and is always honest with her. When Scout comes home from school, she was upset of what miss Caroline her teacher told her that she need to tell Atticus to not teach her read anymore but, Atticus told her that “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around on it”. (39) This example proves that Atticus respects what Miss Caroline wants him not to do, on the other hand

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1532 Words | 7 Pages

School Dress Code is Sexist School dress code has gotten out of hand, limiting young girls and boys on what they can wear to school. Telling young women that they are distractions in class because of what they wear. Girls get sent home because of their outfits it makes it seem like the administration is not worried about whether or not they get an education. Many types of clothing d or that have such as leggings, low cut shirts, and shorts have been banned or have restrictions. It is hard to find clothes that meet all these requirements.

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1488 Words | 6 Pages

Dress Code When it comes to the topic of dress code there are many controversial factors that come to mind such as While some argue that dress code is necessary in order to properly teach students to dress appropriately, others contend that dress code infringes on students individuality and creativity. This is not to say that there are some people whose feelings land in the gray area in between. In recent discussion of dress code, a common question has been whether dress code is fair or not fair among all students. On the one hand we have parents, young women, and other members of society who argue that some schools take dress code too far.

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657 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the novel, Scout is challenged by stereotypes of women in the 1930s. Scout doesn’t see the point in acting like a woman and prefers to play with the boys. As the boys grow older, they poke fun at Scout which forces her to “on pain of being called a g-irl, [spend] most of my remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie Atkinson on her front porch" (42). Scout wants to follow her own morals of having freedom over how she acts, while society tries to fold her into a “model woman”. Being faced with a tough battle of breaking through social norms to pursue her own happiness and morals, Scout grows into a respectable young woman without having to submit to Maycomb’s customs.

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638 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus shows compassion towards everyone. Even when he and his family are being brought down by the people who they had grown up with. Atticus reminds Scout to always remember to show compassion onto others no matter how bad things might get. Atticus sets the example by remaining respectful to those who were judging him at the time. “So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take.”

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1089 Words | 5 Pages

Scout remembers and controls herself for the sake of Atticus’ request to not fight and retains herself. Later on, at the missionary tea circle party, all the women in Maycomb were at the Finch’s house. Miss Stephanie is making many jokes pointing at Scout and laughs. She is clearly getting irritated, but she refrains herself from saying anything. “Miss Maudie’s hand closed tightly on mine, and I said nothing.

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803 Words | 4 Pages

“The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” This is a quote from Atticus Finch, a courageous and wise character from Harper Lee 's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is told through the perspective of a young girl, Jean Louise ¨Scout¨ Finch. She lives with her older brother, Jeremy, and widowed father and prominent lawyer, Atticus, in Maycomb, Alabama during the time of the Great Depression. Throughout the novel, the children experience the injustice and prejudice of society through a tough case that their father was appointed to and are taught to respect and tolerate all people, despite their differences.

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766 Words | 4 Pages

In spite of Scout’s inability to fully comprehend the significance of what Atticus is doing for Tom, she readies herself to defend Atticus, which ultimately portrays that she does not regard society’s expectations on how she should

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754 Words | 4 Pages

Why dress codes are sexist One day you wake up and decide you want to look nice for school, so you throw on a dress. While you are walking to class, you get dress coded. Your teacher says, “your shoulders are distracting to the boys in the class, which will take away from their learning time”, and tells you to either change or go to the office. Here is some insight on to why this is sexist. Sexist is defined as “characterized by or showing prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex”.

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