While using stereotypes in a literary piece of work can be monotonous, it can be very effectual when getting a point across. Harper Lee accomplishes to get her moral condemnation of prejudice in a precise way by using stereotypes within the story. Lee creates the characters to be judged upon without any knowledge of what is really the truth. Arthur “Boo” Radley is a victim of the stereotype in the story. He is believed to be a crazy monster who should be feared yet his only sins are his lack of communication skills and shyness. This might be a result of his father’s treatment towards him as it is implied that his father abused him, “The things that happen to people we never really know. What happens in houses behind closed doors…” (Miss Maudie, …show more content…
In reality he was a victim of Bob and Mayella’s plan to cover up what truly happened, which was that Mayella tried to seduce Tom and Bob saw it. Atticus proved to the jury that Tom didn’t rape her and that he didn’t hit her, “… Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led exclusively with his left… Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses-his right hand.” (Atticus, pg. 232). Atticus also implies that it was Bob Ewell who hit her when he saw what she was doing by asking a rhetorical question, “Her father saw it… What did her father do?” (Atticus, pg. 232). Even though the facts were clear somehow people still knew the jury would find him guilty. In a conversation Scout and Dill had with Mr. Dolphus Raymond, he foreshadows what was about to happen, “… you haven’t seen enough of the world yet. You haven’t seen this town, but all you gotta do is step back inside the courthouse.” (Mr. Raymond, pg. 229). This proved that the social code was stronger than the truth. Tom was found guilty of his charges and was later killed when he tried to escape prison, he was shot 17