How Does Lee Show Wisdom In To Kill A Mockingbird

Wisdom In The Flock of Mockingbirds

In Harper Lee’s book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents the idea that wisdom is demonstrated by going against the majority’s thoughts, and having one’s own sense of right and wrong. Social justice requires wisdom to have respect for people of all backgrounds. Harper Lee created the character of Atticus to present this idea of social justice in her book, and show the world what his thoughts were on issues. Atticus Finch represents social justice by the way he deals with racism, drug addiction, and violence. Atticus tells his daughter, Scout Finch, not to fight one of her classmates Water Cunningham on the playground during recess at school. He tells her not to fight the other children, no matter

He raises them to believe that whites and blacks are equal and should both be treated fairly with respect and kindness. When Scout asks if he is a nigger lover, Atticus replies with, “I am simply defending a negro…” (Lee 75). Atticus tells Scout this to show that defending a black person isn’t a bad thing. He also tells her not to say the word nigger, even if the other kids in school say it. Atticus believes that whites and blacks should be looked at equally, so that is why he raises his children to have the same beliefs. According to the novel, Jem and Scout look very fondly towards their father Atticus. They look fondly towards him because of the wisdom he has and teaches them about

Since he raises Scout not to be racist, at one point he says, "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash (Lee 23-40).” He says this because of how many whites in Maycomb views blacks, and he wants Scout to see that cheating a black man is never okay. Atticus deals with racism in a socially just way, by using his own morals against the majority. While defending Tom Robinson at the trial, Atticus outsmarts the Ewells and makes Mayella Ewell angry. Outsmarting them and trying his best to win the case is one way he shows his wisdom in an attempt to save Tom. Atticus takes it like a grain of salt when people in Maycomb call him a nigger lover for attempting to do