How To Show Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Ignorance, discrimination, and hatred are noticeable influences of a cruel society containing conservative people, but Atticus and his household are open-minded and not opinionated over others. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, an American novelist, discusses the racial injustice in the Southern town, Maycomb County. The book occurs during the Great Depression era—1929 through 1939—when African Americans confront segregation and discrimination. The book examines the life of Scout Finch and her experiences as a child in this town with her brother, Jem Finch, and her father, Atticus Finch. As he defends Tom Robinson in the case against the Ewell family. Atticus is a kind, humble, and an egalitarian man, unlike other residents of

Suddenly, Atticus comes down to Scout’s level of thinking to convince her to pursue school. He suggests to Scout that “if [she’ll] concede the necessity of going to school, [they’ll] go on reading every night” (41). Atticus creates this compromise with Scout so she can realize how reading every day is essential to her education. Atticus reads newspapers on a daily basis and wants Scout to grow accustom to reading as well. Without an education, Scout won’t become a productive adult and would end up like Burris Ewell; a boy who only comes to school once in a blue moon. Moreover, Atticus shows her his beliefs concerning equality and education through diction. Atticus explains to his daughter that “nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything…” (144). Atticus informs Scout about this word so she can watch what she says because how someone speaks shows how educated they are. Also, he values people being educated about racial equality since he supports the belief and believes racists are “ignorant, trashy people” (144) from their lack of knowledge on equality. A child wouldn’t want their father to label them as an ignorant, trashy person. Lastly, her father tells her that she must attend school because she’s required to. He illustrates to her that for some people—the Ewells—“it’s better to bend the law… [but for her] the law remains rigid so to school [she] must go” (40). Atticus emphasizes the importance of school to his children, unlike the Ewells, who show up whenever they want to or when the government forces them. Scout dislikes the Ewells and in order for her to not end up like them she must attend school. The law changes for the Ewells for their survival. They have no money, no education, and no ambition in life. The Finches, however, are able to survive on their own, no special measures are needed for them and they must obey.