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Ignorance In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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To Kill a Mockingbird Literary Analysis What is ignorance? Ignorance is a lack of knowledge, understanding, or education. Throughout this book, ignorance plays a key role in the major events which occur. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird claims that the problem of ignorance causes the death of not only Tom Robinson, but the death of childhood, gender roles, and the innocence of the kids. The idea of ignorance killed Tom Robinson. Even before the trial began, he was guilty. The fact that he was a black man in Alabama in the early 1900s proves that. Ignorance through racism is the most persisting topic throughout the whole book. The continuous use of the n-word, the results of the trial, and the whole idea of the blacks being the lowest social …show more content…

For example, when Atticus takes the case many people say things to Scout and Jem and when Scout asks Atticus what a n*****-lover is, Atticus responds, "Scout, nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It's slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody” (108). Atticus shows Scout the right way to act and confront racism by exemplifying it through his own actions. If everybody in town had the same mindset that Atticus had, Tom Robinson …show more content…

The childhood and innocence of Scout and Jem die during the trial. Whether it’s people yelling racial slurs at Scout or even their own family members looking down upon Atticus, the kids are affected a lot by the trial. The book begins with Scout and Jem playing together in the yard and as the trial goes on, they grow up and start to realize the crudeness and ignorance of the real world. After the conclusion of the trial, Jem leaves the courtroom in tears due to his realization of the unjust, racist, final decision. Throughout the book, Jem stops playing outside with Scout and begins to have his own responsibilities. Jem begins to grow up as he sees the how the world works. The same happens to Scout as she starts hanging out with Mrs. Maudie a lot more instead of playing around the yard. The kids begin to comprehend that Tom Robinson isn’t going to win against the racist and ignorant people of Maycomb. The ignorance of the trial changes the kids into young adults as they start to understand what’s going on around

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2099 Words | 9 Pages

As an example, “A n-word lover”. I ain’t very sure what it means, but the way Francis said it—tell you one thing right now, Uncle Jack, I’ll be—I swear before God that I’ll sit there and let him say something‘ about Atticus” (Lee 89). Scout says that she doesn’t understand what an “n-word lover” means and she won’t let anyone say it about Atticus, their father. After hearing those words, Scout doesn’t think much of it, because her father kept her away from that stuff. She doesn’t understand what it truly means and how offensive it is to some people.

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647 Words | 3 Pages

Scout and Jem are forced to deal with racial slurs and insults because of Atticus ' role in the trial. Scout has a very difficult time not physically fighting with other children due to this. Tom is asfsd to be guilty, even after Atticus proves that Tom did not commit the crime. Atticus unintentionally offends Bob Ewell, the father whose daughter is accusing Tom.

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280 Words | 2 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the angry mob in chapter 15 is fueled by an absurd amount of ignorance and righteousness. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge or information and righteousness is the right of being morally right or justifiable. The angry mob’s ignorance is driven by racism and prejudice. The men believe that they are right and that they are protecting their community, but nobody sits and questions who is really right in the situation. People believe Tom Robinson committed a serious crime because he is black.

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879 Words | 4 Pages

“Ignorance, Prejudice, and Innocence” “I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year” (Lee 83). Author Harper Lee continues with this idea, spoken by Scout Finch, in Chapter 17 of her book To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout Finch, age six, is stripped of her innocence in a mid-20th century Alabama courtroom. On trial is a black man accused of rapping a young white woman. Scout’s father, a lawyer, is unaware of her presence during the interrogations and cross-examinations.

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487 Words | 2 Pages

“It takes a village to raise a child” - African proverb. This social drama novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, proves Jem and Scout learned lessons from their father, Atticus and The Trial of Tom Robinson. Both Scout and Jem learned many lessons from Atticus. For example, Scout learned to stand in someone else’s shoes. Scout realized this when she walked Boo home, she walked in Boo Radley’s shoes and realized he was a really nice person.

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768 Words | 4 Pages

Not only does Jem have Scout there to see him mature and grow, Atticus is there to help guide him through the trial and simply become a man. Very different from Lizabeth, his family has all of the resources for them to have a stress free childhood and yet Jem is still faced with things no child should have to sit and worry about. The trial brings many thoughts and questions to Jem’s mind, molding the person he becomes towards the end of the book. While recognizing the injustice Tom Robinson was faced with, Jem becomes more cynical after the trial. No longer believing in the society that he thought he knew.

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1045 Words | 5 Pages

Jem and Scout learn many valuable life lessons throughout the novel and although they “grow up” at a much faster rate than other children in Maycomb, they will become people that have lots of wisdom and have been exposed to the real world. The experiences that the children have throughout their childhood help them solve problems, think wisely, and shape their

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499 Words | 2 Pages

Differences are what make people interesting. Different religions, cultures, and beliefs affect everyone and are interesting to see. However, sometimes these differences cause people to be persecuted. Prejudices threaten the cultural diversity that make the world such an interesting place. In Zora Neal Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main character, Janie is ostracized from her community because of the color of her skin.

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860 Words | 4 Pages

People of the town including children refer to black people as “Niggers”, and raised to think of black people as lower class individuals. “To Kill A Mockingbird” has a strong message towards racism, this is learned from Scout & Jem as they mature throughout the novel and are constantly being exposed to demeaning segregation in Maycomb County. In giving Scout a lesson about racism, Atticus also does the same for the readers of the novel. This happens when Scout asks Atticus what the term ‘Nigger-lover” meant, after being insulted several of times and not knowing if it is an offensive word or not, but had a slight feeling it was when Atticus was being called at. A quote from the novel: "nigger-lover is

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231 Words | 1 Pages

The game that Scout, Jem, and Dill play during Chapter 4 of the novel To Kill A Mockingbird suggests that although ignorance abounds in children due to their inexperience in life, adults perpetuate this ignorance through their discourse and actions. When Atticus catches the children playing the game and asks them about it, Scout explains that “Jem’s evasion” of the question told her the game “was a secret” (Lee 40). Jem’s avoidance of a straight answer and his desire to keep it a secret from the most unprejudiced person in the novel suggests he knows he is at fault for playing the game and that, if Atticus knew the true nature of it, he would be displeased with the children; not only is the game wrong because of inaccuracy, but it is also

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1293 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout share diverse interactions with the other people in Maycomb, that indicate children's evolving maturation. Harper Lee incorporates dialogue throughout the novel that shows the global issues of the 1930s. In the novel, Jem and Scout struggle to understand the social norms of the black population within the community. Beginning in innocence, the two mature through events in their life that build an understanding in a time full of prejudice and racial discrimination. Throughout numerous occasions, the kids are faced with the adversity of discrimination and resentment.

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1877 Words | 8 Pages

Perception defines the world around you. It affects every aspect of your being: your thoughts, actions, beliefs, etc… In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch begins to understand just how impactful perception can be as she witnesses the deterioration of the dignity of Tom Robinson, a black man who is being tried for the rape of a white girl. In this intriguing read, Harper Lee demonstrates the theme of inaccurate allegations very effectively. More specifically, when inaccurate allegations that are solely based on perceptions are presented, the consequences can be significant, for others may suffer at great lengths.

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1120 Words | 5 Pages

Jem always struggled to understand how Tom could have possibly been found guilty when the evidence was so clear. Jem has more understanding than Scout about how the events of the case unfolded, which makes it even harder for him to deal with. This could affect his previously positive outlook on life from a young age and it can make it harder to deal with when he grows up. The novel shows the children growing up in various ways through the events they were forced to face as children.

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946 Words | 4 Pages

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity” (Martin Luther King Jr.). This quote, said by Martin Luther King Jr. is significant, because it shows that ignorance is the greatest obstacle in one’s life. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during a time in which there was great racial discrimination amongst people because of color of their skin. Harper Lee writes about the prejudice of society through the eyes of a young girl named Scout. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows how ignorance affects the way people are viewed, creating prejudice, a problem that can be solved by understanding.

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520 Words | 3 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a about the Journey of young Scout and growing up in a time of ludacris racism. Things that are next to non-existent today were the norm for her. This damage that america placed upon itself would take years to rebuild. Lee is trying to get its readers to understand that racism plays a massive part in shaping future generations, especially when young minds are influenced by its ways, and continue the tradition. An example of Scout already being influenced by the unethical ways of racism is seen here, "Scout," said Atticus, "nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose.

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