Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

"To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee is a novel surrounding the people of Maycomb County, all of them having contrasting opinions and views. The story is told through the protagonist, Scout's perspective as she goes through her daily events while witnessing the prejudice among her own society. Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of a person based on stereotypes without real facts and discriminating them based on race, social class, and gender. In this novel, Lee explores the human nature of prejudice and the various types present in Maycomb.

There are several types of prejudice, but Lee focuses on three types throughout the novel. The first is racial discrimination which is based on your skin colour. Tom Robinson is accused of a crime

Life for women in the 1900's was very different than it is now. They were restricted from certain tasks and had specific expectations to uphold. One of the biggest restrictions was they were not allowed to vote or be part of a jury. The reason is they were considered "too weak" to hear some details in the case, which is an example of discrimination based on their gender. Atticus addresses this when he states, "I guess it's to protect our frail ladies from sordid cases like Tom's. Besides, I doubt if we'd ever get a complete case tried--the ladies'd be interrupting to ask questions" (221). Another way women are discriminated in the novel is how they are expected to follow an image. They are not allowed to have the same careers as men do because they are not as smart or strong as them. They are also expected to be ladylike and polite. Scout learns this when Alexandra pressures her to wear a dress and "act like a lady." Scout is also told to stop fighting and cussing, which makes her feel uncomfortable because she is not used to being ladylike. Prejudice against gender is present in the novel and is very unfortunate as it is underestimating women's skills and restricting them from pursuing their

One of the biggest victims is Boo Radley. He does not fit into the society nor is he accepted because he is different. Boo stabbed his father with a pair of scissors and ever since that day he has isolated himself from the town. He stays inside all day because he knows if he goes outside he will be discriminated and judged for his mysterious ways. Because of his absence in society, nobody knows what he does all the time so they choose to make rumours. People believe that Boo "went out at night when the moon was down and peeped in windows... any stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work" (9). People would blame Boo for any unexplained situation or crime in Maycomb. Nobody knows what he looks like which is proved when Jem tells Dill, "Boo was about six and a half feet tall, … there was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time" (13). This is an example of prejudice because the town associates his mysterious ways with monstrous characteristics. The town discriminates him because of his mistake, which causes him to isolate himself. This is an example of the effects prejudice has on a