Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the town of Maycomb, Alabama experiences deep divides with the presence of many different types of prejudice. Readers explore the understanding of what it means to kill a “mockingbird”. The “mockingbird” figure revolves around the idea of a misjudged and mistreated individual, being taken advantage of while they are causing no harm upon the world. There are two prominent “mockingbird” figures in the novel, one being a black, crippled man with the name of Tom Robinson. The second being a more interesting and profound character called Boo Radley. Boo is a strange loner who is the center of most rumors around the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the story develops, the reader learns that the killing

Why this act is sinful and what impact this has upon the reader is to be further explored in this essay. These symbolic mockingbirds are more than just a character trait in a story, they are molds of faults in society. These mockingbird figures allow Harper Lee to prove that there is always more to a person than what prejudice allows you to believe.

Tom Robinson is a clear example of a “mockingbird”. He is heavily prejudiced against and is unfairly sentenced to death simply upon the fact that he is a black man. This prejudice and unfair treatment of a harmless man comes to show the lesson that prejudice blinds the morals and thinking of a person. We see the true blindness of prejudice when Miss Gates, Scout’s first grade teacher, states that “Over here, we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced.”. This statement leaves Scout in a dilemma, confused about “how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-”.. In these excerpts from chapter 26, Scout’s teacher blindly states that there is no prejudice in US society. Jem and Scout immediately pick up on this insane insight. They are bewildered by how Miss Gates does not

Harper Lee writes these characters into the story as extremely one-sided throughout the beginning of the story. It is once that these characters are seen, “singing their heart out”, like a mockingbird does, that another side of the character is introduced. This other side of character shows that there is more to an individual than what you assume from prejudice. We see a prime example of Boo Radley slowly “singing his heart out”, at this point, not far into the novel, “‘Someday, maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up.’, ‘Thank who?’ I asked.’Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’”. This conversation from chapter 8 is one of the first few events of a series that begins to show Boo Radley “singing his heart out” like a mockingbird figure does. Another event that shows the When the children are attacked by Bob Ewell, Boo Radley saves the day and successfully defends the children. It is at this moment that we see the true Boo Radley for everything that he is. The children see this, and understand that every single rumor or accusation directed towards Boo Radley has been incorrect. It is understood that Boo simply enjoys being with himself, and is nothing more harmful than a fly on a wall. This honest new side of Boo Radley shows how you don’t truly know someone until you understand them. This is also seen when Scout