“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”-Atticus Finch. The previously-seen quote was spoken by Atticus Finch, one of the main characters in Harper Lee’s quintessential American classic To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel has sold approximately 40 million copies to date and has won the Pulitzer Prize. In this novel, a sleepy town in Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression era is greatly shaken up by the trial of an African-American man who was accused of severely taking advantage of a white woman. Meanwhile, two children try to understand the societal hierarchy and relate to their widowed attorney father through these challenging times. Throughout the book, Harper Lee weaves in a message throughout …show more content…
Moreover, the character of Boo Radley serves as a reminder of the dangers of prejudice and the importance of seeing beyond an appearance. After Scout finally meets Boo Radley at the end of the story, she reflects on the encounter with this, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” (Lee 374). This excerpt shows that Scout and the rest of Maycomb County had misjudged the Radley’s, as Boo proved to be a kind-hearted and gentle man; Boo is a character meant to challenge perceived notions and prejudices, urging the reader to recognize humanity in others despite their differences. Many chapters prior to the final reveal of Boo Radley, Jem and Scout educated Dill on the old man’s appearance to which they highly exaggerated, this imaginative description of Boo’s appearance only added onto the notion of the reclusive and wicked old man that he was perceived to