Reality In To Kill A Mockingbird

The novel To kill a mocking-bird written by Harper Lee has various themes. Out of the many, Appearance vs. Reality is a major one. Throughout the novel, there are numerous incorrect perceptions as the people of Maycomb County, Alabama routinely gossip and spread their views swiftly through the small town. Misjudgment occurs through the entire novel starting from Boo’s misinterpreted character and Dolphus’s misconstrued lifestyle to Tom Robinson’s misjudged persona due to his physical appearance.

Prejudice occurs in a constant cycle, in the start of the novel, Arthur Radley mainly known as Boo Radley is rumored to be a horrendous monster who gives the kids the same thrill as telling a petrifying story around a campfire. According to Jem,

Tom Robinson is a kind, generous and most of all an innocent negro but due to his physical appearance, he is misjudged and victimized by many. As scout narrates she describes Tom’s physical appearance and says, “Tom Robinsons powerful shoulders rippled under his thin shirt” (Lee 185). He is a hardworking negro with a muscular body but as perceived by the people of Maycomb County, he is someone who has the strength to easily take advantage of a nineteen-year-old female regardless of having a crippled arm. His sympathetic intentions towards Mayella Ewell end up getting him in trouble by the law and his melanin plays a great role in deceiving his innocence. Tom says defending himself at the court, “yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seems to try more’n the rest of ‘em—” (Lee 197). He feels sorry for Mayella and tries to help her out occasionally. Even though his intentions and deeds are moral, he ends up suffering due to the disbelieves that hover the minds of the people of Maycomb County. Regardless of Bob Ewell being known as an alcoholic, poverty-stricken and an abusive man, he is supported by most of the folks in the Town. Atticus speaks about defending Tom Robinson against Bob Ewell and hesitantly says, “The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s words against the Ewells. The evidence boils down to you—did—I—didn’t. The jury couldn’t

He is a wealthy white man who is involved with a black female and has children of mixed heritage. Raymond sees past the skin color and appearances of people. He respects the negroes in Maycomb County and prefers to associate with them hence portrays himself as a drunken who Is not mentally stable enough to know who he is associating with. As Jem and scout are watching the people from the south end of the county pass their house, they see Dolphus Raymond and comment, “Don’t see how he stays in the saddle, how c’n you stand to get drunk ‘fore eight in the morning” (Lee 158). They continue to mind their business until they see him again at the trial, conversate about his family and say, “He’s been sorta drunk ever since” (Lee 161). Due to this act, Dolphus Raymond successfully sells the idea that he is an alcoholic and the folks of Maycomb County easily believe his false acting as the truth. His real self is unveiled when he offers Jem a sip from his Coca-Cola bottle filled with what is rumored to be Liquor. Jem sniffs the bottle and says to Scout, “it’s nothing but Coca-Cola” (Lee 200). At this point the kids realize that all this time Raymond has been drinking a nonalcoholic beverage. As the kids question Raymond further about this he replies and says, “That’s all I drink, most of the times” (Lee 200). He