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Scout Finch Discrimination

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If it's a sin to kill a mockingbird, why are the innocent discriminated against? The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, explores this fundamental question. Varied types of prejudice and discrimination are shown through the eyes of Scout Finch, the eight year-old protagonist and narrator of the story. Taking place in 1930s Alabama, the novel shows not only racial, but also gender and socioeconomic-based discrimination, some of this faced by neighbors, friends, and even Scout herself. The lessons that she learns about racism are totally applicable to all types of prejudice because the source of all hate is one's education, or lack thereof. The racism in the story is quite apparent through the characters' attitudes and feelings towards …show more content…

This is shown most apparently when Scout and Jem's Aunt Alexandra is introduced. Her intentions were pure- she wanted to serve as a maternal role model for her niece and nephew and “figure out what was proper for the Finch family” She tells Scout that women are meant to, “Rock slowly, fan gently, and drink cool water”, trying to tame her rowdy, adventurous, and energetic personality. Alexandra also gives Scout dresses instead of overalls, criticizes her friends, and tries to make her into a stereotype of femininity, calling the way Scout dresses, speaks, and acts, “unladylike”. Jem also tries to patronize Scout for being a girl, telling her that “girls always imagined things, and thats why everyone hated them, and explodes at her once, saying that,” I'm tellin' you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you're gettin' more like a girl every day!", as if “acting like a girl' was something to be ashamed of. It's implied many times throughout the novel that being a gentleman is of more value and prestige than being a lady. The issue with this is that there is no definition of neither femininity nor masculinity, yet people still try to conform themselves and others into categories. Sexism and categorization must also be combated with not only education but also general acceptance of people's decisions of gender, personality, and how they categorize

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Scout was beginning to put away her tomboyish acts and started acting like a young lady, "She seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl". This quote can be seen as a point where Scout started seeing being a girl a good thing rather than bad. Her brother Jem used to make fun of Scout when she would act like a girl, saying that girls are weak. Making this change from being a tough tomboy to a tough girl is a pretty big deal. In chapter 24, when Aunt Alexandra is hosting her missionary tea at the Finch’s Residence, Scout is inside instead of being outside to avoid it.

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Discrimination is shown throughout To Kill A Mockingbird in numerous ways. Racism and prejudice are shown when the jury makes the ruling to convict Tom Robinson as guilty, despite all of the evidence to prove his innocence; Scout is known for being a tomboy. The lessons about discrimination that Scout learns throughout the novel are applicable to all types of prejudice, Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem Finch, is judged for defending Tom Robinson, an innocent man accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a low class teenage girl. Since most of the community is racist, Tom Robinson’s case is very hard for Atticus to defend. They do not believe a white man should be defending a black man.

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821 Words | 4 Pages

It is easily noticeable that Aunt Alexandra portrays a stereotypical, southern woman role. Alexandra wished nothing more than for her niece, Scout, to be more ladylike. She references Scout's manners and clothes many times throughout the novel. Scout stated, “I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants” (Lee, 81). Alexandra Hancock believed that women had their place in society and they should stick to it.

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776 Words | 4 Pages

Scout wasn’t or shouldn't have been doing those things as it made it different from others. One instance that took place was when Jem stopped her and told Scout to be more lady-like, Alexandra had said “We decided it best for you to have some feminine influence” Alexandra in this is saying that since she was born a girl, she should do everything a girl would do instead of being a Tomboy. Scout says “Jem told me I was being a girl, those girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.” Here it shows that people dislike her because of what she thinks and how she looks. Therefore, she is treated differently and looked at differently by the people in Maycomb.

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864 Words | 4 Pages

Jean Louise Finch ‘Scout’ is a headstrong young girl who narrates the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, set in the fictitious County Maycomb over the span of three years. She is often found sporting dirty overalls or breeches and possesses a rather tomboyish personality, much to her aunt’s dismay. It says, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire... When I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. ”(Page 90)

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Throughout the book, it shows how Aunt Alexandra was trying to raise Scout properly, trying to make her act more like a lady which shows the conformity of the time. ‘“Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born.”’ (Lee 108 ). all things considered, Aunt Alexandra was a big help to Atticus raising the children, in the film, Aunt Alexandra was not present. Without aunt Alexandra, the movie lost the important lesson of how back then, all girls act with the “lady-like” attitude.

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Imagine one day you wake up and many of your constitutional rights, such as the right to vote, are gone. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Sexism plays a huge role in many scenarios throughout the story. For example, a quote in the novel states, “ ‘Scout, i’m tellin’ you for the last time to shut your trap or go home- I declare to the lord you’re gettin more like a girl every day.’ With that, I had no option but to join them.”(Lee

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To Kill a Mockingbird Argumentative Essay Racial equality and discrimination is a founding issue that has been spread throughout every part of the world, To Kill A Mockingbird was written and published by Harper Lee in 1960, this time was dominated by civil rights protests and some of the first hippie movements following the crushing reality of the Vietnam War, the 60s also saw the struggle against segregation and racial equality. It is no surprise that the extreme political conflict affecting her life and world would greatly impact her writing and influence how she perceived the world during the writing of To Kill a Mockingbird. the influence of the fight for racial inequality is shown greatly in her book as she depicts the everyday life

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Scout was the polar opposite of this; she was a tomboy. Her aunt alexandra was one of these proper women. She always pushed to have scouts be more ladylike, ¨aunt alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire.¨ Scout said(lee, 81.) Scout was always getting into fights. For example, her cousin was talking bad about her father and Scout did not like anyone who disrespected Atticus

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In recent decades, education has made great improvements in the policies regarding inclusion. As the movement has progressed, there have been new discussions about the various considerations that need to be made when providing children with severe disabilities a free, appropriate, public education in a public school. One of the most difficult and controversial topics of these discussions is in regard to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. Do Not Resuscitate orders relate to whether or not CPR should be provided in an emergency or life-threatening situation. One reason that this is a difficult issue to discuss is that there is no federal decision regarding compliance of DNR orders by school staff, which has left many states to issue their own decisions regarding the topic.

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855 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel of To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many references and symbols that reflect the concept of innocence. In this book, Harper Lee uses a snowman, a mockingbird, and Boo Radley to represent innocence in an attempt to portray the fact that innocence can be corrupted and mistaken as corrupted. Harper Lee uses the concept of killing a mockingbird as a way to symbolize innocence. Innocence can be easily corrupted by society’s view of certain issues, as shown in this book. Harper Lee states, “Atticus said to Jem one day, ‘I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the back yard,

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1099 Words | 5 Pages

Scout said, “"Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year...." (108). This quote illustrates how Scout pushes against gender stereotypes, and this is the root of conflicts between her and Aunt Alexandra.

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1328 Words | 6 Pages

Another example of racism would be Tom Robinson and his whole court case; despite all the clear evidence that Atticus, a lawyer, provided, the jury, which is made up of all white prejudice men, were in favor of Mr. Ewell, a nasty white man, instead of Tom, who was not only black but crippled. Regardless of the fact that the jury was well aware of the fact that the Ewell family is known for being nasty, lying, no-gooders, An example of this is when Atticus states his views on the Ewell family as, “the disgrace of Maycomb.” The fact that they were white, is what aided them in winning the case. Causing the jury to send a blind eye to the fact that Mayella and possibly the rest of her siblings are being abused and manipulated. Thus, resulting in Tom’s arrest for a crime he didn 't commit.

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531 Words | 3 Pages

Scout was more of a tomboy than a girly girl. Aunt Alexandra didn’t like how she didn’t act like a proper lady, and would ask Scout to act more ladylike. As she grew up, she was able to understand things a lot better. She began acting more grown up in situations like Aunt Alexandra’s dinner party.

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106 Words | 1 Pages

He wants Scout to change who she is to fit his idea of what being a woman is about. In Jem’s mind, women and girls should not be opinionated and “rough”, they must be feminine and frail.

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