In the screenplay of the movie based on Harper Lee’s novel, screenplay writer Horton Foote proves that prejudice and open mindedness can trickle down from adults to children, especially in regards to discrimination. Foote explores the theme of discrimination. Foote uses his screenplay to ask the question, why do parents teach their children to discriminate and judge others based on their skin color while other parents teach their children to love others? He is teaching them to be nice, respectful, and brave.
First, Foote demonstrates that people are usually most prejudiced when it comes to issues of race, and learn discrimination from their parents. In the story, Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping and beating a white woman,
…show more content…
For example, one of the main characters of the story, Scout, has many encounters with adults and shows herself to be quite advanced in conversation and reading at the age of six. She has opinions, can read like a grown-up, and has no problem expressing herself. These are all good qualities except when they are not! (Another example of bad of what the teacher did) (Another example of good of how Atticus is raising his daughter) On page 107, Atticus says “Now wait a minute. If you can learn a single trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”Later, Jean Louise/Scout is able to see Tom Robinson as a man when Atticus defends him in court. This quote proves that Foote is trying to show the reader that a child can learn to respect others or discriminate against them because of what their parents teach. Atticus teaches his kids a lot of good lessons. 3rd paragraph (Example about how Bob Ewell was a bad person) (Another example about how the Cunningham family was a good