Theme Of Pride In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the dramatic, heartfelt, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee implies that race does not define who you are as a person, a theme that radiates throughout the book. Lee describes Calpurnia, an African American woman, as someone who is responsible, on top of things. She comes of to readers as someone who is trustworthy and takes pride. On the morning that Calpurnia took Scout and Jem to church with her following Atticus’ leaving, she made sure the kids had nice, clean clothes. “She put so much starch in my dress it came up like a tent when I sat down She made me wear a petticoat and she wrapped a pink sash tightly around my waist. She went over my patent-leather shoes with a cold biscuit until she saw her face in them” (Lee 156). The way that Calpurnia cares for Jem and Scout and makes sure they are well dressed shows that she takes pride over what she is trusted

Because of Calpurnia’s actions in preparing Jem and Scout proves that just because someone is a different race, does not mean that you are unreliable and ungrateful. During the court case involving Mayella Ewell, Mr. Ewell, and Tom Robinson, readers are let in on the ignorant man Mr. Ewell is. While Atticus was questioning Mr. Ewell, Mr. Ewell exploits Tom Robinson’s race while he was testifying. When Mr. Ewell was telling the story of what he claims to of witnessed, he states, “I knowed who it was all right, lived down yonder in that n*gger nest, passed the house everyday, Jedge. I’ve asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they’re dangerous to live around” (Lee 234). During this time, white people were set much higher above African Americans. Despite Mr. Ewell’s advantage of being a white man in the given time period, he was utterly rude and dishonest in