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To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

1256 Words6 Pages

The novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is a timeless classic that brings up heavy topics through a small town in Maycomb, Alabama. The main character, Scout Finch is a young maturing girl, continuing to develop as she explores and observes the town around her. As Scout develops to an age where she can attend school, it becomes clear that the most effective form of education is not inside the classroom but rather extending beyond, into her daily experiences. Through her personal interactions and experiences- her relationship with Boo Radley, her observations of Tom Robinson’s case, and her moral education from her father Atticus, Scout learns multiple important lessons such as fighting for what is right, not making assumptions from rumors …show more content…

In the beginning, Scout is oblivious to her privilege in Maycomb, taking her opportunities for granted. However, as she steps inside the courtroom to observe the Tom Robinson case, she witnesses the extreme racial segregation and biases colored people face in Maycomb. When the jury announces the final verdict of Tom Robinson’s case, they assert, “Guilty... guilty... guilty… guilty...” [Scout peeks] at Jem: [Jem’s] hands [are] white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders [jerks] as if each ‘guilty’ [is] a separate stab between them” (Lee 215). Although the jury has no concrete evidence that Tom is guilty for raping Mayella, the all white jury panel seems to dismiss the idea and convict Tom a sentence of death. As the final verdict leaves Scout resentful for Tom, she begins to observe that “when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). Having this experience, Scout starts recognizing the outward hatred many white people, especially Bob Ewell, have on the blacks and the injustices of the justice system. By this, Scout begins to understand the deep-roots of racism and how the court does not always give justice to those who are innocent. In contrast, in formal education, Scout is unable to see the real injustices of race due to the lack of representations in schools and little information about topics including race and prejudice. When it comes to Scout’s education, being able to see Tom Robinson’s trial first hand allows Scout to further develop, becoming more aware about the racial biases that exist in the justice system. As a result, the most effective form of education is through Scout’s own eyes and personal experiences rather than formal education she receives in

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Another way Scout has changed since the beginning of the book is she understands people have both good and bad qualities that coexist within them, as she becomes closer to an adult and encounters evil in the world. 20. Miss Gates’ lesson to the class about Hitler’s prosecution of Jew’s is ironic, because she herself came out of the courthouse after the trial ended and responded by telling Miss Stephanie Crawford that “it was about time that someone taught them a lesson” when referring to the blacks in the town. It reveals that most people during that time where racist and prejudice to some extent in Maycomb. An example that is similar in our current society portrayed in this chapter is how white males get paid the highest salary, but people of other races and women get paid lower salaries for

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Even though Tom Robinson was innocent, Bob Ewell, who was white, still won the case. This hit the Finch’s hard because even though they hated the racial discrimination occurring, there was nothing more that Atticus could do to change the ways of Maycomb. While all of this was going on, Scout’s perspective shifted more to her father's beliefs instead of joining the mainstream cowardness of her

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“Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” (Lee 282) were the jury’s final verdicts in the case of Tom Robinson. Would the outcome have been different if Tom had been white? This first-person story from Scout’s perspective tells about a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping the daughter of Mr. Ewell. A well respected and skilled lawyer, Atticus Finch, chooses to defend Tom Robinson, and ignores the disapproval he receives for protecting a black man as he feels that it is the right thing to do. Similarly, a lawyer from New York named Leibowitz puts aside his self-dignity and helps save the Scottsboro Boys from prejudice.

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Think back to when you were little kid around 7 or so and you had no worries about life or anything. All you would think about is candy and toys and nothing about the world of adults. No worries of the weather or what the grown ups would talk about. Scout’s childhood innocence takes a turn from her care free days to the real world of racism and bad people. In To Kill a Mockingbird Scout witnesses the trial of Tom Robinson and how racism is taught to her unknowingly from it.

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Despite overwhelming evidence of Tom's innocence, including the compelling testimony of Atticus Finch, Scout's father and the defense attorney, Tom is convicted based solely on his race. This starkly illuminates the deeply ingrained racial bias and prejudice that prevailed in the justice system of that time, where black individuals were automatically presumed guilty solely based on the color of their skin. Tom's tragic fate underscores the harsh reality of racial discrimination, where African Americans were denied basic rights and treated as inferior to white people merely due to their race.

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In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem, Scout, and Dill’s innocence is destroyed causing them to lose their carefree and happy self after witnessing the ignorance and racism against the African-American citizens in their hometown of Maycomb. Prior to the traumatic events, the children believe everyone in Maycomb is friendly. They did not realize the racism occurring in their town until Tom Robinson’s trial. After spectating the Tom Robinson trial, the children’s view of some of the people in their town change because of their hatred against black and the injustice in the courtroom. Tom is a black man convicted of raping a white girl and despite the evidences that are on Robinson’s side, he is found guilty and is sentenced to

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Scout learns the ugly truth about how a trial really works in there time period. In particular Atticus states “In our court, when it’s a white man 's word against a black men’s the white mens always wins. ”(251-252). This shows that Scout is exposed to more of how racism is ugly and unfair and Atticus makes it clear to Jem and Scout that racism exists. Scout handled the results of the trail calmer than jem (304).

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One of the main reasons why Tom was convicted of his crime was because he was black and whites often held a higher power in the courtroom. Atticus knows from the beginning that Tom will not win this trial, and he reminds his kids constantly that racism is real and it is everywhere in Maycomb. Scout seems to catch on as she starts to see racism almost everywhere she goes. Discrimination against social classes is also prevalent in the novel. An example of this is when in the beginning of the novel, the teacher, Miss Caroline, was surprised to see a kid with lice.

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She believes what others tell her instead of figuring it out for herself, which shows that she is quite young and lacks maturity from real world experience. As a result, watching the court case is an essential experience that pushes Scout to figure out for herself what is right and what is wrong. Outside of the courthouse, Scout and Dill speak to Mr. Raymond about the injustice of racism taking place. “‘Cry about the simple hell people give other people - without even thinking’” (Lee 269).

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Even if everything is against you, don’t give up. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses various themes and symbols. The theme of ‘Never give up even if the odds are against you’ is one of the most prominent themes in the story. This theme is frequently used in major events like the court case and Mrs. Dubose overcoming her addiction. Many characters show the theme like Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Mrs. Dubose.

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Throughout life we learn many lessons, one of which is that people are not always who they seem to be. This can be both positive and negative. In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, we see many examples of this. Arthur (Boo) Radley, Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell are just a few. All three of these characters originally appear one way, but show that they are, in fact, completely different than expected.

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Scout was exposed to several adult issues in her childhood such as racism, suppression, segregation, and prejudice. The biggest example in the book is the Tom Robinson trial. Tom, an African American accused of raping a white woman. Throughout this trial, several white people in the town publicly expressed their feelings towards Tom

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To Scout Finch, the youthful and once-innocent child, the town of Maycomb seemed like the world. The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, follows Scout, Jem, and Atticus Finch and their experiences in the town of Maycomb. The main part of the story is the court case between Tom Robinson and Mayella and Bob Ewell. The title is very significant in the book. This is proved by the plot, the symbols, and the theme.

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Tom Robinson is a black man who is wrongfully convicted of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. This novel goes through Scout's life from when she was 6, till she is 9. She lives in the town of Maycomb Alabama, and lives an innocent life until about halfway through the story, where she begins to ask questions. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout shows the readers that racial inequality creates an unjust society through the African American community, through the people surrounding colored folks, and through Tom Robinson’s Case. The first example of the consequences of racial inequality is the African American community in Maycomb.

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The Story “To Kill A Mockingbird” Is written by Harper Lee and told by the eyes and ears of Scout Finch, it is mainly about Atticus Finch who is the main character, along with family and friends occasionally being mentioned, but not enough for the great impact of the story for these few chapters the reader is being told about in this essay. Atticus works in an office in the courthouse of Maycomb Alabama as a lawyer, Atticus Finch wanted freedom and peace for all humans, black or white, it did not matter to him. Atticus Finch was ired when he defended Tom Robinson, described as black- velvet negro. Who was subjected to accusation of raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl 19 ½ years of age.

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