To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is one of the most famous books in American history. It addresses racism and discrimination, some of the key issues of the 1930s. In this book, the author uses two children, Scout and Jem Finch, to explain and show the racism and injustice in their small Alabama town. They witness multiple acts of racism, the biggest one being the obviously rigged verdict in the Tom Robinson case.

Jem’s understanding of racism progresses greatly throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Jem is aware that there are differences between the white and black people of Maycomb, but does not fully understand the depth of the issue. But Nearing the end of the novel, he understands the way that the social system

This is shown when Atticus leaves the house for the weekend, the children are left with nobody to take them or stay with them at church. Since Calpurnia is not allowed in the white church, she insists on having them come to her church on the other side of town. But when the children arrive, they are greeted with stares and jeers. This one woman gives Calpurnia and the children such a hard time that Jem wants to "...go home… they don’t want us here—" (Lee 107). Jem feels uncomfortable and unwanted in a "black-only" church. This makes it clear that even though he doesn’t know that it is bad, he still views white people and black people as different. It seems like Calpurnia is almost a family member at this point in the Finch household, and even so, Jem still views her as

He truly understands the injustice towards black people, and it makes him angry and sad. An instance of this is when Scout asks Jem why her teacher could hate Hitler so much if she was talking bad about Tom Robinson at the trial. After listening to her question…"Jem was suddenly furious. He leaped off the bed, grabbed me by the collar and shook me. "I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me? You hear me? Don’t you ever say one word to me about it again, you hear? Now go on!" (Lee 226). Jem is disgusted by the verdict of Tom’s trial and it scars him. He always thought the people of Maycomb were the best and did nothing wrong. This was a big shock to him, and he doesn’t want to hear about it