To Kill A Mockingbird Human Nature Essay

The exploration of human nature and prejudices is exposed through the eyes of Scout, a young girl in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, siblings Jem and Scout Finch discover the harsh realities of injustice and racism in their own town. In the To Kill a Mockingbird passage in which Scout witnesses the trial and verdict of a black man being accused of a crime solely from racial biases and realizes the immense amount of discrimination present, therefore allowing the symbolism and characterization of Tom Robinson to help develop the theme that one can recognize the humanity in others, regardless of race. During the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of a crime he did not commit, symbolism becomes visible. When Robinson

This reflects Tom’s empathy towards Mayella, although she threw many false accusations at him. Robinson still unveils his pity and cares for her, even after discovering the consequences of her claims. It also highlights the innocence and humanity in Robinson’s being, marking the use of symbolism between himself and the mockingbird. Then, as Scout witnesses Tom’s responses during the trial, she begins to acknowledge that he is not much different than the white citizens surrounding her. She observes, “It occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson’s manners were as good as Atticus’s (221). This implies that Scout’s growth and perception of fairness is highlighted as she starts to see beyond the prejudices within her community. It is also shown that it is visible to Scout that Tom Robinson displays harmlessness in a harmful society, similar to how a mockingbird projects innocence without bothering anyone else. Through Scout’s observations and tom symbolizing the gentle mockingbird, the idea that one can recognize the humanity in others, regardless of race, becomes evident. While symbolism is used in the To Kill a Mockingbird passage, characterization is used as