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To Kill A Mockingbird Impact On Society

689 Words3 Pages

The Impact of Racism on Society and Children Are young children actually aware of the racial inequalities present in society? The novel To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of how the children Jem and Scout Finch learn the harsh reality of racism. In the novel, in which Jem and Scout witness the trial of Tom Robinson who was wrongly accused of rape due to his race, Harper Lee uses a plot event and symbolism to help develop the theme that prejudice significantly harms society. The use of a plot event in To Kill a Mockingbird shows Scout and Jem learning about the impact of prejudice. The trial of Tom Robinson helps Scout better see how prejudice directly harms certain individuals. Toward the end of the trial, Scout realizes what is going …show more content…

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird represents innocence. After the trial, Scout shows her understanding of prejudice has evolved due to the verdict of Tom Robinson’s trial. When talking to Atticus, she states “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (317). This realization from Scout shows how much she has learned. The symbolism of the mockingbird helps the reader understand how aware of prejudice Scout has become. She has learned through the trial and other events after the trial what it truly means to “shoot a mockingbird”. She now fully comprehends the impacts of hurting innocent people. Jem also shows maturity through the symbol of the mockingbird. Jem takes the trial to heart and does not want to wrongfully hurt innocent people anymore. After the trial, Jem sees a bug a refuses to kill it because of its innocence: “‘Why couldn’t I mash him?’ [Scout] asked. ‘Because they don’t bother you’ Jem answered in the darkness” (273). This scene shows how Jem has learned from the trial. Similar to Tom, the bug also symbolizes the mockingbird. Jem now realizes the wrongs of prejudging people and even bugs. Jem no longer wants innocent people and things to be mistreated due to a common belief. The symbolism of the mockingbird helps show how Scout and Jem have matured and learned from the trial about how much prejudice can negatively affect the lives of

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In the novel, the symbol of the Mockingbird is quite an important part of the story and final plot, being brought up, most importantly, in 2 very important scenarios. The first instance is in chapter 10 when Addicus reminded Jem and Scout that “[Its] a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(Lee 103) and later in chapter 30, when Scout compares the mockingbird to Boo Radley and even comments that “it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird”(Lee 317). The introduction of this symbol in chapter 10, foreshadows the future conflicts and plots as again Atticus explains that mockingbirds are innocent and don't hurt us. Later in chapter 30, while the question of whether Boo Radley should be put on trial, Scout uses what she learned from Atticus, and argues that Boo is like a mockingbird, and innocent, making the reader feel empathy for the innocent Boo Radley.

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There are many ideas presented throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird. The central idea behind the book is that people should not hurt those who are innocent, there are several examples throughout the book that help represent this main idea such as symbolism, similes, and some of characters from the book. To Kill a Mockingbird shows many examples of symbolism that supports the main idea of the book being people should not hurt those who are innocent. An example of this is the character Tom Robinson. In chapter 10 page 119 Scout repeats something Atticus had previously told Jem and her “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

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While one of the main themes of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is understanding another human’s perspective. Scout Finch, the story’s protagonist, shows growth and maturity as she learns to deal with the injustice of a prejudiced society. Scout is a young girl from Alabama whose father, Atticus Finch, is asked to defend an African-American man who is charged with rape. The southern way of life during the Great Depression would not allow Tom Robinson a fair trial, and Scout and her brother Jem are forced to deal with a county’s ignorance and racist attitudes. While in the beginning of the book Scout seems to be an innocent, naive little girl, she matures as time goes on and ultimately learns the lessons her father wants her to understand.

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In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the Mockingbird is the main symbol in the story representing how the loss of innocence influences Scout Finch and the society she sees. With the story, To Kill a Mockingbird is to destroy innocence. This shows how evil and the realization of the truth can truly show society the cruel nature of what they do. Without this realization society will become blind of their actions and negligent.

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In To Kill A Mockingbird, loss of innocence and subsequent gain of maturity are strong themes, shown in Jem and Scout as they grow up. Jem and Scout’s journeys of innocence to understanding vastly differ in their reactions to the two characters that drive the plot: Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, a black man, was wrongfully accused and convicted of rape, even though most of Maycomb knew he was innocent, which is a critical part of the book. The trial has a pivotal effect on Jem’s innocence not mirrored in Scout.

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This event shows Scout’s intolerance of people at the beginning of the novel. During Tom Robinson 's trial, Scout learns a great deal more about tolerance. She learns to accept the way other people live. As well, she learns about the intolerance that some other people have. Scout’s perception of tolerance throughout the novel changes her behavior.

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When one witnesses the brutal act of harming someone or something that is innocent it leaves an indelible mark on her coming of age. This is done by overturning her naivement into maturity and encouraging her to form her own opinions on the world around her. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee these ideas are clearly portrayed. The ideas are demonstrated when the readers learn that killing a mockingbird in Maycomb is a crime due to the fact that it is immoral to harm something that is innocent. Tom Robbinson is symbolic of a mockingbird due to his innocence, and he facilitates Scout's coming of age by bringing out her maturity and showing her to formulate her own opinions about the world around her.

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This shows Scout's growth in understanding others. Also, Scout's experiences with the trial of Tom Robinson help her realize the unfairness inside society. She watches how hate and racism seriously harm the lives of innocent people. She writes of the trial, "It was Jem's turn to cry.

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Explaining to Jem and Scout that the mockingbird only sings its heart out for us. This also goes into the court case that Atticus is working on. Tom Robinson is convicted of rape when it is proven that he did nothing and it was Bob Ewell that gave Mayella Ewell, his own daughter all the injuries. Tom Robinson was later sentenced guilty and only because of the racism in the town, which is completely unfair in society and the only one that really seems to recognize it is Atticus.

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Throughout the novel Harper Lee uses symbolism of many things to strengthen the theme of social inequality. The title of the book is the most obvious use of symbolism. The mockingbird is an animal meant for pleasure. It sings a beautiful song and hurts nothing and no one. When she receives an air gun as a gift, Scout is instructed to leave the mockingbirds alone for “its a sin to kill a mockingbird” and they pose no threat.

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