Theme Of Outsiders In To Kill A Mockingbird

Some aspects of history should stay hidden. In the Southern Gothic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it tells a story of southern culture and values through a young girl’s perspective of growing up in the 1930s in Alabama. The Southern Gothic genre is supposed to resemble the southern culture, but have a bit of a creepier element to it. Throughout this time period, Lee illustrates the struggles and hardships, as well as victories and overcoming obstacles for the people. She also writes of very realistic problems many faced in the 1930s such as money problems, discrimination, growing up, learning the truth, and judging. Racism was prevalent with slaves, Jim Crow laws, and violence. While racism was present, so was the feeling of imprisonment

The theme of outsiders makes a statement about traditional southern culture and values. This is due to the fact that a majority of people go through life feeling like an outcast at least one point in their life of another. It evokes a feeling of compassion and sympathy because the thought is inconceivable for how many people can impart. One off-kilter, outcast that is mentioned throughout the story is Arthur (Boo) Radley. He has a bad reputation that has to do with being evil and supernatural. The town of Maycomb has made up superstitions about him, they blame every mishap or misfortune, whether it is proven otherwise or not. There are also stories that are passed from family to family. Some include Boo stabbing his father in the leg and winding up in prison. Further tales involve him being in a gang, having powers, and being dead and haunting everyone. Scout told, “The Radleys...kept to themselves…[t]hey did not go church...had no screen doors…[and] when the younger Radley boy [Boo] was in his teens…[he] formed the nearest thing to a gang ever seen in Maycomb…”(Lee 11-13). This quote exhibits how the rumors spread not knowing if true or false by the town. It enhances the reason why he is an outsider, because the community basically disowned him and his family. He is also living proof how hurtful that rumors could be that he would rather stay inside and not want to go outside and be apart of the

They also portray historically accurate information with a bit of creepiness to the tale. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, she precisely recounts the 1930s south with a story of a young girl finding the truth about life and society. Other sources such as poems in the Southern Gothic genre also convey relatable stories that demonstrate the traditional southern culture. Violence in the 1930s were horrific especially towards blacks. Imprisonment was both figurative and literal not only in the South but everywhere. Outsiders are not always obvious, and it is a part of growing up and learning everywhere. The Southern Gothic genre is meant to tell narratives of the south with a hint of creepiness to add to the overall message of it. The genre evokes many emotions through the numerous messages given through all forms of literature. It still has power today because if the authentic stories and morals it gives. Violence, imprisonment, amd outsiders are all negative aspects of the south, but it does not take an ample amount of labor to make it positive and learn from