To Kill a Mockingbird stresses the consequences of prejudice and by exploring the repeated use of metaphors, the reader can understand how innocence is stolen by prejudice. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb County in Alabama around 1935, where the narrator, Scout, is an 8-year old girl. Throughout the book, Atticus (Scout’s father) uses metaphors to teach Scout about the evils of prejudice, trying to preserve her open-minded views. In addition, many of the characters demonstrate the extent of their prejudice, as well as the resulting loss of innocence, influencing themselves and others.
One of the first metaphors displayed in To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus’s warning about judging others. He emphasizes that you should never judge others; you should try to understand them by considering their points of view. Atticus continued by suggesting that you could begin to understand a person’s point of view once you “climb into his skin and walk around in it.” One of the most important examples of this concept involves the interactions Scout had with Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor who had good intentions, but almost never left the confinement of his home.
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In one respect, it illustrates the corruption of innocent people, especially children. To reinforce this idea, besides Atticus Finch, only the young children seem to have open minds on the topic of colored folks. Additionally, the metaphor could also be pertaining to the treatment of certain people, such as Boo Radley or Tom Robinson (an African American accused of rape, defended by Atticus), who only contribute positively to society, yet are still viewed in a negative