In To Kill A Mockingbird, a theme that develops throughout the whole book is that people are not always who they seem to be. People are not always who they seem to be because they hide their true selves, there are rumors about them, and people are racist.
In the book, people are racist, so they don’t see people for who they really are. An example of this is Tom Robinson. Tom was accused of something that he did not do and got convicted because of racism. The result of people being racist was his attempt to escape jail and his death soon after he attempted to escape. Even though some people are blinded from seeing the truth, others know that Tom is actually a good and honest man. In the following quote, it will show that Tom is an honest man
…show more content…
One examples of this is Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra hides her true self by nagging people and being strict. Even though she hides her true self, a few people like Atticus knows that she actually cares about her family more than nagging people and being strict. In the following quote, it will show how Aunt Alexandra was before she showed her true self to Miss Maudie and Scout. “She never lets a chance escape her to point out the shortcomings of other tribal groups to the greater glory of our own …” (page 172) In this quote, Scout is talking about how Aunt Alexandra doesn’t ever let a chance to nag people about how pure her family is and how impure their families are. This, however, is just her facade so she could hide her true self. In the following quote, it will show how Aunt Alexandra really is and this is after Atticus tells her, Scout, Calpurnia, and Miss Maudie that Tom died trying to escape jail. “I thought Aunt Alexandra was crying, but when she took her hands away from her face, she was not. She looked weary. She spoke, her voice was flat. ‘I can’t say I approve of everything he does, Maudie, but he’s my brother, and I just want to know when this will ever end.’ Her voice rose: ‘It tears him to pieces. He doesn’t show it much, but it tears him to pieces. I’ve seen him when - what else do they want from him, Maudie, what else … They’re perfectly willing to let him do what they’re too afraid to do themselves - it might lose ‘em a nickel.. They’re perfectly willing to let him wreck his health doing what they’re afraid to do, they’re -’” (page 316) In this quote, Aunt Alexandra is complaining to Miss Maudie how unfair it is that the townspeople are making Atticus do things that they don’t want to do. It’s like the townspeople would rather risk others’ lives rather than risking their own. The Aunt Alexandra speaking in the quote is her true self, the