Everyone lies. Everyone. All lies have various consequences. Some are big, some are small, but they are almost always negative. So, if everyone knows that lying has consequences, then why do people even lie in the first place? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee answers this question. The main characters in this book are two kids named Jem and Scout, as well as their father named Atticus. The book takes place in the 1930’s when segregation and racial injustice were prominent. Therefore, when Atticus is appointed to defend a African American man, named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman, it is a big deal. The kids learn alot about racial, injustice, and lying during the court case. Harper Lee conveys the theme that people lie mostly to avoid criticism by putting various characters in difficult situations. …show more content…
He is a supporting character in To Kill a Mockingbird. He comes from a very poor background and owes a lot of deet to Atticus, and pays it through an entailment. He is also part of the mob that tried to harm Tom Robinson. But was Walter really in the Mob because he believed in white supremacy, or was he only in it to avoid harm? The answer to this question lies on page 205-206 of the book. On these pages, Walter says,”Lets clear out”... “let 's get going boys (Lee 205).” In this quote, we can see that Walter leads the crowd away after being embarrassed by an elementary school girl. If Walter truly believed in the mobs values, he would not have been shut down so easily. Therefore, Walter was lying that he truly wanted to be in the mob. Thus, walter Cunningham was lying to avoid criticism. The reader knows this because of Mr. Cunningham 's background. He comes from a family that is “dirt poor.” They have a lot of debt and an entailment. From this evidence, the reader can infer that Walter does not want any more trouble with anyone. Walter just wants to avoid