Preview

Examples Of Stereotypes In To Kill A Mockingbird

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
255 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Examples Of Stereotypes In To Kill A Mockingbird
Stereotypes Paragraph Stereotypes are generalized traits that people assume about a group of people. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird stereotypes are used frequently with how different families act, and also how different races appear to others. In the book stereotypes are important when Harper Lee makes the Ewells portray the stereotype for “white trash”. During the trial for the raping of Mayella Ewell this becomes very clear when she writes, “ No truant officers could keep their numerous offspring in school; no public health officer could free them from congenital defects, various worms, and the diseases indigenous to filthy surroundings.”(Lee 227). Lee made this family the stereotypical “white trash” family because it shows the true

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    An example, is that Atticus’s children are bullied by townsfolk, because their father is a known lawyer for the black community. “Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works for,” said Mrs.Dubose. (Lee 135) This shows that even associating and/or working with black people in Maycomb county makes you “trash” and is frowned upon. This example plus many others throughout the book proves Maycomb experiences racial prejudice in “To Kill A Mockingbird.”…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scout Finch Stereotypes

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A great deal of people in the world today have a habit of making generalizations about certain people, without knowing them fully. People often lack information about their assumptions; which are based on they may have read, seen on television or in the media, or have heard from other people. Due to these beliefs in stereotypes, people end up developing prejudices against others. Most of the time things really aren't what they seem. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is a significant example of this. Jem and Scout Finch grew up in the 1930's, in Maycomb, a town that's extremely prejudice towards a lot of different people, but also a town that was oblivious to the fact that people are much different from the interior than they are on the exterior. Jem and Scout, and the people of Maycomb make conclusions about the ones around them quite often, so, naturally, when they…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stereotyping is an act that many might do out of ignorance or intentionally. It plagues society today, for it causes many individuals to hate others based on a personal opinions. In Webster’s New World Dictionary, the word “stereotype” is defined as “a way of thinking about a person, group, etc. that follows a fixed, common pattern, paying no attention to individual differences”. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” there are many examples of stereotyping between Whites and Negroes. In the book, Lulu, a fellow negro, says, “You ain't got no business bringin’ white chillun here- they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church ain’t it, Miss Cal?” (136) Certain races might have conflicts between each other, causing them to have a negative thoughts…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prejudice, a negative opinion formed without experience or knowledge, is a state of mind as old as humanity itself. Prejudice has been the cause of wars, hatred, and intolerance throughout history. Countless innocent lives have been lost or destroyed all because of prejudices based on things as simple as skin color. In Harper E. Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, prejudice is shown to lead to injustice and inequity.…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird has had a large influence on English Literature and is most definitely Harper Lee's greatest masterpiece. Many topics of human morals have been touched in this novel. To be more specific, the topic of prejudice towards African-Americans in the southern states is a very prominent one. This book reflects reasons why prejudice exists, the inner strength of the black community, and what should have been done to correct this problem. These fit ideally into the theme "beauty and the beast".…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prejudice towards different people is a huge part of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird novel. Nearly every little mishap in the book has been somehow linked or caused by prejudice. Naturally, the town of Maycomb is affected by it, and the effect isn’t for the best. Prejudice is a destructive force in Maycomb, bringing nothing to the town. The cause of Maycomb being destroyed is prejudice spreading hatred throughout the town, separating the people, and excluding and enabling members of the town to fully get what they need.…

    • 966 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Harper Lee’s, full name Nelle Lee’s, novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, published in 1960, there are many instances where characters challenge stereotypes or work to help defy them. Jem, for instance, is a character who does not act how a typical boy is supposed to, challenge the stereotypes of males. Another example is Atticus, a lawyer and the father of the narrator. Lastly, Boo Radley, a man prejudged by the entire town, ends up being the biggest hero in Harper Lee’s book. In summary, Jem, Atticus, and Boo Radley are all people who contribute to the novel’s theme of challenge stereotypes and prejudice.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Haper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" the characters face adversity that develop the controversial, effective themes. Lee uses both racism and discrimination themes are represented in this novel, especially through the character Atticus's actions and words. Accordingly, Atticus believes that racism is wrong and despite what everyone else thinks, strives to see both races equally. For example, Aunt Alexandra moves in with the Finches because she strongly believes that Jem and Scout need a feminine mentor in their life but excludes Calpurnia, who is of the opposite race. She even attempts to change everything about how Atticus fathers his children and how he treats Calpurnia; including how he speaks to her at home.…

    • 612 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The book To Kill a Mockingbird is based out of the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The residents in Maycomb are extremely racist and see minor inequalities as major differences and reasons to segregate. The families of Maycomb have their own hereditary social classes and are pretty much stuck in their class based on occupation and race. People in Maycomb are born into significance or are born into less fortunate situations. Many of the characters use these social classes to boost their self esteem. Due to the social classes and stigmas surrounding these classes the citizens have limited their ability to develop fully as humans.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prejudice is having a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. This is an action that is often used today. Society comes up with opinions about people they have heard from someone’s personal experiences. They choose to judge people or things without knowing anything themselves. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch defends a black man, Tom Robinson, when he is wrongly accused of raping a white girl. When he takes this job the Maycomb community instantly criticized Atticus for helping Robinson. Atticus’ two children, Scout and Jem, are also harassed by kids at school who had heard from their parents. A majority of Maycomb has preconceived judgements against Atticus and the blacks in the community. In…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” (Rosa Parks) This quote is a very accurate representation of what life for people is like today. Yes, you heard that right. Today's society is not truly equal like it is portrayed to be. There are several authors that have written about what their life has been like, such as, How to Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian are all good examples of stories that portray how the world today is different, but still similar in many ways.…

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In today's era, the Information Age, it is very easy to connect to anyone in the world, and gain access to the greater knowledge of our time. However, we didn't always have access to information and ideas like we do now. Because of our connections to almost anywhere in the world, it is very easy to share your own ideas, and to change people's mind on any topic, for better or for worse. However, whenever such information and personal connections weren't always available, making gaining new ideas of how things should work very difficult to do. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the racial biases in Maycomb county are very prevalent.…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In most societies, there are standards that help protect the citizens. However, when the standards are set by people who are prejudiced and bigoted the outcome can potentially be harmful to those whom the society deems “unacceptable” or “different”. To Kill a Mockingbird by the famed author Harper Lee is a novel that allows the audience to reflect on significant social issues and values in our society. The poem by Abel Meeropol titled Strange Fruit also reflects on the tragedy of discrimination. The novel deals with many issues that involve racial injustice, the destruction of innocence and class in the American Deep South. The poem, in just three verses, powerfully deals with the outcome of the social issue of racism in its most extreme form. The prejudice and bigotry are embedded in the social values and laws of a society. It is not until individuals and groups rally against the prejudice that change occurs.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hatred is a harsh word but everyone has hatred towards people because they’re different. Racism and hatred are both alike. To be racist someone has to have hatred or dislike towards who is of different color. Back in 1930’s Alabama, people who are white are more respected than people who are black because they think white men are more superior. In that time people were judge for defending a black man and were called a “negro-lover”. Being called that was like poison to anyone’s ears. If someone was to have a mix child they would be an abomination. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson, Atticus, and Dolphus Raymond are affected by racism because of skin color, for defending a black man, and having a mix children.…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How does witnessing prejudice during childhood affect the loss of innocence in children? In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the author focuses on two young children, Jem and Scout, who are living during a time when racism and prejudice dominates their hometown of Maycomb County. Simultaneously, they are envisioning and being introduced to different perspectives of their ongoing society. Throughout the story, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, an elderly woman, showed signs of racism and prejudice to the children. Therefore, her character contributes to the overall themes of children losing their innocence as they mature in age, because they are being exposed to many harsh wrongdoings that the two of them have never perceived or witnessed before.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays