Moral Education In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society”. This quote by Theodore Roosevelt captivates a problem that was present in the past; in addition to, being a prevailing problem in today’s society. The education of our children in undoubtedly one of the most important things that we can do now, to ensure a better future for ourselves and everyone else. In Harper Lee’s most famous book, To Kill a Mockingbird, it can clearly be seen that things are bound to go wrong when a child isn’t given a moral education. This book took place during the great depression so many of the poorer families could not afford to lose a child to school. What many families did was pull their children out of school and have them either work
This is when children first begin to mold themselves into the finished product that is themselves in adulthood. The town that they live in and the people associated with it will also have a large effect on one’s own personal beliefs. In this book it is easy to observe the influences that may either corrupt a child or make them a good member of society. A child’s first influence in their life is always going to be the person who raises them from the start whether it be their mom, dad, or grandparents. These kids are going to pick up the foundation of their learnings from their elders; They will be most likely to carry on the characteristics of them into their own futures. My first example of this is when Scout tell Mr. Raymond “Atticus says cheatin' a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin' a white man. Says it's the worst thing you can do," (Lee, 229). This quote shows a parental influence because it explains how Atticus has told his children it is bad to cheat a white man, it is worse to cheat a black
This section of the kids life takes the moral education idea very literally because this is actually what they are being taught and what they are being told should just be accepted. One of Scouts first experiences in school is that she is condemned because she knew how to read. Miss Caroline says, “Now you tell your father not to teach you any more. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. you tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage” (Lee 19). This example tells us that although Scout could read very well and ahead of her class, she was still being yelled at for it because she was not doing what the rest of the class was. After this, on the second day of class, the students go to eat their lunches and Miss Caroline notices that Walter Cunningham does not have a lunch. She offers him money to go and buy one but he declines it because he would rather go hungry than be in debt with someone that he can not pay back.This shows that even through schooling, he will not accept handouts due to his pride. My third and final example of schools importance in moral education is Burris Ewell and the rest of the Ewell Family. Every year, the kids of that family only show up on the first day of school, and never come back. Burris even says, “Been comin’ to