Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
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
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the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee depicts the idea that prejudice is an unnecessary trait that still occurs to everyone; this becomes clear when the Maycomb community judges Atticus Finch because he is working as a black man’s lawyer. One of the main ‘sufferers’ of prejudice in the book is Atticus Finch because of his actions and beliefs towards African Americans being frowned upon in Maycomb. When Atticus takes his kids to their family’s house Scout talks with her cousin Francis, who says something that disturbed her, “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’.” (110 Lee) This displays how the rest of the Finch family views Atticus and what he does. Even his own family is spreading bad reflections about him to others including the children. What Atticus is doing is very rare because he is putting effort into the case and his beliefs which was rebuked in the 1930’s. Later in the book, Mr. Ewell the man who sued Tom Robinson, advanced Atticus with a violent message, “It was Miss Stephanie’s pleasure to tell us: this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.” (290) This represents how a large part of Maycomb reacted to Atticus’ statements at the courthouse defending Robinson. This shows how a large part of Maycomb behaved to Atticus’ proclamation at the courthouse defending Robinson. Throughout the book, Atticus receives lots of ridicule for his actions toward blacks and not thinking it is wrong to call out a white man for lying. Meanwhile, the black citizens in Maycomb are affected by prejudice even more.
They are treated poorly and humiliated. One day Jem, Scout, and Dill walk by a picnic where blacks are hanging out, when they start to talk about ‘mixed children’, “Colored folks won’t have ‘em because they’re half white; white folks won’t have ‘em ‘cause they’re colored, so they’re just inbetweens, don’t belong anywhere.” (215) This shows how the children who are half white and half black are rejected just because they aren’t one or the other. They’re neglected because of prejudice between blacks and whites. During the trial Atticus acknowledges the prejudice within the case, stating, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man.” (272) This displays how interactions with African Americans is interpreted in their society. They are expected to not have any romantic relationships that intermix. This thought that the two groups of people are different and one is worse or better has people passing their own ideas to others. The prejudice towards blacks is extreme in the book and is shown through many aspects. The way they are treated and talked about is all because people have predetermined opinions about them without their own background. In the end, the book To Kill A Mockingbird by author Harper Lee, demonstrates prejudice in the 1930’s and now by showing that it can be used against all different people. Prejudice happens
to everyone at one point in their life. It ensues when people jump to conclusions and make assumptions about others. Hearing opinions about other people can make people believe them too. This is something that has always happened and will continue to.
the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee depicts the idea that prejudice is an unnecessary trait that still occurs to everyone; this becomes clear when the Maycomb community judges Atticus Finch because he is working as a black man’s lawyer. One of the main ‘sufferers’ of prejudice in the book is Atticus Finch because of his actions and beliefs towards African Americans being frowned upon in Maycomb. When Atticus takes his kids to their family’s house Scout talks with her cousin Francis, who says something that disturbed her, “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’.” (110 Lee) This displays how the rest of the Finch family views Atticus and what he does. Even his own family is spreading bad reflections about him to others including the children. What Atticus is doing is very rare because he is putting effort into the case and his beliefs which was rebuked in the 1930’s. Later in the book, Mr. Ewell the man who sued Tom Robinson, advanced Atticus with a violent message, “It was Miss Stephanie’s pleasure to tell us: this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.” (290) This represents how a large part of Maycomb reacted to Atticus’ statements at the courthouse defending Robinson. This shows how a large part of Maycomb behaved to Atticus’ proclamation at the courthouse defending Robinson. Throughout the book, Atticus receives lots of ridicule for his actions toward blacks and not thinking it is wrong to call out a white man for lying. Meanwhile, the black citizens in Maycomb are affected by prejudice even more.
They are treated poorly and humiliated. One day Jem, Scout, and Dill walk by a picnic where blacks are hanging out, when they start to talk about ‘mixed children’, “Colored folks won’t have ‘em because they’re half white; white folks won’t have ‘em ‘cause they’re colored, so they’re just inbetweens, don’t belong anywhere.” (215) This shows how the children who are half white and half black are rejected just because they aren’t one or the other. They’re neglected because of prejudice between blacks and whites. During the trial Atticus acknowledges the prejudice within the case, stating, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man.” (272) This displays how interactions with African Americans is interpreted in their society. They are expected to not have any romantic relationships that intermix. This thought that the two groups of people are different and one is worse or better has people passing their own ideas to others. The prejudice towards blacks is extreme in the book and is shown through many aspects. The way they are treated and talked about is all because people have predetermined opinions about them without their own background. In the end, the book To Kill A Mockingbird by author Harper Lee, demonstrates prejudice in the 1930’s and now by showing that it can be used against all different people. Prejudice happens
to everyone at one point in their life. It ensues when people jump to conclusions and make assumptions about others. Hearing opinions about other people can make people believe them too. This is something that has always happened and will continue to.