Stereotyping In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
“Stereotyping has lasting negative impact. Past studies have shown that people perform poorly in situations where they feel they are being stereotyped.” Performing a task or assignment in a toxic environment can cause an individual to lose confidence and be very unfocused. Overall, stereotypes are harmful, and not just towards the people they are directed at. “A stereotype is an oversimplified or generalized idea about a certain group of people, often held by members of a different group.” A substantial proponent of stereotyping comes from those who are ignorant of topics such as gender, sexuality, race, religion, etcetera. The people imposing the cliche use stereotypes as a defense mechanism, to feel superior, safer, more comfortable.
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Gender bias is a very common stereotype. From the moment we are born, we are given the assigned colors, blue for boys, pink for girls. Women are feminine, men are masculine. For instance, in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose tells Scout, “--what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways!” (Lee 135). Furthermore, there is a strong bias that women cannot do certain jobs, typically being more difficult or uncleanly tasks. In turn, being a stay-at-home father is given a negative connotation and seen as emasculating. Mental illness is also very often stereotyped and stigmatized. People who do not know or believe the scientific research and evidence regarding mental disorders, often jump to a formulated idea of what someone is like. If someone is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they are then seen as frightening and unstable, to be avoided. If another person is diagnosed with depression or anxiety, people will say they are lazy or dramatic. When in reality, that is not the case. This can be seen in Arthur, or Boo, Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. Boo has severe anxiety that causes him to not come out of his home very often. People take this and turn it into a completely different scenario, seeing him as a frightening, maybe even homicidal,
Gender bias is a very common stereotype. From the moment we are born, we are given the assigned colors, blue for boys, pink for girls. Women are feminine, men are masculine. For instance, in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose tells Scout, “--what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways!” (Lee 135). Furthermore, there is a strong bias that women cannot do certain jobs, typically being more difficult or uncleanly tasks. In turn, being a stay-at-home father is given a negative connotation and seen as emasculating. Mental illness is also very often stereotyped and stigmatized. People who do not know or believe the scientific research and evidence regarding mental disorders, often jump to a formulated idea of what someone is like. If someone is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they are then seen as frightening and unstable, to be avoided. If another person is diagnosed with depression or anxiety, people will say they are lazy or dramatic. When in reality, that is not the case. This can be seen in Arthur, or Boo, Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. Boo has severe anxiety that causes him to not come out of his home very often. People take this and turn it into a completely different scenario, seeing him as a frightening, maybe even homicidal,