To Kill a Mockingbird- Walking in Somebody Elses Shoes

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Harper Lee’s 1960 novel ‘To kill a mockingbird’ deeply penetrates the concept of walking in somebody else’s shoes. This southern societal drama explores the main message Lee is portraying throughout the novel; that of which being to empathise with somebody in a differing circumstance as yourself. This text revolves around a 1930’s southern American society which openly embraces prejudice towards the minority of powerless in the community, in this case being racism. Lee shares her intended message through themes embedded throughout the text being; power through social dynamics, a human’s instinct to externalise guilt, physiological opposed to physical courage and how ones upbringing influences their moral decisions. These underlying matters are communicated through sophisticated writing techniques which help to develop the novels major themes. These are irony, symbolism, first person dialogue and tone. Combined, a compelling novel is made with powerful meaning entwined into the chapters. ‘To kill a mockingbird’ encourages readers to gain various perspectives of the defining characters and their motives in order to understand Harper Lee’s inspiring beliefs. Throughout societal history, disparity for power has been a dominating feature which defines ones place in the social hierarchy and creates order but through power comes prejudice. ‘To kill a mockingbird’ examines how society can create outcasts and misfits, and how one race can be segregated from another. Maycomb County is a prime example of a judgemental and unjust society which rejects anyone with an opinion that could challenge the town’s structure and rules. Because of group dynamics, the town’s people have the power to create these rules as a combined unit, using this power to their own advantage which to keeps Maycomb running on these beliefs. This is a town is built on hypocrisy, immorality and ignorance causing it to slowly collapse from the inside by the citizens who have