Paulo Freire, the author of the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, once wisely stated. “It is not the unloved who initiate disaffection, but those who cannot love because they love only themselves. It is not the helpless, subject to terror, who initiate terror, but the violent, who with their power create the concrete situation which begets the 'rejects of life.' It is not those whose humanity is denied them who negate humankind, but those who denied that humanity…” Throughout generations, dehumanization has always been there, with the recent protests of black lives matter this means a little more. Today, not only are there oblivious people to what is going on there are oblivious people that do not realize how largely magnified that the media has made …show more content…
Dehumanization is being shown in the book through Mr. Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch’s wise words oppose the harsh effects or dehumanization. This is done through Atticus’s actions and responses to situations presented in the book. For example, when Atticus is asked whether or not he should defend a black man. He tells them, "Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience" (Lee 105). Atticus explains that this is the reason that he MUST defend Mr. Tom Robinson, a negro man. Atticus wants to show his kids that all people are the same. That skin color does not mean anything. Atticus Finch is a man that people can compare to Muhammad Ali because he was not afraid to start dialogue against dehumanization. Just like Ali was not afraid to speak his opposition to the Vietnam war because they denied basic rights of black citizens. Another piece of advice that Atticus gives the children discusses how they should react or act with other people and peers. Atticus said, “you might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t let ‘em get your goat” (Lee 76). He tells Scout that she needs to use her head more. That she cannot go out fighting, she needs to use her words and think more …show more content…
First of all, Skeeter understands the need of the maid because she was raised by a maid. When Skeeter is preparing to write the book, she says to Aibileen, “It feels cool, like water washing over my sticky-hot body. Cooling a heat that's been burning me up all my life.” Skeeter was raised by a maid who played such a significant motherly role in her life. She understands the importance of the maid’s role in her life and that is why she is trying to fight for The Help. Another way that Skeeter explains the importance of the maids is by standing up for them. Skeeter puts into the newsletter false information saying that you should put toilets into Hilly’s yard of the month. Hilly says, “It’s so embarrassing. Why would she do this to me?”Skeeter puts that into the newsletter because she had fired a maid because she faked using the toilet. She also put that in there because of how Hilly has tried to create a law for the negro help to use a separate toilet.
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help the audience learns universal lessons that can help prevent dehumanization. Dehumanization is a large factor in our world today and it needs to be addressed. It can be prevented or largely eliminated if we have people that a willing to step up and be the Atticus Finch or the Skeeter of this world. Why aren’t you willing to step up and be the change that