...English Essay Describe at least one idea that was relevant to people in today’s society in the written text. Explain why the idea is relevant to people in today’s society. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, an idea which is still relevant to people in today’s society is prejudice. The idea of prejudice was shown throughout the novel, most prominently by Tom Robinson’s trial, and the character Arthur “Boo” Radley. Tom’s trial highlighted the idea of racial prejudice and the character Boo Radley, who is a victim of speculation and rumours, helped us better understand social prejudice. Racial and social prejudice are still prevalent and are experienced in our society today despite our seemingly enlightened and tolerant mind-set. Prejudice and the negative mind-set that it induces is influenced by our surrounding family, friends and media. Even though all humans are born with a strong moral conscience, we are bombarded with pictures and people that influence our first impressions of people and make us judgemental, unconsciously or not. The dictionary defines prejudice as a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience, which is clearly the case in Alabama in the 1930’s. The 1930’s was the time of the Great Depression and was before the Black Civil Rights movement took place. People of colour or a different race suffered majorly due to discrimination and prejudice against them. People in small towns during this time period were often...
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...Atticus still exhibits the most types of courage. Atticus demonstrates moral courage when defending Tom Robinson’s case. In chapter nine, Atticus explains to Scout why he is defending Tom, “For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again… Scout simply by the nature of work every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess.” Atticus was appointed by the judge to defend Tom Robinson. Although Atticus did not want to do it, he gave Tom Robinson the fairest trail he could. Atticus is one of the best effort to defend Tom. He shows moral courage with this example...
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...understand the internal issues regarding Maycomb. As Scout progresses through school years and grows older, she is exposed to different views on blacks, most of which give blacks a negative connotation. Even though many of her peers and teachers believe the treatment of blacks is fair, Scout does not see color as a deciding factor to whether they should be treated nicely, instead she just sees everyone as people, with no regards to race. One discussion that Atticus and the children have is about the trial. While Scout and her brother, Jeremy Atticus Finch, both agree that it was unfair for Tom to have been convicted. Atticus tells the kids “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life” (Lee 295). This begins to show Scout really how common discrimination of blacks really is. Even Atticus, the most moral person accepted that racial prejudice of blacks is going to continue to be an issue for many years. While Scout knows Tom was cheated out of a fair trial because of his skin color, she also knows that the injustice of Tom’s treatment was invisible to the jury. Outside of the court case Scout’s views on race get further divided in the classroom. During class one day Miss.Gates, Scout’s third grade teacher discusses her views on Hitler’s regime with the class. She begins with describing the differences of America and Germany, stating “We are a democracy and Germany is a dictatorship”(Lee 329). She goes one step further by saying she can’t understand...
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...Chapter 22: 1. After Atticus lost the case with Tom Robinson, Jem, Scout, and Dill were bitter about this and could not believe what had happened during the trial. They thought that it was unfair, and so then Miss Maudie had to comfort them and explain why thing were how they are. She then said that the case have made a “baby step” in this right direction. She says this because after this case about Tom Robinson, a new light have been shown to Maycomb, that not all black people are bad. This may have lessened the racism against black people, which is taking a step towards the right path, even though it is just a baby step, but it is still a step in the right direction. Chapter 23: 2. The trial ended with it in Mr. Ewell’s favor, however Atticus...
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...How Harper Lee presents Tom Robinson at the trial Tom Robinson’s physical appearance is described as quite a well built black man. When he stood up to testify Scout saw that his left arm was crippled – it was stretched out and his muscles in that arm had been detached from the bone. Scout says that ‘Tom would have made a fine specimen of a man if he has been whole’ (his left arm). From this quotation we can see that Scout sees Tom Robinson as not whole because of his arm, although other people might see him as not whole because of his skin colour. From the Trial chapters the reader can gather that Tom Robinson is a young, harmless, innocent man that is quite a handy man when it comes to DIY. He frequently helped Mayella Ewell with things around her house that had been broken, for example her door was coming off its hinges and he came in to help her. He also has chores at home to do, but he still helped Mayella when he could be doing his own things at home which tells us that he is selfless and always wants to help others before himself. Despite all this, due to Maycomb mainly being prejudice, nobody ever looked past his skin colour to learn that he is actually a very nice man. This was revealed to everyone when Atticus asked him questions about it and everyone in the court room found out that he is truly a nice man. When he is questioned by Atticus, he doesn’t try to hide anything from him or the rest of the court room. He is very honest and puts his past behind him. An...
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...Throughout the 1900’s segregation, racism, and the Great depression played a huge part in how people lived their lives. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee used real-life events to connect with the events that happened in the novel. She made connections with the Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the Scottsboro trials. The first connection made through To Kill a Mockingbird and real-life events in history are the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were unfair laws that separate blacks from whites. Whites were considered more important than blacks, and blacks were considered second-class citizens. There were punishments put in place if any of the Jim Crow laws were broken/ violated. In the image that represents the Jim Crow laws the...
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...problems that she may have in the future. The whole situation happen with Boo Radley, in Maycomb there was many rumors of horrible things he ever did and at the end there were all lies. It also happened with Tom Robinson but it was worst since he was an African American and back in 1930’s many people were racist and with one little bad situation they got in they got sent to jail. Tom and Boo are both of them both experience situations that people may believe they did and yet the still judged. Helen shows the symbol of the mockingbird with Tom and Boo Radley they don't bother anyone and yet they still judge them. When Atticus Tells Scout it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird she didn't understand why and when she asked Miss Maudie she tells her “Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people’s gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”[Lee 90] Scout whatever rumor she hears she believes everything they say, but when Atticus sees what Scout believes is truth he tells her,” You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”[Lee 30] Scout didn't understand why Atticus meant but in later in the book she recognizes what he meant now,” Atticus...
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...similar to how he wants the kids to understand Tom Robinson and give him a chance. Just because he is black does not mean that the kids...
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...problems that she may have in the future. The whole situation happen with Boo Radley, in Maycomb there was many rumors of horrible things he ever did and at the end there were all lies. It also happened with Tom Robinson but it was worst since he was an African American and back in 1930’s many people were racist and with one little bad situation they got in they got sent to jail. Tom and Boo are both of them both experience situations that people may believe they did and yet the still judged. Helen shows the symbol of the mockingbird with Tom and Boo Radley they don't bother anyone and yet they still judge them. When Atticus Tells Scout it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird she didn't understand why and when she asked Miss Maudie she tells her “Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people’s gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”[Lee 90] Scout whatever rumor she hears she believes everything they say, but when Atticus sees what Scout believes is truth he tells her,” You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”[Lee 30] Scout didn't understand why Atticus meant but in later in the book she recognizes what he meant now,” Atticus...
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...ignorance are destructive forces in our world that may destroy our humanity, beat down our beliefs and wreak havoc on our morals. But none is as powerful as racism. Racism is the worst kind of prejudice in society, as illustrated in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, what befalls Tom Robinson and his family, it can ruin Bob Ewell’s lives. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson and his family are the most apparent victim of racism. He is guilty by raping a white woman but actually he is innocent. Everyone is blinded by his color and has already decided to put him into the jail. Obviously, he gets an unfair trial. In the court, Mr. Gilmer, the lawyer who defends for Mayella Ewell, treats Tom without any respect. Even though Atticus finds much evidence that proves Tom is innocent, no one listens to him. Tom is a nice man and he only wants to help others, however, his kindness becomes his murderer. After his death, his wife Helen Robinson needs to raise their children by herself. But no one feels sympathy for her and even no one is willing to offer her a job. Is appearance so important that can destroy our humanity? We are going to lose our selves because of racism. Atticus defends for Tom in order to protect the justice. However, he and his children are disliked by the town people. Jem and Souct get troubles from school. Everyone teases them and no one is willing to make friends with them. Furthermore racism brings out blood. Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father revenges Atticus...
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...inferior, as the slaves they once were and the residents of Maycomb County typify this. The main theme of prejudice in this book is that of racial prejudice. The whole trial of Tom Robinson is full of prejudice against him. Before the trial even commences Reverend Sykes invites the children to sit in the coloured balcony – (Pg 181). Even the black and white public must sit separately! Extreme racial prejudice is shown to us by Harper Lee when she tells us of the colour segregation. In Maycomb there is segregation between black and white people. This is emphasised by the way blacks file in last and are seated in the balcony. Their politeness to the children is shown when four black people give up their front row seats for them. This shows white children also have authority over black adults. It is ironic that the children will have the same viewpoint as the black people attending the trial – in terms of where they see it from. At the time black people could not show their disapproval of white ways, for fear of prejudice and losing their jobs. Therefore, perhaps it is realistic that the black discontent can only be shown to a child who is breaking the rules of segregation that have been put upon the black people by the white people, even though the children are not aware of their position. Throughout the trial racial prejudice in the dominant theme as is shown when...
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...Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Robert Mulligan illustrates the story of the lives of Scout and Jem, children growing up in this small town with their friend Dill who stays for the summer. The youngsters become infatuated with getting a glimpse of Boo Radley the unseen hermit of a neighbor. This summer also entails issues facing, their attorney father, Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, an African American man falsely accused of raping a white woman from town, Mayella Ewell. The children catch wind of the trial and for the first time witness evil realities of the world. Jem and Scout, Atticus’s children become the targets of Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell tries to kill them one Halloween night on their way home from school, when the elusive Boo Radley shows up and saves them. Radley kills Bob in the affair. Tom Robinson is wrongfully convicted sent to prison and then eventually killed trying to escape. Throughout the film the reoccurring issues of racism, biased from social class, and stigmas to gender are tested and tried as unfairly as the Tom Robinson case. There...
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...In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, a loving father, representation of morality, a prominent citizen, compassionate, courageous and much more is the County lawyer who clearly shows his vehement arguments in court. He is the father of Jean Louis Finch (Scout) and Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem) and they live in Maycomb County located in southern Alabama, where there is such thing as “Maycomb’s usual disease” or in other words, racism. This disease can truly be seen after Atticus is assigned to defend Tom Robinson, an African American who is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Many do not think that he should defend him because of Tom Robinson’s skin color and race, but there are many reasons why he should....
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...To Kill A Mockingbird is a story about a young girl named Scout as she grows up in the racially segregated south. The major event of this story is about a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of the rape of Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch, Scout's father, and Tom’s lawyer knows that Tom is innocent in the trial but is ultimately found guilty of the crime. July 11, 1960. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, she develops many themes but the one that sticks out to me is racism. The book takes place during the 1960’s in the south during the civil rights movement. Even though the book takes place during the 1960’s when there were civil right movements, even today in 2018 we still see African Americans fighting for their rights. The book impacts me today because I witness the racial tensions that happen everyday. It also affects the future because if something isn’t done for equal rights for everybody there will still be tensions just like in the 1960’s. Comparing the present and the 1960’s I notice very little has changed African Americans are still fighting for equal...
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...12). Lee used multiple historical events as her inspiration to write To Kill a Mockingbird. Those events are represented by mob mentality, Jim Crow Laws, and the Scottsboro trials. One of the influences in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird are the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were laws created to make white people have more power than black people. One of these laws included that black and white people were to eat separately. If they ever did eat together, white people were served first (Pilgrim)....
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