In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, three themes are clearly shown which affect the plot and influence the events in the story. Discrimination creates injustice for characters through difference in treatment by Maycomb residents. Courage motivates characters to do what they feel will give them their desired outcome. Deceptive appearances change a character’s attitude towards a character they view in a negative light. These three themes change the actions the characters make, and they also change the course of the story. Thus, through studying the themes of discrimination, courage, and deceptive appearances, it will become evident how the themes are shown through objects, characters, and events, which is important because the readers
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Discrimination and prejudice is visible in To Kill a Mockingbird by how the characters are treated, by Tom Robinson who embodies the theme, and by the choices the characters make which are influenced by discrimination and prejudice. People in Maycomb discriminate others for their social status, race, or how they behave. Aunt Alexandra is being prejudice towards Walter Cunningham Jr. …show more content…
Some Maycomb residents build courage to avoid other outcomes. In order to avoid getting in trouble with Atticus, Jem goes to get his pants in the middle of the night from the fence by the Radley house, even though he knows that he could be killed by Nathan Radley. Scout makes this clear when she says, “Look, it ain’t worth it Jem. You’ll get your head shot off, Jem” (Lee 75). Jem does not want Atticus to be disappointed in him, so he builds courage to go into danger in order to avoid consequences. Jem Finch has done many courageous actions in the novel, and can be seen as a courageous character. At the jailhouse, the mob of men wants to lynch Tom Robinson and possibly hurt Atticus. Jem senses the danger Atticus is in and makes a courageous decision to disobey Atticus’ orders to go home, and the men do not hurt Tom or Atticus. Jem does this when he tells Atticus, “I ain’t going” (Lee 204). Jem is being courageous as he is just an adolescent, endangering himself in a dangerous situation with a group of grown men who could easily hurt him. In the novel, courage also motivates characters to do what they feel is right. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man, in a southern town of racist white people. He knows the town will be against him, but he still decides to do it. He
Discrimination and prejudice is visible in To Kill a Mockingbird by how the characters are treated, by Tom Robinson who embodies the theme, and by the choices the characters make which are influenced by discrimination and prejudice. People in Maycomb discriminate others for their social status, race, or how they behave. Aunt Alexandra is being prejudice towards Walter Cunningham Jr. …show more content…
Some Maycomb residents build courage to avoid other outcomes. In order to avoid getting in trouble with Atticus, Jem goes to get his pants in the middle of the night from the fence by the Radley house, even though he knows that he could be killed by Nathan Radley. Scout makes this clear when she says, “Look, it ain’t worth it Jem. You’ll get your head shot off, Jem” (Lee 75). Jem does not want Atticus to be disappointed in him, so he builds courage to go into danger in order to avoid consequences. Jem Finch has done many courageous actions in the novel, and can be seen as a courageous character. At the jailhouse, the mob of men wants to lynch Tom Robinson and possibly hurt Atticus. Jem senses the danger Atticus is in and makes a courageous decision to disobey Atticus’ orders to go home, and the men do not hurt Tom or Atticus. Jem does this when he tells Atticus, “I ain’t going” (Lee 204). Jem is being courageous as he is just an adolescent, endangering himself in a dangerous situation with a group of grown men who could easily hurt him. In the novel, courage also motivates characters to do what they feel is right. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man, in a southern town of racist white people. He knows the town will be against him, but he still decides to do it. He