Said best by Ernest Hemingway, “All things truly wicked start from innocence.” (A Moveable Feast), everything was not born evil but as naive and innocent children. Some humans live their entire life in a blissful state of peace while others are morphed into iniquitous beings. Yet, something or someone must have corrupted these lost souls. Some might say they were born wicked, while others believe childhood can set a person up for an immoral life. Harper Lee, in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, uses the symbol of a mockingbird to highlight her opinion that evil hearts ruin magnanimous people through Tom Robinson’s death at the hands of the Ewells, Dolphus Raymond’s bigoted interactions with the town, and Boo Radley’s protection by Finch’s and
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Dolphus Raymond was considered crazy because he married an African American women and had mixed children with her. On his few visits to town, he carries a brown paper bag with a bottle of coke in it. The town assumes it is whiskey and jump to the conclusion his recluse and peculiar lifestyle is caused by his drinking. This couldn't be far from the truth. Dolphus knows the town isn’t ready for intermarriage between races and could not accept his actions without a scapegoat. He choses to have the reputation of being a drunk to protect his family and the town, “I try to give 'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskey--that's why he won't change his ways... that's why he lives the way he does” (268). The town shuns him but Dolphus would rather his reputation be ruined than the town attack his children. Dolphus isn’t just considerate towards the town’s xenophobic views but towards Scout, Jem, and Dill. He let's them in on his secret; “Dill released the straws and grinned. "Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola”(267). He gives the children insight into the relations between whites and blacks when he states “the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too” (269). This unbiased and authentic view …show more content…
Mockingbirds are those who give up their happiness for the greater good. Their actions may or might not be recognized. They are the silent angels in our world and if humans are not careful they will slowly be killed off by the large majority of terrible people in the world who only care about themselves. Then there would have no light in the dreary and dark
Dolphus Raymond was considered crazy because he married an African American women and had mixed children with her. On his few visits to town, he carries a brown paper bag with a bottle of coke in it. The town assumes it is whiskey and jump to the conclusion his recluse and peculiar lifestyle is caused by his drinking. This couldn't be far from the truth. Dolphus knows the town isn’t ready for intermarriage between races and could not accept his actions without a scapegoat. He choses to have the reputation of being a drunk to protect his family and the town, “I try to give 'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskey--that's why he won't change his ways... that's why he lives the way he does” (268). The town shuns him but Dolphus would rather his reputation be ruined than the town attack his children. Dolphus isn’t just considerate towards the town’s xenophobic views but towards Scout, Jem, and Dill. He let's them in on his secret; “Dill released the straws and grinned. "Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola”(267). He gives the children insight into the relations between whites and blacks when he states “the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too” (269). This unbiased and authentic view …show more content…
Mockingbirds are those who give up their happiness for the greater good. Their actions may or might not be recognized. They are the silent angels in our world and if humans are not careful they will slowly be killed off by the large majority of terrible people in the world who only care about themselves. Then there would have no light in the dreary and dark