Racism and prejudice bring nothing but misery and suffering for both blacks and whites. To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, is a fictional story that tells of two children living in the 1930’s during racism and discrimination. When Jem has to read to Mrs. Dubose in Chapter 11, Jem learns from the negativity of Mrs. Dubose that maturity involves rising above in difficult situations. As Mrs Dubose expresses derogative opinions about Atticus, Jem must remind himself not let her get in his head. Jem’s father, Atticus, tells Jem that he needs to hold his “head high and be a gentleman“ (100). There are always disrespectful and ignorant people in the world that try to tear others down, but it's up to us not to give in to hate.
