Harper Lee used characterisation to develop the understanding of discrimination in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee demonstrated discrimination by developing the character, Arthur “Boo” Radley who was discriminated against for being different. Many people in Maycomb County believed that Boo was a bad person. Boo was described as “dining on raw squirrels…with blood stained hands” through rumours Boo was thought to have a “…long jagged scar across his face.” The image of Boo and his life set by the rumors of Maycomb leaves an unfair opinion on Boo. Boo was not fully understood until the end of the novel. Lee also demonstrates discrimination with Scout being discriminated on based on her gender. Scout dresses in breeches, but Aunt Alexandra
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This sets the idea of how women were discriminated against in the 1930’s. Lee left the readers thinking about how gender discrimination is still present in today’s society. Scout formed a realization of the racism present in the 1930’s. Within class Scout understood how Jewish people were being treated wrongly, and realized that White Americans were also treating African-American’s in a very similar way. The rest of Maycomb were oblivious to the connections between the treatment of Jews and African-Americans. A statement made by Miss Gates “That’s the difference… we are a democracy and Germany is a dictatorship” left Scout confused. Lee used Miss Gates obliviousness to show how the mistreatment of African-Americans was wrong. Lee used characterisation to demonstrate discrimination through the use of Boo being different, Scout facing sexism and Scout discovering the connection between the mistreatment of Jew’s and …show more content…
Symbolism is the use of a symbol, in this case the Mockingbird, within the novel, to represent ideas and qualities such as discrimination. Tom Robinson was portrayed as a bad person, someone who committed a crime involving raping a young, white girl, Mayella Ewell. Tom was convicted of rape due to the colour of his skin, despite Atticus making the jury question his innocence he was still convicted. Tom represents a Mockingbird because he is innocent, he helped Mayella for years, Tom had a family of his own and was crippled, unable to have a fully functioning left arm. Tom tried to escape jail and was killed in the process. Mr. Underwood likened Tom’s death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds.” Tom was innocent, and Maycomb knew that but racism was a huge part of the 1930’s. African-American’s were thought of as sub-humans, and are mistreated. The use of Tom and his innocence made the reader grasp an understanding of how the justice system worked and the unfairness of Southern America. Boo is another symbol of a Mockingbird. Boo is innocent but is locked away inside of his home, he is robbed of the life he could have lived. Boo killed Bob Ewell protecting Jem and Scout, Sheriff Tate understood that Boo was trying to protect the children and respected his innocence and shyness, in a conversation with Atticus, Sheriff Tate referred to Atticus’s saying “To kill a Mockingbird is a sin” letting Atticus
This sets the idea of how women were discriminated against in the 1930’s. Lee left the readers thinking about how gender discrimination is still present in today’s society. Scout formed a realization of the racism present in the 1930’s. Within class Scout understood how Jewish people were being treated wrongly, and realized that White Americans were also treating African-American’s in a very similar way. The rest of Maycomb were oblivious to the connections between the treatment of Jews and African-Americans. A statement made by Miss Gates “That’s the difference… we are a democracy and Germany is a dictatorship” left Scout confused. Lee used Miss Gates obliviousness to show how the mistreatment of African-Americans was wrong. Lee used characterisation to demonstrate discrimination through the use of Boo being different, Scout facing sexism and Scout discovering the connection between the mistreatment of Jew’s and …show more content…
Symbolism is the use of a symbol, in this case the Mockingbird, within the novel, to represent ideas and qualities such as discrimination. Tom Robinson was portrayed as a bad person, someone who committed a crime involving raping a young, white girl, Mayella Ewell. Tom was convicted of rape due to the colour of his skin, despite Atticus making the jury question his innocence he was still convicted. Tom represents a Mockingbird because he is innocent, he helped Mayella for years, Tom had a family of his own and was crippled, unable to have a fully functioning left arm. Tom tried to escape jail and was killed in the process. Mr. Underwood likened Tom’s death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds.” Tom was innocent, and Maycomb knew that but racism was a huge part of the 1930’s. African-American’s were thought of as sub-humans, and are mistreated. The use of Tom and his innocence made the reader grasp an understanding of how the justice system worked and the unfairness of Southern America. Boo is another symbol of a Mockingbird. Boo is innocent but is locked away inside of his home, he is robbed of the life he could have lived. Boo killed Bob Ewell protecting Jem and Scout, Sheriff Tate understood that Boo was trying to protect the children and respected his innocence and shyness, in a conversation with Atticus, Sheriff Tate referred to Atticus’s saying “To kill a Mockingbird is a sin” letting Atticus