In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we see social injustice everywhere. To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of a lawyer and his children fighting discrimination and inequality, like how Atticus defends Tom Robinson. To Kill a Mockingbird teaches us that prejudice can affect other people’s lives drastically.
For example, Aunt Alexandra tries to explain Maycomb by classifying each family by a certain trait. For example, a girl laughing in church choir would show that “...all Penfield women are flighty.” (Lee 172) She would then go on to explain other family’s peculiar behaviour by these streaks. “Miss Maudie Atkinson's shoulders stroop because she was a Buford; if Mrs. Grace Merriweather sips gin out of Lydia E. Pinkham bottles it’s nothing unusual…” (Lee 173) She also tries to use her classifications to say that the Finches are superior, like if a family name was a brand that determined your qualities. She uses the Finch family name as a way to get Scout to behave the way she wants. Other families also have these same biases, as they say “Yonder some Finches” when the Finches walked by. This is important because it shows that there are biases against other families to make their family seem superior.
Another example of prejudice in Maycomb is against the poor. For example, the Ewell’s are described as “...the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations.” (Lee 40), and the Cunningham’s are described as “...trash” (Lee 301) because they are poor. This doesn’t describe their entire family, as is evident by Mayella …show more content…
When people discriminate against others, they can impact people’s lives in a huge way, which is why Atticus always stresses the point of walking around in other people’s shoes, because it prevents discrimination and social
For example, Aunt Alexandra tries to explain Maycomb by classifying each family by a certain trait. For example, a girl laughing in church choir would show that “...all Penfield women are flighty.” (Lee 172) She would then go on to explain other family’s peculiar behaviour by these streaks. “Miss Maudie Atkinson's shoulders stroop because she was a Buford; if Mrs. Grace Merriweather sips gin out of Lydia E. Pinkham bottles it’s nothing unusual…” (Lee 173) She also tries to use her classifications to say that the Finches are superior, like if a family name was a brand that determined your qualities. She uses the Finch family name as a way to get Scout to behave the way she wants. Other families also have these same biases, as they say “Yonder some Finches” when the Finches walked by. This is important because it shows that there are biases against other families to make their family seem superior.
Another example of prejudice in Maycomb is against the poor. For example, the Ewell’s are described as “...the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations.” (Lee 40), and the Cunningham’s are described as “...trash” (Lee 301) because they are poor. This doesn’t describe their entire family, as is evident by Mayella …show more content…
When people discriminate against others, they can impact people’s lives in a huge way, which is why Atticus always stresses the point of walking around in other people’s shoes, because it prevents discrimination and social