To Kill a Mockingbird Final Literary Analysis
Ignorance is a beautiful thing, not knowing means not worrying. Little children are ignorant, they know nothing therefore they worry about nothing. To Kill a Mockingbird features a few characters who are beautifully ignorant. In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses ignorance to expose the social flaws of Maycomb including gender roles, racism, and the instinctual rush to judgment.
Maycomb is a traditional southern town that strongly believes in ideals from the olden days. This is especially seen in Aunt Alexandra who is pushing Scout to act more ladylike, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when is said I could do …show more content…
Atticus addresses this flaw in his closing argument of the Tom’s trial, “‘Confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber’” (Lee 204). Atticus is the opposite of ignorant, he is very aware of the racial discrimination in Maycomb. He attempts to fight racism by defending Tom and fighting against the social flaws in Maycomb. Similarly, Atticus fights this major social issue by teaching his children to be aware, not ignorant, of social problems in Maycomb. He always believes in telling the children the truth to prevent them from being unknowledgeable. Atticus demonstrates this belief in this quote, “‘Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake” (Lee 87). Atticus is one of the few characters in Maycomb who isn’t racially ignorant, but is well-informed of Maycomb’s society. Lee uses Atticus’ character to contrast the racists of …show more content…
The people of Maycomb are harsh and rush to judge others based on their standing in the social system of the town. Scout is guilty of rushing to judging others exemplified by this quote, “Thus the dicta No Crawford Minds His Own Business, Every Third Merriweather is Morbid, The Truth Is Not in the Delafields, All the Bufords Walk Like That, were simple guides to daily living” (130). Scout is young and ignorant enough to believe in this caste system and accepts it without any thought. Through Scout’s ignorance, Lee uncovers this major fault of Maycomb. Conversely, Calpurnia rejects the caste system illustrated by this quote, “‘He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham- Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody who sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em-if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!” (24). Calpurnia argues against the caste system, in doing so also argues against Scout’s ignorance and her willingness to accept the social system without
Ignorance is a beautiful thing, not knowing means not worrying. Little children are ignorant, they know nothing therefore they worry about nothing. To Kill a Mockingbird features a few characters who are beautifully ignorant. In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses ignorance to expose the social flaws of Maycomb including gender roles, racism, and the instinctual rush to judgment.
Maycomb is a traditional southern town that strongly believes in ideals from the olden days. This is especially seen in Aunt Alexandra who is pushing Scout to act more ladylike, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when is said I could do …show more content…
Atticus addresses this flaw in his closing argument of the Tom’s trial, “‘Confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber’” (Lee 204). Atticus is the opposite of ignorant, he is very aware of the racial discrimination in Maycomb. He attempts to fight racism by defending Tom and fighting against the social flaws in Maycomb. Similarly, Atticus fights this major social issue by teaching his children to be aware, not ignorant, of social problems in Maycomb. He always believes in telling the children the truth to prevent them from being unknowledgeable. Atticus demonstrates this belief in this quote, “‘Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake” (Lee 87). Atticus is one of the few characters in Maycomb who isn’t racially ignorant, but is well-informed of Maycomb’s society. Lee uses Atticus’ character to contrast the racists of …show more content…
The people of Maycomb are harsh and rush to judge others based on their standing in the social system of the town. Scout is guilty of rushing to judging others exemplified by this quote, “Thus the dicta No Crawford Minds His Own Business, Every Third Merriweather is Morbid, The Truth Is Not in the Delafields, All the Bufords Walk Like That, were simple guides to daily living” (130). Scout is young and ignorant enough to believe in this caste system and accepts it without any thought. Through Scout’s ignorance, Lee uncovers this major fault of Maycomb. Conversely, Calpurnia rejects the caste system illustrated by this quote, “‘He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham- Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody who sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em-if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!” (24). Calpurnia argues against the caste system, in doing so also argues against Scout’s ignorance and her willingness to accept the social system without