The Pledge of Allegiance states “with Liberty and Justice for all.” However in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” this is not the reality. The story takes place in the early 1930s in a prejudiced Southern town called Maycomb. Scout Finch is the daughter of Atticus, a lawyer, who stands for equality and justice for all. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an African-American person convicted of a rape, and stands up to protect him. Through the characters, Lee implies that when people grow up in a prejudiced environment when most everyone around them has a racist mentality, then they learn that the racism is the right way to think. Therefore, if they don’t think for themselves, then they become prejudiced. It’s a mentality full of flaws, but
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Lee implies that many people are prejudiced because they are influenced by those around them. Scout and Jem are afraid of a house in their neighborhood because of the rumours they hear about the resident that lives in that house, Boo Radley. Scout thinks that “Inside the house lived (lives) a malevolent phantom. People said (say) he existed, but Jem and I (Scout) had never seen him. People said (say) he went (goes) out at night when the moon was (is) down, and peeped (peeps) in windows” (9). Boo Radley’s situation proves that rumors are an extremely harmful form of prejudice. Lee uses “people said” to describe the people that are spreading rumors because Scout and Jem are being influenced by the things they hear from the other people in Maycomb. As a result of all of the rumors being spread around town, Boo is known by people for his evil reputation of causing trouble. Prejudice happens because of influences. An individual does whatever everyone else does. Fear is another cause of prejudice. It’s based on the fear of the unknown and differences. People assume with things that are scary or unknown, because what they can’t learn about they can’t learn. They don’t …show more content…
If parents are open-minded and against prejudice, then they can influence their children to be good citizens. Atticus influences his two children, Scout and Jem, by teaching them what is right and what is wrong. When Scout encounters Boo Radley, she offers to take Boo back to his house, because earlier, Boo Radley took Jem back home. She stands on his porch and looks around the neighborhood, which allows her to see the world from Boo Radley’s perspective. "Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough" (279). As Scout stands in Boo Radley’s place on the porch, she realizes how much she has matured as a person and how much she learns from her father, who’s one of her main influences. This shows that Atticus is a role model for his children because through his actions, he shows Scout and Jem what a good person would do in a corrupt society. As Scout and Jem start to grow up, they start taking away some of their father’s values, and as a result, they mature significantly. Because of Atticus setting a good example for Jem and Scout, they learn to tell right from wrong. Another example of this happens on Christmas Eve, when the Finch family gets together with Atticus 's brother Jack for Christmas dinner. Scout and her cousin Francis argue, and he tells Scout, “You 're mighty dumb sometimes,
Lee implies that many people are prejudiced because they are influenced by those around them. Scout and Jem are afraid of a house in their neighborhood because of the rumours they hear about the resident that lives in that house, Boo Radley. Scout thinks that “Inside the house lived (lives) a malevolent phantom. People said (say) he existed, but Jem and I (Scout) had never seen him. People said (say) he went (goes) out at night when the moon was (is) down, and peeped (peeps) in windows” (9). Boo Radley’s situation proves that rumors are an extremely harmful form of prejudice. Lee uses “people said” to describe the people that are spreading rumors because Scout and Jem are being influenced by the things they hear from the other people in Maycomb. As a result of all of the rumors being spread around town, Boo is known by people for his evil reputation of causing trouble. Prejudice happens because of influences. An individual does whatever everyone else does. Fear is another cause of prejudice. It’s based on the fear of the unknown and differences. People assume with things that are scary or unknown, because what they can’t learn about they can’t learn. They don’t …show more content…
If parents are open-minded and against prejudice, then they can influence their children to be good citizens. Atticus influences his two children, Scout and Jem, by teaching them what is right and what is wrong. When Scout encounters Boo Radley, she offers to take Boo back to his house, because earlier, Boo Radley took Jem back home. She stands on his porch and looks around the neighborhood, which allows her to see the world from Boo Radley’s perspective. "Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough" (279). As Scout stands in Boo Radley’s place on the porch, she realizes how much she has matured as a person and how much she learns from her father, who’s one of her main influences. This shows that Atticus is a role model for his children because through his actions, he shows Scout and Jem what a good person would do in a corrupt society. As Scout and Jem start to grow up, they start taking away some of their father’s values, and as a result, they mature significantly. Because of Atticus setting a good example for Jem and Scout, they learn to tell right from wrong. Another example of this happens on Christmas Eve, when the Finch family gets together with Atticus 's brother Jack for Christmas dinner. Scout and her cousin Francis argue, and he tells Scout, “You 're mighty dumb sometimes,