Throughout Harper Lee’s novel of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ life lesson and values are reflected to a very high extent throughout the entire novel. Such lessons and values of prejudice, racism and courage are portrayed to young Finch children and the reader through many different characters in the novel
In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, the life lesson of prejudice is portrayed to the reader to a high extent throughout the novel through the character of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, countless stories are told in Maycomb County through gossip about Boo Radley being a man to be feared. Young Jem and Scout believe in these stories as they are young, innocent and naive. Based on these stories and the gossip they hear, …show more content…
The children, especially Scout begins to understand that racism is present in Maycomb County. This lesson is shown to the reader through Tom Robinson’s court case of the rape of a young women, Mayella Ewell. Through Tom’s experience in the court case and in the events that follow the case, the reader is able to understand the racial discrimination Tom receives from the town of Maycomb County. As the court case unfolds, Scout’s innocence is lost as she experiences first hand the racism that the African-American people in her town are made to endure. In the situation of Scout talking to Dolphus Raymond, Lee uses the metaphor of “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.”. By Dolphus saying this to Scout, he is telling her that because of Tom’s race, he is immediately considered guilty of the rape of Mayella. The minute Mayella told her story that Tom had assaulted her, she was believed because she is white women while Tom is a black man. Dolphus’ conversation with Scout also makes it known to the reader as well as Scout that the people of Maycomb are not accepting of the black people or the white people that associate closely with them, like Dolphus Raymond. Dolphus tells Scout that he pretends to be a drunk so that people can justify why he spends so much time with the black people of Maycomb. …show more content…
the final life lesson and value that is reflected upon to a significant extent in Lee’s novel is courage. Atticus teaches the children in many different ways what true courage looks like. He tells the children through the metaphor of, “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand” that real courage is being able to stand up for what you believe is true and right, and to have the children reevaluate the ideas they have about physical courage. When Scout questions Atticus on why he took on Tom Robinson’s case even though he knew how the town would react, Atticus tells her “I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn 't try to help that man”. The meaning behind this is that Atticus feels that he would not be able to live with himself if he did not help Tom Robinson. He has to do what he feels is right to him, and not let what the majority think let dictate his life choices and morals. Miss Maudie says that through Atticus’ courage of defending Tom Robinson, “we’re paying him the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right.”. Miss Maudie agrees with what Atticus is doing for the innocent Tom Robinson, and trusts that Atticus will do right by Tom. Atticus does not care what others will think of him about defending Tom, he must follow his own morals and do what he believes is right. He explains this the Finch children as he believes it is very important that they
In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, the life lesson of prejudice is portrayed to the reader to a high extent throughout the novel through the character of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, countless stories are told in Maycomb County through gossip about Boo Radley being a man to be feared. Young Jem and Scout believe in these stories as they are young, innocent and naive. Based on these stories and the gossip they hear, …show more content…
The children, especially Scout begins to understand that racism is present in Maycomb County. This lesson is shown to the reader through Tom Robinson’s court case of the rape of a young women, Mayella Ewell. Through Tom’s experience in the court case and in the events that follow the case, the reader is able to understand the racial discrimination Tom receives from the town of Maycomb County. As the court case unfolds, Scout’s innocence is lost as she experiences first hand the racism that the African-American people in her town are made to endure. In the situation of Scout talking to Dolphus Raymond, Lee uses the metaphor of “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.”. By Dolphus saying this to Scout, he is telling her that because of Tom’s race, he is immediately considered guilty of the rape of Mayella. The minute Mayella told her story that Tom had assaulted her, she was believed because she is white women while Tom is a black man. Dolphus’ conversation with Scout also makes it known to the reader as well as Scout that the people of Maycomb are not accepting of the black people or the white people that associate closely with them, like Dolphus Raymond. Dolphus tells Scout that he pretends to be a drunk so that people can justify why he spends so much time with the black people of Maycomb. …show more content…
the final life lesson and value that is reflected upon to a significant extent in Lee’s novel is courage. Atticus teaches the children in many different ways what true courage looks like. He tells the children through the metaphor of, “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand” that real courage is being able to stand up for what you believe is true and right, and to have the children reevaluate the ideas they have about physical courage. When Scout questions Atticus on why he took on Tom Robinson’s case even though he knew how the town would react, Atticus tells her “I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn 't try to help that man”. The meaning behind this is that Atticus feels that he would not be able to live with himself if he did not help Tom Robinson. He has to do what he feels is right to him, and not let what the majority think let dictate his life choices and morals. Miss Maudie says that through Atticus’ courage of defending Tom Robinson, “we’re paying him the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right.”. Miss Maudie agrees with what Atticus is doing for the innocent Tom Robinson, and trusts that Atticus will do right by Tom. Atticus does not care what others will think of him about defending Tom, he must follow his own morals and do what he believes is right. He explains this the Finch children as he believes it is very important that they