Sirius Black once said, “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” Good and evil oppose the meanings of one another. Often in this world, people describe others by either all the positive qualities or by the negative qualities, forgetting that nothing in the world is perfect or completely imperfect. Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, uses numerous themes and symbols throughout the novel; however, none serve a stronger than the application of the co-existence of good and evil. The novel approaches this theme through Walter Cunningham, Tom Robinson’s trial, Scout’s school, Mrs. Dubose, and Jem’s exposure to the harsh reality of the evil within those around him.
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Cunningham was a friend of ours. You told me a long time ago he was,” asked Scout. “He still is,” replied Atticus. “But last night he want to hurt you.” Atticus placed his fork beside his knife and pushed his plate aside. “Mr. Cunningham’s basically a good man,” he said, “he just had blind spots along the rest of us (157).” The passage above between Scout and Atticus expresses how even the people who seem good, Mr. Cunningham, can contain evil within. He became involved in the emotions of the mob, which made him almost partake in an evil action and kill an innocent man. Sometimes others emotions and actions can spark the evil within. By the end of the novel, Walter Cunningham becomes a more tolerant and empathetic man. Jem becomes exposed to evil when Nathan Radley plugs the tree’s knothole with cement. He appears concerned and hurt as to why someone would take away a part of his happiness. Jem felt that in a way Nathan Radley tried to break the only connection between Boo and the children. Jem asked his father about the tree, “Is that tree dyin’?” “Why no, son, I don’t think so…,” replied …show more content…
Why?” “Well maybe it is. I’m sure Mr. Radley knows more about his trees than we do (63).” Scout even caught Jem crying over the tree. The closing of the knothole was perhaps the first time Jem realized that Maycomb was not a perfect town as he always perceived it as. The town has both good and bad qualities and people within it. Jem starts to understand that there is a lot more going on in Maycomb than what he sees on the outside. Tom Robinson’s trial accommodated between two opposing sides. One side of the trial, being the evil, is accusing an innocent black man of an appalling crime. While the good consists of Atticus defending a poor man for a crime he did not undertake. Tom Robinson is a black field hand accused of rape. Even Jem becomes victimized to an extent by his discovery of the evil of racism during and after Tom Robinson’s trial. It was Jem 's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. "It ain 't right," he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting. Atticus was standing under the street light looking as though nothing had happened: his vest was buttoned, his collar and tie were neatly in place, his watch-chain glistened, he was his impassive self
Cunningham was a friend of ours. You told me a long time ago he was,” asked Scout. “He still is,” replied Atticus. “But last night he want to hurt you.” Atticus placed his fork beside his knife and pushed his plate aside. “Mr. Cunningham’s basically a good man,” he said, “he just had blind spots along the rest of us (157).” The passage above between Scout and Atticus expresses how even the people who seem good, Mr. Cunningham, can contain evil within. He became involved in the emotions of the mob, which made him almost partake in an evil action and kill an innocent man. Sometimes others emotions and actions can spark the evil within. By the end of the novel, Walter Cunningham becomes a more tolerant and empathetic man. Jem becomes exposed to evil when Nathan Radley plugs the tree’s knothole with cement. He appears concerned and hurt as to why someone would take away a part of his happiness. Jem felt that in a way Nathan Radley tried to break the only connection between Boo and the children. Jem asked his father about the tree, “Is that tree dyin’?” “Why no, son, I don’t think so…,” replied …show more content…
Why?” “Well maybe it is. I’m sure Mr. Radley knows more about his trees than we do (63).” Scout even caught Jem crying over the tree. The closing of the knothole was perhaps the first time Jem realized that Maycomb was not a perfect town as he always perceived it as. The town has both good and bad qualities and people within it. Jem starts to understand that there is a lot more going on in Maycomb than what he sees on the outside. Tom Robinson’s trial accommodated between two opposing sides. One side of the trial, being the evil, is accusing an innocent black man of an appalling crime. While the good consists of Atticus defending a poor man for a crime he did not undertake. Tom Robinson is a black field hand accused of rape. Even Jem becomes victimized to an extent by his discovery of the evil of racism during and after Tom Robinson’s trial. It was Jem 's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. "It ain 't right," he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting. Atticus was standing under the street light looking as though nothing had happened: his vest was buttoned, his collar and tie were neatly in place, his watch-chain glistened, he was his impassive self