Two Stories of Prejudice Prejudice: preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story of prejudice which takes place during the Great Depression in the Maycomb County, Alabama. The story is told from the perception of an intelligent, 6 year old girl named Jean “Scout” Finch. A film named The Help, is another story of prejudice, it takes place during the Civil Rights movement in Jackson, Mississippi and focuses on an outspoken, young woman named Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan. While there many differences between these two stories they become very distinct when discussing the maturity of some characters which creates a rift between them. However, these two are stories are
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Jeremy “Jem” Finch, Scout’s older brother, loses his innocence when Tom Robinson is declared guilty by the jury and yells at Scout for mentioning the case as he shouts “I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me? You hear me? Don’t you ever say one word to me about it again, you hear? Now go on!” (Lee 247). Jem is so confident that Atticus has proven Tom innocent that he becomes confused and furious when the jury declares Tom guilty. Due to this ruling Jem finally comes to the realization of how racist Maycomb is and loses the innocence that he had for so long of Maycomb being a fair and equal place for everyone. Jem’s level of maturity differs from Skeeter’s level as seen in The Help. Throughout the movie Skeeter helps and supports African-Americans, realizing that her society is racist as she explains to Elain Stein, Skeeter’s publisher, “I’d like to write something from the point of view of the help. These colored women raise white children, and in twenty years those children become the boss. We love them and they love us, but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses. Don’t you find that ironic, Miss Stein?” (Taylor The Help) . Skeeter knows that the way her society treats the African-American maids is wrong and because of that she is encouraged to help the disrespected women. Skeeter, due to her high level of maturity and the realization of prejudice in her society, has never once shown a loss of innocence throughout The Help . Jem and Skeeter are completely different age groups and due to that Jem still has a lot to learn before he can have the same amount of maturity Skeeter has
Jeremy “Jem” Finch, Scout’s older brother, loses his innocence when Tom Robinson is declared guilty by the jury and yells at Scout for mentioning the case as he shouts “I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me? You hear me? Don’t you ever say one word to me about it again, you hear? Now go on!” (Lee 247). Jem is so confident that Atticus has proven Tom innocent that he becomes confused and furious when the jury declares Tom guilty. Due to this ruling Jem finally comes to the realization of how racist Maycomb is and loses the innocence that he had for so long of Maycomb being a fair and equal place for everyone. Jem’s level of maturity differs from Skeeter’s level as seen in The Help. Throughout the movie Skeeter helps and supports African-Americans, realizing that her society is racist as she explains to Elain Stein, Skeeter’s publisher, “I’d like to write something from the point of view of the help. These colored women raise white children, and in twenty years those children become the boss. We love them and they love us, but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses. Don’t you find that ironic, Miss Stein?” (Taylor The Help) . Skeeter knows that the way her society treats the African-American maids is wrong and because of that she is encouraged to help the disrespected women. Skeeter, due to her high level of maturity and the realization of prejudice in her society, has never once shown a loss of innocence throughout The Help . Jem and Skeeter are completely different age groups and due to that Jem still has a lot to learn before he can have the same amount of maturity Skeeter has