To Kill a Mockingbird and Night are two beautiful, classic and brilliantly written novels that address the multiple forms and dynamics of social issues within society. Both novels are told in the perspectives is of young children, who are quickly exposed to the harsh realities and evils of the world. Night, by Elie Wiesel follows the horrific events and experiences of a young, Jewish Elie in nineteen forties Europe; as he attempts to survive the harsh environment of the concentration camps spawned during World War II. Meanwhile, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, tells the stories of a six-year-old Scout Finch, who grows up trying to make sense of and becoming exposed to the prejudicial culture of nineteen thirties Maycomb, Alabama. Although
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By definition, racism is the “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior” (Oxford Dictionary 1) In the novel Night, racism is shown through the physical, psychological and emotional persecution of the Jewish people. Hitler, the leader of Germany at the time, had brainwashed the country into believing that all Jewish people were impure and scum. Thus, resulting in national genocide and discrimination of the Jews through the concentration camps and Holocaust. A young Jewish boy at the time, Elie Wiesel, is able to vividly recall his own experiences of racism throughout his time in Germany through the telling of his novel. As he once said, “It is obvious that the war which Hitler and his accomplices waged was a war not only against Jewish men, women, and children but also against Jewish religion, Jewish culture, Jewish tradition, therefore Jewish memory.” (Wiesel VIII) Comparably, in To Kill A Mockingbird, the effects of racism are shown when the innocent, hardworking, African-American, Tom Robinson is wrongfully accused, tried and prosecuted for rape by an all-white jury. Thus, this portrayed the conditioned attitude and racism toward those of African-American descent within Maycomb, Alabama at the time. Hence, Night and To Kill A Mockingbird both …show more content…
As a pair, the novels both expose the juvenile main characters to the wickedness and wrongdoings of the world at their young and vulnerable age. Accordingly, this quickly changes their perspectives on society, causing them to regretfully lose the adolescent innocence that they once possessed. Within Night, Elie’s childhood innocence is lost through the horrendous and inhumane events he experiences within the concentration camps. Evidence of this loss of childhood and dehumanizing effect can be seen as Ellie recites his speech “Never Shall I Forget”. This speech summarizes the detrimental physical, emotional, and psychological effects of the camps that have been branded within his conscious and robbed him of his childhood. As Elie says, “Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself.” (Wiesel XIX) Meanwhile, in TKAMB, the loss of childhood innocence is seen through Scout’s perspective as he is exposed to the corruption and vileness of racism and prejudice in Maycomb. Specifically, the Tom Robinson trial, in which both Scout and Jem come to realize the wrongful power of racism as Tom is wrongfully sentenced by the white jury. An example of this loss of innocence and exposure
By definition, racism is the “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior” (Oxford Dictionary 1) In the novel Night, racism is shown through the physical, psychological and emotional persecution of the Jewish people. Hitler, the leader of Germany at the time, had brainwashed the country into believing that all Jewish people were impure and scum. Thus, resulting in national genocide and discrimination of the Jews through the concentration camps and Holocaust. A young Jewish boy at the time, Elie Wiesel, is able to vividly recall his own experiences of racism throughout his time in Germany through the telling of his novel. As he once said, “It is obvious that the war which Hitler and his accomplices waged was a war not only against Jewish men, women, and children but also against Jewish religion, Jewish culture, Jewish tradition, therefore Jewish memory.” (Wiesel VIII) Comparably, in To Kill A Mockingbird, the effects of racism are shown when the innocent, hardworking, African-American, Tom Robinson is wrongfully accused, tried and prosecuted for rape by an all-white jury. Thus, this portrayed the conditioned attitude and racism toward those of African-American descent within Maycomb, Alabama at the time. Hence, Night and To Kill A Mockingbird both …show more content…
As a pair, the novels both expose the juvenile main characters to the wickedness and wrongdoings of the world at their young and vulnerable age. Accordingly, this quickly changes their perspectives on society, causing them to regretfully lose the adolescent innocence that they once possessed. Within Night, Elie’s childhood innocence is lost through the horrendous and inhumane events he experiences within the concentration camps. Evidence of this loss of childhood and dehumanizing effect can be seen as Ellie recites his speech “Never Shall I Forget”. This speech summarizes the detrimental physical, emotional, and psychological effects of the camps that have been branded within his conscious and robbed him of his childhood. As Elie says, “Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself.” (Wiesel XIX) Meanwhile, in TKAMB, the loss of childhood innocence is seen through Scout’s perspective as he is exposed to the corruption and vileness of racism and prejudice in Maycomb. Specifically, the Tom Robinson trial, in which both Scout and Jem come to realize the wrongful power of racism as Tom is wrongfully sentenced by the white jury. An example of this loss of innocence and exposure