Theme Of Mentoring In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the reader that parenting and mentoring from the community during childhood are important aspects in building the character of an individual. Throughout the novel, Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, provides invaluable advice to his children. In subtle ways, he conveys respectful insights about others and the world, which help to mold Scout and Jem into the people they are. These insights, including opinions on racism, acceptance, and judging others, prove most useful during the time of the trial as the children are taunted and bombarded with invectives about subjects they seem too young to face, let alone understand. When Atticus defends Tom Robinson in the trial, despite objections from …show more content…
Furthermore, the Finches’ neighbors help with the upbringing of the children too. There is an old African saying that it “takes a village to raise a child,” a perception that Miss Maudie references that could not be truer for Scout and Jem, as the entire town of Maycomb, Alabama, seems to influence them in some way. For example, when Calpurnia brings Scout, Jem, and Dill to her church, they are exposed to racism through the hostility of some toward them, as well as through the lack of hymn books and money altogether in the black community, which surprises the children. Arthur “Boo” Radley represents an unknown, ghostly presence to Scout and Jem because they have not “climb[ed] into his skin and walk[ed] around in it,” as Atticus often emphasizes is necessary in order to know a person (30). Likewise, as Mrs. Dubose speaks harshly to Scout and Jem, hate ignites within them, but they are unaware of what she is going through until Atticus makes Jem read to her and Scout follows, where they discover that Mrs. Dubose is a recovering morphine