The books Monster by Walter Dean Myers, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Lord of the Files by William Golding, all have different plots, characters, and settings that correlate to each novel. However, the theme that ties the three novels together is injustice. Whether injustice is shown through name-calling or an unfair jail sentence, the act is perfectly manifested through three characters in their respective novels. The three characters that injustice is presented to are Steve, Tom Robinson, and Piggy.
The first character that the theme of injustice correlates with is Steve from the novel Monster. Although he is suspected of committing the crime of felony murder, hypothetically, Steve is to be entitled of the right of being innocent until proven guilty. This just behavior is meant to be a basic human right granted to all people. However, this is not the case for Steve, since he is already seen as guilty to the jury. “Half of these jurors, no matter what they said when we picked the jury believed you were guilty the moment they laid eyes on you” (Myers 78). Even before the case started, the jurors already …show more content…
Like Steve, Tom Robinson is also on trial, but for sexual harassment towards Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. While the evidence presented against Tom Robinson was weak and his innocence was obvious, he was still seen as guilty. In the same way as Steve, he was seen as guilty due to the stereotypes that perfectly matched him. He was a young black man who lived in the state of Alabama in the 1930s. Injustice was very common at this time and place concerning black people, especially towards young black men. As a result, he was automatically seen as guilty among the jury, even before any evidence was presented. “…in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (Lee
The first character that the theme of injustice correlates with is Steve from the novel Monster. Although he is suspected of committing the crime of felony murder, hypothetically, Steve is to be entitled of the right of being innocent until proven guilty. This just behavior is meant to be a basic human right granted to all people. However, this is not the case for Steve, since he is already seen as guilty to the jury. “Half of these jurors, no matter what they said when we picked the jury believed you were guilty the moment they laid eyes on you” (Myers 78). Even before the case started, the jurors already …show more content…
Like Steve, Tom Robinson is also on trial, but for sexual harassment towards Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. While the evidence presented against Tom Robinson was weak and his innocence was obvious, he was still seen as guilty. In the same way as Steve, he was seen as guilty due to the stereotypes that perfectly matched him. He was a young black man who lived in the state of Alabama in the 1930s. Injustice was very common at this time and place concerning black people, especially towards young black men. As a result, he was automatically seen as guilty among the jury, even before any evidence was presented. “…in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (Lee