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Throughout history, it has been demonstrated that there are many ways to define hope and what hopelessness entails. The insightful novel To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee examines the disparity that is thrust upon several minor characters in the small southern town of Maycomb. The hopelessness within Maycomb is used by Atticus, who stands as the voice of reason, ultimately allowing readers to grasp the lesson of empathy implemented throughout the novel. Lee uses Scout and Jem to show segregation through the minor characters, cultural differences, and strict laws. This novel takes place during the depression-era where the moral and ethical principles that teachers and parents abide by and teach, are not defined. This is evident through …show more content…
Within this time period, Jim Crow laws are those of which were implemented throughout the land and citizens were forced to follow. These laws were in place to ensure “separate but equal” public facilities for both the black and white people. Although there are few specific examples of these laws within the novel, Jem and Scout are astonished when they physically witness the immense effect that skin colour contributes to Tom Robinson's verdict in the courtroom. "In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life," (243) Atticus informs his children regarding the situation upheld, as they are horrified by the outcome. When Atticus explains this, the children are upset but, he gives them more insight into the situation. He makes clear to them that even though it may seem wrong, it is how the current society works and one must not be held back by their attachment to what they believe is wrong or upsetting. The children’s horror can be explained as they do not fully comprehend the degree to which whites stand above blacks. Atticus tries to eliminate this and works to cope with the lack of hope that society has thrown upon …show more content…
To begin, Tom Robinson is a black man whose voice goes unnoticed and ignored. His situation is uncontrollable and hopeless. This is specifically displayed within the walls of the courtroom. Although Atticus prepares a strong case to defend him, he stands with no chance and the man on the stand (Judge Taylor) understands this. When the judgment is confirmed to Tom he is devastated. He loses all hope that he previously had gained in Atticus and the justice system. The invisible man is convicted of a crime he did not commit and knows the colour of his skin was a deciding factor. Atticus promises Tom an appeal in the future, but Tom cannot see how the court can come to any different conclusion. A short time later, when Atticus delivers the news that Tom has tried to escape prison and in turn was shot and killed, he gives context to the situation when saying “I guess Tom was tired of white men’s chances and preferred to take his own” (235-236). Atticus is determined to control a circumstance which is uncontrollable and as a result, he loses faith in the justice system and in Maycomb. He uses his vast knowledge of the justice system and faith in the Judge to let the town have an ounce of control. This control is valuable and misused, causing the man whose life was on the line to perish. All of those individuals around Atticus felt the effects of
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around it.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
The way in which humans come to be understanding, compassionate individuals is a process demonstrated constantly throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, a famous novel written by Harper Lee, taking place in the 1930’s during the Great Depression in Maycomb County, Alabama. The story is told from the young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s perspective, and tracks the development of her and her older brother Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch, from innocent to understanding. The negative influences which Jem and Scout experience, including the racially charged case of Tom Robinson, lead the children to have a new, more experienced perspective on human nature. People like Atticus Finch, Jem and Scout’s father, help the children to make sense of this part of human
The Jim Crow laws enforce the fact that segregation and racism is right, and that is how things should be. But, some of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird go against racism and segregation, teaching the readers a lesson that everyone should be treated fairly, no matter their race. Atticus, Jem and Scout are three of the greatest examples of going against racism, and the Jim Crow laws. To Kill a Mockingbird allows people to get an idea of both sides of segregation and racism, and the Finch family set off an example that should be followed in the way black people should be treated.
The first connection to America's actual history is the presents of Jim crow Laws in To Kill a Mockingbird. The Jim Crow laws were the laws separating black people from white people. The objective of the Jim Crow laws were mostly to keep whites in a more powerful position than any other race, so they tried to make the black people less than the white people. According to “Pilgrim” the most common punishment of breaking a Jim Crow law is lynching even though it is not part of the legal system. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird there are many cases of the Jim Crow laws in effect. In the book there are not any black kids in Scouts class and Toms kids do not go to school. On page 219 when the kids go to the trial they sit up in the black section
The first historical influence in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird is the era of the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow was a series of laws that segregated Blacks from Whites (Pilgrim). Jim Crow was an anti-Black, racist “way of life” in the south between 1877 and the “mid-1960s” (Pilgrim). An example of a law is that Blacks had to at all times use courtesy titles for Whites, such as Mrs., Sir, Miss, Mr., or Ma’am, but Whites never had to use those titles for Blacks (Pilgrim). There are a couple of reasons leading to as why these laws would happen. For example, many religious leaders, such as Christian ministers told people that Whites were the “Chosen people”, that Blacks were meant to be servants, and that “God supported racial segregation” (Pilgrim).
Today, blacks are beaten down by the sense of racial injustices continually even though some feel it should be stopped. In chapter 20, Atticus says during his speech, “That all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women”(273). This quote directly hurts the African American community themselves in the sense that he says “all.” Jim crow would agree with this, confirming the inferiority of the blacks. Although, Atticus himself doesn’t believe this, he says it during the trial to furthermore elaborate on the innocence of Tom Robinson. According to PBS.com, “The (Jim Crow) laws affected almost every aspect of daily life, mandating segregation of schools, parks, libraries, drinking fountains, restrooms, buses, trains, and restaurants”(Freedom Riders). The daily life referred to in the quote above talks about today, everyday, and life in the 1930’s. The facilities that blacks were forced to use was worse, compared to those of the whites. The laws said “separate but equal treatment”, but apparently didn’t do so. Everywhere you go, you are moved by the racism seen and heard, because of the Jim Crow Laws of the 1930’s. In chapter 9, a conversation between Scout and Atticus start her (Scout’s) first experience of racism, “Do you defend niggers, Atticus?”I asked him that evening. “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger Scout. That’s common. “‘S what everybody at school says”(85(different book)). Scout goes to school and even in kindergarten, kids already discriminate those for their race. Cecil Jacobs picks on Scout only because Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. When people go to school everyday, they hear plenty of racist remarks and comments, but for some reason, nothing has been done to protect the rights of others. This racism has gone too far, and somehow, no one has done
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story of hope. It is learnt that hope is always there. Without a doubt it is a story of hope. Atticus is the positive character, who believes in the good of everything. He brings hope into the story and tries to pass it on to others, especially to his children. No matter how hard life becomes Atticus does not give up. The Finch family becomes hopeful, as Atticus educates the children to accept everyone. Scout and Jem discover hope throughout the novel, from their father, Atticus teaching it to them. Hope comes in many different forms in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The cruelty of Maycomb, when being racist and prejudice, gives hope for an equal and fair future. It is present throughout the book, but is discovered by Scout and Jem in the end. To an immense extent, To Kill a Mockingbird is a story of hope.
Jim Crow Laws: they’re long gone, right? No, not entirely. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, these oppressive laws are prevalent and a fact of life for the black community. The purpose of the system, in theory, was to create “separate but equal” treatment between black and white civilians.
Tom Robinson was just a “respectable negro” with a kind nature who was accused in absence of wrong. Mr Robinson is immediately seen as an enemy by most in town of Maycomb. Is it because of his malicious personality? Is it because of his hair colour? Is it because he is arrogant? No, all of these are false he is instantly convicted because he is of a different ethnicity. It seems foolish but this is the reason why Maycomb has discarded a man who is of higher quality than the majority of the town. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella opened her mouth and screamed.” As soon as the trial began Tom’s opportunity for victory grew slimmer and slimmer and Maycomb knew that Atticus was fighting an unwinnable battle. But Atticus was determined to defend the ‘ultimate mockingbird’ right up until the end; even after the court case Atticus defends Tom at the jail. A final act of Tom’s innocence to prove his mockingbird status was whilst in court, he still didn’t want to accuse Mayella because “she seemed...
Scout lives in Maycomb County where she has to discover the unfair realities of society alongside prejudice people and some honest, accepting, and compassionate people. Her father, Atticus, is a lawyer who teaches her life lessons to help her understand different perspectives. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how people’s ignorance results in prejudice against others and can only be stopped through understanding and compassion. Lee exemplifies the ignorant people in a society and their effect on others using the people in Maycomb County.
Tom Robinson’s trial, and in fact his entire life, was badly affected by racism. It is truly a testament to the corruption of society when a person who has earned a bad reputation is held in higher esteem than a person who was born with it, as is the case with Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson. Even though Tom was obviously honest in his testament, the jury sided with Bob Ewell because he was white. They made this decision despite the fact that the Ewell family was widely known to be a worthless part of society. Jem, not being racially prejudiced, could not understand this mentality. As Atticus pointed out, “If you (Jem) had been on the jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man.”
...no wind blowing, and tree trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp and toast, moved across the porch towards Jem.” (Lee 71). Harper Lee gives vivid detail to make it seem as if we are in the position of Scout and Jem this keeps readers entertained and engaged in further reading. This book didn’t have too many weaknesses, but it makes you feel bad for the way blacks were treated in that time especially the law being unfair and unjustified, or how they treat them without a say and they have no trust in there word for example of the Tom Robinson case there wasn’t substantial evidence for him to be accused of rape, but because he was black they take the white man’s word over a blacks and Bob Ewell wins the case. This novel is somewhat like today in modern world there is still racism, poverty, and occasionally unfair justice.