Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Johnson explains that the children soon desire to meet Arthur by saying “as the children learn, it takes a strong mind and a big heart to come to love Boo Radley, of whom they are at first so terrified” (Johnson 2). In the end, Scout gets to meet Arthur and speaks to him without a problem. The kids soon embrace the thought of Boo after learning about the town’s prejudice towards him, but he is not the only victim of prejudice. Scout and Jem live in a southern town that changes their viewpoint on the treatment that ordinary people receive. Johnson explains his analyzation of how “during the course of the novel, the children pass from innocence to knowledge” (Johnson 2). The Kids witness many occasions that racism is present. Their innocent …show more content…

Bernard describes one of Mayella’s struggles when he writes, “when he returns, she must endure his abuse day after day” (Bernard 62). Mayella not only must tolerate the disrespect from the outside world, but also from her father. Her father should be one the most compassionate people towards her but instead he abuses her. This causes Mayella to feel powerless. Bernard proves this by saying, “like her father, Mayella realizes that one of her few opportunities for power in society is to abuse a black man” (Bernard 62). Her father is so relentless towards her, that it makes her violent towards other people. With Mayella’s father and society showing her so much disrespect, that when someone actually gives her respect, she thinks it is a mockery. During the court case, Atticus calls Mayella ma’am and she responds with, ‘long’s he keeps on callin’ [her] ma’am an sayin’ Miss Mayella. [She] [doesn’t] hafta take his sass” (Lee 243). She considers his politeness sass because she does not believe someone in Macomb County will give her the respect she deserves. Mayella not only struggles with disrespectfulness from people but also her appearance towards others. Scout elaborates on this by saying, “Mayella [looks] as she [tries] to keep clean” (Lee 239). Mayella makes an attempt of looking clean but while living in poverty, it is very hard for her to do. Scout also describes her as, “somehow

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