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To Kill a Mockingbird in relation to JFK’s “Address on Civil Rights” morality and justice
Both To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and John F. Kennedy’s “Address on Civil Rights” convey the themes of morality and Justice through empathy and courage. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small, rural town in Alabama in the early 1930s told by the cherubic yet slightly rebellious Scout Finch years later than the book took place. The overall purpose is to tell how Jem-the narrator’s brother-broke his arm. At the time, there were many controversies about discrimination. The Civil Rights Movement had just started to appear in small doses, and people started to take action for what they believed in a little bit more than before. On the eleventh
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After school, Atticus-- smart, thoughtful-- and Scout are sitting on the porch swing, and Scout mentions Miss Caroline. She said that she doesn’t understand the people indigenous to or the county of Maycomb at all, and that Miss Caroline won’t let Scout read. Atticus says in reply, “First of all... if you can learn a little trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”(39 Lee). Harper Lee is trying to convey to readers that in order to know someone you need to be empathetic towards them, and the part about the walking around in their skin ties to JFK’s speech when he says to switch skins with someone and feel the discrimination that they feel. Kennedy indicates that this is true about empathy and compassion towards others when he says, “in short, he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place? Who among us would then be content with the counsels of patience and delay?” (n.p). Both Harper Lee, in the words of Atticus Finch and John F. Kennedy said similarly that empathy was necessary for people to understand what the people around them are going through, and in order to do so you need to stand in their shoes and see from their point 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.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird explores the concept of injustice and her readers are introduced to a society where the social hierarchy dominated acts of humanity. We are often put into situations where we witness member of society be inhumane to one another in order to fit into the community and to act selfishly to save yourself. Within the text, we are also commonly shown the racial discrimination that has become society’s norm. Because of the general acceptance of these behaviours, it is explicitly show to all that the major theme Lee is trying to portray is ‘Man’s inhumanity to man’.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, many notable themes arise, but the most prevalent theme is undeniably the theme of man’s inhumanity to man. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Scout Finch, who is naive and oblivious to the discrimination that occurs in Maycomb. However, through many events and through meeting many characters, we soon begin to realize that the world may not be so nice after all. Our suspicions are only confirmed once we witness the terrible injustices that occur during the trial.
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 essence, teaching them important life lessons, such as to make judgments carefully: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” (39). Atticus continuously counsels Jem and Scout to consider another’s perspective before making assumptions, because that is the only genuine way in which you come to know an individual. Ultimately, because Jem and Scout learn to understand the sinful nature of Bob Ewell, to appreciate the wisdom of Atticus, and come to recognize the selfless actions of Arthur “Boo” Radley, the children mature into more caring, sympathetic young people.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, illustrates the early twentieth century’s historical realities through the case between Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell. This certain case comes off as a no brainer for most of the townspeople, discerning a black man’s testimony against a white man’s. This is because of the majority of the town still in withholding of Jim Crow ideals. Nonetheless, hope was still had by Atticus Finch, who was the defenders attorney, and his family for victory seeming the plaintiff is a half crazy middle aged man, whom most of the town would rather not associate with. As Mr. Ewell had his testimony, on the other side of the hall Tom Robinson had his counterclaim ready to go against the odds. Jim Crow laws and the depression only
In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police.
In 1960, a novel was written to outline injustices and racism against those who were innocent, though unfairly judged because of social expectations and prejudiced beliefs. This novel not only presented these issues, but is also considered a revolutionary piece of literature, still being read by many people today, more than 50 years later. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has caused some controversy about the intents of the book and the way certain people or groups are presented. Whether To Kill a Mockingbird as a narrative outshines the issue it presents is a debatable argument. However, I believe that the narrative of the novel supports the concerns exhibited for numerous reasons. In what follows, some of these are presented: the historical
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, depicted the harsh reality and injustice of the government system during the 1960’s. The author, Harper Lee, conveyed a story of a southern lawyer who defends an innocent colored man, named Tom Robinson, whom was found guilty because of the pigment of his skin, even though there was crucial evidence that proved his innocence. Harper Lee’s literary phenomenon, To Kill a Mockingbird, was influenced and based on actual events during her childhood. In the novel, the author provides symbols, gothic motifs, and distinct characters to display her ideas of innocence, justice, and fairness during this time.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere(goodreads)” Martin Luther King Jr. brazenly states. The practice of inequality constantly endangers the practice of integrity. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, prejudice rules the hearts and minds of many characters. God equipped humans to make wise decisions, however the residents of Maycomb do not believe in using their minds accordingly. Hate and injustice blinds them from the obvious truth based on someone’s race, gender, or upbringing. Innocent people who have never created any trouble are judged harshly by strangers who do not know them. This kind of treatment results in hurt feelings, destruction of cheerful lives, and death. Unfortunately, Tom Robinson, Walter Cunningham,
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest” Ellie Wiesel. Readers may find the amount of injustice in Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird a little shocking. This could be why it’s such a popular book. People like the suspense of knowing someone’s right, but still being found guilty for something they did not do. There are many times throughout the book when people are powerless to prevent injustice but they still protest it. This shows that even when people unjustly punish there should always be someone to protest it. The theme of injustice is a common one in harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whether it be through racism, misinformation, or Arrogance.
Growing up in Maycomb, Southern Alabama in the 1930s was not an easy thing. Amid a town of prejudice and racism, stood a lone house where equality and respect for all gleamed like a shining star amid an empty space. The house of Atticus Finch was that shining star. Jean Louise Finch, also known as “Scout”, is given the opportunity of being raised in this house by her father, Atticus. I stole this essay from the net. As she grows, Atticus passes down his values of equality and righteousness to Scout and her brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, also known as “Jem”. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee, we see Scout learns many lessons about dealing with prejudice by observing the behavior of other characters in the story.
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and oppressive events that actually took place in the south during the time period in which the novel is based. In addition to actual historical events, events and examples from the book that clearly illustrate the overpoweringly high levels of prejudice that were intertwined in the everyday thinking of the majority of the characters in the book supports the fact that Tom Robinson never stood a chance of getting a fair trial.
He states, “Scout, you never really understand people until you consider things from their point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (39). This means how sometimes unless you are someone you can’t fully understand them and how they feeling and behaving. Atticus explains to Scout that caring about others will help Scout understand them more. It will help Scout further understand why something may be happening. Also, Miss Maudie also explains how the Mockingbirds in the trees help further understand life lessons. Miss Maudie states, “Mockingbirds don’t do nothing but make music for us to enjoy… they don’t do one thing but sing our hearts out for us” (119). This means how in life, people shouldn’t naturally hate someone or something. People need to be able to care and have empathy for others. People in the book become the characteristic of mockingbirds. For example, Boo Radley. Boo doesn’t do anything to annoy or harm people, but the children decide to
The classic novel, “To kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a captivating and profound novel that gives you an insight on racism in southern USA. The book has opened my eyes to the way humans are quick to judge and condemn each other based on their social class and race. The book offers a trip back to the 1930s where I can visualize the prejudice against African-Americans in Alabama. Throughout the book many passages and quotes stood out. The seven quotes I chose hold a heartfelt message of racism African-Americans face. They also represent the theme and symbols portrayed throughout the novel. From the many themes that occur in the novel, the one that stood out to me is racism towards African Americans.