To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

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Recommended: HOW Harper Lee presents racism in to kill a mocking bird

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a Maycomb County, a Southern community in Alabama. The story is based in the poverty stricken time of the 1930's, where most of Maycomb's populace was still suffering from the Great Depression. To Kill a Mockingbird, is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise, ( better known as Scout), when she was aged six to eight. She and her brother Jem were the only children of a widower Atticus Finch, a respected gentlemen, who was one of Maycomb County's few attorneys. However, although he always tries to make room for the children. Harper Lee's Maycomb county bears out many of the stereotypes commonly attributed to the South and Southerners regarding race relations and portraying negative attitudes and prejudices. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses symbolism to explore racism, innocence, and discrimination.

First, Harper Lee uses symbolism to explore racism. The rabid dog is the key symbol for racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is seen as a hero when he is brave enough to stand up for his believes against racism. He is praised as a Southern representation of the ideal man ( Moss 298). He is recognized for his bravery when he stops in the path of the rabid dog and kills it with one rifle shot (Telgan 293). By shooting the rabid dog, he shows that racism is wrong, and that black and white people should be equal. The citizens of Maycomb county change their whole perspective of him when he stands up for his believes and shoots the rabid dog. He went from being a quiet book-loving father to a brave and strong admired father (Moss 393). Atticus

states," Real courage is not a man with a gun, but someone who is licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it th...

... middle of paper ...

...ls little about an individual's true worth. You should not be judged by your appearance, but what is on the inside. Boo and Tom were both judged on their outer appearances, not their true worth. Jem and Scout learn that people should not be judged on skin color or their outer appearance, and that everyone should be equal.

In conclusion, Harper Lee does a great job of exploring symbolism through racism, innocence, and discrimination. She uses many symbols throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. The rabid dog represents racism, the mockingbird represents innocence, and the snowman represents discrimination. She show how commonly Southerners regarded racism and portrayed prejudice throughout the novel. She also conveyed the negative attitudes toward prejudice. People should be treated equal and not based on their outer appearance, but instead what is on the inside.

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