Baptist Brutality Chapter five of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird introduces the topic of “foot-washing Baptists” in Maycomb, Alabama. During a conversation about the odd qualities of the Radley family, Miss Maudie patiently explains to Scout that foot-washing Baptists are frankly regular Baptists with values of faith. Contradictory to Christian Baptists, the foot-washers strongly believe that as humans in the grace of God, experiencing pleasure is a sin. Figuratively, the term “foot-washing” references cleanliness of the soul and worship towards God. The strict, no-nonsense religion of the Radleys influences their family and deeply affects the lives of the children, specifically Arthur, as they grow into men. First of all, Mr. Radley …show more content…
As a young boy prohibited from having any fun, Boo’s loneliness grows like a weed, as does his desire to experience the world. Lost in a house closed off from the community, Boo rebels against his family and faith by getting in with the wrong crowd. After being the only delinquent boy rejected from attending industrial school, Boo returns to the house and life he so desperately loathes, his own personal hell. Furthermore, Mr. Radley’s religion and worship towards the Bible ignites the fire of neglect that burns Arthur throughout his childhood. His matter-of-fact take on God and religion places Mr. Radley into the category of men that are “so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one” (Lee, 60). Strictly living to the literal interpretation of the Bible, Mr. Radley fails to provide his family with the means to live joyful, meaningful lives. The disconnection and instability of his family proves that Mr. Radley spent so much time trying to please God and follow the strict rules of his religion that he forgot how to please his own family. Recalling the facts, as foot-washing Baptists, The Radleys abide by a set of rules that isolate them from the community and
In the relationship between Boo Radley and Scout, Lee’s “Coming of Age” theme is evident. Scout is sure that Boo is not human; instead she thinks that, “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom.” But it is the cru...
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 predominance of inhumanity throughout the novel is what makes it such an important theme.
Over the years, our nation has witnessed countless cases of police brutality. It has developed into a controversial topic between communities. For instance, deindustrialization is the removal or reduction of manufacturing capability or activity can lead to more crimes when people are laid off. Police officers are faced with many threatening situations day-to-day gripping them to make split second decisions; either to expect the worst or hope for the best. The police are given the authority to take any citizen away for their action that can ruin their lives. With that kind of power comes great responsibility, which is one main concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force might or
They have many misconceptions of people, places, and concerts in Maycomb county. However as they are young and don't really have opinions themselves. They abide by those presented them. At the start of the novel Scout and Jem see Mr. Arthur Radley or "Boo", as a dangerous, crazy, and rather isolated man. Although never being in his presence or in association with him they always make assumptions about him. They constantly pestered his household and played games that mocked him, "..time to play Boo's big scene...steal the scissors...Jem would fake plunge into Dill's thigh..."(LEE40).They also had the misconception that Boo was kept inside forcefully by his family. Boo was also blamed for unresolved events. As time goes by they mature and start to develop more of an understanding of Boo, "..I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in his house all this time...he wants to stay inside"(LEE227). Jem develops an understanding as to why Boo Radley stays inside. It's not because his family forces him to stay inside. He realizes that when living in a town like Maycomb, there is an incredible amount of judgement and labeling that occurs. It becomes evident to him that Boo has no place and isn't welcomed into the society. Especially with having a stereotype "glued" to his identity. Scout then has an
The story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee portrays many different scenarios of racial discrimination. Discrimination occurs in the book and many people are affected by the racial slurs and other occurrences. In the story, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson are all people that are discriminated against or are affected by discrimination. Racial discrimination is a major part of To Kill a Mockingbird.
The Radley family has a presence that startles nearly all of Maycomb County in some way. For example, every resident of Maycomb County would never set foot in even the Radley house yard. However, this was not the case for protagonist Scout Finch and her brother Jem. This show of bravery represents outstanding courage. Moreover, the main area of fear of the Radley family is provided by Boo. Boo is the child of the family, and is rumored to eat grotesque foods such as live rats. Although very few people had ever seen Boo, nobody dared to search for him. That is, except for Scout and Jem. Despite being terrified of what Boo could be, Jem and Scout searched tirelessly for him. Even after their father forbid them to search for Boo, Jem and Scout would not be denied and searched for him anyways. The courage shown by the young children in this novel is good.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the reality of the world in the 1930s through the point of view of a little girl named Scout. She starts as a carefree tomboy, but learns to be more ladylike as the story continues. Her life really starts to change during a trial where her father is defending a black man. Also, she learns that killing a mockingbird is a sin.Overall, she grows up throughout the book, and starts to realize all the issues of Maycomb.
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.
Both the Radleys, specifically Arthur “Boo” Radley, and Tom Robinson have a lot of prejudice surrounding them. Though the type of prejudice towards them is different, they are connected through the shared experience of being looked down upon. The Radley family is feared because they don’t fit into the norm of the society. Unlike many of the residents, they choose to keep to themselves. After a weird story involving a “gang,” Arthur Radley has mostly stayed in inside his house and is rumored to go outside during the night and terrorize the community. Another rumor surrounding Arthur involves him cutting items from a newspaper to put into a scrapbook and as his father walked by, “Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out,
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many instances of an extremely ubiquitous problem, even in today’s society, which is discrimination. The book is set in the time of America’s Great Depression, and focuses on three key summers in the lives of Scout and Jem Finch. They are the daughter and son of a lawyer named Atticus Finch, who later in the book takes on the case of Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping a woman named Mayella Ewell. Throughout the novel, the author focuses on the way that the children take in the events and the world around them. Another major character, who is only seen by the children once in the novel, is Arthur “Boo” Radley, who has been turned into the equivalent of a horror story character by rumours spread around the town. Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill have had an obsession with getting him to come
In the world, present and past, people have always been divided. A hierarchy has existed alongside humanity, and yet, no matter what position a person is in, there will always be persecution. People maltreat people, and oppressors will always exist. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, includes characters to show the reader the regularity of this idea, some more so than others. Harper Lee uses the characters of the Finches, Dolphus Raymond, and Bob Ewell to show that persecution affects everyone, regardless of race or position in the social hierarchy.
In the book, the narrator had said that the Radleys would never go to church like the other folk and they also hardly came out. The residents in Maycomb thought they were weird so people that knew about the Radleys avoided their house. I knew a boy in elementary who never hung out with any friends. I know now that I was stereotyping him by thinking that he was
"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among stones"- Charlotte Brontë. Nearly every problem and unfortunate mishap in Harper Lee's, To Kill A Mockingbird, has been somehow revolved around prejudice or discrimination. Many different forms of prejudice are found throughout the novel, with racism, sexism, and classicism the most common. The residents of Maycomb have discrimination running through their veins and were raised to be racist and sexist, without realizing. They see nothing wrong with judging other people and treating people that they find inferior harshly. Prejudice is a destructive force because it separates the people of Maycomb, both physically and mentally.
Arthur Radley or Boo Radley was a nice kid but he did something his parents were not happy about and made Boo grounded for life. So he has been living in the basement for life since he was a kid and now no one knows what he looks like. He was known to get outside at night where no one can see him him and he stays hidden. Boo is lonely as it seems because he was grounded by his parents and its for life.Boo cant get out of the house only at night when his parents are not awake.Boo has never been seen for so long only as a kid he was seen before what he did.He is very afriad of the many people in Maycomb.He does not want to leave the house Boo is scared of the people to judge him on what he did like when he was known to kill Bob Ewell.Boo is afriand of these people in judging him of what he did.His parents judged of what he did as a kid and grounds him for so long that he cant get out of the house.His parents were stricted about it in whch that can make him lonely.Jem said “...he wants to stay inside” which he is talking about Boo Radley that he is so lonely that he does not want to go out side with the people his loneliness is not strong enough to seek friendship even after he saved the children from Bob Ewell that he stil cant make friends.He does not want people to judge him from killing Bob and he would be to
Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. Some are blatant and open, but others are more insidious. One obvious way that racism presents itself is in the result of Tom Robinson’s trial. Another apparent example is the bullying Jem and Scout had to endure as a result of Atticus’s appointment as Tom Robinson’s defense attorney. A less easily discernible case is the persecution of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who chose to live his life in close relation with the colored community.