“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
These are the words uttered by Martin Luther King Jr. as he fought for racial equality in his cell at the Birmingham County Jail. This famous quote is a perfect example of the common belief that justice is always fairness. Even though the two terms are synonymous, fairness is subjective, especially in law. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Boo Radley’s life is exemplified by the statement that “extreme justice is often extreme injustice”.
From his introduction in the novel, Boo is viewed as a shady character who was victimized by the ideals of “justice”. One of the ways his life is changed by these principles is through punishment. Boo has been under house-arrest from a young age
…show more content…
This quote happens to express the deepest problem in a judicial system: justice is perceived differently, so extreme justice for one person can be extreme injustice for another. Perhaps one of the most striking examples of the conflict between justice, law, and morality is seen through death. The book further exemplifies the age-old question “If you kill a murderer, are your actions justified?”. This is the dilemma presented to Boo, who killed the knife-wielding Bob Ewell after he attacked Jem and Scout. Boo put everything on the line to save the two children: his ways, his solitude, and his life. However, as noble as Boo’s actions are from the perspective of morality, under federal law, prosecuting Boo is the right choice. But when Atticus and Heck Tate hide the truth to prevent Boo from being tried, it is their opinion that higher moral imperative is more important than federal law, even though the
Boo Radley never had a chance to show people what he was like, he was portrayed as the bad guy by his dad, Boo is victimized by people because he can't stand up for himself so therefore he is considered the “bad guy”. Throughout the remainder of the book Boo shows his honest self when he leaves gifts for Scout and Jem, when he puts a blanket over Scout, and specially when he saves Scout and Jem from Mr.Ewell. It is obvious that he is a nice person and just wants to help, but of course his social standing and past is the only thing people can see.... ... middle of paper ... ...
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.
Boo Radley is the next door neighbor of the Finch’s. He is an outsider of the community, because he does not leave the house. He got in some trouble as a teenager, so his father locked him up inside the house. After his father died, his brother moved in with him. While Boo was locked up inside is house, the people of Maycomb County made up stories about him. The legend of Boo Radley was well-known to the people of Maycomb. Jem describes Boo, “Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” (Lee ). Boo is an innocent character because all he does stay inside his own house, and does not bother anybody. Yet the entire town believes that he could be a murderer. Harper Lee is showing that if you do not fit into southern society, they will make you into an outsider and a bad legend. Another example of Boo Radley being an innocent character is when he gives a blanket to Scout. Miss Maudie Atkinson, one of the Finch’s neighbors, had a house fire. Atticus (Scout and Jem’s father) woke up the kids and made them go outside, in case the fire spread to their house. While Scout was not looking someone gave her a blanket, “‘Someday, maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up.’ ‘Thank who?’ I asked. ‘Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’”(Lee ). Boo Radley is an innocent character because he helped warm up Scout in the cold, yet Scout was still scared that Boo had been near here. Harper Lee is showing us that Boo could do a nice thing, and yet Scout would still be scared because of his reputation. Finally, another
Throughout History, men have looked down on blacks and women. But this does not justify the view that blacks and women are below white men. When people look down on blacks and women, they preform injustice. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is full of injustice. During this time period, everyone looked down on blacks and women, which makes Maycomb one in the same with the discriminators. In particular, the people in Maycomb looked down on Tom Robinson, and many others looked down on Scout. Around the Finch household, Aunt Alexandria always tries to do away with Calpurnia, the black housekeeper and cook as Alexandria says, “We don’t need her (Calpurnia) now.” (182). Injustices in Maycomb include the case of Tom Robinson, the way Aunt Alexandra treats Calpurnia, and the way people treat Scout.
Scout and Jem suffered Bob Ewell’s hate towards Atticus. Luckily Boo Radley saves them from Bob’s threat. Bob Ewell was lying on the ground with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs (Lee, 270). Hatred is developed from injustice. Bob Ewell attacking them shows the moral injustice in the book. To Kill a Mockingbird portrays the treatment of parents to their kids shape their future. Boo’s father, locked Boo up inside the Radley house. Boo, even after his parents death, never set out of his house when there was no reason to. “Thank You for my children Arthur” (Lee, 370). Atticus thanked Boo for saving Jem and Scout’s life from Bob Ewell. However, Boo didn’t respond which portrays Boo’s suffering from his dad’s punishment. Even with the death of his father, Boo’s dad shaped him to be that kind of
...ions show us that he is truly a good person but rumors made him appear like an evil person. The "mockingbird" characteristic is present in Boo; he doesn't hurt anything but instead, he helps people out. Boo fears the outside world because he is injured from the evil of mankind. He learns that people judge people and he is judged by the rumors going around. He knows that if he were to go outside and try to become sociable, he would be shunned so he just decides to stay in his home, safe and protected from the outside world.
In the novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee some characters suffer in the hands of justice and fairness more than others. Many characters in the novel are discriminated against such as Calpurnia, Dolphus Raymond, Helen Robinson, Burris Ewell and more. However I will be focusing on the discrimination against Tom Robinson for his race, Walter Cunningham for his low socioeconomic status and Boo Radley for the rumors and supposed mental instability he holds. I chose those three because they are the most prominent and I will discuss how the discrimination against the characters therefore leads to their injustice or unfairness.
“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.
Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has a multitude of symbolism and themes. Focusing on three major themes, justice, morality, and ethics, many uses of symbolism reflect on these themes. Using Atticus as morality, the mad dog as justice, and the mockingbird as ethics, the hidden themes of Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird become very apparent.
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, takes place in the small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus chooses to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Tom should have easily been proven innocent, but due to discrimination, he was convicted. During the build up to the trial, Mrs. Dubose makes a racist comment about Atticus, and it was Jem’s last straw. At first Jem is enraged, but he soon learns to forgive her. Also, the tension from the court case causes an attack on Scout and Jem where Boo Radley comes to the rescue to save their lives. The cascade of events triggered by Tom Robinson’s trial in To Kill a Mockingbird reveals Lee’s messages of racial injustice, forgiveness, and
Steven Heidenreich Mr.P Freshman English May 16, 2017 Racisms Error Throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird there are many morals but, the moral of the story that prevailed was racism. The Author for this book Harper Lee, is a well known author for books on social injustices. In this book, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are injustices talked about such as ageism, sexism, and racism.
Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee likes to foreshadow the character's traits such as Boo Radley. Even though Atticus’ children, Jem and Scout, believe in the superstitions about him, they get a glimpse of his character through specific parts of the book. The children realize that Boo Radley is not a bad individual at all, he actually cares about them. Since he shows so much care for the children, the reader is not surprised when Boo Radley “saves” the children at the end of the novel.
Atticus has a hard time choosing whether to tell the town that Bob Ewell died of an accident, or whether his son or Boo Radley killed Bob Ewell. Atticus is a famous lawyer in Maycomb and he believes in legal justice. Atticus learns what had really happened from Scout?s explanation of what she had seen, and heard when Bob Ewell attacked them while walking back from the school play. He understood that Bob Radley killed Bob Ewell in order to save Jem?s life. Atticus does not want to send Boo to court for the fact that Boo saved his children?s life.
In conclusion, I have outlined that justice requires everyone receive what they deserve. Through the scope punishment, it is unfair, and therefore unjust, to serve someone with treatment that is disproportionate to their wrongdoing because it is not what they deserve. Further, when it comes to reward, individuals must receive their deserved benefits for their actions in order for society to be considered just and to avoid exploitation. Finally, desert is an invaluable concept when it comes to the just treatment of those in need due to situations outside of their control, and therefore, overall, justice certainly requires that people are always given what they deserve.
There is no such thing as justice - in or out of court. Clarence Darrow i