“ ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ ” This quote, by Nelson Mandela, is a very powerful line. It states that with education, you have the most potential to change the world. Education is something that is, sadly, denied to many people. Education, or lack of, can change the path you take in life. In To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many different people in it. Some with and some without education. Yet, even if you have education, the color of your skin might make that fact seemingly unimportant. In the book, the main character, Scout, lives with her brother, Jem, and her dad, Atticus. Though Atticus is looked down by many people for defending a black man in court, he is still a highly respected man The pyramid is split into two. White and black. Blacks are underneath the whites. No matter how smart they are, they are viewed as insubordinate. At the top of this pyramid, in the white section, are the educated folk. With their education comes money, so they are of course, also rich. Atticus is one example of this upper caste. Underneath them are uneducated white families. These people are poor and filthy, with, with little respect for anyone. An example of this caste is Burris Ewell. As you enter the bottom half of the pyramid, you will see educated blacks. They are smart, sometimes smarter than other white people. However, they are seen as less because of their skin. Calpurnia is an example of a educated, black person. Though smart, she is limited by the confines of her skin. At the bottom of the pyramid are the uneducated black folk. Without education, they have no value. They have no recognition of any sort because of their skin. These are people like Lula. She speaks with incorrect grammar and is black. She is bitter and rude to white people even though she is believed beneath them. Though some people deserve education, others don’t They throw it away without even caring. Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world. But if you don’t use it, you’ll lose
Similar to Atticus, Calpurnia takes a stand against racism and believes everyone is equal. Due to Atticus’ and Calpurnia’s morals toward racism, Jem and Scout are heavily influenced by their views, and will most likely take after them. Calpurnia seeks every opportunity possible to educate Jem and Scout that racism is unacceptable. For example, Calpurnia takes the children with her to her black church called First Purchase, and because of this, the children are able to better understand the vast separation of race. Scout learns that not only are white people prejudice, but black people are also prejudice. Most of the negroes at First Purchase were very welcoming as the three entered except for Lula who made them feel unwelcome. "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here—they got their church, we got our'n” (136). Clearly, Lula is prejudice towards white people, similar to how white people are prejudice towards black people. In addition to these prejudice ways, Scout realizes how differently Calpurnia acts around her folks. Calpurnia stated that talking white folks in her church would be “out of place”, and how “folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do” (143). As a result, Calpurnia talks colored-folks’ at her church so she fits in with everyone else, rather than speaking more advanced, which ultimately shows
Atticus Finch is a lawyer and father of two children whose names are Jem and Scout. In the novel, Atticus chooses to defend a black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a white woman, even though most of Maycomb is against Tom Robinson due to its racist time setting. He understood that racism was inhumane and innocent people must be defended no matter what race they are. Atticus holds his ground and tries his best to defend Tom Robinson in court, despite the community being against him. Atticus even reminds his children to steadfast during this time of challenge regardless of what other people tell them.
"I especially liked the part where the Negroes bless their hearts, couldn't help being inferior to the white race because their skulls are thicker and their brain pans shallower so we must be very kind to them and not let them do anything to hurt themselves and keep them in their places" (Lee 102). This quote is said by Jem Louise to Atticus after finding the racist pamphlet in his office. She is disgusted by his beliefs and is shocked how much he has changed. This quote represents the whole book due to two different views on racial segregation and how blacks didn't have a say in life.
During these times people weren't treated fairly. This novel teaches us not judge one another at all, let alone about their physical or social appearances. God created us all the same, he just made each of us special individuals with special differences, including the color of our skin, the amount of money we have, the people we talk to, or the way our minds imagine. We fail to accept who we are and the choices we can make. Our human rights should not be defined by our race like in To Kill a Mockingbird; race, economic status, and social standings were the only factors of justice.
“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.” (Lee, 33) What Atticus means in this quote, is a lot like the quote “don’t judge a book by its cover”. It means you shouldn’t judge anyone by the way they look. You have to get to know them first. * “Imagine you’re playing a game of monopoly. The money is handed out. The player on your right gets double your a mount and the player to your left gets triple your amount. There is also a change of rules. Instead of collecting two hundred dollars when you pass go like the other players, you
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.
Scout Finch and her brother Jem live with their widowed father Atticus in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The book takes place in a society withstanding effects of the Great Depression. The two main characters, Scout and Jem, approach life with a childlike view engulfed in innocence. They befriend a young boy named Dill, and they all become intrigued with the spooky house they refer to as “The Radley Place”. The owner, Nathan Radley (referred to as Boo), has lived there for years without ever venturing outside its walls. The children laugh and imagine the reclusive life of Boo Radley, yet their father quickly puts a halt to their shenanigans, as they should not judge the man before they truly know him. Atticus unforgettably tells the children, “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.”
Furthermore, by reading Hurston's novel, one can clearly see that all blacks place the whites on a pedestal of knowledge. According to the blacks of the novel, whites know everything and are always right; they are superior and since blacks are supposed to be ignorant and stupid, they should believe and do everything the whites say. For example, Mrs. Turner states that she trusts only white doctors because black doctors aren't as educated and skilled as the white doctors. "Don't bring me no nigger doctor tuh hang over mah sick-bed...White doctors always gits mah money" (135-136). Another example is when the Indians are evacuating the muck because they foresee a big hurricane coming and the blacks don't evacuate stating that since the whites aren't evacuating there's no reason to.
Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the town of Maycomb In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, he is a father of two children, Jem and Scout Finch. He is a man of wise character and considerate soul. He knows his morals and tries to help his children grow up to be successful and happy. Throughout the novel, Atticus acts justly, loves tenderly, and walks humbly by the way he perceives the people in his life, how he succeeds in his job and treats his family.
In Harper Lee's spellbindingly classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the two main characters, Jem and Scout Finch experience racism and the haunting experience of the loss of innocence. Their lives are changed when their Father, Atticus Finch, is forcibly placed on the rape trial of a black man named Tom Robinson, opposing the character Mayella Ewell, daughter of Bob Ewell. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces seemingly similar characters, in the fathers Bob Ewell and Atticus Finch, who slowly unveil stark contrasts demonstrated through their mindsets, upbringings, and parenting skills.
Although most discrimination appears as white people against African American people, there is one case where the discrimination appears as African American people against white people. On a Sunday when Jem and Scout’s father, Atticus, is not home, Calpurnia, their cook, takes the two children to her church. Once there they were confronted by a woman named Lula. She is racist against white people, and shows it by saying, “‘I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to n***er church’” (Lee 158).
Little by little Jem, Scout, and Dill get exposed to the real world; changing their perspective and their attitude towards people and subjects. This event focuses on Scout and Jem, Atticus is away and Calpurnia decides to take them to her church. While they are at the church Jem and Scout notice, Calpurnia talks a different way to negros than to whites. “‘Cal,’ I asked, “why do you talk niggertalk to the—to your folks when you know it’s not right?” ‘Well, in the first place I’m black—’ ‘That doesn’t mean you hafta talk that way when you know better,’ said Jem. Calpurnia tilted her hat and scratched her head, then pressed her hat down carefully over her ears. ‘It’s right hard to say,’ she said. ‘Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks’ talk at home it’d be out of place, wouldn’t it? Now what if I talked white-folks’ talk at church, and with my neighbors? They’d think I was puttin‘ on airs to beat Moses.’ ‘But Cal, you know better,’ I said. ‘It’s not necessary to tell all you know. It’s not ladylike—in the second place, folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin‘ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin‘ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.’” (167) Calpurnia
One character that puts himself in other people’s shoes is Atticus. He never tries to judge a person until he really knows them. An example from the book is when he took Tom’s case. During that time blacks were treated poorly because the color of their skin, but he still took the case anyway because he does not judge a man unless he really knows him. An example form the test is when Atticus responded to Jem, “You aren’t really nigger-lover, than are you? I certainty am. I do my best to love everybody…” (Lee 144). One can conclude that Atticus believes everyone is equal no matter the color of his or her skin. He tries not to be prejudice and judge a book by its cover. Atticus it not prejudice because he understands that we cannot control or change some of our physical features like our skin color. We also cannot change if we were born in a poor family, with little to no education. Atticus unlike most townspeople in Macomb does not judge a man by his color of skin, and the clothes on his back. Being non-prejudice to one man puts himself in their shoes to understand his life, and understand what he may be going through. Secondly, Atticus looks at other people’s point of view. He knows the important lesson of looking for a different point of view, by doing so you may see something that was not visible before. An illustration from the text is when Scout is talking about Miss Caroline and he responds by saying, “ –until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. Atticus said I had learned many things today, and Miss Caroline had learned several things herself” (Lee 39). From this, one can see when you look from a different perspective both people learn and see new ideas. In an argument typical we are straight minded and think our point is always right, although no know can be right all the time so we have to look from there perspective. Lastly, is when Atticus walked in Mr. Ewell’s shoes.
has raised two kids on his own, he has equal respect for the blacks and whites unlike the rest of the town and is the most trustworthy person you will ever meet. His name is Atticus Finch. Atticus likes to try and keep every thing a secret from his children, for instance he does not like to brag about his skills like shooting a gun when he is needed to kill the rabid dog that is just down the road. Atticus is considered the most trustworthy person in the book because he is always answering questions for Jem and Scout or he is giving them advice. For example, when Scout get's into a fight at school with Cecil Jacobs because Cecil told Scout she was a coward and so was her father because he was a N***** lover and that's all he has ever been, Scout shoved a pencil into his arm and beat him up for it. She was sent to the principal...
This shows that they haven’t gone to racism. This is like most things an average person goes through in life. Once you learn more about the world, you start to become more mature and aware of what is going on, which makes you more intelligent than you were before. Also when you start becoming more aware and intelligent you see people as they really are not as they appear to be as shown in To Kill a Mockingbird.