Racism, Discrimination, and Social Class Explored in To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee addresses many controversial

issues. Such issues as, racism, discrimination, and social class are explored.

During the 1950's in the small county of Maycomb, the mentality of most southern

people reflected that of the nation. Most of the people were racist and

discriminatory. In the novel, these ideas are explored by a young girl, Scout.

The readers see the events that occur through her eyes. In the book, Scout's

father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the

backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if

you can hit'em, but remember its a sin to kill a mockingbird." (pg. 69) The

mockingbird is a symbol for two of the characters in the novel: Tom Robinson and

Boo Radley. The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not

have its own song. Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird

only sings other birds' songs. Because the mockingbird does not sing its own

song, we characterize it only by what the other birds sing. Hence, we see the

mockingbird through the other birds. In the novel, the people of Maycomb only

know Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others say about them. Both of these

characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are

characterized by other people's viewpoints.

Throughout the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious"

Boo Radley because he never comes outside of his house or associates with anyone

in the neighborhood. The children are, in fact, afraid of him because of all the

stories they hear about him from the people in Maycomb. For example, Miss

Stephanie tells the children that while Boo was sitting in the living room

cutting a magazine, he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them

out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities." (pg. 11) After

hearing stories like these, the children consider him to be evil. Gradually they

assume more about Boo because he never plays outside or with anyone, and

therefore, the children are not convinced otherwise. Boo Radley becomes a game

for the children; over the summers they act out "Boo Radley scenarios" that they

believed to be true. Over time they create new parts to the story: they even

include Mrs. Radley into the story and portrays her as a poor woman, who after

she married Mr. Radley, "lost her teeth, her hair, and her right forefinger."

(pg. 39) These stories are based on the gossip that trail through their