Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

752 Words2 Pages

Innocent Victims To Kill a Mockingbird exhibits many different cases in which characters become victims of unfair treatment. Written by Harper Lee, the book tells us many things that the characters went through. Since one bad decision leads to another, evil events all around them have either injured or destroyed them. The theme of injustice dwells throughout the lives of many “mockingbirds” in this book as demonstrated by the way Tom Robinson was wrongly charged, a poor reputation rested upon Boo Radley, and the way Jem’s arm became broken. Tom Robinson, accused of assaulting a young woman, spent his remaining life in prison. Boo Radley, a shut in, receives harsh gossip from his community. Jem and Scout, Atticus’ children, were viciously …show more content…

Behaving as a kind, helpful neighbor to Mayella and her family, the false accusations by them screamed unfortunate cruelty! Sadly, Mr. Ewell likely set up Tom Robinson. It seemed questionable that Tom just happened to help Mayella in her home at the same time Mr. Ewell encountered them. Mayella’s bruises on her face did not match up with Tom Robinson’s weak rubber-like arm. “He guided his arm to the Bible and his rubber-like hand sought contact with the black binding. As he raised his right hand, the useless one slipped off the Bible and hit the clerk’s table.” (254) The trial ended, Tom faced imprisonment and his wife and children lived alone. Evil victimized and destroyed Tom Robinson’s innocent life, and the life of his …show more content…

Scout felt chicken wire and metal all around her and fell to the ground trying to get free. “Someone rolled against me and I felt Jem. He was up like lightning and pulling me with him but… we didn’t get very far. We were nearly to the road when I felt Jem’s hand leave me, felt him jerk backwards to the ground (351).” Jem could have left Scout and ran away to safety by himself. Instead, he pulled Scout along with him, which slowed him down and might have caused the attackers to catch up with him and fight against him, causing him to break his arm. She seemed to have admired her brother even more because of his heroic action. In turn, Scout feared for her brother’s injuries. His speedy decision to help his little sister during the attack shows Jem’s innocence and unfortunate injury in this particular

Show More
Related

  • Moral Innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee is the story with a moral of innocence. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a book based around several important moral values. A young girl named Scout portrays the lessons that are learned in the book. In the book, Scout learns many lessons about people and the world, mostly taught by her father Atticus. Scout learns one very important lesson from Atticus, the lesson about “Mockingbirds”. Atticus explains to Scout, “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That is why it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird”. The metaphorical “Mockingbird” is portrayed by a variety of Characters in the story. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Arthur “Boo” Radley all represent the characteristics of a mockingbird, as they have been mistreated in their own way. As Atticus was criticized for defending Tom Robinson, Tom Robinson was a victim of racial prejudice and Arthur “Boo” Radley is a victim of stereotypical intolerance, these characters are the metaphorical mockingbirds throughout the story.

    Read More

  • Restrictions In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about a black man named Tom Robinson who is imprisoned and on trial for raping a white woman. Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the theme of imprisonment in many forms such as restriction because of age and/or gender, because of one’s past, and because of social circumstances such as racism. The novel’s main character Scout, feels frustrated by the restrictions placed on her because of her age and her gender and finds ways to express herself in spite of these restrictions. In contrast, Arthur Radley (Boo) allows his past to imprison him inside his house both physically and mentally. Finally, Mayella Ewell is restricted by her society’s expectations that white women are not allowed to be attracted to black men. Ironically even though Tom is the one in jail, Mayella is also imprisoned by the rules of segregation and has to claim she was raped instead of admitting she was attracted to him. She is beaten and shamed for her desires and urges to be with Tom. To summarize, these four characters show the many ways we can be

    Read More

  • Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • TKAM

    1788 Words  | 4 Pages

    Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird portrayed an era of extreme prejudice and ignorance. Throughout the novel, these specific characteristics were noticed in the behavior of Maycomb’s residents, especially during the trial of Tom Robinson – a highly publicized court case involving a black man convicted of raping a white girl from a despicable family. Although it became obvious throughout the trial that Robinson was innocent, and the girl’s father was the real culprit, Tom Robinson was convicted mainly due to social prejudice toward his race. The unjust result of this trial deeply disturbed the main characters of the novel: Scout and Jem, the children of the defense attorney of the trial, Atticus Finch. Since the story took place in the 1930s, racism was still widely accepted in society, and most of the residents in Maycomb openly professed their derogatory views on people of a different race or social standard. Growing up in a family that believed in egalitarianism, Scout and Jem faced backlash from the community since their father was fighting for a black man in the Tom Robinson trial. Amid these two highly conflicting environments, Scout and Jem had many unanswered questions and no support in the community during these tough times. Additionally, the Maycomb community was plagued with injustice due to discrimination and racism. However, there was one character in the novel who remained open-minded and unprejudiced even in the face of tradition and communal ignorance. A close neighbor of the Finch’s, who shared the same moral views as Atticus, Miss Maudie served as a mother figure to young Scout and Jem, who were going through a tough time in the community. Although Miss Maudie may not have had enough power to change the prejudice...

    Read More

  • Racial Injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird

    1321 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

    912 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is an old saying that claims that it is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one. While many choose to follow unjust traditions, others choose to pursue the path of justice. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, the mockingbird is a symbol of innocence that should never be killed; It is harmless and provides a song for the enjoyment of others. Furthermore, three characters from the novel are considered symbolic mockingbirds. Boo Radley, not convicted of any real charges, has fallen into a trap of rumors that have gone around the town. Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman with no substantial evidence proving him guilty. He is shot down while trying to escape prison. Lastly, Scout, the narrator of the book, is an innocent five-year-old girl. As the novel progresses, she starts to witness racial prejudice; which is something that no minor should come in contact with during her childhood. By exposing their innocent natures, we see how Boo, Tom Robinson and Scout are the mockingbirds in this novel.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    A major theme from To Kill A Mockingbird is life is not always fair, and justice does not always happen. This theme is recurring throughout the whole book, and shows true aspect and troubles of the past and present.The first piece of evidence I have is when Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout after the play “Jem was lying on his back. There was an ugly mark along one side of his face. His left arm lay out from his body; his elbow was bent slightly, but in the wrong direction”(355). Bob said he would “get atticus” after he spoke against Bob’s word at the trial. When the kids were walking home from the play, Bob attempted to harm or maybe even kill Jem and Scout, he did break Jem’s arm in the act. Another more major event of injustice was when Tom

    Read More

  • Unveiling Injustice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

    527 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    There was always hatred for each other throughout the story, such as the Ewell’s feeling for the African American, Tom Robinson.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    How would you like it if someone walked up to you and berated you based on the color of your skin? A characteristic like that isn’t even something you can control, so an insult of that nature can leave one furious and oppressed. Discrimination is inevitable in any culture, throughout history, in modern times, and even in ancient times. For example, the oppression and murder of 6 million Jewish people during the Holocaust, the African Slave Trade which occurred for multiple centuries, and more recently, the “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya people in Myanmar, brought on by the government of the Asian nation, all of which are tragedies doomed to happen when history repeats itself and people do not learn

    Read More

  • The Unwritten Law in Harper Lee'sTo Kill A Mockingbird

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tom Robinson was just a “respectable negro” with a kind nature who was accused in absence of wrong. Mr Robinson is immediately seen as an enemy by most in town of Maycomb. Is it because of his malicious personality? Is it because of his hair colour? Is it because he is arrogant? No, all of these are false he is instantly convicted because he is of a different ethnicity. It seems foolish but this is the reason why Maycomb has discarded a man who is of higher quality than the majority of the town. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella opened her mouth and screamed.” As soon as the trial began Tom’s opportunity for victory grew slimmer and slimmer and Maycomb knew that Atticus was fighting an unwinnable battle. But Atticus was determined to defend the ‘ultimate mockingbird’ right up until the end; even after the court case Atticus defends Tom at the jail. A final act of Tom’s innocence to prove his mockingbird status was whilst in court, he still didn’t want to accuse Mayella because “she seemed...

    Read More

  • Injustices In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    Injustices There have been many famous pieces of literature, but one that stands out is the 1960's classic To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. Lee, who only wrote one book in her life time, wrote of prejudice, injustice, and racism in the 1930's. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the Deep South in the 1930's. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story in which a black mad is accused of doing something he didn't do. During the whole story some of the two of the main characters, Jem Finch and Jean Lousie Finch, grow up in there mind

    Read More

  • Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1439 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, we witness the court scene where Robinson is bombarded with questions, one of them being “Tom did she ever speak to you” “she gave me the hatchet and I broke up the chiffarobe” she said “…I have to give you a nickel, won't I?’ I said “…no charge”. This implies that Mayella manipulated his kindness and generosity since he is metaphorically seen as a mockingbird that needs protection from evil, since had done nothing but help Mayella, only to be treated brutally and unjustly. Later on in the chapter, we witness Tom Robinson’s death where he is shot “seventeen times” whilst

    Read More

  • Importance Of Moral Education In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    He simply tries to help the young girl do things, such as cut and carry wood, but he is slammed with the charge of raping and beating her. On the other hand we have Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, who is nothing but evil. Bob is actually guilty, but no one ever tries to point that out. It never even says it straight forward in the book, but there is clearly enough evidence to show Mr. Ewell was the guilty one. “Robinson made the mistake of saying he felt sorry for a white person — Mayella” (Gandy). Tom has sympathy for Mayella because he also knows her father was the guilty one. Tom showing sympathy is just another good characteristic of his personality. At the end of the novel, the evil is really shown when Mr. Ewell attacks Atticus’s children, Scout and Jem. Bob Ewell is killed by Boo Radley that night or one could say he “fell on his knife.” Tom is also killed for trying to escape from jail – he is shot by the guards. Not only does a good, innocent man get killed in the novel for no reason at all, but the evil one gets his justice as

    Read More

More about Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document