Examples Of Social Justice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Words: 743
Pages: 3
Open Document
What is social justice? Social justice is defined as the fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and without prejudice, according to businessdictionary.com. Social justice was denied to many people in the time period To Kill A Mockingbird was set and written, due to the fact that some refused to accept these people because of their difference of race. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the character of Atticus to reveal her ideas about social justice.
One such way Harper Lee reveals her ideas of social justice is through the fairness of Atticus. Atticus tells the jury, “The witnesses for …show more content…
As Atticus explains to Scout, “I’m simply defending a Negro-his name’s Tom Robinson. He lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump. He’s a member of Calpurnia’s church, and Cal knows his family well. She says they’re clean living folks. Scout you aren’t old enough to understand somethings yet, but there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man. It’s a peculiar case-it won’t come to trial until the summer session. John Taylor was kind enough to give us a postponement…” and continues to say “For a number of reasons” and “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you of Jem not to something again.” (Lee 62-63). Atticus understands why people in Maycomb do not want him to defend Tom Robinson, but he knows that if he does not defend Tom Robinson he will lose his sense of honor. Atticus would feel as if he lost his honor because he knows that Tom Robinson deserves a fair chance in trial. Atticus’s understanding and honor leads him to give social justice to Tom Robinson despite the objections of
Show More

Related Documents: Examples Of Social Justice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Essay on Mockingbird: To Kill a Mockingbird and Maycomb Courtroom Blacks

In Paper * Commentary of the American Judicial System * How Social Class affects the Maycomb courtroom * 4 Social Classes in Maycomb County Alabama * TIME PERIOD---1930s Depression Era * Hierarchy of Social Distinctions in Maycomb County * SYMBOLISM---Protagonist role in pursuing justice Allegorical Elements in Title Commentary of the American Judicial System The story told in To Kill a Mockingbird can be regarded as a commentary of the American judicial system. It…

Words 755 - Pages 4

To Kill A Mockingbird Persuasive Essay

prevalence of systemic racism in society is noticeable through disparities in access to resources, opportunities, and justice, necessitating comprehensive efforts towards dismantling racial biases and fostering genuine equality. It created biased actions towards the system as shown in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. We can also argue that the social issues portrayed in “To Kill a Mockingbird” continue to exert a profound influence on modern day racism,…

Words 568 - Pages 3

What Is Atticus Finch's Ideas About Social Justice

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story that takes place in the 1930s during The Great Depression. In this novel, a mockingbird symbolizes an innocent figure that is tormented by society. In the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, racism and inequality is an uprising issue. The meaning of this story as a whole is that it is wrong to demonstrate inequality, or treating someone like a mockingbird. The character of Atticus Finch, reveals Lee’s ideas about social justice. Social justice is demonstrated…

Words 364 - Pages 2

To Kill A Mockingbird Research Paper

raised. It is clear from Harper Lee's well-known book "To Kill a Mockingbird" and from contemporary culture that friends have a powerful impact on kids that frequently outweighs that of parents. Using Scout's experiences from "To Kill a Mockingbird" and modern examples as a framework, this essay will make the case that friends have a greater influence on a child's development. In "To Kill a Mockingbird," Scout Finch's understanding of justice, fairness, and empathy is greatly influenced by her friendships…

Words 446 - Pages 2

Removing To Kill A Mockingbird Persuasive Essay

EXCITING TITLE: The mockingbird. It symbolizes innocence, vulnerability, and harmlessness. Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Scout and Jem, all mockingbirds in their own right and only bring improvement, just like the actual mockingbird that sings beautiful songs but doesn’t harm anyone. Removing To Kill a Mockingbird from high school reading list would be killing a mockingbird itself, a sin. Removing this docile book just because of the provoking language to some would be slaughtering the countless lessons…

Words 894 - Pages 4

Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird

Nowadays, people are more willing to adapt to change in order to evolve the views society perceives as being the normalization; however, that has not always been the case. When reading, To Kill a Mockingbird, it is easy to decipher just how much society in the 1930s differs from that of today’s, which is why it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature. Through Harper Lee’s work of literature, it is apparent that she conveys the theme that injustices are experienced by those thought to…

Words 1056 - Pages 5

Examples Of Social Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

No hope of victory, feeling as if the sky applied to the earth, and a sense of humiliation, such as playing a person as a puppet are examples of being oppressed. Injustice can be the result of people's words, taking the property and rights of weak people and giving false testimony in pursuit of personal interests. The novels could very well be based on real facts of the way that black people were treated in the past. America was home to one of the greatest atrocities committed on mankind. In 12 Years…

Words 1050 - Pages 5

Theme Of Social Justice In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Harper Lee uses Atticus’s character to convey the idea of social justice by writing him a lawyer with two children. Their names are Scout and Jem Finch. Atticus Finch is a lawyer defending a colored man name Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused of the rape of a women name Mayella Ewell. Scout and Jem are young kids. They are no older than 10 years old. In the book they talk about their father as if he is an old man that doesn't do anything that the young dads…

Words 243 - Pages 1

Labels In To Kill A Mockingbird

during the times of racial segregation and suffrage against women and blacks. In the book “To Kill A MockingBird” by Harper Lee, Lee tells the story of how labels affect the people in Maycomb, Alabama treat one another. These labels can deny people equal justice, decide where people belong on the social hierarchy, and force people to cope with stereotypes. The white people of Maycomb deny equal justice towards the black people of maycomb, by using negative labels towards them. For instance when…

Words 821 - Pages 4

Atticus Injustice

The Threat to Justice Everywhere Martin Luther King, American minister and activist, said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” His quote shows that injustice affects anyone and everyone, and demonstrates the importance of a collective effort against social and racial injustice. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, shows the…

Words 865 - Pages 4