How Does Tom Robinson Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Logan Dragicevich Ms. Oosterink English 9 17 May 2024 When You Have Finally Seen Them “Atticus, he was real nice.” “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” (Lee 323). To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel surrounding a youthful girl, Scout Finch, growing up in Alabama in a small town named Maycomb during the 1930s. Throughout the novel, she develops an understanding of the people around her. Her perception of the townspeople of Maycomb changes as the novel progresses. The accumulation of To Kill a Mockingbird provides that most folks are decent when you have finally seen them. Mr. Tom Robinson, an influential figure in To Kill a Mockingbird depicting a black man falsely accused of a capital offense by a white man during the reign …show more content…
He has seen Tom Robinson being wronged by Mr. Gilmer and the white community of Maycomb in the way that they address him. “I don’t care about one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ’em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that - it just makes me sick.” (Lee 226). Even though societal norms would allow for the assumption of guilt on the fact that Tom Robinson is a black man, Dill can say without a doubt that Tom Robinson should be treated the same as a white man on trial. Consequently, we can see how Dill views Tom as a peer to himself and doesn’t jump to prejudice before opening his eyes to Tom Roninson’s character. This event guides the theme of truly seeing a person for who they are in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Mr. Arthur (Boo) Radley, an influential mockingbird figure in the novel, having been imprisoned in the Radley house for nearly two decades. He is assumed by the townspeople to be vile and animalistic. At the end of the novel, Scout finally gets to meet Arthur Radley and she concludes that he is not wicked, but rather a kind, soft-spoken man. She best demonstrates her new point of view when she states: “Boo is our …show more content…
She knows Boo is not as bad as he was made out to be and that he is decent. Arthur has saved her from death and comforted her while Miss Maudie's house burnt to the ground. Arthur Radley is not a monster, but a man. Therefore, Mr. Arthur Radley demonstrates Lee’s theme perfectly. Beyond Harper Lee’s novel, this theme can be seen in my own experiences. My good friend Owen M., for example. When I first met Owen, I came to the conclusion that he was arrogant, self-obsessed, and vain. After spending time with him, I learned that he was an outgoing, kind, and selfless person. This demonstrates Lee’s theme as my view of Owen M. evolved when I opened my eyes. “Atticus, he was real nice.” “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” (Lee 323). Therefore, Lee’s theme appears to be universal. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates the theme of seeing people for who they truly are. This is a significant theme as it offers that first impressions are not as reliable as previously thought. This theme also suggests a certain deepness to human complexity that is unparalleled by any other creature. You will never understand a human being like a dog or
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