Mockingbird Essay

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TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

To kill a mockingbird is a text written by Harper Lee during the 1960s,it is a book still studied today throughout many different schools due to the message it portrays to the readers .It explores many issues, and takes on some of the most controversial topics that were facing America in the 1960; three of the main being social prejudice, racial prejudice and courage. To kill a mockingbird shows how Scout, Atticus, Jem, and many other characters confront these issues. This book plays a very significant role in the school curriculums, as these issues are sill prevalent today, whether they are shown at different places, levels or even with different people. Many people are still affected by social prejudice, racial prejudice and courage, due to the lack of understanding, thus there is a necessity to be educated about them today.

First and foremost, the issue of racial prejudice is vastly explored in the novel; affecting many characters including: Calpurnia, Scout, Jem and Tom. Tom Robinson is a prime victim of racial prejudice, he was a black man who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, and was imprisoned. He was not given a fair trial due to the colour of his skin. The following is quoted by Atticus during the final hearing of the court case “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white.”Pg. 224 This quote is implying that it was obvious that Tom Robinson was going to be convicted of this crime and the white’s were going to win because; and Atticus quotes “…when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins.”Pg. 243 showing that it is obvious Tom Robinson did not stand a chance against Mayella Ewell because he was black, this just displays the extent of racial prejudice that existed back then. In contrast, this issue affects Scout and Jem too, despite them being white. The roles of racial prejudice are reversed when Scout and Jem visit First Purchase, as they are the ones confronted with adversity, when a black woman named Lula disproves Scout and Jem’s presence in the church as it breaches the rules of racial segregation. The following quote is said by Miss Lula at the church when she notices that Calpurnia has brought along Scout and Jem “You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillum here-they got their church, we got our’n…”this quote is trying to show that Jem and Scout do not belong in a black person’s church because they are white, Lula is opposing these children because of their race and because of the racial segregation present in society at the time. As a result, racial prejudice is still prevalent today, through many minority groups (for e.g. Muslims in Australia) these groups are still degraded due to their race; the way they dress, behave or look. Hence the future and present generations must be educated about this issue as it will remove their ignorance towards racism and make them realise that everyone is created equal consequently stopping them from being prejudice against anyone. Therefore this book must be included in the school curriculum as it will educate the future generations and eventually eliminate racial prejudice.

Furthermore, social prejudice is another issue highlighted in the text. The characters affected by this issue are the Ewell’s, Cunningham’s, Negroes and Arthur Radley. Aunt Alexandra embodies most of the social prejudice that exists in Maycomb’s society, which is why she fit into the community ‘like a hand in a glove.’ She is mainly prejudice against the Negroes as they are at the bottom of the social hierarchy. They are considered to be lower than the trash of white society, being the Ewells.This just shows that it does not matter whether you are the filth of the Earth you will still be considered above the black people, because of their race. Aunt Alexandra treats Calpurnia as a servant rather than a caretaker of Scout and

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