The character of Atticus Finch, Scout's father, was based on Lee's own father, a liberal Alabama lawyer and statesman who frequently defended African Americans within the racially prejudiced Southern legal system. Aunt Alexandra and the Finch children all begin to fear Ewell will cause Atticus some harm. To begin with, one of the reasons Atticus was able to develop an immunity to all the prejudice around him. Sex, race, marital, Homosexual, disability and transgender are types of discrimination categories which are considered to be against the law in NSW. Tom is an African American man who is accused of raping a white woman. Atticus has good ideals, and realizes you shouldnt hate anyone, even if they are inhuman. Racism and discrimination are the causes of injustice in the novel, and the negative attitudes of the people in the town are representative of the people who lived during this . Lee's application of racism is immensely represented. Social Identity Theory Conformity could also be used as an explanation of prejudice if you get stuck writing a psychology essay (see below). To remember that person is a person no matter what race they were born, Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Atticus is a role model for everyone who wants to make the world a better place. Atticus is a man who is not affected by what other people say or think about him. Another problem is that racism plays a part of the division in Maycomb. Already a member? Instead, he treats each person as an individual and does not judge them based on colour or class. Without the supervision of Atticus outside the Finch household, they commit acts of anarchy. This chapter highlights the plight of the black community in Maycomb while Scout comes to learn how different her world is from Calpurnias. It is a common thing that still happens in todays society. You do not have to know all the facts. I doubt if we'd ever get a complete case tried--the ladies'd be interrupting to ask questions. Atticus has been asked to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man accused of raping a white woman. Like all humans, there are at least a couple of places in which he does permit his own thinking to be clouded with prejudice.The term prejudice can be defined as "any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable" (Random House Dictionary). He demonstrates this by continuing to work for civil rights even after the Tom Robinson case. For example, someone who steals a loaf of bread would not be punished as harshly as someone who commits a murder. When Atticus says, Just because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to not try to win, I believe what he was trying to say is that even though people are so prejudice against one another, it is not a reason to give up on a trial defending someone of color. This means that everyone is supposed to be treated the same, regardless of their race, religion, sex, or economic status. "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box" (220). To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel about a young girl, Scout, and her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus Finch, in the 1930s in the fictional Maycomb County, Alabama. Atticus while talking to his children makes the statement, Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win (Mockingbird 76). We make choices, make decisions but do we ever really think about if the choice we make is the right thing to do? Causes Impact Prevention What Is Prejudice? He tells them that they should always stand up for what is right, even if it is difficult. To Begin with, Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird shows his care and compassion for Tom as he defends Tom against an entire jury who believes he is guilty because of the color of his skin. During the trial, Atticus Finch is trying to help Tom Robinson live his life, and be found not guilty. During the trial, Atticus Finch is trying to help Tom Robinson live his life, and be found not guilty. There were many facts that were shown in the trial that pointed away from Tom, like when Atticus said. To Kill A Mockingbird Themes, Symbols, Motifs & Character Analysis - Gale 22). In chapter 9, her father defends Tom Robinson, an African American man, and she gets to experience evil firsthand. The theme for justice is also based upon the idea of human rights. Jem and Scout are fascinated by Boo Radley, a man who lives in solitude, and even though he seems very scary to the children, he ends up saving them from the wrath of an angry Mr. Ewell. Oppose them! Prejudice Through Atticus Finch In To Kill A Mockingbird By | ipl.org Some people have dealt there way through prejudice, while others have to keep fighting for what they believe in or do. In Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, people are expected to be in a certain social standing, and to never cross the stereotypical line. Chapter 24 Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis Later, Atticus says later that he wishes Mr. Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco, while Miss Stephanie takes it upon herself to dramatically tell the story of Mr. Ewell spitting in Atticus's face. Those are just a few ways that Atticus is discriminated against in the novel. Also, Hitler is in power, and Scout learned about him in class. The second step is to try to make sure that your own prejudices do not determine your behaviour. How does Atticus relate to the theme of prejudice? To respond well to prejudices, you do not need to be an expert on a subject. Bob Marley stated, Prejudice is a chain, it can hold you. The second step is to try to make sure that your own prejudices do not determine your behaviour. In To Kill A Mockingbird there are many example of individuals being prejudice. Describe the moral views of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Tom Robinson is a black man living in Maycomb, Alabama. You can discuss the issue or make yourself heard in another way. For a mockingbird has never hurt anyone, and neither has Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, nor Tom Robinson. It can have a strong influence on how people behave and interact with othersparticularly with those who are different in some regardeven if on an unconscious level. As can be seen, Lees usage of Tom Robinsons trial and the racial discrimination and prejudice seen throughout it helps reinforce the theme of social injustice throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is generally characterized as the one who represents the antithesis of a prejudiced society by being unprejudiced himself. This means that the punishment for a crime should be proportional to the crime that was committed. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Cecil Jacobs insults Scouts father, Cecil Jacobs made me forget. Atticus also knows that the people of Maycomb won't accept blacks overnight, but he is confident that its an important step for them to accept them as people. (Pg. In some countries, the theme for justice is based upon the idea of retribution, which means that the punishment should fit the crime. Fortunately, there is something you can do. Hence, Atticus erroneously judges Ewell to be harmless, because Atticus is able to see the good in everyone, which shows that Atticus allowed his judgement of Ewell to be clouded by prejudice.Atticus displays prejudice a second time when responding to Jem's comments and questions about the jury system. It is the underlying principle or ideal that a particular legal system is based upon. What does Scout find in the knothole of the tree in the novelTo Kill a Mockingbird? While Atticus is empathetic to Bob's experience, he underestimates the . Scout says this to Jem when they are discussing why different groups in their town do not get along. Mr. Finch was well aware that he was a bird without wings trying to fly when he stood up against prejudice. Through the characters of Aunt Alexandra and Bob Ewell we can see that people view other people on race and social class. He attacks the two and leaves Jem with a broken arm. Reverend Sykes, a man who has lived a long time, and has experienced the harsh reality knows better than to hope. Harper Lee uses Scouts experiences with both innocent and bigoted people in order to suggest that racial prejudice is a force that society must always fight against. You Brilliant people, who have, Below, we explain the trend for those non-Spanish speaking/understanding viewers Thankfully, @babycakes607 explained the trend, In William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet the character Mercutio is prosaic about love and considers, Hostility to immigrants isnt new to the United States. Recall from Module 5 (Section 5.1.1.) From getting to know someone more on a personal level instead of hearing judgements from other people. What makes a judgement prejudiced is that it is not based on sound judgement and facts; it's based on the opinions one holds prior to facts being established. Atticus knows that Tom is innocent, and he takes on the difficult task of proving it in court. How Does Atticus Use Racial Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird They could be held accountable for something they didnt even do. We see a wonderful example of his. Tom Robinson was mistreated during his unjust trial, and because of the stereotypes and racism he was sent to jail for a crime he did not commit. However, if he did so then an innocent man would die with no chance of, Now dont you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I aint ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man (Lee 279). Maycomb is unwelcoming and unjust for the prejudice view for black. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins (Page 224) Atticus confirmed that Maycomb wont have a just system due to white mens words to black men. (Ch. He is one of the very few characters who never has to rethink his position on an issue. As a character, Atticus is even-handed throughout the story. This classic novel is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, Atticus daughter, a young girl who lives in the town of Maycomb County, Alabama, in the 1930s, a town where prejudice and discrimination is rife. Thats what I dont like about it. (Lee, 165) This quote is purely just ignorance and prejudice, this quote is a good example of how most of the town feels, they are mad at atticus not for taking the case, but for actually trying to give Tom a fair trial. The hate, and peer pressure to hate, is rooted to deep into the minds of the citizens, that they know the outcome even before the, Once again during court Scout mentions how Atticus viewed people harassing negros just because theyre black. Scout would get in trouble for knowing how to read, so her teacher forbid her to read at home with her father. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in the 1930s in a fictional southern town in Alabama. Harper Lee wrote this book during marches regarding the civil rights movement for racial equality between black people and white people in the United States. Racism is still a problem with the world today. Atticus's comments about women's frailty and inability to conduct themselves appropriately reflects that he has allowed his views of women to be clouded by society's prejudiced views of women, which shows that Atticus is equally prejudiced against women. However, Atticus chooses to take the case. When Ewell threatens Atticus's children's lives, Atticus soon learns the error in his thinking. One of the most noticeable cases is the prejudice against Tom Robinson due to his skin color. Well, that is what takes place in To Kill a Mockingbird. Jem, Scout, and Atticus all try to stop the hate in this novel. Never get nowhere. . Where do prejudice behaviors come from, and what are the consequences Scout also finds herself stereotyping Arthur Boo Radley. Rather than succumbing to societal expectations and adopting the extreme animosity held by the other citizens, Atticus views and treats all with the dignity and respect that they are entitled to, guiding his. Toward the end of the novel, Atticus, Scouts father, loses the case eventhough he had proven Robinson was innocent. The reliance on assumptions and prejudices in Maycomb is harmful to families, such as the Radleys or racial groups such as African Americans, because they lead people to believe negative stereotypes. Atticus Finch shows many ways of wisdom throughout the novel. Their speeches were given several decades apart, but talked about the same social issues that come from deep-rooted racism. In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the main character is a girl named Scout, growing up with her brother, Jem, and her father, Atticus, in a racist town in Alabama called Maycomb during the Great Depression and the early 1930s.
