“In A World Painted In Darkness I Could Always Find Light In You.”

Prejudice: Social norm or Socially unacceptable?

Book: To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Choice: Own choice, analytical essay

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” These famous words, spoken by Martin Luther King Jr. relate deeply to the theme of prejudice in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The novel is a story of two children growing up in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression. It starts with them being innocent and carefree, and slowly growing up to notice and understand the evils of the world. In Maycomb, the most prevalent evil is prejudice. In a southern society like Alabama, prejudice is a very common thing, especially pertaining to African-American people.To Kill a Mockingbird is a juxtaposition between the biased society of Alabama and the impartial and innocent Finch family, who is headed by the tolerant and clear headed Atticus Finch. Harper Lee explores the theme of prejudice through symbols, setting, and minor characters.

An exceptionally effective section in the novel is the Tim Johnson scene which helps explore the theme that adults with the power of clear thinking, judgement, and bravery are to educate children on recognizing prejudice and preventing it through their actions. Subsequent to Atticus shooting Tim Johnson, Ms. Maudie tells the kids about how Atticus was a good shot. She remarks, “marksmanship’s a gift of god, a talent––oh, you have to practice to make it perfect, but shootin’s different from playing piano or the like” (Lee 98). Tim Johnson’s sickness symbolizes the disease of prejudice in the Maycomb county. The gun that Atticus carries and Atticus’s ability to shoot represents Atticus’s ability to kill the disease of prejudice. It’s quite challenging to stand up to prejudice the way that Atticus does. Ms. Maudie explains to the children that Atticus has a particular talent in that area, and spends time and effort to refine this talent. Although, as Lee inadvertently shows us, Atticus’s good aim is more than just marksmanship; it accentuates the bravery and tolerance that he is gifted with. Through this scene, the readers learns that the parents are the captains of their children’s thoughts. When they act with bravery and sound judgement as Atticus does, parents show their children to act the same. Lee shows that it’s the duty of the parents to teach their children tolerance and clear judgement. Then, and only then will children be equipped with the proper tools to fight prejudice.

Alongside the use symbolism to examine the theme of prejudice, setting is used to explore the theme of people with the skill of tolerance often needing to stand up to larger and often more powerful groups of people to ensure that prejudice does not dominate the actions of the group. When Jem, Scout, and Dill follow Atticus out the night before the trial, they find Atticus sitting outside the jailhouse. This scene is set on a dark street, where it is difficult to see much of anything. Even so, they are able to see Atticus, “a burning light in the distance” (150). Atticus has brought his own light and is seated outside the jailhouse. He confronted the mob that was intent on beating up Tom Robinson. In this particular milieu, the lighting distinguishes Atticus and the angry mob. Atticus, who is present in the light, represents his tolerance and judgement. This setting also symbolizes how he doesn’t give in to social prejudices. On the other end of the spectrum, the mob standing in the consuming darkness have been taken over by prejudice and aren’t thinking logically. Additionally, Atticus brought his light with him, which shows us that tolerance is something that Atticus carries with him. In this scene, Lee uses setting to impart to the reader that everyone can use tolerance to stand up to prejudice. Similar to Atticus carrying his light to tackle the mob, one can gain knowledge from such and carry tolerance in their own lives.

As well as setting and symbolism, the roles of minor characters are used by Lee to depict and explore prejudice. The theme of families without education, guidance, nor judgment are soon to give in to the dark side of society and become biased and prejudice is also explored in this novel. This theme is established the first time that the Ewell family is mentioned. Burris Ewell, a classmate of Scout’s, is first observed having lice in his hair and is described as “the filthiest human [Scout] had ever seen” (26). Burris only attends the first day of school every year, similar to all of his siblings. The Ewells live in a shack, alongside the town dump. Their father, Bob Ewell is hardly ever around and is mostly drunk, leaving his children to do as they please and run amok. The author develops this theme using the description of the Ewells. The children don’t attend school, instead they play all day while their father is away. This is a very obvious portrayal of the family’s lack of education, alongside their lack of parental guidance. Their father is constantly drinking, and the children are always filthy, which symbolizes their muddled judgment. The fact that their home is situated within the town dump is also a sign that the family feeds off of the trash of the society, taking in old mentalities that have already been disposed of by the present. These mentalities include prejudice, biased thinking and not to mention racism. The reader is shown that the Ewells are part of a cataclysmic cycle. They are sorely rejected by modern day society as their views have long since been deemed ‘socially unacceptable’. However, these views are the only ones that are allowed to them by society. The Ewells live on what the dark side of society throws away. Lee uses the Ewell’s reaction towards the events to form a “yin-yang” balance with the Finch family, and are indicative of the author’s intention to further develop the theme of prejudice in the novel.

It is through the use of minor characters, setting, and symbols that Harper Lee can explore her novel’s main themes. These three literary devices are what the author uses to best show the prejudice and bias of Maycomb county, Alabama. Jem and Scout’s journey to adulthood highlight the town’s prejudices and how it widely contrasts with their home. Nonetheless, Atticus doesn’t let society sink in on them; he is quick to teach them that, “the one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” Even though children may face the struggles of prejudice every day, however big or small, it is ultimately up to each and every individual to do the necessary things in the fight against preventing prejudice.

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kaz had enough faith in geels’ feelings for his ‘girl’ that he was willing to hold a pistol against his own chest. kaz had enough faith in matthias’ feelings for nina in the ice court that he was willing to stake the entire mission out on it. kaz had faith in hanna’s love for her family and dogs. he had faith in van eck’s love for alys and his child, and he had faith in rollins’ love for his son. 

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