To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice In Maycomb

Essay, Research Paper

To Kill A Mockingbird: Prejudice in Maycomb

Two major people in To Kill A Mockingbird are prejudged; Boo Radley

and Tom Robinson. One man is the victim of prejudice; Atticus Finch. These men

are mockingbirds. For a mockingbird has never hurt anyone, and neither has

Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, nor Tom Robinson. . Boo Radley is prejudged because

he chooses to stay in his domicile. While Tom Robinson is prejudged because of

his color. Atticus Finch becomes a victim of prejudice due to his valiancy to

help a innocent black man; Tom Robinson. Boo Radley and Tom Robinson and

prejudged; but because prejudice is so inclusive, even those who help the ?

mockingbirds?, Atticus, become victims of prejudice.

Maycomb people gossip about Boo Radley because he chooses to stay in

his house, while Tom Robinson is stereotyped by Maycomb because of his skin

color. Rumors are spread about these men because most of Maycomb is guilty of

prejudice. Boo Radley is generally gossiped about by Miss Stephanie Crawford.

Miss Stephanie recounts to Jem about rumors spread about Boo Radley. ?So Jem

received much of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford…?( Lee, TKAM 11

). Miss Stephanie explains a erroneous rumor about Boo. ?As Mr. Radley passes by,

Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg…? ( 11 ). Tom Robinson is

prejudged by many people, some include: Scout, Mr. Gilmer, and Bob Ewell. For

example, when Scout says, ?Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro? (199).

Maycomb people are the sin of all prejudice in Maycomb.

Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are mockingbirds. Both of these men are

victims of prejudice. To take advantage of these men would be a sin, just as it

would to kill a mockingbird. ?Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for

us to enjoy…that’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird (90).?

Tom Robinson is taken advantage of by the Ewell family. Tom had nothing

against anybody, especially the Ewells’. He would help Mayella with her chores, and

the part of it that made him a mockingbird, is that he did not want anything in

return. ? Were u paid for these services…No suh, not after she offered to give

me a nickel the first time (191).? What makes Boo Radley a mockingbird is that

he has never really never hurt anybody, he minds his own business while watching

over his children. The Ewell family and many other people in Maycomb have sinned,

distinctively Bob Ewell, because they took advantage and prejudged to innocent

men; Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.

People who help the mockingbirds also become victims of prejudice.

Atticus Finch tries to defend Tom, but in doing so, Atticus becomes a victim of

prejudice. People in Maycomb lose respect for Atticus because he is defending a

black man. In Maycomb it was erroneous to defend a black man against a white.

Atticus is also gossiped about, essentially by Mrs. Merriweather. ?I tell u

there are some misguided people in this town…folks who thinks they’re doing

right…not for me to say who…but all they did was stir ‘em up (232). ?

Therefore, those who help the people that are prejudged, become victims of

prejudice.

Many people in Maycomb prejudge Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. In TKAM ,

Harper Lee shows how wide spread prejudice is, using from Atticus standpoint to

an Tom Robinson and Boo Radley standpoint. Tom and Boo are not given a chance.

Tom died because he was not given a chance, because of his skin color, and also

because that he was prejudged. He was convicted guilty of murder, and ended up

shot. Tom was a mockingbird though, because he showed intrepidity. Boo was not

given a chance neither. Boo is hated for not coming out of his house, but Boo

had the intrepidity to watch over his children and save their lives. Courage to

help the “mockingbirds” is really what conquers prejudice.