To Kill a Mockingbird and A Raisin in the Sun: Both emphasize Racial Tension and Hope to Overcome Prejudice
The importance of morality is a shared theme in Lorraine Hansberry'splay, A Raisin in the Sun and Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.Both stories emphasize this theme through racial tension that thecharacters encounter. Additionally, each story focuses on hope thatreaches to overcome prejudice despite difficulty. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson becomes the victim of prejudicethat ultimately destroys his life. His circumstance is significant becauseit effects many characters in the story. Tom is wrongfully accused ofrape, yet he is a black man living in a society that judges individuals bythe color of their skin. Atticus displays strong moral character when heteaches his children that racism in any amount is wrong. He explains toJem that whenever a white man does something like what Mayella and herfather did to Tom, that man, "no matter who he is, how rich he is, or howfine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (Lee 220).Furthermore, he tries to expose the ugliness of racism i
Both stories also present us with characters that undergo a type ofawakening as a result of their experiences. In To Kill a Mockingbird, thechildren essentially grow up. Lindner that his family does not want to "make no troublefor nobody or fight no causes--but we will try to be good neighbors"(2261). They realize that society can be cruel. In his efforts, he wants to open the eyesof those in Maycomb to the danger of racism. For instance, when Atticus chooses to defend Tom,he knows that he will probably lose the case, but he does not let that stophim from doing the right thing. This is significant because the Youngers are onlyattempting to do what everyone does, which is make a better life forthemselves. Each story depicts characters that face incredible odds to do what theyknow is right and just. While Tom is the primary example of this, the children also awaken to theirown forms of discrimination in relation to Boo. She also realizes that George is a fool despite his wealth. His kindness wasunwarranted and that makes it more significant to the theme of morality inthe novel. These stories illustrate that it is possible and worthwhile todo so. Both situations demonstrate strong characters that strive for themoral good in the face of difficulty. Like Tom, the Younger family encounters an undeservedamount of prejudice. Racialdiscrimination is often unjustified and it takes courage to face it anddefeat it.
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,
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