Prejudice in To Kill a Mocking

To kill a Mocking Bird could be considered a reliable and unexaggerated portrait of southern American´s prejudice because the author Harper Lee based Maycomb the setting for the book and the character Atticus. On the real place and people. Monroeville and Harper Lee´s farther who was a lawyer. Monroeville was also Harper Lee´s hometown and this gave her reasons to know the socity as deeply as she does. The people of Monroeville and other places in the South America recognised themselves and the part that they played in the society in the book, this illustrates the connection between the society in the 1930 and the fictional narrative.

Having the book so accurate, the author can then hit the reader with more impact and can express her views on prejudice and discrimination with stronger force and more focus.

The book investigates many types of prejudice. One is the hatred and fear towards the blacks and the violence between them that could break out at any time, for example the lynch mob. The lynch mob were a group of men that threatened to take the law in their own hands and got together to kill Tom Robinson before his trial. It shows the underground violence that surfaces before the rape

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Blacks are also stereotyped through out the book as aggressive this just an example of the stereotypical blacks. ´ She later goes on to say, 'Folks in this town who think they are doing right, I mean.

When Scout asks if she may visit Calpurnia, her Aunt rules it out with out an explanation but by saying 'You may not´.

One of the many causes of prejudice Harper Lee illustrates in the book is that humans need a scapegoat, something to blame their actions on.

Few could escape some sort of prejudice in the 1930´s and the book shows this by showing prejudices even towards Atticus. This shows how cowardly his character is.

The book also teaches the reader empathy by showing how Scout and Jem are taught it. Tom Robinson being accused of rape by the Ewels shows this in the book.

The ladies of Maycomb also show prejudice towards individuals. However, Jem does not have to accompany them.

There is also gender prejudice in 'To Kill a Mocking Bird´, for example Scout has to wear a dress to school and has to be accompany the ladies of Maycomb for their weekly gathering. The reader has to stop and rethink back to the beginning of the book when Jem´s arm broke to understand the connections of how in community of Maycomb could be so narrow minded and how someone could attack another´s children. It is easy to follow the crowd like with the lynch mob to stand up for what you believe in takes more courage. The book is an education in prejudice, Scout and Jem start with not recognising prejudice at the beginning of the book and then learning about prejudiced people in community that they live in.

Approximate Word count = 1694
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

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