Essay/Term paper: To kill a mockingbird: prejudice in maycomb

Essay, term paper, research paper:  To Kill a Mockingbird

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.