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To Kill a Mockingbird: Racism, Courage and Innocence

            In today's world racism is not as common as it was in the 1900's. In the early 1900's racism was very common, and most of the white Americans were racist to the Minorities. Although racism was common in the 1900's it is now frowned upon and not very common at all. Minorities are now not rejected in today's world, and are accepted like any other person. .
             Racism in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is very common, and it is an important part in the story. Racism is shown by the Caucasian's in Maycomb against the African-Americans in many different ways like when the jury convicts Tom Robinson guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. The details of Tom Robinson raping Mayella Ewell are very vague and do not show enough evidence that Mayella Ewell was raped. When the jury of all Caucasian men decide to vote if Tom Robinson is guilty or not, they all vote guilty only because Tom Robinson is black. "I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: GuiltyGuiltyGuiltyPg 211", this quote shows that the jury did vote Tom Robinson 100% guilty. Another quote from the book that proves the racism and prejudice is "They said if he'd had two good arms he'd have made it, he was moving that fast. Seventeen bullet holes in him Pg. 235". This quote shows that the racism in the book is very heavy and even the police officers will keep their emotions guiding their actions and not their brain.
             Innocence in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is shown throughout the book various times. Dill shows his act of innocence in many different ways like when he asked Scout to marry him because Scout was the only girl Dill knew and he loved her. Both of Scout and Dill are too young to understand what marriage actually is, so they both go along with it and pretend they are married. This part of the story shows how young minded and innocent Dill and Scout are throughout the book. An example of Scout showing her innocence in the book is when she says "I don't have to go to school! Burris Ewell, remember? He just goes to school the first day Pg.


Essays Related to To Kill a Mockingbird: Racism, Courage and Innocence

1. Social Barriers in To Kill a Mockingbird

... epitome of kindness and courage, and innocence who were misunderstood due to prior prejudice and bias. They make many sacrifices to help those around them, yet are judged by the public. Throughout Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley emerge as mockingbirds, symbolizing the prejudice and discrimination of Maycomb County. Scout's father, Atticus Finch, a brave, courageous, and courteous man is an example of a mockingbird. Being a loving and caring parent, Atticus ... teaches his kids everything he can such as fairness and equality for all races, ...

  • Word Count: 1674
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography

2. Themes of To Kill a Mockingbird

... expertly incorporates a variety of themes into To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel touches upon many subjects and gives the reader a vivid image of the attitudes and actions of people living in a typical southern town during the 1930s. Among the themes presented, racism, education, and bravery stand out as the fundamental themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Racism is the most prominently significant theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. Prejudice was at the core of Maycomb ... white girl, was convicted by an all-white jury--despite all evidence proving his innocence--solely based on the color of his ...

  • Word Count: 591
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird

... trial begins, Atticus tries to protect his children from the anger and prejudice they would hear; however, Scout, Jem, and Dill sneak into the courtroom and sit in the balcony with the black community. Mayella and her father testify that Tom raped Mayella after he was asked onto their property to break up an old chifforobe into firewood. Atticus, however, proves Tom's innocence by demonstrating that while ... moral courage, intelligence, and humor, and they come to regard him as a hero in his own right. Critical Reception Since its publication, To Kill a Mockingbird has been enormously ...

  • Word Count: 2287
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. to kill a mockingbird-extract

In the extract from her novel To Kill a Mocking-Bird, Harper Lee reveals the courage shown towards a mob of men set out to kill an innocent man. This particular extract ties in with the overall themes present in the novel, which are courage, innocence and growth, and prejudice through racism. The text is constructed as a first person narration from the adult of Jean-Louise Finch, in retrospect to when she was six. Lee's disapproving, sceptical attitude to the events has been revealed through the techniques of language, dialogue and point of view. She has included this passage in order to draw ...

  • Word Count: 1109
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Compare the childhood of Jane Eyre and Scout Finch

... her side if he punished her. Helen also tells Jane that she knows it was not her fault that the slate slipped and that there is an "invisible world of spirits" (P.69) who watch over you and "recognize your innocence" (P.69). To make Jane feel better, she reassures her that she is innocent of "this charge" (P.69) that Mr Brockelhurst has laid upon her ... and that he has "weakly and pompously repeated second-hand from Mrs Reed" (P.69). Jane learns another valuable lesson from Helen through the conversation on ... grows up. From Tom Robinson's case, Scout sees how a white jury goes again...

  • Word Count: 5125
  • Approx Pages: 21
  • Grade Level: High School

6. To Kill a Mockingbird

The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, tells a story about a young girl named Scout who learns a valuable lesson on the evil of prejudice, true courage, and not to judge others. Set in the mid 1930s, Scout Finch lives with her older brother, Jem, and her father Atticus. Scout is your typical kid with a typical life at that time. But along the way, she also learns many important things. ... trunk of a tree, and watches out for Jem and Scout whenever possible. In the end, Scout realizes that Boo is not a monster at all, but simply a person whom is misunderstood by the people of Maycomb. At the end o...

  • Word Count: 937
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. To Ban or not to ban? I say nay!

... controlling the courses of human events possessed some strange sense of irony, the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, has in recent years, become a mockingbird itself. The book's only crime has been deepening its reader's perception of life, and providing them countless hours of enjoyment, and what thanks does it receive? It receives the honor of being banned from many ... no basis for eliminating the book from our public education system. To Kill A Mockingbird is a compassionate, dramatic, deeply moving novel that contains many valuable morals and life's lessons about justice, ...

  • Word Count: 973
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird In the novel to kill a mockingbird, Scout learns valuable lessons on prejudice in the town Maycomb, on the nature of courage, and on the dangers of judging others "before climbing into their skin and walking around in it." (Lee 33). Set in the mid 1930's, Scout is a young girl living with her older brother Jem and her lawyer father Atticus. Growing up Scout learns many important things. Although ... they were for fun in the beginning they later taught them about respect. In the beginning Boo represented the unknown. The children wondered about Boo and his strangeness. Th...

  • Word Count: 555
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

9. To Kill A Mocking Bird - Scouts Lessons

... some of lifes difficulties by reading a book? In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, otherwise known as Jean Louise Finch, learns valuable lessons on the evil of prejudice present in her Southern town of Maycomb, on the true nature of courage, and on the dangers of judging others before "...climbing into their skin and walking around in it." Set in the mid 1930s, Scout Finch ... of a tree, and watches out for Jem and Scout whenever possible. In the end, Scout realizes that Boo is not a monster at all, but simply a person whom is misunderstood by the people of Maycomb. At the end of t...

  • Word Count: 1037
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

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