On Character
Lillian Chen
3/18/96
Period 3
To Kill a Mockingbird
On a controversial talk show, Ku Klux Klan members gather to show that they will never change their ways. A little, young Caucasian girl states with the same exact words as her parents, members of the Klan, that she hates all colored people and others not in her religion. The host already knows the child was inputted with false information at a young age and sulks when he knows the child will not change. This situation relates to the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee because in the same way, Maycomb County, the setting of the story, is steadfast and will never change its ways. To Kill a Mockingbird starts off with Jean Louise Finch, the 6-year old narrator, talking about her brother Jem, who is four years her senior, her father Atticus, a lawyer, and another portion of the Finch family, Calpurnia, a black woman whom Atticus hired as a cook. During summers, Dill, a scrawny neighbor, assists Jean Louise (also known as Scout) and Jeremy (also known as Jem) in fantasizing about the Radley family, making up frightening stories and bogus adventures. After some time, a significant trial arrives, and Atticus takes the side of Thomas Robinson, a crippled black man accused of rape, while the prosecutor Bob Ewell, known to the town as white trash, prevaricates through the trial. Because Mr. Ewell wins the trial for supposed rape of his daughter Mayella, Tom is sent to jail, but has no chance of living and dies by being shot numerous times. Seeking even more revenge against Atticus, Ewell tries to kill the Finch children, but fails to do so, and his fate is determined by Arthur Radley (also known as Boo). After this event happens, all the Finches and friends come together to a love and understanding. This paper examines the problem of racism in Maycomb, the symbolistic effects on some characters, and the solution from Atticus Finch shown with an attitude that will fight ignorance. Therefore, Harper Lee reveals that ignorance and racism that results from this story can only be solved with compassion and understanding.
The setting of the story shows the growing problem of racism dwelling in the Deep South during the Great Depression of the 1930's. To begin with, Maycomb is a run-down, slow moving town, which Scout refers to as "a tired, old town . . . . People moved slowly then." (page 5) Because it is so backward, people are set in their confederate ways. Its people refuse to change their views on Negroes, religion, and the roles of women. For example, the Negroes are forced to worship in a separate church, which doubles as a gambling hall for whites during the week. Lula, a member of Calpurnia's African Methodist Church, criticizes Calpurnia's decision to bring white children to her church by stating, " 'they got their church, we got our'n.' " (page 119) Even though they both believe in the same God, a God who made all men equal, both races refuse to even worship side by side. To add insult to injury, whites go so far as to game and sin in a sacred place of Maycomb's Negroes. One final example of this segregated society is "the colored balcony [that] ran along three walls of the courtroom like a second-story veranda." (page 164) The courthouse, according to Atticus, is supposed to make all men truly equal. However, blacks are not part of the system of justice, they are disconnected from it, and the seating in the courthouse reflects how they are excluded from participation. In conclusion, the setting of Maycomb county contributes to the immediate problem of prejudice in the Deep South, while also harming the innocent ones affected by the racism.
The symbolistic characters of the story represent the painful effects of ignorance and prejudice of others. First of all, Mr. Underwood quotes in his editorial that "Tom's death [was like] senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children..." (page 240) Tom is compared to a songbird, ready to help anyone in his path, but is shot down and killed anyway. He had done nothing wrong but to help Mayella, and he is still accused because of the ignorance of the court's jury. Atticus also teaches his children the wrongs in killing a mockingbird, calling it a sin, and explains it as shooting something that has done no harm. As another point, the tree in front of the Radley house next to the Finch's appears with a few small trinkets for Scout and Jem to find in its knothole, (page 33) but is soon filled with cement. (page 242) The tree gives Arthur Radley, the person who leaves the presents, a hope in finding communication and enjoyment with others. The only delectation he can have is to watch the joy of the Finch children when they find his gifts, but his elder brother Nathan Radley does not agree with any of Arthur's pleasure because of his religious practices. Nathan decides to cease his younger brother's content by filling the knothole in his tree with cement, and thus symbolizing the break of Boo's fragile connection with others. Arthur actually becomes stronger after a while against his brother's will, and cracks the cement because he grows and bonds with the children, freeing him of all the fear he had before. Lastly, Mayella Violet Ewell's beautiful red geraniums are planted in chipped enamel jars on the Ewell fence. (page 170) The glamorous flowers symbolize how radiant the girl is inside, but also how she is surrounded with trash and hatred. Her middle name Violet also shows how she is the one brilliant flower in her family that is capable to bloom, but is planted in a prison of a junkyard in which she cannot advance out of. When with her family, Mayella is enslaved in her house to stay and help, but what she really desires and what she can have is to bloom and move away, married and with a real life. As you can see, the effects on Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell are built by both ignorance and prejudice. But the problem of suppression of others should not be evident, so there is a need to solve them.
The characterization of Atticus Finch depicts the compassionate attitude that is needed to successfully combat both ignorance and prejudice. To indicate this, Atticus explains to his children, " 'you . . . made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute. That proves something . . . that a gang . . . can be stopped, simply because they're still humans.' " (page 157) Atticus' understanding attitude leads his children to tell Mr. Cunningham to stop his mob from being extremely ignorant and to not break into the jail. He proves that the fathers who are acting vicious are still able to control themselves, and he helps the men realize that they would not want their children to watch them do something that is racist and against the law. Atticus also establishes to Mr. Cunningham that it is better to understand people by standing in their shoes rather than to only take their own judgment. Additionally, Atticus expresses, " 'So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take.' " (page 218) This shows that Atticus is experienced enough to show his children how he will not fight back with Mr. Ewell because he knows that Ewell disliked that he defended a Negro against him and that another person's life is concerned with the situation. He will willingly take punishment for others like Mayella to help to end ignorance in disadvantaged families, for Atticus knows what other people's lives are like even if he is not them. Also, after the trial, Atticus elucidates his actions when "Mr. Underwood's meaning became clear. Atticus had used every tool available to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts, Atticus had no case." (page 241) Atticus finally influences Mr. B.B. Underwood to speak out and tell about the horrible racism in Maycomb in an editorial, as he converts him into a less racist, more outspoken man. The editorial that he wrote in the newspaper shows that Mr. Underwood had courage to voice out even though people may not agree with his ways, just like how Atticus had courage to go against Maycomb's will in taking the side of Tom Robinson even though he knew he was beat. Moreover, Atticus inspires many residents of a prejudiced town to listen to the ways of other people to fight the ignorance and racism which had conquered their minds before Atticus' reasoning. The only genuine way of life has been persuaded by the ways of the one and only Atticus Finch.
In conclusion, Harper Lee stated that only the use of compassion can solve the problems of racism in the world, past present, and future. This paper examined the problem of prejudice in Maycomb County, the painful hatred towards its people, and the only true solution to all of it. After analyzing the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, people could have learned a new, trusty way of life. Fantastic views about understanding why people do the things they do and the effects of religion, language, and conscience on people's lives change how people look at others now. Many philosophies in making the world a better place in the novel change many lives. Using these rules of thumb in To Kill a Mockingbird, all of our lives have been changed. Do you ever wonder if that Ku Klux Klan member's daughter would ever change like we all did after reading this book?
