Murielle H. To Kill A Mockingbird Essay #7 8B 1.29.

14 Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy but sing their little hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird (90). Mockingbirds are filled with innocence and nothing more. When a mockingbird loses its innocence, it's called going into adulthood. So this prompts a question; How can you keep the mockingbird in yourself but still grow up?" This can only be answered if you understand how your innocence can be altered by the goodness and cruelness of humanity which can lead to the loss or gain of faith in justice. Many people have lost their faith in justice because of the destruction of innocence portrayed in the Maycomb. This has to deal with racial prejudice and how many citizens like Mr. Raymond have lost their faith in the justice system. When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymonds in the clutches of whiskey-thats why he wont change his ways. He cant help himself, thats why he lives the way he does (209). He pretends to be the town drunk in order to be viewed as acceptable when with the black community; when in reality he just prefers black people over white. He understands how the judicial system is corrupt because he has witnessed the destruction of innocence frequently. Despite the supporting evidence from To Kill A Mockingbird that displays the corrupt system of justice in Maycomb; there are still signs of the people gaining faith in justice. For example; Judge Taylor appointed Atticus as Tom Robinsons lawyer instead of a regular county lawyer. This gave the black community some faith that justice might happen. Another event of some gain in faith, is when the jury was deciding the verdict and they took much longer than usual. Although this is a small achievement, it gave everyone the a bit of reassurance that some people still have a conscience of what was right and what was wrong; even though the verdict was still guilty.The power of racial prejudice overtook the power of justice. The main reason the Maycomb community has lost its faith in justice is because of the cruelness of its people. For example; when Bob Ewell gets humiliated by Atticus in the courtroom, he is so full of anger and rage he spits in his face. His anger concocted with alcohol made a lethal mix that pushed him to make terrible actions. Another example of cruelness of humanity is when Mayella accused Tom Robinson of raping her when it was really her father Mr. Ewell, who was the abuser. Her accusation of rape by a black man instantly made him guilty, whether or not this was true. Her cruelty was brought by her own shame and guilt, too embarrassed to say her father abused her so she ruined the life of an innocent man. This has been witnessed by many folks in Maycomb and is the main reason why the justice system is corrupt. When Jem is at the courthouse during Toms trial, he is exposed to the harsh real world, and i s stripped of his innocence. He is no longer a mockingbird. He is forced to become an adult and understand why people do what they do. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of viewuntil you climb into his skin and walk around in it (30). Jem has to learn this lesson in

order to become an adult while still keeping the mockingbird within him. Even with all the cruelness in Maycomb there still lay mockingbirds amongst the people. Boo Radley was one of them; he did nothing but give Jem and Scout love and protection. When I went back, they were folded across the fence like they were expectin me. Theyd been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed em up, like somethin Id try to do. All crooked (58). This is proof of one of the attempts by Boo to care for Scout and Jem. Another attempt he made was putting items in the knot-hole by his familys trees and when he covered Scout with a blanket while Miss Maudies house was on fire. Boos greatest act of love and protection of Scout and Jem occurred when he saved them from Mr. Ewells. When Mr. Tate realizes Boo killed Mr. Ewell, he protects him because he knows hell be misunderstood like Tom Robinson. This shows the goodness of humanity coming forth in hard decisions. Mr. Tate understands it would be a sin to kill Boo or to arrest him, because he is a mockingbird and he has done nothing other than show love and care for the Finch children.

Mr. Cunninghams basically a good man, he just has blind spots along with the rest of us (157), Although there are many cruel people in Maycomb, they all have their blind spots just as this quote demonstrates. Just as Mrs. Dubose died, she was a mean old lady, but she was ill which made her blind and insensitive to people and their feelings. That doesnt quite mean she was a cruel woman all her life, it just means she was blind near the end. The people of Maycomb can be extremely cruel but A mobs always made up of people, no matter what (157). Even with all the evil, there is still good within the community. Everyone has that soft spot where they understand whats right compared to whats the right thing to do. The death of Tom Robinson was an example of the senseless slaughter of songbirds as Mr. Underwood describes it. I think this is true because Tom was a mockingbird; he worked hard and showed respect to everyone. But a mobs always made out of people, and all those people have their blind spots and he was one of them.