13614

10eng G

To Kill a Mockingbird essay

Question:

From getting to know someone more on a personal level instead of hearing

judgements from other people. An individual is able to neutralize prejudice by
understanding how a person lives and feeling empathy for them. Author, Harper
Lee has demonstrated this through her Pulitzer Prize winning novel: To kill a
mockingbird. Since its first publication in 1960 it has sold over 40 million copies
world-wide. Harper Lee wrote this book during marches regarding the civil rights
movement for racial equality between black people and white people in the
United States. She wrote this as a statement to the 1960s civil rights movement,
although it as set in the 1930s, this novel has a lot to say about fair treatment of
all people no matter what social class or race.
Within Lees novel, it is quoted in chapters 2-3, Scout rubs Walter Cunninghams
nose in the dirt from getting Scout into trouble at school but Jem intervenes and
invites Walter to dinner. When Scout sees Walter spread molasses over his meat
and vegetables she criticises him for how he is eating his food. This is when
Atticus explains to Scout how people are brought up differently and You never
really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.
The technique used is a metaphor about truly understanding the way of life for
others, helping Scout to learn a lesson about having empathy for other
individuals. This quote/chapter summary reflects the original essay statement of
how prejudice can be overcome through the development of empathy. This
chapter creates the sense of empathy as Scout learns not to judge the way that
other people live. Another example of social prejudice is when Aunt Alexandra
forbids Jem and Scout to play with Walter Cunningham Because he is trash that
is why Ill not have you around him picking up his habits and learning lordsknows-what. As in Maycomb society the community looks down upon families
such as the Ewells and the Cunninghams and are thought of as white trash and
just a step above the Negros. Scout defies this as she makes an effort to get to
know someone as an individual, rather than their status.
Racial prejudice is one of the principal concepts of prejudice which is illustrated
throughout this novel, this includes the courtroom scene starting from chapter
17. Throughout the whole courtroom scene examples of racial prejudice is used,
mainly towards the verdict Tom Robinson, who was accused of attacking and
raping a white girl. Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell is an example of
creating racial prejudice towards Tom Robinson. A quote from Bob Ewell to Judge
Taylor "I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!" Bob uses this an
offence to Tom Robinson as he did not even say his name and described him as a
Black nigger and uses a comparison technique of comparing Tom to a beast as
the word ruttin is usually applied to animals. Furthermore, throughout the
courtroom scene Tom Robinson is being held against for attacking and raping and
most of the statements about him were referring to his race and not his
individuality. Atticus stands up for him and says some Negroes lie, some

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10eng G

To Kill a Mockingbird essay

Negroes are immoralblack or white. But this is a truth that applies to the
human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this
courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing. On
this hand, Atticus is right about this as individuals need to judge other individuals
based on who they are and not completely on their race. From this quote, we as
the reader feels more empathy for Tom Robinson
During the novel, Scout struggles against gender expectations and stereotyping
which forces her to conform or develop her own sense of identity. When passing
Mrs. Dubose's house, Scout experiences verbal abuse about her clothing. The
use of dialogue and rhetorical questions is "what are you doing in those overalls,
you should be in a dress and camisole young lady" reveals the expectations of
what girls should wear, as well as the importance of respect that should exist for
young children towards adults in Maycomb. Situations such as these
demonstrates the difficulty of overcoming prejudice amongst adults. Scout is
able to develop a new understanding for women in Maycomb during her
involvement in Aunt Alexandra's missionary tea. After the death of Tom Robinson,
Aunt Alexandra displays emotional strength. By watching Aunt Alexandra's
behaviour, Scout learns that being a woman involves carrying on in the first face
of identity and this helps her to develop more respect for women, counteracting
her previous gender prejudice.

So in conclusion, the author has created empathy to counteract the existence of

prejudice from getting to know someone on a more personal level other than
hearing rumours from other people and judging on race instead of individuality.
In To Kill a Mockingbird social and racial stereotyping is overcome through
empathy, whether it affects the characters or the readers of the novel.
Ultimately, Harper Lee has explored this concept and has created a sense of
empathy throughout the novel by offsetting the use of prejudice.