The Reader Through Representation Of Social Justice

Imagine a world where evil and unjust actions are based on the color of skin; a world where some don’t even realize that they are prejudicing. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, these themes are present. People and how they commit evil, hypocritical, and unjust acts. We see these themes and great issues through the point of view of a child; the vigorous, youthful, elementary-aged Scout. Through this character Harper Lee shows the innocence of children, and what they go through in our inequitable world.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a complex literary work exploring several aspects of the human condition. Lee’s story is one based in the 1930’s, shortly before the Civil Rights Movement. Her novel ventures into the societal issues, such as racism and gender stereotyping, in their fictional town, Maycomb. One recurring theme throughout the narrative is the social adjustment of the citizens of Maycomb and the human race as a whole. Lee showcases the progress in social justice matters by using symbolism and motifs.

Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has won many awards and has created a significant spot in the history of literature. Lee was brought up in the South, and that became a motivator for her to write this novel. In the book, the author navigates us around the unjust world in the racially biased Southern USA in the 1900’s, through the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, or as one may know her, Scout. The book is a virtual portal to the world Scout lives in. Lee takes the readers on a journey in which Scout, a naive but curious girl, discovers and fights many different kinds of discriminations which are based on race, gender, family status and class. These aspects put one in a state of mind in which they experience a clash of opposing feelings between

The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is one of the greatest works of American literature. It has been reprinted again and again, and is a staple in almost any writing or history class. There are a number of reasons why it can be argued that this novel is one of the greatest ever written, but perhaps the most compelling reason is that the complex, adult issue of prejudice explored in this novel is relayed to the reader through the eyes of a child.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a witty and well-written account of the realities of a “tired old town” (4) where there was “nothing to buy and nothing to buy it with” (4). Purposefully, it comes across not merely an innocently portrayed, yet eye-opening, story of a young girl start to grasp the inequalities of her society. Rather, it is accompanied by recollection of the unfortunate pillars of hate of the places Harper Lee matured in. We now perceive this account as an ‘archaic” and “ancient” recount of some historically frowned upon mindsets in an enthralling atmosphere upon which we pin historical quantities of prejudice, racism and most of all, bigotry. The unfortunate reality is that we look at history in a vacuum and ignore the occurrences of our own times. So although we, like Scout’s teachers teaching about the horrible acts of the Holocaust while being outspokenly racist, are able to analyze social inequalities in other places in time or the world yet refuse to open our eyes to the same prejudice, racism and bigotry today. To instance, when reading To Kill a Mockingbird , we often frown upon citizens for judging “folks” based on their family name and race, although, everyday, some member of our current society, such as police officers and employers, do the same thing and no one bats an eye. Alternatively, the issue which we definitely desperately desire to avoid, racism, is explicitly tackled in To Kill a Mockingbird to the point of viral awareness of the problem in

Throughout Harper Lee’s novel of To Kill a Mockingbird, one significant theme makes its presence known to the audience in order to explore a topic that has been the center of controversy for many years. From the very beginning, it is clear to see the message of integrity and justice that Lee so brilliantly contrived; which she conveys through setting, conflict, symbolism, and characterization. These cohesive factors work together in order to help the reader comprehend the author’s ideals and the moral dilemma she wished to shed light on at the time.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that aims to change the reader’s perspective on life. Harper Lee presents controversial issues and ideas through the innocent eyes of a child. Throughout the novel, you are assaulted by the evils in the narrator’s society; chiefly racism and prejudice. With events such as the unjust trial and the revelation of people’s true identities, the reader is forced to see the faults in the public’s opinion. As the child grows up and learns more about the adults in her town, she sees that many of them are deliberately blind to the real problems and truths in society, and she must choose on her own what is right or wrong, true or false. Harper Lee expertly shows the struggles involved in seeking the truth about society,

We live in a world where people are constantly discriminated against because of their gender, race, or ethnicity, in a world where people no longer worship God-but people in power, in a world where people are not just homeless, but stateless, and in a world where no one feels safe. The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee tells the story through the eyes of Scout Finch, who talks about her father, Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man unjustly accused of rape; and about Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor who saves Scout and her brother Jem from being killed. The book emphasizes on the theme of ‘morality and ethics’ by portraying juxtaposing characters, prejudiced characters and conflicting

Harper Lee uses symbolism in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, to convey the cruelty and aggression in a community fighting racism. Also, the use of symbols throughout the book assists the reader in understanding the meaning of the title, To Kill a Mockingbird. One symbol in the novel is “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…, That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (103). The symbol, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird, means that the innocence of someone has been taken away and that it’s a sin to do such a thing.

The classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates that during the early 1900’s it was socially unacceptable to be a “nigger-lover” (Lee 144). The main issue revealed by the author in the novel is that the society is very prejudice towards the colored and poor. This makes it difficult to make the morally correct decision versus what is considered socially adequate. Through character development, foils between characters, and symbolism the author, Harper Lee, clearly emphasizes the importance in having perspective in viewing courage and respect-- in doing the right thing even if it means becoming a disgrace in society.

To kill a Mockingbird is a book of many symbols, and the mockingbird is one of the most iconic. Many references occur in the book, showing us the the mockingbirds innocence and connecting it to many characters of the book. The mockingbird can symbolize characters such as Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Scout. In chapter ten Atticus informs Scout, “Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”.

The mockingbird is used as a symbol throughout Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. In the book, it states several times that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. This is because mockingbirds do us no harm and sing beautiful music for us to enjoy. It would be a sin to kill something so innocent and pure. Therefore, the mockingbird is symbolic of both the loss of innocence and the unjust persecution of the innocent. There are symbolic mockingbirds that are represented by many people throughout the novel, such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Jem and Scout Finch.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the exaggerated tension between races was unjustified through the reveal of the Finch’s unbiased perspective towards African Americans and segregation. Before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, a large portion of the southern community judged based on skin color, but the Finch’s showed that there was a chance of a world where everyone was equal and isn’t discriminated on a daily basis.

The concept of conflicting perspectives is consistently present in Harper Lees’ novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The text asks questions about current trends in society and the attitudes that cause people to ‘act like sheep” and conform while also expressing the need for individuality. It also brings into question the way the judicial system should be beyond reproach no matter what man is on trial, whether they be white or black. In a similar manner it also shows changing attitudes in regards to racism over time and in turn establish a conflicting perspective between the reader and characters of the novel.

In the riveting coming-of-age novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee projects the idea of acceptance of all people, through the eyes of a child. Harper Lee combats the prejudice of social standing when she proves that some of the poorest people have the best of character traits. While racism of African Americans is first and foremost in this novel, the acceptance of white people into the African American community shows racism can be beaten from both point of views. Finally, the disabilities that Arthur Radley portrays, is forgotten, when his actions help him soar above the bigotry of the people of Maycomb County. The most obvious topic is the overt racism based on a person's skin color, however, Harper Lee takes us beneath the skin to show that discrimination occurs in other ways.