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To Kill A Mockingbird Good And Evil Essay

Decent Essays

Evil Often Triumphs But Never Conquers
One of the widely recognized controversies in American history is the 1930s, which held the Great Depression, the post-civil war, the ruling of Plessy versus Ferguson, the Jim Crow Laws, and segregation. There is only one piece of literature that can display the emotion experienced at this time. To Kill A Mockingbird shows how life in Maycomb is greatly affected by the exploration of the moral nature of human beings, whether we are essentially good or essentially evil. Throughout the novel Scout and Jem experience this theme by developing from a state of innocence, having exposure to both good and evil, and appreciating Atticus’ wise lessons. Interpreting the book’s characters and explaining their deeper meaning will help the reader comprehend the human moral nature.
The book presents a constant discussion regarding the inherent goodness or evilness of people. Jem and Scout make the …show more content…

Jem is exposed to evil when Nathan Radley plugs the knothole in the tree with cement. Jem feels that, in a way, Nathan Radley is destroying the only connection between Boo and the children. “When [the children] went in the house [Scout] had seen [that] [Jem] had been crying” (63). The closing of the knothole symbolizes Jem’s realization that Maycomb is not a perfect society. Jem finds good and evil in the form of Mrs. Dubose. His initial reaction to her rudeness and selfishness is anger. “‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!’ Jem stiffened. Mrs. Dubose’s shot had gone home and she knew it...Jem was scarlet” (101-102). The only time he sees something more than evil is when Atticus reveals to him that Mrs. Dubose is an ex-morphine addict. Jem sees that she possessed bravery, and in her own way, was good. Jem starts to see things in a new perspective and he understands that nothing is ever all evil or all

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