The Solution to Stereotypes in To Kill a Mockingbird by...

As long as stereotypes remain a part of society, justice cannot be upheld due to the bias and prejudice of these misconceptions. Specifically, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee displays the outcome of a racist and stereotypical society through the eyes of the young protagonist Jean Louise (Scout) Finch. As Scout matures, she begins to notice the myriad of flaws and imperfections within her society and as a result, Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, teaches her to look past an individuals exterior. Thus, Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird displays the physical consequences of stereotypes as well as how they limit, restrict, and govern the actions of humans; ultimately, this exhibits the destructive nature of stereotypes that also†¦show more content†¦All in all, stereotypes are destructive as they result in pain and remorse. In addition, the presence of stereotypes limit and restrict the actions and ideas of individuals. This is because stereotypes are often de lusions which are regarded as the truth. Throughout the entire novel, it is evident that those who are white are kept separate from those who are black. Lula stopped, but she said, You aint got no business bringin white chillun here--they got their church, we got ourn. It is our church, aint it, Miss Cal? (119). This is significant as these racial groups do not share public areas. Fundamentally, this limits the social circles of individuals as this stereotype restricts interactions between those of a different skin colour. Furthermore, the misconception that those who are young are incapable, is problematic. Scouts teacher, Ms. Caroline Fisher said, We dont write in the first grade, we print. You wont learn to write until youre in the third grade (18). Although Scout already knew how to write, Ms. Caroline discouraged her from practicing this as she deemed Scout too young. However, by doing so, Scout is unable to mature as a person. Simply, stereotypes limit the thoughts and actions of individuals and restrict them from truly being themselves. However, the greatest flaw of human society, is allowing stereotypes to compel and dictate individual behaviour. ThisShow MoreRelatedEssay on Importance of the Trial in To Kill a Mockingbird1235 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of the Trial in To Kill a Mockingbird      Ã‚   The trial of Tom Robinson is central to our understanding of racial and social prejudice in Maycomb. Harper Lee uses Tom Robinsons crime to bring tensions in the town to a head and the author uses the trial as a way of making the ideas behind such tensions explicit for the reader.    The two people involved in the so-called crime, Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell, are at the very bottom of Maycomb society. Tom is black andRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee3038 Words   |  13 Pagesin order to see the world clearly. Abandon the wrongs that have plagued society and strive instead for peace and equality. The novel To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, took place during the Civil Rights Movement In the 1930’s. At the time, a lot of racism and prejudice was integrated into life as blacks became segregated from whites. Various stereotypes were formed, such as saying that blacks were dangerous, liars, and perverts, lusting for white women. In addition, they had entirely separateRead More Censorship in Schools Essay3746 Words   |  15 Pages(2001). One way of fostering this involvement is to have students connect emotionally to a piece of literature and then move to the intellectual aspects of the piece (Bushman, 2001). Bushman identifies an exam ple of this in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Teachers can ask students how they feel about the discrimination that occurs in the story, how discrimination relates to their lives, and finally move to the intellectual by asking how the characters in the book respond to the discrimination