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To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Essay Sample

Prejudice within a community can often result in misunderstandings, which can then lead to hatred, and ultimately violence. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, we see how prejudice tears apart the peaceful community of Maycomb. Maycomb is initially depicted as an ideal town, but Lee uses the theme of prejudice to show how it can spread within a community and harm, or even kill, those who are vulnerable. In the novel, prejudice affects the most vulnerable members of Maycomb in different ways: Tom Robinson is falsely convicted and killed when making his escape; Boo isolates himself, wishing to remain apart from society; and Scout and Jem are attacked violently by Bob Ewell, although their experience teaches them to understand the dangers of prejudice within a society.

Tom Robinson is perhaps the most vulnerable person in Maycomb, because his vulnerability stems from racist social attitudes. Tom’s vulnerability stems from the fact that he is an African-American living in a racist culture. When Scout asks, “Atticus, are we going to win it?” in a reference to the trial, Atticus simply responds, “No, honey” (Lee 78). This shows how Atticus already realizes that there is no justice for persons of color in Maycomb; before the trial even begins, Atticus knows he is doomed to fail because a jury will never find him innocent, even if that is the truth. Atticus takes the job because he is asked to, but also because he believes it is the ethical and moral thing to do. By defending Tom, he is attempting to defend him against the racist social attitudes of the town, but he knows that because the racism is so pervasive, he has no chance of actually winning the trial.

Boo Radley’s vulnerability stems from his social awkwardness. Although he is a kind-hearted person, as demonstrated when he eventually saves Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell’s attack, he has long been ridiculed by the residents of Maycomb for being different. As a result, he has remained a shut-in for most of his adult life, which in turn makes him subject to being called creepy or reclusive. He has been unable to integrate with society, because the residents of Maycomb have treated him so negatively over the years due to his social awkwardness and differences. At first, Jem and Scout accept the town’s view that Boo Radley should be treated differently because he appears to be creepy. By the end of the novel, however, the children realize that it was prejudice that made Boo want to hide in his home. Scout says, “I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all the time…it’s because he wants to stay inside” (Lee 231). This occurs after the trial, when Scout finally realizes how prejudice can have dire consequences. Although she was initially fearful of Boo Radley, after seeing what happened to Tom after the trial, she is beginning to understand how prejudice can cause actual harm, and even death. She realizes that because Boo is also treated differently by Maycomb society, that Boo must think it safer to stay home all the time and not interact with anyone. Boo’s vulnerability is a result of his social awkwardness and inability to function in society in the way he might be expected to, so to avoid being treated with prejudice, he avoids society altogether as a way to protect himself.

Scout and Jem’s vulnerability stems from the fact that they are children, and have not yet adopted the prevailing social attitudes of the town. They are also targeted because of their association with Atticus; not only are they called names by other children in the town, but they are eventually attacked by Bob Ewell, who was embarrassed in the trial. Scout describes the events of the attack as, “His stomach was soft but his arms were like steel. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move” (Lee 266). This shows how prejudice can often devolve into actual physical violence. Scout and Jem are attacked by Bob Ewell because they are innocent and vulnerable, and this is the best way that Bob can think of to have his revenge for being embarrassed by the trial. Scout and Jem do not share the racist attitudes of the town, and neither does Atticus. However, Atticus is not as vulnerable because he is grown and already a prominent figure in the town. Scout and Jem, as children, are vulnerable because they are weak, and because they are the children of the man who stood up to Bob Ewell at the trial, by not believing his lies, they are attacked.

Throughout the novel, the effects of prejudice are shown in different ways, all of which are negative: Tom is unfairly placed on trial, convicted, and ultimately killed when he tries to escape; Boo Radley is forced to either live in isolation, or live a life where he is constantly being ridiculed; and Scout and Jem are physically attacked by a man seeking revenge on their father. By the end of the novel, all of these events are interconnected: Scout and Jem are called names and attacked because their father defended Tom, but Boo Radley is able to come to their defense and kills Bob Ewell with a knife. This shows how even though Tom did not face justice during his life, he was able to find justice after his death, when Bob Ewell, the man who essentially framed him, is killed.