prejudice essays on to kill a mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

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Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird , Scout witnesses many different types of prejudice—and even promotes these attitudes herself—including classism, sexism, and racism. Regardless of the type of prejudicial worldview, each one treats people as stereotyped groups, demands conformity, and doesn’t give any credit to individuals. Over and over again, To Kill a Mockingbird illustrates how prejudice can be closed-minded and dangerous, as well as seemingly benign—but in all cases, it’s ridiculous and misguided.

Though racism is the type of prejudice that shines through the novel the most, Mockingbird is careful to show that this not the only kind of prejudice at work—and, at least for a white girl like Scout, it’s not even the most pressing issue in her life. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that racism isn’t Scout’s biggest issue exactly because she’s white, and what bothers her more is the sexism she experiences, and the classism expressed most often by her Aunt Alexandra . Scout is a tomboy and states clearly that she has no interest in being a lady, so she finds attempts by her Uncle Jack , Aunt Alexandra, and occasionally Jem to force her into acting more like a lady to be especially offensive, especially when this concerns wearing dresses instead of her preferred overalls. While certainly not a direct equivalent to racism, the sexism that Scout experiences at times impresses upon her just how silly prejudice is in general. Despite this, she still holds and espouses her own sexist views—she laughs when her cousin Francis says that Aunt Alexandra is going to teach him to cook, as she believes that boys don’t cook. To an outside observer, the juxtaposition of Scout’s annoyance with others’ clothing preferences with her own sexist ideas makes the point that anyone, even the victims of unfair treatment themselves, can hold questionable views.

Similarly, Scout gradually comes to the understanding that a person’s financial situation or family history shouldn’t have any bearing on whether or not they’re thought of as good people—though in many cases, she sees clearly that it does. While Aunt Alexandra outright forbids Scout from playing with Walter Cunningham , a poor farm boy at school, Scout sees that the only thing that separates her and Walter is that Walter has to miss school to work on the farm and his family doesn’t have any money—neither of which are things with which Scout (whose father, Atticus , is a lawyer) has to contend. Further, Scout feels especially warm toward the Cunningham family in general following Tom Robinson ’s trial, as someone in the family was on the jury and was the one who fought to acquit Robinson. For Scout, this is proof that Walter isn’t all that different from her, and moreover, is a good person deserving of respect and kindness. To Aunt Alexandra, however, the possibility of Scout being friends with Walter represents an existential threat to the Finch family name, as she believes that being anything but polite and detached toward poor individuals sullies one’s own reputation—again, something Scout sees as being ridiculous, misguided, and selfish.

While the existence of racism in Maycomb becomes clearest to Scout during and immediately after Tom Robinson’s trial, the novel goes to great lengths to show that the racism hurled at Robinson doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s a part of the way Maycomb operates. Scout learns in the year or so before the trial that segregation and a general dislike of black people isn’t something benign or normal: rather, it exists thanks to a strong undercurrent of hate on the part of white people in Maycomb. During and after the trial, Scout hears friends, family, and neighbors verbally attack Atticus for taking Tom Robinson’s defense seriously—in their opinion, Robinson doesn’t deserve a fair trial because of the color of his skin. She and Jem also suffer abuse for Atticus’s choice to defend Robinson, suggesting that in Maycomb, treating a black person with anything other than distant contempt is an unspeakable offense. Similarly, Atticus makes the case in his closing argument that the case, which relies on he-said-she-said argumentation rather than medical evidence or eyewitness testimony, asks the jury to believe that all black men are dangerous rapists—even if there’s no compelling evidence that Robinson raped Mayella Ewell , and even if there’s a very good chance that Mr. Ewell , Mayella’s father, was the one who beat her instead.

Through all of this, Scout gradually comes to the conclusion that prejudice of any kind is ridiculous and misguided—after all, she sees that the town becomes increasingly hostile toward Atticus, whom she believes is unwaveringly good, when he stands up against prejudice by defending Robinson. Further, she begins to interrogate her own prejudiced thoughts about Boo Radley , especially after he saves her and Jem’s lives. Scout’s gradual realization that it’s not fruitful or worth her time to dislike or fear people for their differences, no matter what they are, makes the case that it’s possible to move on from prejudice as people gain exposure to others who are different—especially when those seemingly different people turn out to be not so different from oneself.

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Prejudice Quotes in To Kill a Mockingbird

“There's some folks who don't eat like us," she whispered fiercely, "but you ain't called on to contradict 'em at the table when they don't. That boy's yo' comp'ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?” “He ain't company, Cal, he's just a Cunningham—“ “Hush your mouth! Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house's yo' comp'ny, and don't you let me catch you remarkin' on their ways like you was so high and mighty!”

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“There are just some kind of men who—who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”

prejudice essays on to kill a mockingbird

“If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?”

“For a number of reasons,” said Atticus. “The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again.”

"Atticus, are we going to win it?"

“No, honey.”

“Then why—”

“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,” Atticus said.

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“Atticus, you must be wrong…”

“How's that?”

“Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong…”

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Lula stopped, but she said, “You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here—they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?”

When I looked down the pathway again, Lula was gone. In her place was a solid mass of colored people.

One of them stepped from the crowd. It was Zeebo, the garbage collector. “Mister Jem,” he said, “we're mighty glad to have you all here. Don't pay no 'tention to Lula, she's contentious because Reverend Sykes threatened to church her. She's a troublemaker from way back, got fancy ideas an' haughty ways—we're mighty glad to have you all.”

Somewhere, I had received the impression that Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had, but Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion, obliquely expressed, that the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was.

“Well how do you know we ain't Negroes?”

“Uncle Jack Finch says we really don't know. He says as far as he can trace back the Finches we ain't, but for all he knows we mighta come straight out of Ethiopia durin' the Old Testament.”

“Well if we came out durin' the Old Testament it's too long ago to matter.”

“That's what I thought," said Jem, “but around here once you have a drop of Negro blood, that makes you all black.”

“If you had a clear conscience, why were you scared?”

“Like I says before, it weren't safe for any nigger to be in a—fix like that.”

“But you weren't in a fix—you testified that you were resisting Miss Ewell. Were you so scared that she'd hurt you, you ran, a big buck like you?”

“No suh, I's scared I'd be in court, just like I am now.”

“Scared of arrest, scared you'd have to face up to what you did?”

“No suh, scared I'd hafta face up to what I didn't do.”

“The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered— … It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that—it just makes me sick.”

“They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it—seems that only children weep.”

“Oh child, those poor Mrunas,” she said, and was off. Few other questions would be necessary.

Mrs. Merriweather's large brown eyes always filled with tears when she considered the oppressed. “Living in that jungle with nobody but J. Grimes Everett,” she said. “Not a white person'll go near 'em but that saintly J. Grimes Everett.”

Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.

“When they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things…Atticus, he was real nice…” His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

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To Kill a Mockingbird Racism

Racism implies prejudice, bias , or discrimination directed either at an individual or an entire race or group of people belonging to a different ethnicity. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird presents racism in Maycomb society where most of the people belong to different races. Harper Lee projects racism and details how social injustice, prejudices, and class discrimination ruin social harmony. Although the whole text depicts racism, a few prominent incidents of racism in the novel have been discussed below.

Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird

Incident -1.

Tom’s trial is the major incident of racism as the entire novel revolves around it. His arrested for rape and assault on Myella Ewell, a white woman. This incident turns the whole population of Maycomb against him. He becomes an easy victim of racism just because of the color of his skin. Everyone in the town believes in Myella’s side of the story except Atticus. Although there is no proof of his crime, yet he faces hatred from the citizens of his own community as well as the court. This trial provides an opportunity to examine the racist stance of an entire community.

Incident -2

The second incident of racism involves Atticus and his defense of Tom. He decides to stand with Tom because he believes his innocence. This decision invites the wrath of the Maycomb society. In chapter nine, Scout’s classmate, Cecil Jacob, announces that Scout’s father is defending a ‘Negro’ which causes a brawl between Scout and Cecil. Racism has poisoned the atmosphere so much so that Scouts forgets her promise and loses her temper. The association of this incident of racism becomes prominent here for supporting an innocent.

Incident -3

Another incident of racism involves a white character , Boo Radley, who stabs his father with a scissor. Despite his crime, he is not locked up with the dark-skinned criminals in prison. He is, instead, locked up in the courthouse basement. The sheriff thinks it will be a harsh treatment if he is imprisoned with the black people. You can notice the difference in the justice system as Boo, a white teen, receives a prejudicial treatment even after confessing his crime. On the other hand, innocent Tom faces ill-treatment because of his dark skin. This incident shows how prejudice discriminates people, and how people in authority lose the sense of justice and decision-making process.

Incident – 4

The fourth significant incident of racism involves verbal abuse when Mrs. Dubose confronts Jem and Scout. When they pass by Mrs. Dubose’s house, she yells at them and expresses her hatred because of their father’s action of defending Tom. Also, because Tom is black and Atticus is white, she along with many other people from the society disapproved Atticus’s choice. Jem gets furious at these remarks, and in response, he destroys Mrs. Dubose’s Camellia bush. This incident shows the negative attitude of Maycomb people toward Atticus, who loses his esteemed position after believing in Tom and deciding to defend him.

Incident -5

The fifth important incident of racism involves a description of black people’s love life often called Nigger-love, a term prevalent at that time. Scout’s inquiry about this term foreshadows the treatment of African-Americans in Maycomb society. Atticus’s explanation of the term in a positive way is remarkable. He explains that people who hate black people use foul words and offend each other. Atticus restores Scout’s confidence, explaining to her that she is above all the negative things she hears. This incident shows that in the racist society of Maycomb, people like Atticus, dare to uphold the slogans of equality , justice, and fair treatment.

Incident -6

Another incident of racism involves the negative treatment experienced by Jem and Scout in a church. One day, Calpurnia, their caretaker, takes them to her church where they face social hostility and prejudice. On seeing them, a black woman expresses her anger saying whites have their own church. Jem and Scout appear as enemies of the blacks at that very moment because of their white skin. This hatred is caused because of the way the dominant white people treated the black community during that period. This incident shows how people have become hostile in their attitudes, even towards children, they even cannot stand together in their worship places.

Incident -7

This incident of racism involves Atticus and the angry mob. Throughout the novel, Atticus tries to prove Tom’s innocence in the eyes of court but fails. One day, the society of Maycomb stands together outside the jail to punish Tom but Atticus, as always, tries to protect him. The lynch mob threatens him and his children, however, Atticus does not give up. At this, Scout jumps into the situation and turns the angry people back with an impressive response. This event also signifies the racist mentality of the people of that time.

Incident -8

Another unusual incident involves the description of a mixed-child. In a racist society like Maycomb, even a mixed-child faces the same treatment as the black people. Despite having one white parent, they receive the same biased treatment like blacks because even a single drop of other ethnic blood makes them all black. Jem also explains that the lines of strict division in racism are less active in North but in South the mixed-race is considered trash. This incident displays Jem as matured teen, Jem and also explains the treatment shown towards the mixed-race people.

Incident -9

One more incident involves Atticus and Tom’s defense in the courtroom. In chapter 23, Atticus says to the court that Mayella Ewell is taking advantage of her white privilege by accusing an innocent man, Tom. She does not provide any proof of her innocence to the court yet Tom becomes a victim of the crime he did not commit. He proposes that decisions of the court should be free from discrimination because the court is a place where justice exercises supremacy regardless of color, caste, or creed. This incident shows that even the judicial system in Maycomb is not free from racism.

Incident -10

Another incident of racism includes Atticus and his understanding of the judicial system after Tom’s trial. He strives to win justice for Tom but fails. His decision of defending Tom proves a revolt against society. Throughout the novel, he keeps on transferring positive values to his children. However, when the court system proves biased, he admits that in prejudicial societies white man words have credence and black man’s words are unreliable. This incident proves that no matter how honest, truthful and committed you are, and you cannot go against the accepted social norms.

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prejudice essays on to kill a mockingbird

Racial Prejudice in to Kill a Mockingbird

This essay about Harper Lee’s “To Slay a Nightingale” explores the profound impact of racial prejudice in 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. Through vivid characters and a compelling narrative, it exposes the injustices of a biased justice system and societal norms. Atticus Finch’s unwavering integrity challenges racial attitudes, while Scout Finch’s innocence highlights the corrosive effects of prejudice. The novel into systemic racism, classism, and sexism, urging readers to reevaluate notions of innocence and guilt. Ultimately, “To Slay a Nightingale” stands as a powerful indictment of prejudice and a call for empathy and justice.

How it works

Harper Lee’s enduring masterpiece, “To Slay a Nightingale,” delves into the intricate web of racial bias entrenched in the fabric of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. Within its pages, the narrative unfurls a poignant tapestry of societal norms peeled back to expose the raw underbelly of racism and its profound impact on individuals and communities alike. Through a meticulous dissection of pivotal characters, key events, and underlying motifs, the novel unveils a multi-dimensional exploration of racial prejudice, inviting readers to confront its complexities and ramifications head-on.

At the core of the narrative lies the gripping trial of Tom Robinson, a black man unjustly accused of assaulting a white woman, Mayella Ewell. This pivotal courtroom drama serves as a microcosm of the pervasive racial injustices suffusing Maycomb society. Despite a plethora of evidence pointing to Tom’s innocence, from inconsistencies in Mayella’s testimony to the absence of physical proof, the all-white jury delivers a guilty verdict steeped in racial bias. This stark portrayal of injustice serves as a damning indictment of a justice system tainted by prejudice, perpetuating systemic discrimination against people of color.

Central to the novel’s moral landscape is Atticus Finch, a paragon of integrity who dares to challenge the prevailing racial attitudes of his community. As a white attorney defending a black man, Atticus embodies principles of equity, empathy, and righteousness. His unwavering commitment to seeking justice for Tom Robinson not only underscores his belief in equality but also catalyzes a ripple of conscience throughout Maycomb. Despite facing backlash and ostracism, Atticus remains resolute in his quest for truth, imparting invaluable lessons of tolerance and compassion to his children, Scout and Jem.

Scout Finch, the spirited young protagonist, serves as a lens through which readers witness the corrosive effects of racial prejudice on innocence. Initially shielded from the harsh realities of racism, Scout’s gradual awakening to the injustices around her mirrors society’s broader reckoning with discrimination. Through her interactions with figures like Calpurnia, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley, Scout imbibes profound lessons about empathy, humanity, and the imperative of confronting injustice, even in the face of adversity.

Moreover, the novel probes the intricacies of systemic racism, which permeates every facet of societal structure, from education to socioeconomic status. The Ewells, a destitute white family, epitomize the intersection of poverty and racial privilege, leveraging their perceived superiority over the black community to assert their social standing. Mayella Ewell’s false accusation against Tom Robinson not only lays bare the desperation bred by poverty but also exposes the depths to which individuals will sink to maintain their perceived dominance.

In addition to racial bias, “To Slay a Nightingale” delves into other forms of prejudice, including classism and sexism, underscoring the interconnectedness of oppression. Characters like Mrs. Dubose, Boo Radley, and Dolphus Raymond confront discrimination and marginalization owing to their perceived differences, highlighting the pervasive social intolerance endemic to Maycomb society. By intertwining these various forms of prejudice, Lee crafts a nuanced portrait of the societal fault lines that marred the South during the Jim Crow era.

Furthermore, the novel challenges conventional notions of innocence and culpability, prompting readers to interrogate the identities of society’s true “nightingales.” Through the evocative metaphor of the nightingale, Lee suggests that those marginalized and oppressed, such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, emerge as the true victims of prejudice and injustice. By equating them with innocent creatures who harm no one, Lee compels readers to reassess their perceptions of race, empathy, and morality.

In summation, “To Slay a Nightingale” stands as an enduring indictment of racial prejudice and its corrosive impact on society. Through its rich tapestry of characters, evocative storytelling, and timeless themes, the novel continues to captivate readers across generations, urging us to confront the uncomfortable truths of our past while inspiring us to strive for a more just and equitable future. As Atticus Finch sagely advises, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

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101 To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Titles & Examples

If you struggle to find “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay topics on prejudice, race, the characters’ courage, or any other issue, look no further. Our team has prepared a list of titles and essay writing tips for this book.

🏆 Best To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Topics & Examples

📌 most interesting to kill a mockingbird essay titles, 👍 good to kill a mockingbird research topics, ❓ to kill a mockingbird essay questions.

Before we will talk about the do’s and don’ts in essay writing, let’s clarify the types of essay.

When working on “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay thesis, you can focus on the facts of the book or concentrate on your attitude towards its key issues and characters. According to your approach, we can divide essays into two main areas:

  • Objective essay: you set out your personal thoughts on a chosen issue and provide supporting arguments and evidence;
  • Subjective essay: you express your point of view on a specific topic without claiming the truth and strengthening it with facts.

For example, when you choose a “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay topics on goodness, you will state that Atticus is a kind and fearless. No doubt that this character has a positive role.

On the other hand, when you describe Mayella, you will have to choose: will you condemn her or express pity.

As for the essay content, it can be divided into many subcategories:

  • Philosophical essay
  • Critical essay
  • Literary analysis
  • Historical essay, etc.

There are also a few key literary types:

  • Feature article, etc.

Do’s & Don’ts When Writing To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Now, it’s time to talk about what you should write and what to avoid in your paper. First of all, you have to remember that all “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay titles should reveal the essence of the issue.

Recommendations for essay writing:

  • Do mark your essay subject at the beginning of the text. “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay hooks will help you to catch the reader’s attention. Don’t forget to emphasize the central issue in the conclusion.
  • Do support the style of presentation by your emotions, vision, and opinion. Use the “question-answer” in paragraphs. Make the transitions between paragraphs harmonious and smooth.
  • Do use quotes, historical facts, and observations to argue the thesis statement, solve the main issue, and describe the key subject of the paper.
  • Do stick to the central thesis of your essay. Avoid deepen into philosophical reflections — tell about concrete facts and examples. Here’s an example: don’t include the facts from the author’s biography if you focus on the events of the book and factors that affect discrimination.
  • Do proofread the paper. Read carefully your essay several times and think if your readers will understand your expressions.
  • Do not use specific terminology in “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay. For example, when you write about discrimination, you don’t necessarily have to provide its dictionary definition or use complex law, historical and psychological literature, and samples. Just your own language. However, it doesn’t mean that your opinion should seem ungrounded.
  • Do add your emotions to the paper. Let your readers feel that you believe in your ideas when defending the essay thesis.
  • Don’t choose the header before you write an essay. First, you should write an essay, and only then compile the title of your paper.

Well, now you know about the essay types, what to do, and what to avoid in your essay. Of course, you may ask: “What to write in my own essay?”

The key to success is to start. Check “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay examples on our website to get inspiration. Even the topic seems to you too complicated, start your research, and then you will be able to express new and original thoughts.

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To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on Prejudice

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In today’s society men, women and children experience prejudice in their lives, either as victims themselves or being guilty of using prejudice towards others due to differences between them. Prejudice is a preconception of a person based on stereotypes without real facts and discrimination based on gender, age and skin colour. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird , Harper Lee isolates characters and depicts ways prejudice is used. She also demonstrates the evils of prejudice and the negative consequences that lie in the city of Maycomb. By taking the reader, step by step, through various real life situations, and analyzing the impact of prejudice on people’s lives, she manages to go to the root of the problem in attempting to eliminate prejudice.

In To Kill a mockingbird , Lee depicts the ways of how prejudice is demonstrated based on discrimination by gender, age and skin colour. These different types of prejudice are illustrated in the book and show how awful it is to judge others on these grounds.

All men and women are created equal and have the same rights. Prejudice against gender lurks in the city of Maycomb. Mrs. Maudie experiences this unfairness in the novel due to the fact that she is a woman. “Miss Maudie can’t be on a jury because she’s a woman” (Lee 221) is a fact that cannot be contradicted in Maycomb County. The prejudice is against women. Townsmen think that women are frail and emotional so they will not be able to witness such intense trials. It takes a man to be on a jury, is a common belief by most of the townspeople. This belief should be eliminated because this is not true at all! If a woman wants to be on a jury and meets all the qualifications required then she deserves a spot in the jury box and let her be there. Some women are less emotional than men and women do offer valuable insights and views about people. Men and women should have equal opportunities and should have the same rights.

It is not only adult that commit prejudice. Harper Lee shows us that children at a young age can also innocently follow the footsteps of the wicked, make poor judgements and stereotype others. Dill, Scout and Jem all assume that Boo is crazy and that he eats squirrels based on the fact that he doesn’t come out of his house. “When people’s azaleas froze it was because he had breathed on them” (Lee 9) is an example of a stereotype towards Boo by the kids. Another example is illustrated by the absurd ideas conjured by the children about Boo Radley. They believed that Boo attacked his father. “Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities.” (Lee 11). The novel illustrates that it is wrong to prejudge people in this way even if it is children who are discriminating others. In the end, after prejudice is unveiled, Boo Radley is portrayed as a silent hero.

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Discriminating people due to their race is another type of prejudice that is demonstrated in the book To Kill a Mockingbird . Tom Robinson, a black man, is stereotyped and put down by some of the townspeople who see coloured people as weak and useless humans. However the reader knows that it is wrong to treat people like that and the reader feels pity for Tom. This pity cannot be felt by the creators of prejudice unless they change their real values and beliefs. “Guilty…guilty...guilty…guilty...guilty…” (Lee 211) is a quote that depicts how Tom is being discriminated. It is quite obvious that Tom is innocent but due to the racism and hatred towards black he was convicted nonetheless. This act is engraved in the reader’s mind throughout the entire book, this injustice infuriates the mind and this lingers throughout the novel and truly shows the prejudice that exists in this corrupted town.

Causes of prejudice are all based on the differences of humans whether it’s on gender, age and skin colour. Lee has demonstrated how prejudice is used and how an innocent person’s life can be changed due to evil assumptions made on that person.

Prejudice leads to many consequences. In the book To   Kill a Mockingbird  Harper Lee shows us how the evils of prejudice impact on the lives of innocent people such as Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson.

Atticus Finch, the most famous lawyer in Maycomb County, is a highly respected and honoured individual in the community who becomes a victim of prejudice. Atticus, a white man is defending Tom Robinson, a black man. This is quite peculiar because in Maycomb County, blacks and whites are separated and whites usually despise colored folks. Atticus suffers many vigorous consequences by some of the townspeople. “Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.” (Lee 217) Mr. Ewell spat in Atticus’ face, a disgusting and offensive thing to do. In the reader’s mind one thinks of what a cruel demeaning act this is. Why do such a thing just because a white man is defending a black man for a good cause? There is no point of behaving that way. Not only did Mr. Ewell spit on Atticus’ face but he claimed he will seek revenge as long as he lives.

As the residents of Maycomb were informed of how Atticus was dedicated in freeing Tom Robinson, they lost respect for him and started bad mouthing him and calling him a “nigger lover”. A simple act of prejudice like that can have such an impact on people. The penalty that Atticus suffered for this great courageous act of kindness, emanating from the bottom of his heart, resulted in a fierce act of hatred from ignorant residents in the County. Atticus was a very strong ambassador of peace and justice, stood on his ground, retained his faith in equality for all and didn’t let any of the bad gossips going around town affect him in any way.

“Tom’s dead...seventeen bullet holes in him.” (Lee 235) An innocent man is killed, seventeen bullet holes…what an outrage! The worst possible outcome of prejudice, DEATH! The most severe ultimate consequence of prejudice, that no man should expect to succumb to, one that should not occur but unfortunately did! The reader knows that Tom is innocent and his unfair futile death touches everyone to the very bottom of the heart. There is no reason for lives to be lost so innocently due to prejudice. Lee convinces the reader to fully dedicate oneself to strive against this injustice and eliminate it from the face of earth.

Prejudice can have deadly consequences and people’s lives can be profoundly changed because of it as it was for the families of Atticus Finch and for Tom Robinson.

Harper Lee wrote the book To Kill a Mockingbird  in a way that exposes readers to all kinds of prejudice, and then she leads them to the root of the problem and teaches them how prejudice is eliminated in the small town of Maycomb County.

Atticus is a lawyer and he is the main character in the novel who is trying to eliminate prejudice. “The assumption – the evil assumption – that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.” (Lee 204) This saying was firmly articulated by Atticus to all the jury during the trial. The reader already knows that the jury is in favour of white people who in this case would be the Ewells. What Atticus is trying to do is to convince the jury that all men are created equal and that they should not discriminate against people who are different. In other words Atticus is doing his best in eliminating the prejudice that lies in the hearts of the members of the jury.

Miss Maudie is another character in the novel who believes in equality. “I have no reason with court this morning”(Lee 159) would be a saying that people would say if they indeed knew that the trial was unfair and that they were disgusted from all the prejudice. The reader now ponders that more and more characters are being freed from the evils of prejudice and that the residents have begun to understand the wrongfulness of prejudice. This is a sign to the reader that more characters are eventually going to switch over to the good side and that is exactly what happens.

Jem and Scout are both children with developing minds and we cannot give them 100% guilt for being a little prejudice towards others especially when they are living in a prejudice country. Nevertheless the children also manage to overcome prejudice. “We never put back into the tree what we took out of it; we had given him nothing, and it made me sad.” (Lee 278) The children realized the wrongfulness of assuming that Boo Radley was crazy. Scout now realizes that Boo is a human just like anyone else and should be treated equally. “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird” is a lesson that Scout has learned from her dad. She realized that Boo was represented by a mockingbird and she was the so called hunter. Now Scout has grown up and matured and she followed after the footsteps of her dad and managed to get rid of the evil assumptions towards Boo Radley.

Harper Lee through the portrayal of these major characters has shown us how they realized that prejudice in Maycomb County existed and how they all managed to isolate prejudice from their lives and eliminate it in an understanding manner.

Prejudice is an evil assumption made about a person due to differences in age, gender, and race. In To Kill a Mockingbird,  Harper Lee, through the portrayal of various characters, depicts the uses, causes and negative consequences of prejudice. Lee strips the book right down to the bare wire and exposes the problems of prejudice and measures taken by the characters to eliminate the evils of prejudice.

“You’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it – whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash…don’t fool yourselves – it’s all adding up and one of these days we’re going to pay the bill for it.” (Lee 220-221).

Prejudice is atrocious and one must strive to eliminate it at all cost from the face of this world in order to achieve real freedom, justice and peace!

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on Prejudice

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  • Subject English

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To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

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Not only is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird one of the most widely taught books in American high schools, but it's also one of the most popular books in general. In fact, it was just recently voted "America’s favorite novel" ! Its popularity has endured for decades, and it’s still taught in schools across the United States today.

That’s why we’re explaining the top 18 To Kill a Mockingbird quotes for you. In addition to becoming familiar with the stand-out moments of the novel, by the end of this article you’ll have a deeper understanding of the book’s themes, characters, and most important elements .

A Brief Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird

Before we jump into our picks for the most important To Kill a Mockingbird quotes, here’s a very, very brief overview of To Kill a Mockingbird's plot. (But make sure you read the book yourself— it’s definitely a book you need to know !)

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. It tells the story of events that take place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. The narrator is Scout Finch, a six-year-old girl whose father, Atticus, is a prominent lawyer in the town.

Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, which makes the Finch family social pariahs. (Remember: this book takes place before the Civil Rights Movement in the United States!) The book follows Scout for three years as she and her brother, Jem, learn to navigate the racism in their community.

No w that you’ve had a quick refresher of the book’s plot, let’s dive into our picks for the best To Kill a Mockingbird quotes to know!

body-mockingbird

Mockingbirds are common in the American South and are famous for mimicking the calls of other birds ... which is where they get their name! 

18 Critical To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes

We now introduce to you 18 of the most important To Kill a Mockingbird quotes you should know. In this section, you'll find an array of thought-provoking quotes, from To Kill a Mockingbird racism quotes that discuss one of the novel's central themes, to Atticus Finch quotes and more.

Quote #1: It’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus said to Jem one day, "I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father’s right," she said. "Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." (p. 88)

This first quote on our list of critical TKAM quotes provides the book with its title, so we know it's important. Whenever you encounter a quote like this and want to analyze it, you should first ask yourself what the author is trying to tell you .

On the surface, this passage seems to have little to do with the novel’s major theme (racism) or any of its minor themes (morality, childhood, and the reality of rural Southern communities), but if we think about it, we find that it actually does .

On the one hand, these lines show that Scout is learning the community shares a set of values . Atticus isn’t the only person who thinks it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird; Miss Maudie, the neighbor across the street, does, too. Ultimately, the mockingbird is a symbol of goodness and hope, so this passage teaches readers about the difference between good and evil. The mockingbird and what it represents is "good," and killing it—or, rather, destroying innocence—is evil.

As Scout learns these values, she grows out of her childhood and into the shared society of Maycomb, her town. One of the many themes of To Kill a Mockingbird is Scout’s coming of age , or her growth out of childhood innocence and into adulthood. The technical name for this type of story is a bildungsroman , which is German for "education novel," but usually we just call them coming-of-age stories.

Quote #2: Atticus on Empathy

"First of all," he said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (p. 32)

This is definitely one of the most important Atticus Finch quotes to know.

Empathy , or the ability to understand another person’s experiences, is another major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird , and Atticus serves as the moral compass of the book. For Scout and many other characters, Atticus is a model of what a good person should be: someone who values others and stands up for what’s right, no matter what society says.

To Kill a Mockingbird explores why racism exists and how we can counteract it. This line of dialogue, which comes early in the book, succinctly sums up Atticus’s opinion of racism: it’s an inability or unwillingness to try to understand the perspective of one who is unlike oneself . Throughout the book, we watch Scout take this lesson to heart as she tries to empathize with the perspectives of a diverse set of people in her community.

Atticus and Tom Robinson in the 1962 film adaptation of TKAM

Quote #3: Atticus on Courage

In a flash Atticus was up and standing over him. Jem buried his face in Atticus’s shirt front.

"Sh-h," he said. "I think that was her way of telling you—everything’s all right now, Jem, everything’s all right. You know, she was a great lady."

"A lady?" Jem raised his head. His face was scarlet. "After all those things she said about you, a lady?"

"She was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe ... son, I told you that if you hadn’t lost your head I’d have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew." (p. 107)

Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict who is able to conquer her addiction with Jem’s help. Initially she is racist and harsh, which terrifies Scout and Jem, but Atticus admires her because she lived "according to her views."

As you read these To Kill a Mockingbird quotes, you’ll notice the Atticus Finch quotes in which he’s speaking to Jem are quite different from those spoken to Scout . Atticus tries throughout the book to give Jem an alternative way of being courageous—and, consequently, an alternative way of being a good man. Atticus tries to show Jem that he can be brave simply by pursuing what he believes is right, even though he might ultimately fail. This quote teaches us that being a moral person can be courageous in itself .

In the first quote, we looked at how the book traces Scout’s growth, but one thing that makes this book so appealing is that the other characters all show growth, too. Jem is a little older than Scout—he’s 12 years old in Part Two—so he’s just about to grow into adulthood. This is a difficult time in a person’s life because they’re trying to find their place in society, so it’s important to Atticus that Jem understands violence isn’t brave at all .

Quote #4: Atticus on Conscience

"Well, most folks seem to think they’re right and you’re wrong ..."

"They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience." (p. 101)

While Scout and Jem’s growth in the book relates to their increasing knowledge of the adult society of Maycomb, Atticus’s growth relates to his desire to transcend these societal norms . He sees the ways that Maycomb’s ideas about race, manhood, and morality hurt many of its citizens.

What makes Atticus such a moral character is his tendency to follow his own instincts regarding what is right or wrong, rather than following the customs of his community. Because he is a very visible political figure in town, this characteristic sometimes makes him unpopular.

Quote #5: Atticus on Racism

"The older you grow the more of it you’ll see. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." (p. 207)

This is one of the more interesting To Kill a Mockingbird racism quotes because it’s one in which Atticus's thoughts on race are most clearly presented. Whereas many of the townspeople believe that white people are superior to black people, Atticus believes all people should have equal representation in a court of law . In other words, Atticus takes a bold stance against racism.

Furthermore, he states that a white man who uses his privilege to cheat a black man is, in fact, inferior to that black man. This would’ve been a very unpopular opinion in the community in this time period, and this passage is yet another example of Atticus's learning to transcend the customs of his community in order to live a more moral life.

maudie-and-jem-to-kill-a-mockingbird

Maudie and Jem in the 1962 film ( Classic Film /Flickr, used under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

Quote #6: Jem on Family

"What if he was kin to us, Aunty?"

"The fact is that he is not kin to us, but if he were, my answer would be the same."

"Aunty," Jem spoke up, "Atticus says you can choose your friends but you sho’ can’t choose your family, an’ they’re still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge ’em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don’t." (p. 210)

One of the most appealing aspects of To Kill a Mockingbird is that it gives us insight into what it means to be a family. Although Scout’s mother is absent—we don’t even learn her first name—we watch Atticus do his best to be a good father to Scout and Jem. Likewise, Scout and Jem are always doing their best to live up to Atticus’s example of decency .

While they aren’t a typical Maycomb family, they’re bonded together by love and respect. Through them, Lee shows readers that family isn’t about having two parents—it’s about the love that binds people together.

Quote #7: Atticus on Equality

"But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal." (p. 193)

Each character has his or her own conflict in To Kill a Mockingbird , and Atticus’s primary conflict is the clash between what he knows to be morally correct and the expectations of his community .

Here, we have another of the Atticus quotes in which he states that the goals of the courtroom, which are to create a just and equal society, are more important than the limitations of the local community; thus, they should not be subject to the same prejudices. Atticus is bold in these public assertions, which puts him in conflict with some of the other people in Maycomb.

Quote #8: Atticus on Empathy (Again)

"An’ they chased him ’n’ never could catch him ’cause they didn’t know what he looked like, an’ Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things ... Atticus, he was real nice ..."

His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." (p. 263)

Once again, Atticus is teaching Scout to empathize with other people’s perspectives. Although Atticus is morally in conflict with the culture of Maycomb for much of the book, he is driven by the belief that everyone is, at heart, a decent person .

He understands that his fellow townspeople are sometimes driven by the pressure to conform to social customs rather than their own sense of right and wrong. Atticus seems to believe that if everyone were to follow their ethical instincts, they would choose to behave in a way that is moral, and this is the lesson he consistently tries to instill in Scout.

Quote #9: Scout on Class

"No, everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’. That Walter’s as smart as he can be, he just gets held back sometimes because he has to stay out and help his daddy. Nothin’s wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks." (p. 212)

Walter Cunningham, Jr. is the son of a poor farmer who cannot afford to pay Atticus and instead pays him with things such as stovewood and hickory nuts.

Here, Scout is applying the lessons on empathy she’s learned from Atticus in order to understand the experiences of someone from a lower class. She realizes that though Walter doesn’t have the same advantages she does, he is doing his best to learn nonetheless . Not only does this quote show Scout’s growth as a character, but it also reinforces To Kill a Mockingbird ’s theme of empathy.

Quote #10: Atticus on Nobility

"Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess. You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ’em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change ... it’s a good one, even if it does resist learning."

"Atticus, are we going to win it?"

"No, honey."

"Then, why—"

"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win," Atticus said. (p. 75)

In this To Kill a Mockingbird quote, Atticus is telling Scout how to behave with honor in the face of adversity . Atticus’s conviction in his own morality puts not only himself in conflict with the townsfolk, but also, as he understands, his family. As someone who cares deeply about his family, Atticus tries to prepare them for the backlash; however, he also teaches them that there is dignity in defeat, so long as one follows their best ethical judgment.

Quote #11: Calpurnia on How to Treat Company

"There’s some folks who don’t eat like us," she whispered fiercely, "but you ain’t called on to contradict ’em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?"

"He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham—"

"Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ’em—if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!" (p. 28)

Again, Scout learns a lesson about class differences , and this time it comes from the family’s housekeeper, Calpurnia. The fact that Scout is receiving life lessons from an African American woman who is treated not only as an equal but also as a member of the family is an example of how different the Finches are from most of the other townsfolk.

It also shows readers who might have their own prejudices that people who are different from them are still people —and they deserve to be treated as equals and with kindness.

Quote #12: Atticus on Children

"Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ’em. ..." (p. 85)

This is one of the lesser-known Atticus Finch quotes, but it's still an important one. Here, Atticus is talking to his brother John Hale Finch after Scout is heard cursing. This quote shows how Atticus treats his children as if they are as intelligent as adults (in this case, as if they are perhaps more intelligent than adults).

Atticus always treats everyone with respect and is very insightful in his views of human behavior, and this quote reveals his thoughts on parenting. He never claims authority over his children but rather leads by example, treating them more as peers than as kids. The fact that his children call him by his first name, Atticus, shows that they consider themselves on equal footing with him as well.

Quote #13: Atticus on Embellishment

"Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and I’d have the facts." (p. 59)

This quote is Scout’s reply to Jem after he tries to impress her with his knowledge of Ancient Egypt. Although it’s a fairly off-hand comment on Scout’s part, it does help us understand a few things about Atticus.

One is that this is yet another example of his influence over his children. His opinions inform theirs throughout the whole book.

Another, more important, aspect of Atticus that this comment reveals is his straightforward moral sensibility . You can apply this to his decision to defend Tom Robinson. After deleting the adjective "black," Tom Robinson is no longer a "black man" but simply a man, which is the fact that guides the way Atticus treats and represents Tom.

Quote #14: Atticus on Scout’s Behavior

Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. She hurt my feelings and set my teeth permanently on edge, but when I asked Atticus about it, he said there were already enough sunbeams in the family and to go on about my business, he didn’t mind me much the way I was. (p. 80)

Aunt Alexandra is Atticus’s older sister and is often more conservative than him. Here, she criticizes Scout’s dress and behavior, which would be described as "tomboyish."

Despite Aunt Alexandra’s criticism, Atticus encourages Scout to act and dress as she wishes. For the place and time period, Atticus is socially progressive, and this quote shows us another aspect in which Atticus trusts his children to be themselves and doesn’t try to force social customs upon them .

Quote #15: Miss Maudie on Religion

"There are just some kind of men who—who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results."

Miss Maudie stopped rocking, and her voice hardened.

"You are too young to understand it," she said, "but sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of—oh, of your father." (p. 46)

Although all the characters in the book are more or less devout Christians, many of them do not behave as such. These people often act with prejudice, malice, and fear. The hypocrisy of being outwardly religious but not compassionate or empathetic is one of the ironies that drives Atticus to act on Tom’s behalf.

In this quotation, Miss Maudie is correct that many of the most dangerous people in the town are the most devout. Atticus is once again held up to a high standard of behavior.

Quote #16: Scout on Reading

I mumbled that I was sorry and retired meditating upon my crime. I never deliberately learned to read, but somehow I had been wallowing illicitly in the daily papers. In the long hours of church—was it then I learned? I could not remember not being able to read hymns. Now that I was compelled to think about it, reading was something that just came to me ... I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory, listening to the news of the day, Bills to Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of Lorenzo Dow—anything Atticus happened to be reading when I crawled into his lap every night. Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing. (p. 21)

In this passage, Scout has been discouraged from reading by her teacher, Miss Caroline, who disapproves of Atticus having already taught Scout to read. As this quote illustrates, Scout considers reading to not only be a pleasure in itself, but also a major aspect of her relationship with her father and an essential aspect of her identity (as essential as breathing).

Here, we see how Atticus’s nurturing of his daughter’s intelligence has led to her rebellious, questioning identity, and it also reveals his own progressive views . Atticus’s choice of reading matter (the news of the day, Bills to Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of the eccentric traveling preacher Lorenzo Dow) gives us insight into Atticus’s interests as well.

The fact that Atticus would share with a child as young as Scout such mature reading material reveals the respect he afforded her. He’s not trying to protect Scout from the realities of the world around her—instead, he wants to expose her to ideas so she can become an independent thinker and, hopefully, a kind person. That’s why Scout is upset to have lost not only the privilege of reading but also an important aspect of her friendship with her father .

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Quote #17: Scout on Summer

Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill. (p. 36)

The book takes place over about a two-year period, and we know this because Scout’s friend Dill, who only visits during the summer, visits three times. Many of the most memorable scenes take place during the summer (such as the incident with the rabid dog, the visits from Dill, the search for Boo Radley, and the hot courtroom of Tom Robinson’s trial), making the heat of summer almost like another character in the book .

Summer is also the time that the rebellious Scout is free from the social pressures of school — is able to pursue her own interests and behave how she wishes . Summer symbolizes freedom and adventure for Scout, as it still does for many American students today!

Many authors think of setting (the time and place in which a story takes place) as one of the most important elements of a book. Setting is one of the ways in which readers most pleasurably engage with a book, because a well-described location can seem like a new world into which we can escape.

Quote #18: Scout on Jem’s Broken Arm

This is the opening paragraph of the book. Interestingly, the book begins with the last event of the entire book, Jem’s broken arm. Actually, the entire book serves as Scout’s explanation of how Jem came to break his arm.

This also tells us that the narrator, Scout, is living long after the events of the novel and is looking back in time in order to tell her story. This gives the book an atmosphere of nostalgia —we know she is recalling a childhood that has long since passed.

Many coming-of-age stories begin with the author long after the time frame of the book looking backward and watching themselves learn the lessons that seem important in retrospect. Why do authors do this? Because recalling the events from some future time period gives the narrator an excuse to understand what's important about the story in a way that someone living through it at the time wouldn’t.

As we go through our lives each day, we don’t know what is going to be important until after the fact — after we’ve learned our lessons and look back on what led us to learn them.    

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5 Questions to Consider When Analyzing Book Quotes

Analyzing important quotations isn’t magic, but it does take practice. Whether you're looking at TKAM quotes or quotes from another book, you'll need to know how to analyze them smartly.

Here are the questions you need to ask yourself to be able to pick out the most important quotes in a book and analyze them like a pro.

#1: Why Is the Author Telling Us This?

Think of a work of literature as a series of choices an author has made intentionally in order to communicate something to the reader. So, when you encounter a passage that strikes you as significant in some way, try to place yourself in the author’s perspective and figure out why you think the author made the choices they did.

#2: What Does This Tell Us About the Character?

Characters are people, and, like people we know in our actual lives, they make decisions and act according to their motivations. Whenever a character does not seem to be realistically motivated, the character fails to move us. So ask yourself what the selection tells us about a character’s motivation and perspective .

#3: How Does the Setting Influence the Story?

A character who lives in a broken-down school bus in a junkyard will have a different perspective and will make different decisions than a character who lives in a 30-story housing complex. Both of these are examples of poverty, but they entail very different experiences —rural versus urban, and isolated versus overcrowded. Likewise, a story that takes place in a junkyard would have a completely different set of pressures.

Think about how the setting influences To Kill a Mockingbird . It’s set in the rural Southern United States, with its hundreds of years of slavery and racism. That creates a set of pressures quite different from, say, those in a major European city. In fact, To Kill a Mockingbird wouldn’t work if it were set anywhere else! Talking about why that is can lead to some really stellar analysis.

#4: What Can This Teach Me About My Own Life?

The reason literature is important is that it gives us insight into other peoples’ lives . As Atticus says, it allows us to "climb into [other people’s] skin and walk around in it." This gives us more understanding for perspectives unlike our own and broadens our sense of experience.

When you come across a passage in a book that hooks you for some reason, ask yourself why this specific passage feels relevant to you. What experiences have you had that are similar or intersect with this quote? This can be an excellent writing prompt if you’re looking for inspiration for a new essay.

#5: How Is This Still Relevant?

When you read the news headlines or current events, do you still see articles about racism? Are people still falsely accused of crimes, and do they sometimes get convicted due to the systemic biases of their communities? Is this still a thing?

Yes, it is. Sadly, it likely always will be, and that is why To Kill a Mockingbird is still so relevant, even 60 years since its publication. Likewise, communities still have common cultures, fathers still love their children, and little girls still chafe against the expectations of feminine dress and behavior.

Every generation finds new aspects of classic literature that inspire them and that they can relate to. When you’re trying to analyze a passage, try to find ways of relating it to the present-day world.

body-the-mockingbird-next-door

Beyond To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes: Further Reading

Want to learn more about To Kill a Mockingbird ? Here are four articles and books that will give you greater insight into Harper Lee’s famous novel!

"Why Harper Lee Struggled to Write Again After To Kill a Mockingbird " by Casey Cep

This excerpt from Cep’s book Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee describes Lee’s later years, her struggles with fame, and her inability to write a follow-up to her famed To Kill a Mockingbird. This is a great pick for anyone who wants to know more about the reclusive woman behind the book. (And, of course, if you want to read Cep’s book, you can find it here!)

"Who Was Atticus Finch?" by Laura Douglas-Brown

This article explores the differences in how Atticus Finch is portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird and Harper Lee’s other novel, Go Set a Watchman . It also describes Lee’s relationship with her own father, A. C. Lee, and how he served as an inspiration for the character of Atticus Finch.

The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills

Marja Mills is a journalist who befriended Harper Lee and her sister, Alice. She lived next door to them for several years and wrote this portrait of Lee in her later years as she lived a life of near-solitude in Monroeville, Alabama — the city that inspired Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird.

I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

This is an adaptation for younger readers of Shields’s earlier biography of Lee titled Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee from Childhood to Go Set a Watchman. This book will give you a thorough overview of Lee’s entire life in a more accessible style.

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What's Next?

Trying to analyze literary quotes without knowing literary elements is ... well, it’s like trying to dig a hole without a shovel! If you’re going to analyze literature, you need to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Here’s a list of the elements you’ll find in every piece of literatur e, and here’s a guide to the 31 literary devices you absolutely need to know .

Did you appreciate our in-depth analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird ? If so, you should check out our complete series on The Great Gatsby . We break down the book chapter by chapter and even have articles on character and theme analysis . By the end of our series, you’ll be an expert in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most popular work.

Maybe you feel super confident in your ability to tackle a novel, but poetry makes you break out into a cold sweat. Never fear: here are some guides to poetic styles (such as sonnets ) and poetic elements (such as personification and iambic pentameter ) to get you started. Also, we have a complete analysis of "Do not go gentle into that good night" written by a college professor so you can see what a great poetry analysis looks like!

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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  1. Prejudice Theme in To Kill a Mockingbird

    Prejudice Theme Analysis. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout witnesses many different types of prejudice—and even promotes these attitudes herself—including classism, sexism, and racism.

  2. Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird: [Essay Example], 823 words

    Prejudice in to Kill a Mockingbird. Set in the 1930s in the American South, the novel follows the story of Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in a small town, and her father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the novel, Lee explores various forms of prejudice, including racism ...

  3. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: A+ Student Essay Examples

    Harper Lee's Depiction of Racial Inequality in America in Her Book, to Kill a Mockingbird. 5 pages / 2345 words. In this American classic, a sleepy Southern town is rocked by the trial of a young black man accused of rape. This seemingly simple story, written in 1960, is now regarded as a hallmark of critical writing.

  4. To Kill a Mockingbird Essays and Criticism

    PDF Cite Share. Most critics characterize Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird as a novel of initiation and an indictment of racism. The novel's point of view, in particular, lends credence to these ...

  5. Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird: An Exploration of Prejudice and

    Introduction. Racism has long been a deeply rooted issue in society, perpetuating prejudice and injustice. Harper Lee's renowned novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," masterfully explores the theme of racism through the eyes of its young protagonist, Scout Finch.

  6. To Kill a Mockingbird: Critical Essays

    Use this CliffsNotes To Kill a Mockingbird Study Guide today to ace your next test! Get free homework help on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In To Kill a Mockingbird , author Harper Lee uses memorable characters to explore Civil Rights and racism in the segregated southern United ...

  7. Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird with Examples

    To Kill a Mockingbird Racism. Racism implies prejudice, bias, or discrimination directed either at an individual or an entire race or group of people belonging to a different ethnicity. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird presents racism in Maycomb society where most of the people belong to different races. Harper Lee projects racism and details ...

  8. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

    SOURCE: Smykowski, Adam. "Symbolism and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird." In Readings on "To Kill a Mockingbird," edited by Terry O'Neill, pp. 52-6. San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 2000.

  9. To Kill a Mockingbird Sample Essay Outlines

    Following each question is a sample outline to help get you started. Topic #1. The theme of the mockingbird is an important one in To Kill a Mockingbird. Write a paper on the mockingbird theme in ...

  10. Racial Prejudice in to Kill a Mockingbird

    Racial Prejudice in to Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee's enduring masterpiece, "To Slay a Nightingale," delves into the intricate web of racial bias entrenched in the fabric of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. Within its pages, the narrative unfurls a poignant tapestry of societal norms peeled back to expose the raw underbelly of racism ...

  11. 101 To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Topics & Samples

    101 To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Titles & Examples. Updated: Mar 1st, 2024. 10 min. If you struggle to find "To Kill a Mockingbird" essay topics on prejudice, race, the characters' courage, or any other issue, look no further. Our team has prepared a list of titles and essay writing tips for this book. We will write.

  12. To Kill a Mockingbird

    To Kill a Mockingbird, novel by Harper Lee, published in 1960. Enormously popular, it was translated into some 40 languages and sold over 40 million copies worldwide. In 1961 it won a Pulitzer Prize. The novel was praised for its sensitive treatment of a child's awakening to racism and prejudice in the American South.

  13. To Kill a Mockingbird Coming of Age: Navigating Innocence and Prejudice

    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a timeless classic that explores the complexities of growing up in a racially divided society. The novel masterfully captures the coming of age journey of Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their friend Dill. Set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, the story follows their gradual transition from childhood innocence to a deeper understanding of social ...

  14. To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on Prejudice

    To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on Prejudice. In today's society men, women and children experience prejudice in their lives, either as victims themselves or being guilty of using prejudice towards others due to differences between them. Prejudice is a preconception of a person based on stereotypes without real facts and discrimination based on ...

  15. How is prejudice depicted in To Kill a Mockingbird?

    Share Cite. According to Mirriam-Webster prejudice is defined as. (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient ...

  16. 18 Critical To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes, Explained

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. It tells the story of events that take place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. The narrator is Scout Finch, a six-year-old girl whose father, Atticus, is a prominent lawyer in the town. Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white ...

  17. To Kill a Mockingbird Prejudice Essay

    Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a modern American classic that deals with race and gender. Mockingbird tells the story of an African American man on trial for the rape of a white girl in the depression-era deep south. The novel's theme of prejudice can especially be applied to America's tension-filled race and gender relations today.

  18. To Kill a Mockingbird Thesis Statement

    The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a classic piece of literature that explores themes of prejudice, racism, and the loss of innocence in the American South during the 1930s.The novel's protagonist, Scout Finch, narrates her experiences growing up in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama, as her father, Atticus Finch, defends a black man falsely accused of raping a ...