To Kill A Mockingbird: The Theme of Prejudice
The theme of prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird is much more than just a
case of black and white. The entire novel is about prejudice in it's many forms,
the most prominent case of prejudice is the racism and hate between the blacks
and whites. The whole town of Maycomb is based on stereotypes of it's
inhabitants, that are passed down from generation to generation. Rumors run
rampid and very little truth is usually in them.
"So Jem received most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford,
a neighbor scold, she said she knew the whole thing. According to
Miss Stephanie, Boo was sitting in the livingroom cutting some
items from The Maycomb Tribune to paste in his scrapbook. His father
entered the room. As Mr.Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissors
into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants,
and resumed his activities." (Chapter 1, page 11)
I don't see how you can't expect to have prejudice in a small town like
that, after all isolation is a major factor in why prejudice and racism arise.
"Men hate each other because they fear each other,
and they fear each other because
they don't know each other,
and they don't know each other because
they are often separated from each other. "
-Martin Luther King
The stereotypes in this novel are fairly common but the fact that they
are accepted and used so openly in public is what astonishes me. I think people
in the community, even if they do disagree with what is being said or done,
they will say or do nothing because they are afraid of going against the
majority of the community and become a victim of prejudice themselves. Atticus
was one of the few who actually stopped and listened to himself without being
biased by the views and opinions of the rest of the town.... [continues]
The theme of prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird is much more than just a
case of black and white. The entire novel is about prejudice in it's many forms,
the most prominent case of prejudice is the racism and hate between the blacks
and whites. The whole town of Maycomb is based on stereotypes of it's
inhabitants, that are passed down from generation to generation. Rumors run
rampid and very little truth is usually in them.
"So Jem received most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford,
a neighbor scold, she said she knew the whole thing. According to
Miss Stephanie, Boo was sitting in the livingroom cutting some
items from The Maycomb Tribune to paste in his scrapbook. His father
entered the room. As Mr.Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissors
into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants,
and resumed his activities." (Chapter 1, page 11)
I don't see how you can't expect to have prejudice in a small town like
that, after all isolation is a major factor in why prejudice and racism arise.
"Men hate each other because they fear each other,
and they fear each other because
they don't know each other,
and they don't know each other because
they are often separated from each other. "
-Martin Luther King
The stereotypes in this novel are fairly common but the fact that they
are accepted and used so openly in public is what astonishes me. I think people
in the community, even if they do disagree with what is being said or done,
they will say or do nothing because they are afraid of going against the
majority of the community and become a victim of prejudice themselves. Atticus
was one of the few who actually stopped and listened to himself without being
biased by the views and opinions of the rest of the town.... [continues]
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