To Kill a Mockingbird

Changing Perspectives Prejudice and racism are major issues in everyday life. They can sway a person’s perspective, on a situation or individual, towards one way or another. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout’s perspectives change as she experiences prejudice throughout her life. Her viewpoints about Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson change as she matures. Scout’s ideas of who Atticus Finch is change from the beginning to the end of the novel. At first she is ashamed of her father, she sees him as old and weak. Since he does not do the same things as her classmates fathers, she is embarrassed. She said, “Our father didn’t do anything. Atticus did not drive a dump truck for the county… or do anything that could possibly arouse the admiration of anyone” (Lee 102). Scout has no idea of what her father can do but she slowly realizes what he is capable of. Miss Maudie tells Scout of Atticus’ younger days and his amazing shooting ability. This starts to open her eyes up to who her father really is. Later in the novel she sees his bold, strong side at the courthouse when he stands up for Tom despite the ideas and ridicule of others. Then, at the end of the novel Atticus reveals himself to her further when he brings up her taunting of Boo from summers before. “I hushed then and there. At the same time I marveled at Atticus. This was the first he had let us know he knew a lot more about something than we thought he knew” (Lee 279). Scout is astounded by Atticus’ knowledge of the events. These situations lead Scout to have a very different opinion of her father. She loves him uncritically and comes to realize that he is very strong and speaks up for what is right no matter what others say. Scout has more respect and admiration for him. She now knows there is more to her father then meets the eye. As time passes Scout sees her father in a different light. Scout’s perspective of Boo Radley and his life change drastically as the novel progresses. He starts out as a source of childhood superstition that is not fully real. Her only thoughts of him are based on the stories of others. “Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch” (Lee 14). People make him out to be a monster so that is what Scout originally thinks. She even calls him a “malevolent phantom” without knowing him (Lee 9). Scout mocks him while playing games with Jem and Dill, not even thinking about his feelings or how he would react to it. Later, Scout starts to understand his situation and see’s his true character. It begins with a day her and Jem are walking home and find gifts left in the tree trunk on the Radley property. The gifts left for them show her a glimpse of Boo’s kindness. Shortly after someone puts a blanket on Scout as she is watching a house fire. When she suspects that it is Boo she realizes that he might not be as terrible as people say. What has also greatly impacted Scout’s perspective of Boo is when he puts his life at risk for her and Jem. Bob Ewell comes to harm Scout and Jem in retaliation of their father’s case against him. She then finally sees Boo as a human being and views the world from his perspective. She feels that she can imagine what life is like for Boo. “As I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor’s image blurred with my sudden tears” (Lee311). Later, Scout walks Boo home and makes it look like he is escorting her so other people will see his kindness and respect him. This shows Scout’s new understanding and acceptance of Boo as a neighbor and friend rather than just a character in a ghost story. Scout’s perspective of Boo changes at the end of the novel from monster to friend. Scout’s perception of Tom and what others think of him changes throughout the novel. In the beginning Scout is innocent and naïve to the world around her. She does not know much about the injustices of the world and what she does know she cannot understand. “Do you defend niggers, Atticus?” “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.” “’s what everybody at school says.” “From now on it’ll be everybody less one.” “Well if you don’t want me grow up talking that way, why do you send me to school?” (Lee 85). Scout does not understand what the word implies. She does not comprehend how or why the town looks down on Tom and other blacks in the community. Then as Scout gets older she learns more about prejudice and intolerance. She sees the true nature of people when they are racist. "My fists were clenched I was ready to make fly. Cecil Jacobs had announced the day before that Scout Finch 's daddy defended niggers” (Lee 85). She also learns about hypocrisy when the Missionary Society feigns concern for Africans while criticizing their black maids and Tom. Due to Tom’s trial Scout loses a lot of her innocence. She finally understands racism’s influence on the outcome of situations and that the truth isn’t always accepted because of the color of someone’s skin. Scout’s perspectives change as she goes through situations in her life and matures. Her view of Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch are very different at the end of the novel than at the beginning. She realizes that her father is more of a man then she initially thought and that Boo was not a monster but a friend. She also becomes aware of the prejudice and racism around her and begins to comprehend its power over people because of Tom’s trial and situation. In the end Scout learns how to form her own opinions based on her experiences and not what society tells her to believe.
Works Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1999. Print

Cited: Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1999. Print