Preview

Comparative Essay; to Kill a Mockingbird and the Colour Purple

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
3826 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Comparative Essay; to Kill a Mockingbird and the Colour Purple
One Will Take What He Is Given

The purpose of Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is to demonstrate the hardships that are met when ignorance and tradition bring about the influence of sexism, racism and genuine prejudice to the general public. Ignorance is the root cause of prejudice as it prevents one to see beauty, so when it comes to dealing with the discriminating behavior held in this social order, the vast majority of people are judged by the label and stereotype society has given them, not by the kind of person they are inside. Nevertheless, through these corrupt societies, the protagonists are able to experience incredible journeys of courage, growth and love. Bravery and love is crucial in both novels in order for the protagonists to break through their limiting boundaries and stand up for what they believe. Bravery in both is also essential for fighting against discrimination and when both protagonists transcend from innocence to experience, they becomes more aware of the harsh realities of prejudice and ignorance projected in the world. Through proper guidance, they come to understand what genuine evil is and what is simply given the label of being evil. Love is demonstrated to be capable of conquering the ignorance and courage opposes the notion of being disregarded. For instance, Scout comes to love Boo, conquering the ignorance that Maycomb has projected into her mind and Celie comes to fall in love as well as idolize Shug for her dominant ways, freeing herself from becoming indulged furthermore with the ignorance her surrounding present to her. The characters in both novels begin to use their certain dominance and authority in order to take matters under their own wings; in means of attempting to speak up for what their moral claims to be right. By elaborating on the epic journeys that the characters from both novels venture on, I intend to prove how the two corrupt societies are fueled by ignorance and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Although we enjoyed reading To Kill a Mockingbird, we were eager to see the film version. We were somewhat disappointed in the movie because it left out some of the main scenes. On the other hand, the movie is 2 hours and 9 minutes. The movie never leaves you predicting what will happen next. Nevertheless, our opinions are that we favored the book over the movie.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Innocent people are being targeted for the color of their skin and their social class just like the residents of Maycomb,Alabama during the 1930’s in Harper Lee’s book “To Kill A Mockingbird”. In this book, which is based on a white family and told through the eyes of the youngest child, “Scout Finch”, you learn about her residential city Maycomb, and its many issues with racism and social discrimination. You also learn about Scout's father , Atticus Finch, who is an attorney for a hopeless black man striving for innocence due to being falsely accused of rape. Throughout this essay, you will read about the characters of “To Kill A Mockingbird” and how they mature due to racism and social profiling. Scout changes her racist and social view of Maycomb after her dad talks to her about the various situations and why they happened.…

    • 642 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the world people are always preconceived based on who they are or what they look like. Even thought it isn't as big of a problem in some areas as in others, we need to fight it. If we don't then it will continue to get more serious and at times lead to death. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Alexandra tells her niece that she can't play with a schoolmate simply because of his class. "‘You can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he'll never be like Jem…Because—he—is—trash.'" (224). This prejudiced state of mind is the foundation for the plot events of the novel. By way of experiences, a young girl, Scout Finch, must learn about the part prejudice plays in the everyday life of Maycomb County. Through settlement patterns, justice, and social stratification Harper Lee reveals the ways of prejudice.…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As you watch a movie, you can see a big difference between the movie and book. In the book and movie, “To kill a Mockingbird”, there is a difference between them. They are both different because the book has more details about situations that are happening. Also, because of the way you can picture what is going on. They are similar because in some parts in the movie, the characters say the same things as to when you read the book. In my opinion, the book gives you a better understanding of what the story is about because of the details it provides.…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many different types of prejudices even in our modern day. It is hard to stop them but even harder to see them. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” we follow a little girl, Scout, as she faces the truth about the world and its injustice. The central symbol of this novel is the mockingbird since it represents the innocence and injustice in this story but also elaborates the theme of racial prejudice.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scout Finch Repression

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Living in the pages of a classic novel, there is a girl named Jean Louise Finch, or rather, Scout. She is young and untainted by the world's prejudices, and she possesses a mind full of curiosity. Scout wondered about many things. She wondered why Mrs. Dubose is such a mean old hag, about why Arthur, Boo, Radley never leaves his house, and why must a girl become a lady? The question that Scout pondered most about, however, was what it means to kill a mockingbird. The character Scout and the book To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is greatly influenced by a history of repression and injustice and by a set of ideals that had once dominated most, if not all, of the country at one point or another. Three of the many events and ideas…

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Introduction Prejudice refers to the judgements towards a person because of their race, social class, age, disability or sexual orientation. (Cherry, “What is Prejudice?”) Prejudice was, and still is, to a large extent experienced by people all over the world. It is a theme that is presented in so many works of literature in a plethora of different ways. One of the most prominent ways in which prejudice is explored is through the use of characters that perhaps are a different nationality or have a different orientation to the majority of the other characters in the works. Two texts, in which the theme is presented in an admirable way , are ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, and ‘Jasper Jones’ by Craig Silvey. Through the use of the protagonists the theme is presented in a way that allows the reader to realize the harsh reality of the subject matter, yet it is still demonstrated in a approachable and relatable way, further enhanced by the first-person narration of the books. These two characters, as well as some of the lesser characters in the books, and the literary devices used throughout the works, allow light to be shed on the theme of prejudice. During 1930s America, and 1960s Australia, racial prejudice was at its highest point, with African- Americans, and Aborigines, treated as a second class, and forbidden to have the privileges that white people had. Both texts deal with a specific sequence of events in which readers can infer the prejudicial aspect of life in that era. Not only do the books deal with different nationalities and different time periods, but it can be argued that Craig Silvey’s novel is simply a product of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and this will also be looked at throughout this essay.…

    • 4572 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    In most societies, there are standards that help protect the citizens. However, when the standards are set by people who are prejudiced and bigoted the outcome can potentially be harmful to those whom the society deems “unacceptable” or “different”. To Kill a Mockingbird by the famed author Harper Lee is a novel that allows the audience to reflect on significant social issues and values in our society. The poem by Abel Meeropol titled Strange Fruit also reflects on the tragedy of discrimination. The novel deals with many issues that involve racial injustice, the destruction of innocence and class in the American Deep South. The poem, in just three verses, powerfully deals with the outcome of the social issue of racism in its most extreme form. The prejudice and bigotry are embedded in the social values and laws of a society. It is not until individuals and groups rally against the prejudice that change occurs.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Harper Lee’s 1960 novel ‘To kill a mockingbird’ deeply penetrates the concept of walking in somebody else’s shoes. This southern societal drama explores the main message Lee is portraying throughout the novel; that of which being to empathise with somebody in a differing circumstance as yourself. This text revolves around a 1930’s southern American society which openly embraces prejudice towards the minority of powerless in the community, in this case being racism. Lee shares her intended message through themes embedded throughout the text being; power through social dynamics, a human’s instinct to externalise guilt, physiological opposed to physical courage and how ones upbringing influences their moral decisions. These underlying matters are communicated through sophisticated writing techniques which help to develop the novels major themes. These are irony, symbolism, first person dialogue and tone. Combined, a compelling novel is made with powerful meaning entwined into the chapters. ‘To kill a mockingbird’ encourages readers to gain various perspectives of the defining characters and their motives in order to understand Harper Lee’s inspiring beliefs.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    The objective of this thesis paper is to delve into the work of Harper Lee and examine her uses of prejudice. This research defines the different uses of prejudice the novel and in the world. The research reflects upon the racism, sexism, and social classing of the 1930s through the primary sources of articles and books. Throughout the research, it has been found that the prejudices mentioned in Lee’s book have extensive histories that date back hundreds of years. Through showing the history of prejudice, this research pinpoints the political and social aspects of Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.…

    • 1240 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this novel, Harper Lee depicts the prejudice and hate of a time period through the eyes of a young person, while portraying the contrasting ways of thinking within society. So much so, in fact, that a white boy is brought to tears because of the palpable hate emanating from community members. The book has a number of instances in which African-Americans are either displayed as inferior to or are scorned by whites. So much so that in 1935 Alabama, laws were in effect that meant blacks were legally discriminated against, albeit with a pretence of equality. The point of view of the book is of a child who doesn’t understand the concept of discrimination and has begun her climb onto the hatred bandwagon. However, the family of the main character does not support racism, and different views on the subject are on display.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Believe it or not, individuals have trouble seeing black from white. Mankind has the ability to develop an immoral sense of integrity suited to their needs, yet morally accept their sense of integrity. The author of To Kill a Mockingbird illustrates this illusion portrayed by a Southern society. By using a 1930's Southern point-of-view, Harper Lee demonstrates that integrity not only has the power to unite humankind, but to divide humankind as well.…

    • 942 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee (1960) is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel that offers a view of southern life in the 1930s through the eyes of a young girl named Scout, whose view of the adult world evolves as her family is exposed to its evils and injustices, changing from that of an innocent child to that of a near-grown up. Discrimination and prejudice are integral parts of the novel’s themes, and plays an important role in Scout’s development of a sympathetic, mature perspective. This essay will explore and analyze the various forms discrimination takes throughout the novel.…

    • 771 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Harper Lee once said, “ You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” Lee is alluding to the notion of winning, for this belief is a popular theme within literature. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a community’s morals and beliefs regarding race, gender, and compassion determine that justice is a privilege for a few rather than a right for all. Throughout the small-town life, many characters see the evil in human nature, while others cause the evil with being racist. The kids’ innocence gets demolished, yet they learn valuable lessons about being prejudice.…

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “He laugh. Who you think you is? He say. You can’t curse nobody. Look at you. You black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, he say, you nothing at all.”(Walker 206). With these words, Celie in Alice Walker’s, The Color Purple is told by her husband how worthless she is to him. Alice Walker analyzes The Color Purple as a tool to educate today’s young women about gender inequality in the 1900’s. She portrays this message through the main character, Celie, who overcomes her struggles and eventually becomes stronger.…

    • 1220 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays