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Theme Of Happiness In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Theme Of Happiness In To Kill A Mockingbird
Many people aspire to be fully content with their lives, but fail to realize the effort that it takes to reach the idealized state of happiness. Some believe joy shall fall upon them so long as they wait patiently for it. However, those who are truly gleeful can give credit to their hard endeavors of understanding the nature of happiness, overcoming their fears, and accepting others. By having a realistic view on happiness and comprehending the unreliable trends of human emotion, one is kept from having such high expectations on his or herself upon reaching the state of happiness. The knowledge that happiness comes from within a person rather than from outward sources allows one to take control of their own happiness. When an old woman by …show more content…
Those who hold a genuine liking to other people and do not tend to discriminate against others are often more satisfied with their life than those who judge. An example of one of these people is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Although he lives in a time and place where segregation is highly present, he refuses to distinguish peoples by the color of their skin. As a lawyer, he defends the innocent Tom Robinson who is wrongly charged with the rape of Mayella Ewell. Finch knows that he will not succeed in his trial against the Ewells, yet he continues to defend Robinson because he knows that it is the morally right thing to do. His accepting nature towards Tom Robinson and his belief that Robinson is innocent keep hatred and sadness from swelling within his heart. Jamie Sullivan from A Walk to Remember also displays a genuine caring attitude for others which reflects her inner happiness. Throughout Jamie’s life, she has always been seen by others as the good and humble Christian girl. She donates to charities and helps out at her local orphanage. Even when diagnosed with leukemia, Jamie continues to spread her happiness unto others until her very last day. Dissimilarly, despondency consumes those who spend their time judging others rather than loving others. Bob Ewell, another character in To Kill a Mockingbird, serves as a good example for this. Although his family’s social status is extremely low, he still holds himself high due to the fact that he is white rather than black. He believes that this difference in skin colors proves himself to be superior to others who may actually precede his status in society. His judgment is cast back on him at the end of the novel when everyone realizes his true nature, and any sliver of content he once held has now left. Mr. Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre is similar to the character of Bob
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