To Kill A Mockingbird Pros And Cons Essay

Not every problem can be easily solved with a simple right or wrong solution, sometimes there are pros and cons to a decision that can affect a person both morally and ethically. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird vividly expresses this concept as Lee embroils characters such as Scout, Atticus, and even Mayella Ewell into these types of situations. Each character is faced with a dilemma that affects their morality; decisions in which there are no win-win resolutions. They must each decide what is best for themselves. However, they must also try not to negatively affect those around them, whether it is simply explaining another’s circumstances, staying true to one’s heritage instead of pleasing society, defending a character that others view as a
Arthur, also known as Boo Radley, out of the spotlight instead of drawing attention to him. Since Mr. Arthur had usually stayed in the house for all those years it was obvious that he did not want to be noticed or disturbed. The reader later finds out that this is because he appears to have some type of mental disorder and based on the fact that their is so much gossip going around Maycomb and Mr. Arthur does not want to be noticed Scout concludes, “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” This is a reference both to the title of the work as well as to when Atticus told Jem and Scout that it was a sin to hurt someone or something that has only ever done anything to please you, such as a mockingbird. In this case Arthur Radley could be seen as a mockingbird. If Atticus, Heck Tate, or Scout revealed the truth about what happened the night of the attack they would be hurting Mr. Arthur by making him the town hero and bringing unwanted attention towards him. However, they would not be burdened with the guilt of untruthfulness, but the metaphor of killing a mockingbird was a greater