Essay/Term paper: Prejudice in maycomb

Essay, term paper, research paper:  To Kill a Mockingbird

Prejudice in Maycomb

Two major people in To Kill A Mockingbird are prejudged; Boo Radley and Tom
Robinson. One man is the victim of prejudice; Atticus Finch. These men are mockingbirds. For a
mockingbird has never hurt anyone, and neither has Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, nor Tom Robinson. .
Boo Radley is prejudged because he chooses to stay in his domicile. While Tom Robinson is
prejudged because of his color. Atticus Finch becomes a victim of prejudice due to his valiancy to
help a innocent black man; Tom Robinson. Boo Radley and Tom Robinson and prejudged; but
because prejudice is so inclusive, even those who help the "mockingbirds", Atticus, become victims
of prejudice.
Maycomb people gossip about Boo Radley because he chooses to stay in his house, while Tom
Robinson is stereotyped by Maycomb because of his skin color. Rumors are spread about these men
because most of Maycomb is guilty of prejudice. Boo Radley is generally gossiped about by Miss
Stephanie Crawford. Miss Stephanie recounts to Jem about rumors spread about Boo Radley. "So
Jem received much of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford..."( Lee, TKAM 11 ). Miss
Stephanie explains a erroneous rumor about Boo. "As Mr. Radley passes by, Boo drove the scissors
into his parent"s leg..." ( 11 ). Tom Robinson is prejudged by many people, some include: Scout, Mr.
Gilmer, and Bob Ewell. For example, when Scout says, "Well, Dill, after all he"s just a Negro" (199).
Maycomb people are the sin of all prejudice in Maycomb.
Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are mockingbirds. Both of these men are victims of prejudice.
To take advantage of these men would be a sin, just as it would to kill a mockingbird.
"Mockingbirds don"t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...that"s why it"s a sin to kill a
Powers 2
mockingbird (90)." Tom Robinson is taken advantage of by the Ewell family. Tom had nothing
against anybody, especially the Ewells". He would help Mayella with her chores, and the part of it
that made him a mockingbird, is that he did not want anything in return. " Were u paid for these
services...No suh, not after she offered to give me a nickel the first time (191)." What makes Boo
Radley a mockingbird is that he has never really never hurt anybody, he minds his own business
while watching over his children. The Ewell family and many other people in Maycomb have sinned,
distinctively Bob Ewell, because they took advantage and prejudged to innocent men; Tom
Robinson and Boo Radley.
People who help the mockingbirds also become victims of prejudice. Atticus Finch tries to
defend Tom, but in doing so, Atticus becomes a victim of prejudice. People in Maycomb lose
respect for Atticus because he is defending a black man. In Maycomb it was erroneous to defend
a black man against a white. Atticus is also gossiped about, essentially by Mrs. Merriweather. "I
tell u there are some misguided people in this town...folks who thinks they"re doing right...not for
me to say who...but all they did was stir "em up (232). " Therefore, those who help the people that
are prejudged, become victims of prejudice.
Many people in Maycomb prejudge Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. In TKAM , Harper Lee
shows how wide spread prejudice is, using from Atticus standpoint to an Tom Robinson and Boo
Radley standpoint. Tom and Boo are not given a chance. Tom died because he was not given a
chance, because of his skin color, and also because that he was prejudged. He was convicted
guilty of murder, and ended up shot. Tom was a mockingbird though, because he showed
intrepidity. Boo was not given a chance neither. Boo is hated for not coming out of his house, but
Boo had the intrepidity to watch over his children and save their lives. Courage to help the
"mockingbirds" is really what conquers prejudice.