To Kill a Mockingbird Themese
...started to mature and he had grew to understand life, racism, and tolerance. This is mainly because of Atticus giving Jem freedom and independence. However, Atticus did things for a reason. For example, when Jem destroyed Mrs Dubose’s flowers, Atticus made Jem read to her every afternoon. This one act gave Jem nothing but grief, however he had learnt to be tolerant, which was what Atticus wanted him to learn. When Mrs Dubose died, Atticus had told Jem that Mrs Dubose had died suffering a morphine addiction, and she was only able to “free herself” of the addiction because Jem had read to her every afternoon. Jem then looked at Mrs Dubose, and the world in a new way. Education was a very important tool for Atticus. We found this out in the beginning of the text when Atticus had taught the children to read at an early age. Atticus’s reason for this was very plain; he wanted Jem and Scout to understand issues such as prejudice and hypocrisy. By understanding the issues, it allowed Jem and Scout to mature much quicker. Jem realises by the end of the book, that education was the key to unlock the ignorance that caused prejudice. This was because Atticus had taught Jem at an early age, allowing him to understand the issue, prejudice, and because of Atticus’s closing speech in Tom Robinson’s trial. As quoted from the text pages 225 - 226: "The witnesses for the state…have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption—the evil assumption—that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber. Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson's skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men cannot be trusted around women, black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men…” One very important fact that Jem discovered in the text, was that the Finch’s status was not because of bloodline, but because of education. Jem realised this through Atticus’s teachings that allowed him to understand issues like this. Thus, he was able to compare the Cunninghams and the Ewells, as both families had the same financial status, but because the Cunninghams had gone to school, and were educated somewhat, they were “higher” in the social structure. As quoted from the text, page 250: “Background doesn’t mean Old Family," said Jem "I think it’s how long your family has been readin' and writin'. Scout, I’ve studied this real hard and that’s the only reason I can think of. Somewhere along when the Finches were in Egypt one of ‘em must have learned a hieroglyphic or two and he taught his son.” Jem and Scout weren’t only educated in knowledge, but they were also educated in social and life skills. As mentioned before, Atticus told Scout to consider things from another person’s view and you would not be able to, unless you “climb into his skin and walk around in it.” As quoted from the text, page 33: "'First of all,' he said, 'If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-' 'Sir?' '-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.'" This enabled Scout to see another perspective and to understand a person better. Atticus also taught Jem and Scout, to be tolerant with people, and you will be rewarded. Mrs Dubose is an example of this. When she died, she rewarded Jem for his tolerance, by giving him a white rose, a prize possession. As quoted from the text, page 124: “Jem opened the box. Inside, surrounded by wads of damp cotton, was a white, waxy, perfect camellia. It was a Snow-on-the-Mountain.” At the end of the text, Scout proclaimed to Atticus that it would be a sin to charge Boo Radely, just like it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, as it does nothing wrong. As quoted from the text, page 304: "Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. 'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.' Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?' 'Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?” This showed that Scout had understood Boo Radely, and the reason why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird through Atticus’s teachings. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ was based on prejudice of the Negroes. This was the most important theme in the text, and is directly linked to Jem and Scout. The racial prejudice was revolved around Atticus and Tom Robinson’s trial. However, Jem and Scout were also effected by the racial prejudice. When Atticus took Tom Robinson’s case, he knew he wasn’t going to win, but he was going to try. This angered many people, especially Bob Ewell. Mr Ewell, and many other people had made many racial remarks at Atticus and his children. Jem and Scout were greatly affected by these remarks. However, they were too young to fully understand these remarks. As quoted from the text, page 92: “Francis rose and sprinted down the catwalk to the old kitchen. At a safe distance he called, “He’s nothin’ but a nigger-lover!” ‘He’s not!” I roared. “I don’t know what your talkin’ about, but you better cut it out this red-hot minute!” When Jem and Scout asked Atticus about these kinds of comments, he told them not to worry, that people that took advantage of Negroes or insulted them were not worth worrying about. As quoted from the text, page 243: “As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” Atticus and the children also received remarks from various other members of Maycomb, including people from their own family, such as Aunt Alexandria. Atticus just told Jem and Scout to ignore the comments, and take it on their chins, rather than retaliating. One very important theme in the text, was status. Maycomb County had four social classes. The highest class was the relatively wealthy, educated families such as the Finches and the Tates. The second class was the hard working people, with some degree of education, but were relatively poor. This class were people like the Cunninghams. The third class were people finicially similar to the second class people, but with different morals or attitudes, such as the Ewe...