To Kill a Mockingbird analysis

Prejudice is directly defined as a preformed opinion about a person or group of persons. In this context, however, prejudice is seen as disregard towards a group of people by considering them as lesser in the society (Maddox n. p). According to Atticus, prejudice can only exist where people are many, and there is a lack of closeness, and so, prejudice should not exist in Maycomb. Furthermore, prejudice against the characters in the story is characterized by discrimination, dislike, and disregard due to race, gender or opinion. Jem also called Jeremy is presented as Scout’s uncle who has strange thought that even the narrator considers him as having confusing thoughts. Boo Radley is one of Mr. Radley’s sons whom as described by Jem looks disabled but the town has translated his disability to mean that he is a monster like individual responsible for all the evils in the town.

The author has also presented Bob Ewell who is a parent to a family that is considered as a disgrace to the family. Additionally, John Hale Finch is Scout’s uncle and he is described as funny a joker and one who likes playing around with children even though he is always not fair. Social prejudice is seen to exists when Lee shows that the entire town dislikes Boo due to his appearance leading to his exclusion from the others. When a person is prejudged due to how they look, then this is qualified to be prejudice (Maddox n. p). The people of Maycomb have concluded that all crimes are also attributed to him. Such conclusions are made of this character just because of the way he looks, such as him being an evil person is a classification of prejudice.

This statement shows that even within Atticus himself, he is aware that the community he lives in disregarded him because he decides to behave differently from the other White’s. Furthermore, the story shows that he is also condemned by the community. This is evidence of social prejudice. Bloom also claims that prejudice can also be an act of discrimination against a person because they are different (39). The social prejudice, in this case, takes a very radical turn to the extent that this character risks his life all because he chooses to act differently. Gender prejudice is defined as discrimination based on gender. The novel exposes this through Aunt Alexandra’s treatment of Scout, and through the jury’s belief of Mayella’s claims simply because she is a white woman.

Scout is reproached when she plays with boys and she states this in the novel that, "I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants" (Lee 81). From this statement, there is a clear indication that Aunt Alexandra discriminates Scout for being who she desires to be. She considers her to be lesser of a female gender if she wants to play with boys and be in the company of them. In the end, by twisting the story to make Tom guilty, gender prejudice is seen and further revealed by the jury’s reaction. Mayella believes that she can clean her conscience through victimizing Tom because in this society it is uncommon for relations to happen between people of different races (Milton 23).

In other words, this is to make the readers aware that, Mayella is hiding her guilt and hence uses the existing discrimination against the Negros to protect herself. Furthermore, she knows that Tom is a man, the jury is highly likely to believe her story more than Tom’s story. Through this incident in the novel, evidence of how women are always considered to be victims in cases of conflict between them and men is also illuminated. The killing of Tom Robinson is an indication of underground violence that shows up before the case starts and racism instigates it. Also, the execution shows how the mob has a feeling that they can take the law into their hands and their freedom and right to kill those who are inferior to themselves.

The prejudice against lesser people here is targeting the Negros who are considered as a lesser race. The lynch mob feels powerful as a group, which is the opposite feeling that could happen to each of them if they acted individually. Also, it is evident that the blacks are segregated in the courtrooms as well as public places and schools. Evidently, from the book, prejudice is exposed during Tom Robinson's trial. Prejudice and discrimination in court always affect the individuals who are always looked down upon or marginalized in a given society. It can be correct to say Judge Taylor is not a racist. Taylor asks Atticus to take on the case of Tom Robinson's case instead of leaving it to a junior who requires experience. It is evident that Tom Robinson is innocent, but the jury gives the verdict, guilty.

Calpurnia stands by the children, and the church ends up siding with her. Reverend Sykes and other church members accept the Finch children (Macaluso, 281). Through this, it is exposed that racism was not one-sided. The blacks hated the whites the same way the whites did. The children accompanied by Calpurnia to church get a dozen of racism in the Negro church. The study from here can lead a scholar studying the factors that pushed each character to act in the way they acted. Work Cited Bloom, Harold. “Harper Lee's to Kill a Mockingbird. ” New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2010. Internet resource. apa. org/science/about/psa/2006/04/maddox. aspx McFarlin, Jaimie K. The Hypocrisy of Equal but Separate in the Courtroom: A Lens for the Civil Rights Era. J.