The Clash of Prejudice and Maturation in To Kill a Mockingbird “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.” claimed freedom rights activist Nelson Mandela, a statement that generalized the main source of prejudiced hate through time. Since birth, children can learn from their surroundings about the world and how it works, and almost every time, their experiences with other people instill a general sense of opinions and ideas upon the children. These ideals are especially prominent in the deep South after the abolishment of slavery, for it set loose the pure hatred and wrath of racism upon the black community. This is exactly where Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird takes place,
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When Scout is still very young, her innocence and naivety is highlighted by her belief that Boo Radley is a mythical monster that takes children in their sleep. As she grows older and goes to school, her fear of Boo lessens more and more, and he is forgotten. While she slowly matures, Atticus tells her not to judge other based on their actions “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). This translates to envisioning oneself in someone else’s position before judging their actions and decisions, and this theme sticks with Scout until the very end of the book, when Boo comes back to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. For the first portion of Scout’s life, she was deathly afraid of Boo, but upon seeing him in person she immediately realizes that her immaturity and innocence is gone and replaced with understanding of Boo’s actions. Gone was her dread of the creepy, ramshackle Radley House as she takes Boo’s pale hand in hers and walks him back to his house. When he goes inside, Scout stands on the Radley porch and looks out at Maycomb County and her house and envisions her past few years from Boo’s perspective. She saw Boo as a real person who truly cared for her and Jem, which was exactly what Atticus wanted Scout and Jem to realize at the very beginning of the novel. His teachings come full circle as Scout finally grasps the …show more content…
Miss Caroline berates Scout for her literacy, while Mrs. Dubose berates Scout for her existence. Mr. Boo Radley, although he never wrongs Scout, scares her for his mysterious past. As she grows, Atticus sticks by her side and helps her with all her concerns and complaints with teachings and words of wisdom for Scout to consider. This allows Scout to solve her problems on her own with a little guidance, helping her to mature more and more. By the end of the novel, the conflicts resolve as Scout matures and overcomes all of the negative influences that Maycomb County has to offer, such as strict rulings and racism. While it takes one to acknowledge one’s actions, Scout learns from her father to also understand the reasoning behind everyone’s actions, and this allows Scout to view everyone as human, and she recognizes that all humans have flaws, including herself, and accepts everyone for who they
When Scout is still very young, her innocence and naivety is highlighted by her belief that Boo Radley is a mythical monster that takes children in their sleep. As she grows older and goes to school, her fear of Boo lessens more and more, and he is forgotten. While she slowly matures, Atticus tells her not to judge other based on their actions “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). This translates to envisioning oneself in someone else’s position before judging their actions and decisions, and this theme sticks with Scout until the very end of the book, when Boo comes back to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. For the first portion of Scout’s life, she was deathly afraid of Boo, but upon seeing him in person she immediately realizes that her immaturity and innocence is gone and replaced with understanding of Boo’s actions. Gone was her dread of the creepy, ramshackle Radley House as she takes Boo’s pale hand in hers and walks him back to his house. When he goes inside, Scout stands on the Radley porch and looks out at Maycomb County and her house and envisions her past few years from Boo’s perspective. She saw Boo as a real person who truly cared for her and Jem, which was exactly what Atticus wanted Scout and Jem to realize at the very beginning of the novel. His teachings come full circle as Scout finally grasps the …show more content…
Miss Caroline berates Scout for her literacy, while Mrs. Dubose berates Scout for her existence. Mr. Boo Radley, although he never wrongs Scout, scares her for his mysterious past. As she grows, Atticus sticks by her side and helps her with all her concerns and complaints with teachings and words of wisdom for Scout to consider. This allows Scout to solve her problems on her own with a little guidance, helping her to mature more and more. By the end of the novel, the conflicts resolve as Scout matures and overcomes all of the negative influences that Maycomb County has to offer, such as strict rulings and racism. While it takes one to acknowledge one’s actions, Scout learns from her father to also understand the reasoning behind everyone’s actions, and this allows Scout to view everyone as human, and she recognizes that all humans have flaws, including herself, and accepts everyone for who they