“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”— To Kill A Mockingbird, is a gothic novel written by Harper Lee. The novel centers around Jean Louise” Scout “ Finch, a young girl learning to navigate the challenges of the world. She is assisted by her brother Jem and their good friend Charles” Dill “Baker. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer in Maycomb defending Tom Robinson, a man wrongfully accused of rape. Innocence, racism, and the coexistence of good and evil are presented in various ways, represented through many characters.
Racism is a recurring theme in the novel, evident by the many people disrespected because of their skin color. Scouts encounters a word which she has not heard before, then proceeds to repeat it to her father, who is shocked by the use of inappropriate language. “You aren’t really a n***** lover, then, are you?(Lee 124).” Scout recites these famous words while discussing with her father about this term. Atticus begins to explain how this relates to Tom Robinson, a black man he is defending in court for the rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell.
Atticus states how he loves everybody the same and that race doesn’t matter; rather, it is what is in the heart that matters the most. The recurrence of racism throughout the novel points to a deeper meaning- one can not assume something about another person based on his or her skin color, but what the person is like on the inside. Tom Robinson is unfairly accused because of his skin color, which no one can look past, except for Atticus. Atticus does not judge him because of his skin color; rather, Atticus chooses to represent him in court. Through Scout Finch’s eyes, she is unaware of the rampant racism occurring in the world, which demonstrates her innocence.
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Innocence is shown through the character Tom Robinson after he is wrongfully accused, with his only supporter Atticus Finch representing him. Innocence is when a person lacks corruption and is pure in heart. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” The quote conveys the importance of innocence in the purest way, something often seen in children.
Innocence is portrayed through the perspective of Scout as she begins to see that the world is unfortunately full of evil, and people with bad intentions. The innocence of children oftentimes is only realized when they begin to see that there is more to the world than just what they believe. An example is when Scout begins asking questions to her Aunt Alexandra in regards to her prejudice towards the Cunningham‘s, and her innocence is displayed by her fascination to understand the way the world works, but also question why things happen.
The coexistence of good and evil is shown within a variety of characters in the novel. Many characters represent only good, and some only bad, but many express both. Scout and Jem experience this as they grow into adulthood and mature. They assume everybody has good intentions with no wrongdoings, which they later find out to be inaccurate. The coexistence of good and evil is good being present with evil while highlighting the major differences. Characters such as Boo Radley and Tom Robinson experience with significant changes.
“Your father’s no better than the n****** and trash he works for!( Lee 135)” Mrs. Dubose exclaims as she yells at Scout and Jem. Mrs. Dubose appears to be racist and lack a general concern for others, but at times she displays her compassionate side. An example of her caring is rewarding Jem with a white camellia after he fixed them. Atticus very explicitly points out how even though Mrs. Dubose is racist, she can also be kind, and deserves respect. One bad experience with a person should not create an immediate dislike; rather, the person who feels this way should consider the circumstances, and try to employ sympathy before quickly forming a judgement.
Throughout the novel, Racism rears its ugly head, which causes the innocence of life to be quickly taken away, later creating the coexistence of good and evil. Within each of these discussion points, there is a profound insight into the world, which allows readers to understand how to best avoid exhibiting signs of racism, losing innocence, etc.
