|
To Kill A Mockingbird Classic, a term one uses to describe many things, such
as a defining moment or an object such as a book. When used in this context,
such as describing a book, it persuades the reader to examine the novel further
to discover what makes this piece of literature so memorable to people who have
read it. One such novel is Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. One may describe
this novel as a classic because the messages described in the novel can be
perceived on so many different levels that any reader, no matter the level, can
observe these messages. The prime messages observed in this novel is that of
racism, how the actions of a community, not just a parent, can affect a child,
and how rumors and invalidated facts can destroy anyone's reputation. Racism is
mentioned throughout the second part of the novel. It is the prime and most
mentioned part of this section of the novel. This message is displayed on many
levels so even the lowest level reader can visibly ask oneself why this is
occurring. The easiest way to observe this may be the town's actions toward Tom
Robinson, the negro on trial.
The townspeople, for the most part, dismissed the
entire trial on the basis on that it does not matter what Atticus can do, Mr.
Robinson is automatically guilty. This message can also be seen in a severely
symbolic manner, Tom Robinson's death. The manner in which he dies is that he
escapes and attempts to climb the fence to freedom, however he only has one good
arm and that is his detriment. It slows him up enough to allow the police to
shoot him numerous times. Symbolically this can be viewed as a glimmer of hope
to end this suppression. As this glimmer of hope is about to reach the
mainstream and acceptance that racism is evil, it is shot down and dead, thus
ending the opportunity. Mr. Robinson got into this position by the jury giving
in a guilty verdict, despite numerous evidence to the contrary. The jury gave a
racist verdict, showing Harper Lee's opinion of the evil a racist society can do
to a minority. This verdict had repercussions not just to Mr. Robinson, but to
the community. One can observe that this verdict influenced the town in a manner
no one expected, it twisted the minds of many children.
A popular saying is that
the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, this is what began to
happen to the children of the town, best viewed when observing the Finch
children. Despite Atticus' plans to raise children who do not have this type of
hate within them, they have these feelings due to some community actions,
Atticus' plan going astray. A prime example is Scout's answer to the question of
the manner in which the prosecuting attorney addressed Mr. Robinson during his
cross examination. Her answer was that he could do that because ...he's just a
negro.(p. 199) This issue is not just the white community pressing an idea into
someone's head. It can also happen in the black community. When Atticus Finch
asks Calpurnia, his housekeeper, to watch his children for him while he is out,
Calpurnia accepts and takes the children with her to church, a black church.
When she arrives with the children they are all greeted with hospitality except
for a few people. These people use the same argument as in the last example as
to why they should not be there, because they are white. What both races have
done is shun the other race, now what happens if a child is born with blood from
both races. What happens is an isolated race that is exiled from both races
because that child has blood from the other race. This evil act can be seen in
the novel. The county practically exiles the children of Dolphus Raymond and his
black spouse. It is done to the point that these children are forced to live in
the non-racist north where they would not be looked down on as genetic freaks.
After reading this, one would wonder of the community's reaction to Dolphus
Raymond, whose committing a great sin by having children with a black woman.
Well, the town does not look down on him, the town actually feels sorry for him.
Why, because the town does not know the real story, they base their feelings on
unsubstantiated rumors.
Rumors, no matter how false, can destroy an individual's
reputation. Two different people, other than Mr. Raymond, are the subject of
these rumors: Atticus and Boo Radley. Atticus is portrayed as a nigger lover,
something sinful in Maycomb. Something that prompts Scout to fight anyone so
they will think otherwise. Boo Radley is the subject of much worse rumors. This
calm, sweet, possibly mentally retarded person is the subject of many rumors
that have destroyed his reputation. The townspeople consider him an individual
who should be locked up in a mental institution, a homicidal maniac. The prime
messages observed in this novel is that of racism, how the actions of a
community, not just a parent, can affect a child, and how rumors and invalidated
facts can destroy anyone's reputation. These messages and others help to show
why this novel is considered a classic. Not just for the story and characters,
but also for the messages observed. This novel is more of a political statement
than a story, displaying the evils of our society and the consequences of living
in such a society.
|
