To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee - Essay Example

To Kill a Mocking Bird To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the story of two children, Scout Finch and Jem, who live in Alabama during the 1930s. They come to know from their father Atticus that the world is always not fair and through the connections with the neighbors they also come to know that prejudging a person is not a right means to understand the actual character of that person. Parents are often the link through which children perceive and understand the world. In the story, Atticus, as a significant parental figure, teaches his children the critical lessons of life which enables them to acquire proper qualities and become positive in life.

Atticus believes that prejudging a person is not at all right. It is an important thing in life that we should not make observation and judgment of others without thinking of them. Atticus wants his children to think about certain things from their point of view. It is not at all possible for us to determine anything significant without realizing people’s situation. If people try to follow the suggestion of Atticus they will never form false opinion about others and will be able to feel empathy for others around them.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb in his skin and walk around in it” (Lee, p.34). Scout often fails to understand and sympathize for others but with Atticus’ advice she imbibes the meaning and really becomes able to understand Boo Radley. Courage is found in a person who knows that he will lose, but still continues to fight the battle. According to Scout, courage is associated with the physical ability to fight. Atticus is able to make her understand the real meaning of courage.

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee, p.115). Atticus does not really want to prove that killing a mad dog with his gun is an act of courage but he views courage as an intellectual and a moral thing and teaches the children that courage should not be actually proved with a weapon. Racism changes the lives of Scout and Jem.

The children are living in a society where African-Americans also live. Scout is racially prejudiced and behaves in such a way to the maid, Calpurnia. Atticus tries to teach his children to consider all individuals without discrimination, whether he is a black or a white. Atticus fights to prove to his children that racism is wrong and he wants his children to be free from the old fashioned opinion of the people of Maycomb. "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, is he any color of the rainbow, but people having a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box" (Lee, p.224). Here, Atticus wishes for a change in life that prevailed in the society.

He is of the opinion that law is not that pure and it is not free from prejudices and that is a problem of every day life. He consoles Jem by saying that Tom would be a free man with the hope that he will be able to save the life of Tom Robinson. However, one can perceive racism being the main theme of the story and justice is finally able to overcome this discrimination. Through his teachings, Atticus is able to change the opinion and outlook of his children towards life. He tries to change the opinion of his children by teaching them that prejudgment of a person is not right.

He is able to give a better idea of courage that all the individuals should possess. Through his experiences, Tom Robinson Atticus is also able to teach his children the evil effects of racism which leads people to take the life of innocent persons. By teachings his children Scout and Jem properly, Atticus fulfills the role of parental figure in the story, To Kill the Mockingbird. Thus, the writer, through this masterly work, makes a successful attempt to communicate to the audience certain important messages that are significant in improving life in a society.

Works Cited Lee, Harper. To Kill a MockingBird. McIntosh and Otis, Inc. 1960. Web. 25 May. 2011. < http://photo.goodreads.com/documents/1239291793books/2660.pdf>.