To Kill a Mockingbird - Essay Example

This in part, is due to the upbringing they have had and the principles that have been instilled in their minds by their upright, conscientious and courageous father. The novel is set in the depression era in a sleepy Alabama town, called Maycomb. One summer, both the brother sister trio become friends with the adventurous Dill, a boy come to spend the summer at their neighbor's home. The three of them together strike up a strong friendship and spend a great deal of their free time discussing ways to draw Boo Radley, the recluse and mystery figure of the town, out of his home.

A few months later, Atticus takes up a case of a black, Tom Robinson, accused of raping Mayella Ewell, daughter of Bob Ewell, an alcoholic and racist. Atticus fights a losing battle and despite proving Robinson's innocence beyond doubt, is unable to save him from prison where Robinson is shot dead while trying to escape. As life returns to normal, the children, while returning home one night, are attacked by the revengeful Bob Ewell, and are saved by Boo Radley. Although, upon first perusal, the story might appear to be a tale of a family, but this is not the case.

It is not even the story of a town. This novel is in fact the story of a nation at war with age old prejudices. The purpose of the novel was to project all the deep-seated prejudices, racial and otherwise, that plagued the American society in that particular era. The most important point of focus in To Kill a Mockingbird is the discrimination and the vicious persecution of innocent human beings on racial and ethnical grounds. This racism is practiced by all and sundry and the fact that there are only a handful of characters in the novel who are not racists, helps in depicting how deeply embedded racism is in the mindsets of the people, as Atticus himself admitted to his children, "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life" (p.233). The depth to which racism was rooted in the society and its deep effects on the social fabric is brought to light by the manner in which even the children react to it and adopt its principles by following their elders.

We come across many episodes in which Scout is taunted by his fellow classmates, children barely seven years old, as a "nigger-lover" (p.87). Lee illustrated in great detail the struggle that ensues after a well-respected white lawyer chooses to advocate the cause of a "nigger." Atticus, once respected, suddenly becomes one of the most disapproved figures of Maycomb and along with him, his family is also victimized and becomes a prime target of every passer's-by abuse. Lee paints the mentality of racists and the irrational disdain that governs their behavior.

A simple tea party thrown by Alexandra is instrumental in portraying the senseless and the silliness of the concept of racism. The episode, although outwardly free from complexity, shows how ordinary people (harmless housewives in this instance) have adopted a racist behavior as a matter of habit. The novel teaches the value of accepting people not for who they appear to be but for who they actually are, for embracing humanity at large without any heed paid to caste, color, creed. Boo Radley, although constantly maligned by the town gossips, is the life-saver in the end.

Calpurnia is the sincere friend and supporter for the children in their time of need