To Kill a Mocking Bird

From the early origins of this country racism has polluted the morality of its citizens to the very core. Events such as the early slave trade and the Civil War have led many white Americans to believe that African Americans are a violent and inferior race. In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird she addresses this issue through the sleepy southern town of Maycomb, not only through its prejudice against African Americans, but also through those who strive for equal rights. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses the characterizations of Scout, Bob Ewell, and Atticus Finch to make the point that racism is not innate, but instead developed through ignorance, which can be destroyed with knowledge.

The story of To Kill A Mockingbird is told from the point of view of a young girl named Scout in order to establish the concept of how an immature mind is not fully equipped to understand a racist mentality. She displays her innocence with her thoughts on Tom Robinson when she ponders, "He seemed to be a respectable Negro, and a respectable Negro would never go up into somebody's yard of his own volition" (Lee, 257). This display of her innocent trust shows how a youthful mind is lost in the tumult of a prejudiced environment. If racism were a natural innate quality, then she would not be lost, and she would not even consider a Negro like Tom Robinson as "respectable." A critic expands on this issue of Scout's innocent confusion by writing, "Many of the lessons Tom Robinson's story dramatizes escape Scout's comprehension, but the reader still recognizes them, as does the older Jean Louise" (Felty). The fact that the lessons of racism escape the comprehension of a child shows that a racist mentality is not intrinsic, which means society must teach it. Lee's use of Scout as the main character emphasizes this idea of a youthful perspective in a racist environment, which ultimately portrays how racism is not an innate quality, but a learned concept. Then, because Lee uses Scout to demonstrate that racism is a learned concept, she can advocate the message that if racism is created by society, it can also be overcome by society.

While Scout represents how racism is developed over time, Bob Ewell represents how the vulgar attributes of racism initially develop. Lee makes Bob Ewell, the false accuser of Tom Robinson, an obnoxious and ignorant character throughout the story. This is exemplified in the court setting when Bob Ewell cannot keep up with Robinson's defense attorney, Atticus Finch. Lee writes, "Mr. Ewell turned angrily to the judge and said he didn't see what his being left-handed had to do with it, that he was a Christ-fearing man and Atticus Finch was taking advantage of him. Tricking lawyers like Atticus Finch took advantage of him all the time with their tricking ways" (Lee, 237). In this instance, Atticus has proved that Bob Ewell was actually