The Effect of Equality in Past and Present Times (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)

Matthew Bomer once said, “Equality comes from treating everybody the same regardless of who they are.” Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, is about a trial that goes on because a black man, Tom Robinson, had supposedly raped a young woman, Mayella Ewell. It is from the point of view of a girl named Jean Louise, who is also known in the story as Scout. She and her brother Jem are raised by their father, Atticus. When the trial happens, Atticus steps up and takes the job to be Tom's lawyer. Tom is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell when he did not do it. Atticus tries to defend Tom the best he can, even though Atticus knows he has little chance of winning. After the trial ends and a few days pass, Bob Ewell is mad because he thought Atticus and Judge Taylor were embarrassing him so Bob starts coming for Tom’s wife, Helen, Judge Taylor, and even goes after Atticus and his children as well. The conflicts in the story help the children mature and learn. People go through things in their lives that are not known to everyone which is why everyone should be treated fairly. To Kill a Mockingbird should be read in school because it teaches valuable lessons about racial inequality, morality, and stereotyping. 

One of the biggest conflicts found in To Kill a Mockingbird is racism. Racial inequality is a problem in Scout’s life and it is something we see in our lives as well. Throughout the story, there are examples of characters being racist towards others in the town. The trial is a big conflict that caused some contention in Maycomb. Jem is upset about the trial being unfair and Atticus tells Jem that in a trial with “ a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (295). Atticus teaches his children to not be racist towards others. During the trial, the jury is against Tom Robinson. Mayella is hit on the right side of her face and everyone in the jury comes to the conclusion that the suspect is left-handed. Tom Robinson has a deformity that causes his left arm to not work which led to many people not thinking Tom is guilty. The reason the trial is unfair is that there is proof it is almost impossible Tom committed the crime but because Tom is a black man, the jury assumes he is guilty just because of his skin color. Atticus explains to his children that “[they will] see white men cheat black men every day of [their] life...whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is...that white man is trash” (295). When Atticus tells Jem and Scout this, Atticus hopes that things will change for them and they will not have to go through this when they are older. When students learn about racism, they can learn how to prevent it by learning about past experiences. Racism is a big conflict in some communities' daily lives so it is important to learn about it and know how to deal with it. 

Another value that is taught in the book is morality. Morality is knowing what is right or wrong and Scout learns this many times in her life as she grows up. Scout started going to school and her teacher Miss Caroline says Atticus should stop teaching Scout how to read because it is wrong. Though this is a small example of realizing morality and dealing with it, Scout knows that the way Atticus is teaching her is not wrong, Miss Caroline just has another opinion. The trial is also an event that causes the people of Maycomb to think different things are right or wrong. Some people think that Tom is guilty and some think he is innocent. There is never going to be a way to get everyone to agree on every topic. The jury, the people of Maycomb, Atticus, and others do not all agree on the trial outcome and Atticus thinks “the one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience” (140). When a big group of people agrees on something, it does not mean everyone agrees because an individual has the right to think what they want. Bob Ewell thinks differently about the case than Atticus. In the story, a mockingbird represents innocence. In the book it is known as a “sin to kill a mockingbird” (103). Harper Lee relates Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and some other characters to a mockingbird. Tom did nothing wrong to Mayella or anyone in the town but because the jury decided he is guilty, the result is getting shot. The death of Tom Robinson is related to a mockingbird because Tom is innocent and does nothing bad towards the town but somehow ends up getting shot. Boo Radley is also related to a mockingbird because he is a sweet man who has a reputation of doing wrong. Scout says at the end of the story that hurting Boo Radley would be a sin and realizes that because he had never done anything wrong to her it would be unnecessary for anyone to hurt or kill him. When reading about morality and innocence, students can be taught about right and wrong. Making good or bad decisions can have an impact on your future and that is why learning them at a young age can help value students. 

Many people start stereotyping someone the minute they see them. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout assumes Boo Radley is a “malevolent phantom”(10). Scout had heard stories of Boo and how mean and scary he is. When Scout passes the Radley house, she runs as fast as she could so she does not encounter Boo. One late night, Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout on the way home. The children were close to getting killed but luckily Boo Radley comes out from his house and saves the children. This is the moment that Scout realizes Boo is not a bad person. When investigating Bob’s death, Sheriff Tate keeps in mind that Boo is a good person and was trying to save the children so Sheriff Tate said it was Bob and let Boo not have to worry about jail or court. In high school, people get stereotyped all the time for different things like popularity, reputations, grades, which affects the students view about others. Friendships and relationships can be affected by stereotyping because people can be quick to judge before knowing everything about a person. In the story, Tom Robinson got stereotyped as a bad man because he was a black man who had supposedly raped a young woman. People had not even heard the whole story and already assumed he was guilty. The biggest realization Scout had in the story is that people “never really know a man until [they] stand in [their] shoes and walk around in them”(374). Scout reflects on her assumptions about Boo Radley, after she walks him home one night. He was the opposite of the “malevolent phantom” she thought he was. These experiences demonstrate the effect of stereotyping a person right away. It is important to get to know someone and their background before judging what they are like. 

The many lessons that can be learned while reading To Kill a Mockingbird are racial inequality, morality, and stereotypes which will teach all people the importance of treating others equally. Many conflicts have recently been happening because of racial corruption. The story deeply shows the conflict of racism to an extent where students can learn how to think of everyone the same, no matter their race or ethical background. Morality is something everyone is taught by their parents but in everyday situations sometimes it is hard to stand up for what is right and not just what everyone else does. Atticus teaches Scout and Jem these lessons and their values so they can stay fair with others. People of all ages jump to conclusions about a person based on their looks, the way they sound, act, or dress, without even knowing their background. Stereotyping is used throughout the whole story which causes bigger problems. There are valuable lessons to be learned from To Kill a Mockingbird from the many characters and life changing experiences they go through. Learning these lessons helps the reader understand how to prevent these actions and they can learn the impact choices make in your life.