To Kill a Mockingbird Analysis (Research Paper Example)

Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, conveys the problems of life during the 1930s. These conflicts include racism, discrimination, and poverty. The main character Scout Finch is a young girl who is curious about life. At the beginning of the book, she acts like a tomboy and develops into a young woman. She is loyal to Atticus and her family and lets nothing interrupt her path. Atticus Finch is a lawyer for Maycomb County and is an influential father to Scout Finch and Jem Finch. Atticus is humble, wise, and constant with his beliefs. Through Scout’s narration, the reader understands the idea of reality and the impact of Atticus Finch on Scout’s view of the world. 

Throughout the novel, Scout’s narration allows the reader to understand the idea of reality. During the trial of Tom Robinson, Scout is reflecting on why Tom Robinson did not fight Mayella when she was harassing him. Instead, he ran away and did nothing about it. She did not comprehend it at first until she realized it was because of the color of his skin. While reflecting this she ponders, “ Until my father explained it to me later, I did not understand the subtlety of Tom’s predicament: he would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and expect to live long, so he took the first opportunity to run—a sure sign of guilt” (221). Before this trial, Scout lived the perfect life of a child. She is oblivious to one of the biggest real-world problems, which is racism. Once Robinson loses the trial, Scout has to face the reality of the imperfect world. Scout involuntarily learned reality through the flawed trial. To continue, after Scout had heard Aunt Alexandra talk about the quality of a person revolving around their hereditary she is questioning the judgments of her Aunt. Scout questions her Aunts opinions and reflects, “Somewhere, I had received the impression that Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had, but Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion, obliquely expressed, that the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was'' (147). When Scout was reflecting on her aunt's opinions it reveals that she had learned the discrimination in this little town of hers. She was an innocent child who didn't know much of the problem in this world and when listening to her aunt she has to face the reality of this world. 

Next, while Lee’s character Atticus reveals that he is a wise man, Scout learns the reality of the world. After the lost case of Robinson, Atticus is explaining to Jem and Scout why the jury found Robinson guilty. While doing this he explains, “ Those are twelve reasonable men in everyday life, Tom’s jury, but you saw something come between them and reason. You saw the same thing that night in front of the jail. When that crew went away, they didn’t go as reasonable men, they went because we were there. There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn’t be fair if they tried”(251). Atticus’s words affect Scout in a way that she was involuntarily forced to learn reality. Scout has to learn that there is racism, discrimination, and no one thinks for themselves in this world. She thought everyone was the same and that no one should be judged on what they look like, or their wealth. Through the discrimination of the jury, she learned the world is not like that and it is an imperfect world. Additionally, Scout was arguing with Atticus why she shouldn’t have to go to school. She did not understand why because the Ewells didn't go. When arguing, Atticus teaches, “ You, Miss Scout are the common folk. You must obey the law”(34). Scout believes everyone is equal so when she sees that the Ewells don't have to go to school it makes her feel like she doesn't have to either. This is not the reality of the world, and Atticus teaches her the lesson that not everyone is equal. Scout learns from Atticus how the real world works and reality.

In the end, Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, shows the effect of the real world on Scout. The reality of the world is shown to Scout through the trial of Robinson and Atticus. Scout’s narration benefits the reader to comprehend the idea of reality and how Atticus affected her view of the world. This novel teaches the reader the real-world problems that go around in today’s society including racism, poverty, and discrimination.