To+Kill+a+Mockingbird

Today, we think everyone is equal, which is true. Asians, african-americans, mexicans, caucasions, germans, australians, we're all equal, no one has an advantage over another. But this way of life was only established around 60 years ago. In the 1930's thoguh, things were quite different. There were still slaves and their was still racism around every corner. In Harper Lee's, __To Kill a Mockingbird,__ racism is responsible for the plot of the story itself.

Tom Robinson was a nice fellow. He had a loving family, he respected those around him, and he helped people with their small chores around the house. Seems like the average gentlemen to me, but there is a small problem. He's black. These two words instantly set this kind-hearted man to the bottom of the food chain, and because of what? An assumption that all black men are dirty, vicious liers, and are below the white man in every way. Because of this, Tom is accused of raping a white woman, when what really happened was that she jumped on him and tried to kiss him. "Did you ever, at any time, go on the property without an invitation? No suh, Mr. Finch, I never did. Atticus said to tell if someone was telling the truth or not was to listen, not watch. I heard him deny it three times in a single breath and without any whining in his voice and all the evidence, I believed him." __-Pg. 192.__ Even with the overwhelming amount of hard evidence that the Ewells were lying, and Tom was innocent, the jury insisted on him being guilty. They had all killed a mockingbird without hesitation.

Near the beginning of the book, when Harper Lee introduces the reader to all the characters, she shares Scout Finch's interpretation on Boo Radley's lifestyle. "Inside the Radley house lived a malevolent phantom...he peeped into windows, destroyed azaleas, and committed all the small crimes around Maycomb County. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him." This prooves the already proven statement that false ideas about someone or something eventually becomes reality. Because of these rumors, Scout believed that nuts from the Radley house would kill you, and that Boo ate squirrels, when in reality, he was a man extremely shy that left gifts for children and at one point, saved their lives. When he did save their lives, Atticus wanted to reveal to the town that Boo Radley was a hero, but Mr. Tate insisted Mr. Ewell "fell on his knife". He said this because he knew Mr. Arthur would despise the attention directed towards him for saving Scout and Jem's life. "It would be like shoot'n a Mockingbird, right Atticus?" __-Pg. 276__

All of these things lead up to the question of why children have a different concept of right and wrong than adults. One of the main reasons is because of the fact that those adults had been living in that lifestyle for decades and had lost their sense of remorse for those punished by injustice. While adults are used to the idea, children have only gotten a taste of the world they live in and aren't old enough to understand that that is the world they live in. "He's supposed to act that way Dill, he was cross- He didn't act that way to the white woman! It ain't right, somehow, it ain't right." __-Pg. 199.__

In the 1930's, this was the way of life. Today, it's a fragment of the past and things changed, whether it be an opinion about a race, or an entire nations lifestyle. Things change, for the better, or for the worse.