Different Perspectives

Blog 5: Chapters 25-31:

→ What conclusions does Scout come to at the end of the novel? What conclusions do you draw from the novel?

At the end of the novel, Scout comes to reach many conclusions. One example was in the last scene of To Kill a Mockingbird, where Scout stood and looked around the neighborhood on Boo Radley’s porch,” I had never seen our neighborhood from this angle. Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough”(Lee 374). She learns to look at things in a different perspective and that people can never understand someone fully, until they've walked in their shoes. She really gets to know Boo, set aside how his profile was created primarily due to the town’s rumors and gossip. She finally gets to look at the neighborhood and an overview of the last 3-4 years in Arthur’s point of view. Arthur wasn't a monster, but someone that was lonely and didn't have any friends. He’s someone that considers Scout and Jem as if they were his own children, as he has watched over them while they grew up. He is a part of a big chunk of Jem and Scout’s childhood. She finds out that people can be a part of someone’s life, even if they don’t know it.

Conclusions we can draw from the novel is that Scout has greatly matured from being inquisitive and blunt to a more mature person displaying a “coming of age theme”. She has learned about courage, racism, innocence, and viewing things from various points of views. In conclusion, we can conclude many things such as that the mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird, represents a symbol of innocence. In the Tom Robinson case, Tom Robinson played the purpose of innocence, someone who has done nothing wrong. Just like how Tom was innocent did nothing but help Mayella Ewell, “[mockingbirds] don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us” (Lee 119). Therefore, it was a sin for Bob Ewell “to kill a mockingbird”,and he had to pay for that sin with his life later on in Chapter 30.

Right or Wrong?

Blog 4: Chapters 19-24:

→ Consider and write why people fail to do the right thing, even though their consciences clearly tell them what to do. Which influences would you be likely to personally resist, and which might overrule your conscience?

People fail to do the right thing for many various reasons which include peer pressure, the effect of society’s opinions, or the fear of people going against them. Friends, family, and the entire society have a huge impact on the rights and wrongs of people. These people (friends, family, and society) are the factors that  overrule other people’s  consciences. They are the ones that can really control what people do. For instance, friendship is one of the most important things in life that people cherish. But conflicts occur between friends when it comes to peer pressure. It really makes you question whether or not they are really are your friends. It’s at times like this when people decide what is right and what is wrong. Because it’s their friends, they often want to be like them since they’re afraid of getting judged or laughed at. Also, the society’s opinion has such a huge impact on people, that people often lose sight of reality and just jump on the bandwagon to be like everyone else. In To Kill a Mockingbird, although everyone knew that Tom Robinson was innocent, they still said he was guilty just because he was an African American. Although, their consciences told them that he wasn't guilty, and they knew it… the society already determined their answer. The society believed that “ you gentleman would go along with them on the assumption- the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption that one associates with minds of their caliber” (Lee 273). The society had already pasted it into people’s minds. But in reality “ [they] know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin” (273).

Influences I would be likely to personally resist is peer pressure. Ever since I was young, I've been influenced and educated on peer pressure and the causes as well as effects of it. My school has always taught us to say “NO” to peer pressure such as alcohol, smoking, and drugs. Every year, in order to educate us on how bad they are, our school would create this week called “Red Ribbon Week”. At this age, I understand how easy it is to fall to peer pressure just to simply fit in or be cool. Thanks to being influenced by a good environment, I will be able to resist it.

Some things that might overrule my conscience is if everyone else is against me. I don’t think I would've been able to have done what Atticus did when he defended Tom Robinson. I don't think I would be able to handle the hate directed towards me. Even though I realize I would be doing the right thing, it would feel as though I wasn't. Personally, if I had been handed the case, I would've rejected it although I knew it was the right thing. I probably would've just kept quiet. I wouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon of racism nor be that one individual to stand up against racism.

Poor White Trash

Blog 3: Chapters 13-18:

→ What is meant by the term “poor white trash”? How do the Ewells exemplify this stereotype? Does this stereotype exist today? How has it changed?

The term “poor white trash” refers to the white people with atrocious manners, low education, measly respect, poor integrity, and overall are just despicable people. In the intercourse of the 1930s, “poor white trash” was often aimed at mostly white people that lived down south who expressed great racism towards African Americans. Another term used along with “poor white trash” is “rednecks”. They normally are also ranked lower in social class.

The Ewells exemplify this stereotype due to their lack of humanity by possessing all of these characteristics.  In To Kill A Mockingbird, during the Tom Robinson trial, the Ewells refer to Tom Robinson as a “nigger”, which is a rude term used primarily by “poor white trash” people to offend and disrespect African Americans. Additionally, the town’s people stated that they live in poor living conditions behind Maycomb County’s dump, which automatically categorize them in the lower social class. In Chapter 3, Burris Ewell came to school with lice or bugs in his hair, highlighting his poor living conditions. The entire town also seemed to know that the Ewells only came to school on the first day, since they had to work the rest of the year due to their father spending all their money on alcohol. Furthermore, Burris’s use of language towards Miss Caroline such as calling her a “slut” display his measly respect for her.

These stereotypes still exist today except the standards have changed slightly and there are only a few of them. Because society ,today, has improved, the characteristics of being considered “poor white trash” has been altered and to not such great extents as the Ewells. They are less cruel and harsh with their discrimination, but are still racist towards African Americans. Their education and manners have also gotten better because children are now required to go to school, with no exceptions. Though there are still disrespectful “poor white trash” that are not only lower in social class, but in humanity standards. For example, there are still angry mobs and riots against African Americans due to “poor white trash”. There are still African Americans who get discriminated against, abused, getting shot, and killed just because “poor white trash” dislike their skin color.

"Maycomb's Usual Disease"

Blog 2: Chapter 7-12:

→ In Chapter 9, Atticus expresses his desire that Scout not catch “Maycomb’s usual disease.” What is this disease? How might she catch it? What “diseases” do we have in society today?

“Maycomb’s usual disease” is the disease where one tends to take part in the spread of public response to support racism and prejudice. Basically, the disease is racism and prejudice that has accumulated the town. Atticus is referring to where the town is racist and looks down on African Americans. Atticus does not want Scout to believe nor fall as a victim to this "hard-hit" disease. In To Kill a Mockingbird, during a conversation with Jack, Atticus tells him “I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town” (Lee 117).

Scout may catch it at school due to the big influence of her friends and classmates. Because Scout’s father, Atticus, is defending Tom Robinson, a Negro, so Scout is an obvious target to attack. This is why the case is such a big deal since “people go stark raving mad when anything involving Negro comes up” (Lee 117). Continuing on, Atticus understands that he will create a lot of enemies by his decision to defend Tom Robinson. Though, he worries Scout will get attacked and contaminated with the “Maycomb’s usual disease.” Due to Scout’s classmates being greatly influenced by their parents, they’ll attack Scout with all these remarks to contaminate her with racism like saying Atticus is a “nigger-lover”. These constant remarks may cause Scout to believe that her classmates  are right, and end up catching this contagious disease. Which leads to Atticus’s biggest worry: Scout will become biased like her classmates.

Some diseases that we have in society still include racism and prejudice, though not as harsh to Maycomb’s extents. For example, we sometimes look down on others based on their race. For instance schools are also segregated into different groups during lunch depending whether you’re a nerd, a geek, an athlete, a gamer, popular or unpopular, social class, religious beliefs, and different races. People are frequently categorizing others based on their race and ethnicity such as being African American, Hispanic, White, Asian, etc~ Many times people look down on others based on their race, which causes the United States to become segregated. Still today, there are the occasional stereotypes that nitpick people that stand out from their typical stereotypes.

Blog 1: Chapters 1-6 TKAM English

Blog 1: Chapters 1-6:

→ Why do people make fun of those who are different? Why is this tendency stronger in children than in adults? What are ways we can combat these tendencies?

People tend to make fun of those who are different because it’s not what people are used to, as they feel everything they do is normal. But if someone doesn't do something similar to their “normal” lifestyle, those people are automatically categorized as different.

This tendency is stronger in children than in adults because children are greatly influenced by their friends at school. Additionally, children have a more immature mind and jump to conclusions even when they don’t know the full story. Children normally follow the crowd and just copy what everybody does. If someone has a different opinion, they will most likely get made fun of, since they don’t share the same perspectives. Because the children all copy each other and don’t want to stand out, they usually only learn one perspective. And that is that person is different, they don’t realize the reason they are, the way they are. They immediately just assume that they’re weird, and don’t want to befriend them. Concluding these explanations, children are more judgmental than adults.

On the other half, adults have a more mature mind and have experienced more. Therefore, the adults tend to be able to look at a situation in various of points of views. Since adults have experienced more, they understand what people are like when it comes to jumping to conclusions. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout thought it was weird and different that Walter Cunningham drowned his food in syrup, but Atticus and Calpurnia tried to prevent Scout from further contradicting Walter. Calpurnia lectured Scout how disgracing it was to say that he was different, because Walter’s folks were lower in social class. Calpurnia and Atticus both accepted and did not judge Walter, since they acknowledged the hardships he had to face. But all Scout could think of was that Walter was different from the way everybody else ate.

Ways we can combat these tendencies is imagine what it would feel like in their shoes. Since people will never understand someone unless they personally experience it in their skin. They will never understand the pain and hardships people are going through. A wise men once said “Walk a mile in my shoes, see what I see, hear what I hear, feel what I feel, THEN maybe you’ll understand why I do what I do, ‘till then, don’t judge me. Just because you don’t agree, doesn't mean you’re right.”