"To Kill a Mockingbird"

The following example essay on “To Kill a Mockingbird” is an analysis of the best-selling novel by American author Harper Lee. The essay explores the theme that Harper Lee presents the black community in a highly sympathetic way.

However, Harper Lee does not present them in a realistic manner. Harper also shows the reader that racial tension is high between the coloured and coloured races. Segregation in that day and age was the norm. The black community also appears to be more welcoming, kind and caring.

I believe Harper Lee presents the black community this way as she is trying to send a message to the people who discriminate and treat blacks as second class citizens.

I truly believe that Harper portrays the black community as the bigger people than the whites in this novel. Mister Jem, he said. Were mighty glad to have you all here today. This quote vividly shows that the blacks are more welcoming than the whites as the whites would not have welcomed a black individual into their own church like they did with Scout and Jem.

Therefore, the black community is portrayed to be the bigger person.

Another piece of evidence that supports my point would be that the blacks do not call the whites derogatory names whereas white people as young as Cecil Jacobs freely call the blacks crude things such as nigger. That nigger oughta hang from the water-tank! This shows that discriminating against the blacks is the norm as Cecils parents have taught him that it is acceptable use such language.

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This once again confirms my earlier point of that blacks are presented as the bigger people.

Harper Lee shows the black community to be poor as she describes the church they go to, as an ancient paint peeled building, the only church in Maycomb with a steeple and a bell. A few graves in the cemetery were marked with crumbling tombstone; the newer ones were outlined with brightly colored glass and broken cola bottles. This clearly shows how poor they are. When Scout and Jem were there they were made aware of the fact that majority of the blacks did not have a chance to obtain a proper education. These pieces of evidence displays the matter of some sort of social injustices in Maycomb.

Harper also shows that the black community are neglected by the whites. A vivid example of this would be that the blacks are not allowed to use the same church as the whites. The quote Negros worrshiped it on Sundays and white man gambled in it on weekends tells me that not only do the whites prohibit the blacks from their church, but also the fact that they even gamble in the holy place that they worship the same God in.

Finally, Harper portrays the black community to be loyal. An excellent example would be when they collected money for Tom Robinsons wife Helen to help with her financial situation. After Reverend Sykes counts the collection money and realizes it’s not enough. He simply locks the doors and holds the congregation hostage until they cough up enough cash. This truly shows that they have each others backs and that they take care of one another.

To sum it all, Harper Lee presents the black community to be poor, loyal and the bigger person. They did not have a chance of a proper education, as well as freedom of religion but have many good moral characteristics. . I think Harper Lee is trying to send a message that everyone should have a chance in their life despite their color of their skin and their appearance.