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Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird depicts a range of themes like bravery, the law,racism,social inequality and so on. All of which she put in a way that all themes relate in one way or another, but I think the main theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is good and evil.
This book shows the early life of the writer Harper Lee, who lived in the south and through the 1930s, which was the time of the great depression and also when discriminatory laws, strict social codes and segregation where put to places.The laws were also called the jim crow laws which influenced the way Afican-americans lived and socialized with the whites. Some of which were seperate drinking foutains and restrooms and the fact that interracial mariages are illegal.With that being said, this just goes to show how seperated the whites are from the blacks simply because of their skin colour.
In the book, Lee describes Maycomb as a little town still steeped in prejudice and racism. The theme of good and evil starts from when Scout and Jem approach life innocently believing in the goodness of all people, thinking everyone is as good and just and adheres to the same values as their father Atticus does, not knowing that they are yet to face very racist and evil people ahead of them.The realization starts during Tom Robinson's trial when the kids are bitterly disappointed that the jury which was made up of their mere townsfolk convicted the obviously innocent Tom Robinson. A line from chapter 22 describes how hurt Jem felt after this. He said “Atticus how could they do it, how could they?” Then atticus replies saying “I don't know, but they did. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it seems that only children will weep’’. This shows that Atticus isn't really shocked about the verdict because he knows full well how racist the jury are. Jem and Scout held a strong belief in the goodness of all people, but this trial made them rethink his understanding of human nature.This outcome ends up giving him great sadness, grief and discomfort because of the true reality of racism and the fact that Tom never gets justice.There is also a quote that scout says in the book which is “Tom was a dead the moment Mayella opened her mouth and screamed” which just means that even if the black man is obviously innocent, the people always take a white woman's word.
During the trial, Attcius opted to address the jury and everyone present one last time. He then proceeds with a speech that made him one of the most notable heroes of literature.He starts by reminding them that this case is a very uncomplicated one and is as simple as black and white’’.Atticus preceded by saying that all men are equal irrespective of their race,background or social status in the society because people like Walter Cunninghams are treated badly by the society because their current financial status. He talked about how the whites always have this evil assumption that all negroes lie and all negroes are immoral beings.It is wrong to judge a book by its cover.He says”But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men.He says this to further prove the point that all men are created equal and anyone whether he or she is white or black is capable of being immoral and practicing immoral acts like Bob Ewell who is a drunk.Finally he did say he knows that all men are not equal in the sense that me will make more money in life or will have better opportunities but it doesnt change the fact that all men are born equal.
In conclusion Harper Lee added the theme good and evil in the book simply to tell readers that the ability to be either good or evil does not depend on one race or skin, but the type of person you are.
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