A Stepping Stone For Current Issues

Throughout history many authors have shared their opinions on the issues of racism and persecution. These issues require the author to communicate their views using mostly symbolism and narrative tools as opposed to simple blunt statements. Harper Lee's ideas about discrimination are evident through her portrayal of the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. Lee communicates that when an open mind is kept it leads to realizing the need for equality. Harper Lee wants the reader to realize that people can be advocates for one group's rights yet persecute another's. Lee also shows through her characters that even people of majorities can be persecuted, and the importance of standing up to discrimination. Through investigating character values of the Cunningham family, Miss Gates, Boo Radley, and Atticus, we can examine Harper Lee's views on discrimination.

Through examining the depiction of the Cunningham family we are able to see that Harper Lee believes that through being open-minded we are able to realize the evils of racism. Early in the novel members of the Cunningham family are portrayed as decent and honest, but have racist views regarding blacks. One of the Cunninghams is even part of a mob that has the intention of lynching Tom Robinson, yet is prevented from doing so by the innocent and unplanned teachings of Scout. Later in the novel a member of the Cunningham family is on the jury for the trial of the falsely accused Tom Robinson and is the member of the jury which fought for Tom's innocence. This demonstrates that the Cunninghams kept an open mind throughout the novel and were later converted to believing that all people, regardless of colour deserve a fair trial. This is first shown when Mr. Cunningham is the member of the mob who tells the others to turn around and leave. He does this because Scout makes him empathize toward Atticus's situation and he realizes that maybe what he intended to do to Tom wasn't right. A member of the Cunningham family then kept an open mind through the trial - unlike the rest of the town who presumed him guilty from the start - and was the member of the jury who took the most convincing to get the guilty verdict. The fact that the Cunninghams change their mind twice on particularly major issues throughout the novel demonstrates that Harper Lee believes in the importance of willingness to accept what is morally right.

In contrast to the Cunningham family, Miss Gates has views on discrimination that are solely black and white. Miss Gates is Scout's schoolteacher who preaches about Hitler's horrible ways and how his treatment of the Jews is unjustified. In the lesson to the class Miss Gates says, "'...that's the difference between America and Germany... we don't believe in persecuting anyone.'" (Lee 245). Scout then makes the observation that Miss Gates's statement isn't quite accurate and explains to Jem,

...coming out of the courthouse last night Miss Gates ... (said) it's time somebody taught 'em a lesson, they were gettin' way above themselves, an' the next thing they think they can do is marry us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-. (Lee 247)

It is evident from the above that Miss Gates is completely adamant that Hitler's treatment to the Jews is persecution, yet the racist treatment to Blacks isn't. Miss Gates speaks for the rights of the Jewish people abroad, yet is completely blind to what is going right in her hometown. Through her portrayal of Miss Gates, Harper Lee voices her idea that people can believe in one form of discrimination yet fight against another.

Boo Radley's purpose in To Kill A Mockingbird is to show the reader Lee's idea that discrimination can happen to those of majorities, and it does not always have to come in the form of racial or religious persecution like the issues surrounding Miss Gates. Boo Radley is a white man who has been locked in his house since his childhood. Boo Radley faces discrimination not because of race or religion, but simply for the way he lives his life. This is communicated early in the novel when Harper Lee writes, "Once, the town was terrorized by a series of morbid