The Significance of Physical Therapy Professor Ramos Blog

The Significance of Physical Therapy What flies into one’s head when thinking about a specialist? The vast majority state a specialist is the individual one goes to visit when they are debilitated and hands them medication so as to feel good. What a great many people may not know is that a Physical Therapist is currently required to achieve a doctorate qualification so as to formally turn into a Doctor of Physical Therapy. From mending the people that have broken, cracked or even to aiding those with deep rooted illnesses. Maybe one of the most significant angles remembered for this profession is the patient. The result of whether treatment works easily as a rule depends on tolerant support. Not exclusively are Physical Therapists significantly made up for their work, yet the patient result of recapturing the quality they once had is maybe the best reward.â Six to eight years is regularly what this profession involves. Finishing such degrees as a Bachelor’s, Master’s just as a Doctorate. In the wake of finishing the doctorate certificate, one currently has the pleasure of being a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). Just as the instruction part of being a member of this profession way, after culmination, one must experience a progression of state and government accreditation just as taking a state test so as to get a state permit. Alongside the confirmations and state permit, a national test is required so as to be a perceived PT. The national test is called by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (â€Å"Physical Therapist†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). After culmination of the training required, another specialist is conceived. Following quite a while of experience, some physical advisors decide to turn into a board-guaranteed expert offered by The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities. A board-ensured master can h ave some expertise in one of nine unique claims to fame which incorporate games, orthopedics, and geriatrics. The pay PT’s get is very enormous considering they are a kind of specialist. Physical Therapists normally get paid a middle of $91,541 every year. The most noteworthy amount of installment would be as high as $104,437 in the Inglewood, California region (â€Å"Physical Therapist in†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Higher remuneration would be dictated by the riches class of the territory one is working in.â As a rule, treatment is thought to treat the harmed or hurt. Physical Therapists treat significantly a greater number of individuals than one may might suspect. Nobody abandons the equivalent consideration from a PT; from the old to the hurt to the medicinally crippled even to people with body influencing illnesses. The old appear to require the most guide from a PT, because of their fast loss of solidarity and capacity. Recapturing quality and muscle is a significant part in the recovery procedure. A patient strolling through treatment regularly needs more assistance and bolster recovering quality than everything else. Most hear or see an individual going to treatment on account of something they endured. In contrast to a physical issue or break, a stroke is both genuine and unsafe occasion that can cause long lasting deformities, or as a rule, the most noticeably awful discipline of all, demise. People with strokes as well as minor respiratory failures visit a DPT’s office d ay by day. The loss of solidarity, development, and direction regularly accompany a stroke. Strokes are the main source of incapacity. 75% of the 550,000 people who endure a stroke proceed to live with shifting degrees of debilitation or handicap (â€Å"Analysis of the Relationship†¦). Maybe what the vast majority of the vocation comprises of shows restraint cooperation. â€Å" The objective of a physical advisor is to elevate the patients capacity to move, lessen torment, reestablish work, and forestall disability† (Ross). Be that as it may, This can't occur if the patient doesn't proceed with his piece of the arrangement. The patient isn't just the individual who gives the PT work yet additionally is the most significant factor while deciding the accomplishment of the treatment. The experience one has at a PT office doesn't depend such a great amount on the DPT as it does on the patient. Support of the patient frequently decides the length of the remain, the adequacy of the remain and the experience of the remain (â€Å"Significance of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Regardless of whether it be a positive or negative experience the specialists can't do much for an individual on the off chance that they don't take part. As indicated by late investigations done by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Physical Therapy is in acceptable hands as far as future employments. Somewhere in the range of 2014 and 2024, Physical Therapist employments will soar by 34% . Around 210,900 authorized PTs are right now utilized. That number will increment to a surprising 282,700 constantly 2024. (Ross) Physical Therapy isn't just all around perceived for their work in the field of medication, however has additionally been perceived broadly by prevailing press. Huge names, for example, Forbes and CNN set aside some effort to clean up the profession of Physical Therapy in the media. â€Å"Forbes positioned physical advisors as having 1 of The Ten Happiest Jobs, as per articles distributed in 2013 and 2011. CNNMoney.com gave physical advisors an evaluation of â€Å"A† in Personal Satisfaction in 2012, just as in its â€Å"Benefit to Society† categories.† As if the media cleaning was insufficient, multi ple quarters of Physical Therapists surveyed to be â€Å"very satisfied† with their occupation (Ross). Be that as it may, as per DPT Peter Christakos communicates his assessment towards the quickly expanding calling. He portrays the adjusting of PT class sizes so as to satisfy the quickly developing understudy groups. Christakos proceeds to contrast the calling of Physical Therapy with an air pocket. The importance of a bigger class size to the continuous development class sizes comes without saying. In any case, Peter gives an admirable sentiment while communicating that Physical Therapists grasp the eventual fate of the calling. The flexibly and request bend of future occupations in the field is intended to be immaculate by PTs (Christakos). By expanding class volumes, the flexibly request would shoot up, leaving request to make up for lost time without anyone else. Christakos outlines the air pocket of the profession,and asks â€Å"Will we [PTs] let it burst?† (Christakos) Having the chance to change one’s life go numerous ways. Physical Therapists help those deprived to emphatically affect their life. The powerful remuneration abandons saying when talking as far as the patient’s progress and achievements during the recovery procedure. The result does in reality influence the result of the treatment. In contrast to different occupations, PTs can not do much for an individual if the patient doesn't participate. A Doctor of Physical Therapist has a significant influence in the realm of human services. The recapturing of solidarity and capacity of a person who was once as solid as an oxâ wasn't possible without a DPT. Christakos, Peter. â€Å"When Will the Bubble Burst?† PT in Motion. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5sid=1241b402-b590-43cd - ade4-b3de755e27db%40sdc-v-sessmgr03 . 23 July 2019 K, Janet. â€Å"Analysis of the Relationship Between the Utilization of Physical Therapy Services and Results for Patients With Acute Stroke.† OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 1 Oct. 1999, www.academic.oup.com/ptj/article/79/10/906/2842426 . Gotten to 23 July 2019 â€Å"Physical Therapist Salary in Inglewood, CA.† Salary.com,â www.salary.com/research/pay/benchmark/physical-specialist compensation/inglewood-ca?personalized. Gotten to 23 July 2019 â€Å"Physical Therapists : Occupational Outlook Handbook:† U.S. Authority of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/ooh/social insurance/physical-therapists.htm. Gotten to 23 July 2019 Ross, Libby. â€Å"Benefits of a Physical Therapist Career.† APTA, www.apta.org/PTCareers/Benefits/. Gotten to 23 July 2019 â€Å"Significance of Poor Patient Participation in Physical and Occupational Therapy for Functional Outcome and Length of Stay.† Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, W.B. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003999304004307. 23 July 2019

Concepts and principles of emergency management Essay

Ideas and standards of crisis the board - Essay Example In Australia, most recent insights on auto crashes appear to demonstrate that street mishaps are expanding in recurrence; street passings related to such fender benders are additionally expanding. In 2005, Australia previously positioned seventh out of 15 created countries for street passings per 100 million vehicle kilometers voyaged (Fallah, 2007). Crises - are â€Å"incidents that compromise open wellbeing, wellbeing and government assistance (Department of Environmental Management, n.d, p. 1). Crises may likewise fluctuate in size, area, causes, and impacts; however paying little heed to contrasts in such components, they all register with different ecological impacts. They are likewise characterized by the Emergency Management Institute (n.d) as startling episodes or occasions which imperil lives or property, thus requiring earnest and routine reactions through network assets and strategies. Models include: street blocking avalanches, long force blackouts, timberland fires, episodes of illnesses, and warmth waves (Central Coast Center Independent Living, n.d). There were two slides in Australia from 1939 to 2007; 28 were executed and around 101 people were influenced (CRED, 2007). There were 28 out of control fires from 1939 to 2007 and this caused the demise of around 300 people and harms up to 1.2 million US dollars (CRED , 2007). There was one plague from 1939 to 2007. No passings and no harms were accounted for however 6 individuals were influenced (CRED, 2007). Fiascos are characterized by Emergency Management Australia (2004, p. ix) as â€Å"a condition or circumstance of critical decimation, disturbance and additionally pain to a community†. The United Nations (1992) characterize a calamity as â€Å"a genuine disturbance of the working of society, causing across the board human, material, or natural misfortunes which surpass the capacity of influenced society to adapt utilizing its own resources† (UN Glossary, 1992).

Pros and Cons of being Malleable

Dirt may be increasingly identified with the word pliant rather than metal. The word flexibility is characterized generally as the property of metal to be formed into the craftsman’s design.The same word can be ascribed to people however has various implications. Flexible (in human terms) can either mean having the option to adjust to changes or the quality of being impacted without any problem. This paper examines about the ramifications of being pliant as it identifies with personality.Pros of being MalleableCharles Darwin should change his hypothesis on advancement. Endurance isn't about who the most grounded specie is, fairly, endurance is about who can adjust effectively to changes in the earth. The constructive side of being moldable implies that an individual can overcome with any hindrance that the individual faces.A flexible individual can just ‘contort’ their character to suit the progressions that occur in their life. Whatever these deterrents are, bein g moldable permits us to think of various methodologies on how we can adapt to the changes. A pliant character implies that we are fit for managing troublesome individuals or circumstances.We may need to change in accordance with dodge strife with others. It doesn't really imply that we need to change, recall, the meaning of flexibility isn't to change completely however to twist. Here and there, individuals with culture outsider from us become some portion of our lives, in work, school, or even in the family, anyplace in the general public that has a type of association with us.As an indication of regard, we may need to limit ourselves from standing up uproarious about specific practices that we may discover peculiar or even off-base. This doesn't imply that we are changing for them. It just implies that we are happy to endure (at a specific degree) new traditions. Being pliant would prove to be useful on movements abroad.Another occurrence while being flexible may prove to be usef ul is during extreme occasions, it might be monetarily or inwardly. During times of ‘financial drought’ figuring out how to alter is imperative. Cutting superfluous costs is one method of adjusting.Old propensities that utilization cash should be cut. In an enthusiastic sense, acclimating to another condition is additionally imperative. An untouchable needs to become familiar with the standards of the new condition in the event that the individual is to move to that new condition. The outcast may need to conquer language obstructions, and different parts of culture.Cons of MalleabilityVirtually everything has cons, for this situation, a negative definition. One meaning of flexibility is the quality of being controlled or affected without any problem. This meaning of pliability implies that we let others control our choices, and thusly our lives.Some individuals are too flexible that they scarcely settle on choices all alone. They permit themselves to be the manikin of o thers, doing whatever the strings of the puppeteer lets them know as well. This contrary meaning of flexibility makes an individual free their personality since what characterizes us are the choices we make in our livesConclusionLike most things, being pliant has its advantages and disadvantages. Being pliant can either mean we can change effectively to life’s difficulties or we let others choose for us. Flexibility is key in endurance, the individuals who can adjust the most effortless endure. While being moldable methods we can conform to transforms, it could likewise imply that we can without much of a stretch be manipulated.Referenceâ€Å"malleable.† Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 10 Nov. 2008.<Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/peruse/malleable>.

7 Facts about a Career in Logistics

7 Facts about a Career in Logistics A regular coordinations profession implies working in flexibly chain the executives ensuring materials and items advance from seller to vendor in a convenient and proficient manner, while limiting expenses en route. On the off chance that that seems like a counterpart for your abilities of association and performing multiple tasks, read on for some accommodating tips from Elizabeth Xu from the Rasmussen College blog. 1. Coordinations employments are becoming quicker than the national average.Any development is acceptable, however on the off chance that you’re planning to break into the coordinations vocation way, realizing that it’s developing twice as quick as the various occupations out there ought to be particularly encouraging!2. There aren’t enough possibility to fill coordinations positions.With extraordinary development comes incredible chances, and in the background work like planning coordinations is incredible model. At present there is more noteworthy interest than promptly accessible representatives. Exploit a deficiency of qualified possibility to get your foot in the door!According to Fortune.com, coordinations organizations will be hoping to fill 1.4 million employments in the following 3 years. Begin cleaning your resume today!3. Training is the keyYou can get by associate’s degree for certain positions, yet 70% of businesses lean toward applicants who’ve made sure about their bachelor’s certificate as the field turns out to be all the more requesting and complex gratitude to globalization, innovation, and a quickly extending industry. Think about degrees in business, correspondences, and any venture the board affirmations accessible to you as an undergrad.4. Work areas can varyIt assists with being adaptable if you’re searching for a profession in coordinations you may wind up running from manufacturing plants to workplaces or out and about performing industry inquire about. Comprehend what your alternatives are and be prepared to hustle to be an ideal choice for the job.5. It’s a high-pressure jobAs a coordinations official you might be the last line of barrier with regards to clarifying why a shipment was late or a conveyance mis-booked.  Can you remain quiet and gathered when the warmth is on and your customers need answers? Be solid and responsible, and you can discover your direction toâ a promotionâ up the stepping stool and out of the more distressing passage level positions.6. SCM (Supply Chain Management) understanding is crucialWhile coordinations are a basic pinion in the machine, it’s much progressively imperative to see how you add to the master plan. The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) offers courses and preparing to assist you with understanding your job and how the other moving parts work together.7. It’s been named a â€Å"Best Business Job† by U.S. News and World Report!Logistics has been positioned number 26 on their rundown of 100 Best Jobs for its middle compensation ($73,400), work prospects, and anxiety. Best urban communities to work in coordinations included Washington D.C. furthermore, San Jose, California.If you’re prepared for a mind boggling, fulfilling, and serious profession way, coordinations very well might be the fantasy work for you!7 Things You Need to Know About a Career in LogisticsRead More at www.rasmussen.edu

Paper on the Costs and Benefits of Building Society

Toward the start of this century there were in excess of 2000 structure social orders, savagely autonomous shared associations, shaped in the soul of Victorian self improvement. There are currently only 71. A portion of these that have vanished were ending social orders with a repaired breeze date. The last â€Å"terminating† society was the Fist Salisbury which ended up in 1980. Different social orders have been gobbled up in bring overs or changed over into banks in the incredible 1997 demutualisation. This task will talk about this pattern with specific reference to the potential expenses and advantages in the short and long haul. This task will look at the expenses and advantages to the structure social orders just as those to the individuals and staff. The Costs and Benefits to the Building Society Transformation to plc status is viewed as having the significant bit of leeway that there would be opportunity from the constraints forced by the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 the legal structure for the Building Society industry. The limitations the Act force incorporate the accompanying: 1) 75% of all loaning must be made sure about against private property This implies Building Societies are constrained in their interest in the more unsafe, yet all the more compensating unbound loaning. Right now, Societies can make unbound individual advances up to a furthest reaches of  £15,000 per client, though there is no roof for Banks. Building Societies with under  £100m of benefits are not allowed to make unbound advances. 2) No over half of assets might be raised on the discount markets This breaking point was already 40% before the overhauled 1997 Building Societies Act. Building social orders have enthusiastically accepted the open door to fund-raise in the discount markets, which have every now and again end up being the least expensive wellspring of discount reserves (Wholesale assets are enormous stores put by organizations and budgetary establishments, bearing a financing cost in accordance with the market rate as opposed to base rates). They have utilized these assets to try and out any deficit in the inflow of retail assets to satisfy the home loan need. Banks have no roof on raising discount reserves, which are typically less expensive than retail reserves. Building Societies may likewise end up off guard in access to discount assets at serious rates. As just half of assets can be raised from the discount advertise just the biggest social orders can keep up the essential remaining in the universal capital markets which permits discount assets to be tapped on the best terms. Similarly, the ability to adapt to the instability of the discount markets and the dangers they present, requires Treasury supervisory crews on an expanding refinement to which just the biggest social orders can aim. 3) Before the 1997 Act, building social orders could just offer impermanent or infrequent overdrafts to corporate clients. Presently assembling social orders can build up auxiliaries to loan to business clients, however, have not yet become noteworthy loan specialists to industry. This is rather than banks who are very much viewed as loan specialists to organizations. Because of the Building Societies Act 1997, building social orders are currently likewise ready to : a) make unbound credits to consolidated organizations; b) to possess a general insurance agency which could compose lodging related arrangements (structures, substance and home loan installment security protection). Building Societies are restricted in raising capital. Until 1991 structure social orders could just raise capital by methods for held benefits. Presently bigger social orders, to build capital, can give Permanent Interest Bearing Shares (PIBS). This is rather than plc†s who are allowed to bring capital up in the market by giving offers and securities in the event that they intend to grow. A case of this is Barclays 1987 rights issue to raise  £921m to back â€Å"growth†. Building social orders can't by and large take part in take-overs of, or mergers with different kinds of money related foundations so as to grow their broadness of tasks, and hold their common status. Banks have this opportunity and can fund mergers and acquisitions through the issue of new offers, though assembling social orders can just back acquisitions with money. Effectiveness is additionally an issue as a plc †benefit making association is seen as having more noteworthy productivity than a shared association. Anyway ‘competition has demonstrated a prod to proficiency in any event as successful as the disciplinary impact of an open quotation† (PRIMA). Because of the separation of the social orders cartel courses of action for setting loan costs, the banks have made fruitful advances into the home loan and investment funds markets and consequently rivalry is today extremely solid. There are numerous expenses and disservices related with building social orders changing over to banks including: The new plc will be directed by the Bank of England, instead of the structure social orders commission. The plc will work under the Banking Act 1987, contrasted with the Building Societies Act 1987, 1997. The plc may think that its troublesome and tedious, at any rate at first, to manage the new strategy for guideline. The Government†s arranged new very administrative body may likewise gave further enactment that must be clung to. 2) Need to deliver out profits and capacity and pay serious intrigue The plc will wind up compelled to deliver out developing profits to investors. This decreases held income, accordingly lessening the plc†s capacity to pay serious financing costs. In the past structure social orders have had the option to work on a smaller edge than banks between their rates to the contributors and borrowers in light of the fact that: a) their low administration cost (because of their less confounded authority business); b) no necessities to deliver profits; c) low capital necessities because of the generally safe nature of their benefits; d) in light of the fact that the banks would in general sponsor their cash transmission administration by their store accounts, which diminishes their capacity to contend in the investment funds showcase. 3) The plc gets open to conceivable assume control over offers The difference in status may effectsly affect the institution†s picture with clients. This may antagonistically influence its capacity to rival Building Societies. Building Societies are for the most part viewed as inviting organizations, concerned above all else with the client. A far reaching investigation of open view of various money related organizations led in 1987 indicated that building social orders appreciate a constructive rating of 85%, contrasted and just 51% for the high road banks (Personal Finance and The Future of the Financial High Street, Research Associates, March 1988). Building social orders have generally been viewed as a sheltered storehouse for the reserve funds of working individuals. Building Societies are protected and a chief motivation behind why is that commonality has limited them to sheltered, okay exercises. This wellbeing and agreeableness have solid client claims, which might be lost if change to plc status happens. All in all structure social orders have low degrees of terrible obligation comparative with banks. The lower levels of awful obligation can be put down to the crediting limitations set somewhere around the Building Societies Act 1986, 1997 (for example 75% of credits must be made sure about against private property). In 1997 various structure social orders chose to surrender their shared status for plc status. These changes and take-overs brought about various bonus installments to society individuals. These godsends were as money or free offers. The size of benefit shifts from society to society, yet financial specialists due to get fortunes from all the structure social orders that gave up their common status during 1997 (Halifax, Northern Rock, Alliance and Leicester, Woolwich, Bristol and West) can expect shares worth a normal aggregate of about  £6,000 (IC vol. 120/1524 page 34). This is obviously a momentary advantage to individuals however it is contended that as plc†s these previous mutuals will in the long haul not have the option to offer such appealing loan costs for borrowers and savers. Christopher Rodrigues, Chief Executive of the Bradford and Bingley contends â€Å"The one off advantage of plc transformation is here today, gone tomorrow. The higher reserve funds rates and lower advance paces of commonality are forever not only for buoyancy day†. Mr Rodrigues calls attention to mutuals don†t need to consider the requests of investors †especially for high profits or offer value development so benefits can go to individuals †through better loan costs on bank accounts for instance. Which?, the regarded ‘Consumers† Association magazine has additionally censured these transformations and cases the new banks will be compelled to press clients for most extreme gainfulness. Which? Contends that mutuals offer better loan fees for savers and borrowers. This instance of mutuals offering better rates is difficult to demonstrate by and by as there are such a significant number of monetary go-betweens, items, min adjusts and loan costs accessible. For instance, the Which? Report just analyzed two items over a thin timeframe. The majority of their home loan look into depends just on the a year to March 1997, a period when the changing over social orders realized they could pull off charging benefit looking for clients more than their opponents. Over the more drawn out term Money Facts, an investment funds rate expert, claims mutuals record in reserve funds rate best purchase tables is poor. Every year Money Facts distributes subtleties of how much cash you would have in the event that you had contributed with every one of the 90 or so Tessa suppliers 5 years beforehand. Only one of the five biggest shared structure social orders made it into the main 25 Tessa suppliers. The equivalent was genuine a year ago. A brief glance at the home loan advertise recounts to a comparable story. Research led without anyone else paints a comparative picture. Speculators Chronicle, a week after week venture magazine distributed by the Financial Times, conveys a week by week refreshed table of most elevated store rates (Appendix 1). As at 29

The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird

The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Discipline: English Course Name: Modern English Literature Assignment Subject: The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Level: Undergraduate Referencing Style: MLA Word Count: 2,014 “Remember, it’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird In 1960s America, racial tensions and divisions dictated the norms of society. It is this society in which Scout, Jem, and their father Atticus live in To Kill a Mockingbird. The story centers around Atticus and his children, as they cope with the backlash from Atticus’ legal defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman. The concept of justice, racism, and equality in this novel have been one of the most timeless representations of the theme in classic literature within the last century. Lee’s symbolism of the mockingbird as the representation of innocence has been utilized repeatedly in popular culture and literature to this day. This image of the mockingbird represents the end of innocence, as to kill a mockingbird would mean destroying innocence and, subsequently, justice. In this story, some of the characters could each arguably be the mockingbird, such as Tom or Boo Radley, and their positions in society showcase just how harsh the reality was for those who were no t considered part of the accepted norm. In Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of justice is shown in three major parts of the storyline: the discrimination against Boo Radley, the treatment of Atticus’ family while he defends Tom, and the nature of Tom’s trial. Boo Radley is a character that represents the injustice that many people suffer simply because they are misunderstood by society. In a world where people are quick to judge one another based on superficial circumstances, people are quick to discriminate against people who are different than the norm. To Kill a Mockingbird showcases this as the society in the novel makes Boo out to be a monster who hides in his house because he is too scared to show his hideous face. Throughout the story, Boo fascinates Scout and Jem, as they have heard rumours about him and how terrifying he is. In reality, Boo Radley is simply misunderstood and the town has made up judgements about him because he is a recluse who stays in his house, afraid of the outside world. Boo Radley has a mental disorder and has been confined to his home for decades (Orsborn 1139). At this time, the majority of American society did not understand what mental illness was, or how to deal with it. Thus, many people who suffered had to do so in silence and were not taken seriously, repressing their true issues and creating cause for prejudice and discrimination. Boo is suffering from these ideals because his parents have decided that the best way to deal with his mental illness is to lock him up in their home for his entire life, which inspires the idea that he is a terrifying, ghost-like monster that haunts the neighbourhood. However, this backfires because Boo simply becomes a recluse who does not function like a regular adult, and instead he watches the children to experience life through them. Boo connects with Jem and Scout to the point where a relationship and understanding is formed, and by the end of the novel Scout begins to realize that Boo feels protective over the children, perhaps thinking of them as his own children. He leaves little presents for the children and secretly gives Scout a blanket when they are outside in the cold one night. Ultimately, the children come to trust him and treat him like a regular person, and in turn he helps to protect them from harm, thus showing the true reality that he is a good person and has simply been the victim of unjust attitudes. Boo Radley is the one who saves Jem and Scout when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout states, “he gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 373). She is expressing the fact that Boo has given them these gifts, including the gift of saving their lives, and that he is not evil after all. The night after the attack happens, when Atticus is putting Scout to bed and she is sleepily recounting the story he has told her, she comments on the main character turning out to be nice and simply misunderstood. Atticus responds, “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (Lee 376). In this last piece of dialogue, Atticus’ words sum up the way that Boo Radley has been wrongly perceived, the victim of a discriminatory injustice. Atticus receives a significant amount of harsh treatment by the white members of the public because he is defending a black man during a time of racial segregation, and they do not agree with him despite the fact that he is a court-appointed lawyer. People in the town continue to judge Atticus because of his position, and they lose their respect for him because they do not believe that a black man should be considered innocent at all. In addition, Scout and Jem become outcasts due to their relation to him, as they begin to notice that the townspeople are treating them differently. However, they are children who love their father, and they do not understand what is going on to a full extent. During one part of the trial, Scout is attempting to figure out this situation as she learns that he has not chosen to defend Tom, but that it is his job. She states, “the court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. That’s what they didn’t like about it. It was confu sing” (Lee 218). Her innocent mind is attempting to figure out why the people are angry with Atticus, and she does not fully comprehend the racist attitudes that are responsible for this treatment. She is attempting to comprehend racism, but since she does not see the world in that way, she is having a hard time figuring it all out. After the trial is over, Jem and Scout are outside their home when Miss Rachel tells them “there’s danger a’comin’” (Lee 290). Scout soon finds out what the danger is: “this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 290). It is in this moment that Scout and Jem truly realize how hateful people are, and how there are real threats to their lives because of Atticus’ determination to prove Tom’s innocence. Bob calls Atticus a “nigger-lovin’ bastard” (Lee 291) and hates him because he was defending a black man against him. Despi te the fact that Bob is actually the one who beat his own daughter, he refuses to let go of the fact that Atticus defended Tom; losing the trial would have meant that Bob lost to a black man, which would mean he is a disgrace from society. Bob is defensive because he feels that Atticus’ defense against him has threatened his family’s position in society (Osborn 1140), despite the fact that this family is in a low position to begin with. At the end of the novel, after the trial has ended, Bob attacks Scout and Jem because they are Atticus’ children. Bob is the representation of pure evil- the fact that he is described as a “hulking figure” showcases Lee’s association of him as a lesser-than-human character (Murray 79). By describing him in this way, she de-humanizes him and makes him appear monstrous (Murray 79), displaying the idea that he has been evil the whole time, and that evil has supposedly triumphed over good thus far. His intention is to kill them with a butcher knife, but Boo Radley saves them. Despite the fact that the children have done nothing wrong, they are associated with their father, and the negative treatment Atticus has been receiving now spills out onto his innocent children. Tom’s trial is extremely significant in representing the theme of justice because the entire storyline surrounding Tom is based on the injustice he is suffering due to racism against him, as well as his quest to seek justice in court and prove his innocence. However, because he is a black man and the situation happened with a white family, the entire white population of the town assumes that he is evil and has committed the crime. This is due to the negative views of African Americans that the people had during the 1960s, and the racial divisions that occurred. When Scout and Jem find out that Tom is likely going to receive a death sentence, despite not killing anyone, they are outraged. Atticus tells them, “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘we think you’re guilty, but not very’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing” (Lee 294). At this point in the story, the children are learning that racial divisions have left Tom without a chance of proving his innocence because of the prejudice in the minds of the townspeople. Simply put, black men were never given the benefit of the doubt and were always considered guilty, despite evidence to prove otherwise. He continues to explain, “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). This can be taken as a social commentary on the injustice of the time, especially given the fact that Atticus is acknowledging it is wrong, yet he cannot do anything about it. It is arguable that Atticus himself is a symbol of justice because he defends Tom, despite the repercussions that occur, because he knows that Tom is innocent. Atticus is a person who truly believes in justice, no matter the consequences, and he tells Jem: “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295) Despite everything, Atticus believes that racism is to blame for the injustice in the world, and he is raising his children to understand this so they can continue to be good people. Tom ends up being convicted, despite the fact that “the story told by the prosecution is absurd, and Atticus rips it to shreds” (Osborn 1141). This is because racial bias has won; the jury is comprised of all white men, who side with their fellow white man instead of the innocent black man. In fact, many of the white men who sit on Tom’s trial had previously been involved in a racist lynch mob (Murray 79), and therefore the odds had been stacked against him the entire time. The theme of justice is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird through Boo Radley, threats to Atticus’ family caused by racism, and Tom’s quest for justice through his trial. Racism and discrimination are the causes of injustice in the novel, and the negative attitudes of the people in the town are representative of the people who lived during this time in the United States. Lee’s utilization of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence proves the point that, if one continues to silence the voices of those who are truly good or innocent, the concept of innocence will die and evil will win. Through her representation of various storylines as the ultimate idealization of justice, Harper Lee demonstrates that, in a time of racism and divide, black Americans were the victims of severe injustice and bias. The fact that Tom was wrongly accused, but convicted simply because the jury was made of all white males who had already been known to be part of a lynch mob, demonstrates the stacked odds of the time. By bringing these issues to light, Lee plays a significant role in shaping the history of racism in America and the origins of the ideas of the Civil Rights Movement that would soon take place. Works Cited: Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. 1960. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010. Murray, Jennifer. “More Than One Way to (Mis)Read a Mockingbird.” The Southern Literary Journal 43.1 (2010): 75-91. Osborn, Jr., John Jay. “Atticus Finch- The End of Honor: A Discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird.” The University of San Francisco Law Review 30 (1996): 1139-1142. The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Discipline: English Course Name: Modern English Literature Assignment Subject: The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Level: Undergraduate Referencing Style: MLA Word Count: 2,014 “Remember, it’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird In 1960s America, racial tensions and divisions dictated the norms of society. It is this society in which Scout, Jem, and their father Atticus live in To Kill a Mockingbird. The story centers around Atticus and his children, as they cope with the backlash from Atticus’ legal defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman. The concept of justice, racism, and equality in this novel have been one of the most timeless representations of the theme in classic literature within the last century. Lee’s symbolism of the mockingbird as the representation of innocence has been utilized repeatedly in popular culture and literature to this day. This image of the mockingbird represents the end of innocence, as to kill a mockingbird would mean destroying innocence and, subsequently, justice. In this story, some of the characters could each arguably be the mockingbird, such as Tom or Boo Radley, and their positions in society showcase just how harsh the reality was for those who were no t considered part of the accepted norm. In Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of justice is shown in three major parts of the storyline: the discrimination against Boo Radley, the treatment of Atticus’ family while he defends Tom, and the nature of Tom’s trial. Boo Radley is a character that represents the injustice that many people suffer simply because they are misunderstood by society. In a world where people are quick to judge one another based on superficial circumstances, people are quick to discriminate against people who are different than the norm. To Kill a Mockingbird showcases this as the society in the novel makes Boo out to be a monster who hides in his house because he is too scared to show his hideous face. Throughout the story, Boo fascinates Scout and Jem, as they have heard rumours about him and how terrifying he is. In reality, Boo Radley is simply misunderstood and the town has made up judgements about him because he is a recluse who stays in his house, afraid of the outside world. Boo Radley has a mental disorder and has been confined to his home for decades (Orsborn 1139). At this time, the majority of American society did not understand what mental illness was, or how to deal with it. Thus, many people who suffered had to do so in silence and were not taken seriously, repressing their true issues and creating cause for prejudice and discrimination. Boo is suffering from these ideals because his parents have decided that the best way to deal with his mental illness is to lock him up in their home for his entire life, which inspires the idea that he is a terrifying, ghost-like monster that haunts the neighbourhood. However, this backfires because Boo simply becomes a recluse who does not function like a regular adult, and instead he watches the children to experience life through them. Boo connects with Jem and Scout to the point where a relationship and understanding is formed, and by the end of the novel Scout begins to realize that Boo feels protective over the children, perhaps thinking of them as his own children. He leaves little presents for the children and secretly gives Scout a blanket when they are outside in the cold one night. Ultimately, the children come to trust him and treat him like a regular person, and in turn he helps to protect them from harm, thus showing the true reality that he is a good person and has simply been the victim of unjust attitudes. Boo Radley is the one who saves Jem and Scout when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout states, “he gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 373). She is expressing the fact that Boo has given them these gifts, including the gift of saving their lives, and that he is not evil after all. The night after the attack happens, when Atticus is putting Scout to bed and she is sleepily recounting the story he has told her, she comments on the main character turning out to be nice and simply misunderstood. Atticus responds, “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (Lee 376). In this last piece of dialogue, Atticus’ words sum up the way that Boo Radley has been wrongly perceived, the victim of a discriminatory injustice. Atticus receives a significant amount of harsh treatment by the white members of the public because he is defending a black man during a time of racial segregation, and they do not agree with him despite the fact that he is a court-appointed lawyer. People in the town continue to judge Atticus because of his position, and they lose their respect for him because they do not believe that a black man should be considered innocent at all. In addition, Scout and Jem become outcasts due to their relation to him, as they begin to notice that the townspeople are treating them differently. However, they are children who love their father, and they do not understand what is going on to a full extent. During one part of the trial, Scout is attempting to figure out this situation as she learns that he has not chosen to defend Tom, but that it is his job. She states, “the court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. That’s what they didn’t like about it. It was confu sing” (Lee 218). Her innocent mind is attempting to figure out why the people are angry with Atticus, and she does not fully comprehend the racist attitudes that are responsible for this treatment. She is attempting to comprehend racism, but since she does not see the world in that way, she is having a hard time figuring it all out. After the trial is over, Jem and Scout are outside their home when Miss Rachel tells them “there’s danger a’comin’” (Lee 290). Scout soon finds out what the danger is: “this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 290). It is in this moment that Scout and Jem truly realize how hateful people are, and how there are real threats to their lives because of Atticus’ determination to prove Tom’s innocence. Bob calls Atticus a “nigger-lovin’ bastard” (Lee 291) and hates him because he was defending a black man against him. Despi te the fact that Bob is actually the one who beat his own daughter, he refuses to let go of the fact that Atticus defended Tom; losing the trial would have meant that Bob lost to a black man, which would mean he is a disgrace from society. Bob is defensive because he feels that Atticus’ defense against him has threatened his family’s position in society (Osborn 1140), despite the fact that this family is in a low position to begin with. At the end of the novel, after the trial has ended, Bob attacks Scout and Jem because they are Atticus’ children. Bob is the representation of pure evil- the fact that he is described as a “hulking figure” showcases Lee’s association of him as a lesser-than-human character (Murray 79). By describing him in this way, she de-humanizes him and makes him appear monstrous (Murray 79), displaying the idea that he has been evil the whole time, and that evil has supposedly triumphed over good thus far. His intention is to kill them with a butcher knife, but Boo Radley saves them. Despite the fact that the children have done nothing wrong, they are associated with their father, and the negative treatment Atticus has been receiving now spills out onto his innocent children. Tom’s trial is extremely significant in representing the theme of justice because the entire storyline surrounding Tom is based on the injustice he is suffering due to racism against him, as well as his quest to seek justice in court and prove his innocence. However, because he is a black man and the situation happened with a white family, the entire white population of the town assumes that he is evil and has committed the crime. This is due to the negative views of African Americans that the people had during the 1960s, and the racial divisions that occurred. When Scout and Jem find out that Tom is likely going to receive a death sentence, despite not killing anyone, they are outraged. Atticus tells them, “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘we think you’re guilty, but not very’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing” (Lee 294). At this point in the story, the children are learning that racial divisions have left Tom without a chance of proving his innocence because of the prejudice in the minds of the townspeople. Simply put, black men were never given the benefit of the doubt and were always considered guilty, despite evidence to prove otherwise. He continues to explain, “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). This can be taken as a social commentary on the injustice of the time, especially given the fact that Atticus is acknowledging it is wrong, yet he cannot do anything about it. It is arguable that Atticus himself is a symbol of justice because he defends Tom, despite the repercussions that occur, because he knows that Tom is innocent. Atticus is a person who truly believes in justice, no matter the consequences, and he tells Jem: “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295) Despite everything, Atticus believes that racism is to blame for the injustice in the world, and he is raising his children to understand this so they can continue to be good people. Tom ends up being convicted, despite the fact that “the story told by the prosecution is absurd, and Atticus rips it to shreds” (Osborn 1141). This is because racial bias has won; the jury is comprised of all white men, who side with their fellow white man instead of the innocent black man. In fact, many of the white men who sit on Tom’s trial had previously been involved in a racist lynch mob (Murray 79), and therefore the odds had been stacked against him the entire time. The theme of justice is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird through Boo Radley, threats to Atticus’ family caused by racism, and Tom’s quest for justice through his trial. Racism and discrimination are the causes of injustice in the novel, and the negative attitudes of the people in the town are representative of the people who lived during this time in the United States. Lee’s utilization of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence proves the point that, if one continues to silence the voices of those who are truly good or innocent, the concept of innocence will die and evil will win. Through her representation of various storylines as the ultimate idealization of justice, Harper Lee demonstrates that, in a time of racism and divide, black Americans were the victims of severe injustice and bias. The fact that Tom was wrongly accused, but convicted simply because the jury was made of all white males who had already been known to be part of a lynch mob, demonstrates the stacked odds of the time. By bringing these issues to light, Lee plays a significant role in shaping the history of racism in America and the origins of the ideas of the Civil Rights Movement that would soon take place. Works Cited: Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. 1960. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010. Murray, Jennifer. “More Than One Way to (Mis)Read a Mockingbird.” The Southern Literary Journal 43.1 (2010): 75-91. Osborn, Jr., John Jay. “Atticus Finch- The End of Honor: A Discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird.” The University of San Francisco Law Review 30 (1996): 1139-1142.

The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird

The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Discipline: English Course Name: Modern English Literature Assignment Subject: The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Level: Undergraduate Referencing Style: MLA Word Count: 2,014 “Remember, it’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird In 1960s America, racial tensions and divisions dictated the norms of society. It is this society in which Scout, Jem, and their father Atticus live in To Kill a Mockingbird. The story centers around Atticus and his children, as they cope with the backlash from Atticus’ legal defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman. The concept of justice, racism, and equality in this novel have been one of the most timeless representations of the theme in classic literature within the last century. Lee’s symbolism of the mockingbird as the representation of innocence has been utilized repeatedly in popular culture and literature to this day. This image of the mockingbird represents the end of innocence, as to kill a mockingbird would mean destroying innocence and, subsequently, justice. In this story, some of the characters could each arguably be the mockingbird, such as Tom or Boo Radley, and their positions in society showcase just how harsh the reality was for those who were no t considered part of the accepted norm. In Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of justice is shown in three major parts of the storyline: the discrimination against Boo Radley, the treatment of Atticus’ family while he defends Tom, and the nature of Tom’s trial. Boo Radley is a character that represents the injustice that many people suffer simply because they are misunderstood by society. In a world where people are quick to judge one another based on superficial circumstances, people are quick to discriminate against people who are different than the norm. To Kill a Mockingbird showcases this as the society in the novel makes Boo out to be a monster who hides in his house because he is too scared to show his hideous face. Throughout the story, Boo fascinates Scout and Jem, as they have heard rumours about him and how terrifying he is. In reality, Boo Radley is simply misunderstood and the town has made up judgements about him because he is a recluse who stays in his house, afraid of the outside world. Boo Radley has a mental disorder and has been confined to his home for decades (Orsborn 1139). At this time, the majority of American society did not understand what mental illness was, or how to deal with it. Thus, many people who suffered had to do so in silence and were not taken seriously, repressing their true issues and creating cause for prejudice and discrimination. Boo is suffering from these ideals because his parents have decided that the best way to deal with his mental illness is to lock him up in their home for his entire life, which inspires the idea that he is a terrifying, ghost-like monster that haunts the neighbourhood. However, this backfires because Boo simply becomes a recluse who does not function like a regular adult, and instead he watches the children to experience life through them. Boo connects with Jem and Scout to the point where a relationship and understanding is formed, and by the end of the novel Scout begins to realize that Boo feels protective over the children, perhaps thinking of them as his own children. He leaves little presents for the children and secretly gives Scout a blanket when they are outside in the cold one night. Ultimately, the children come to trust him and treat him like a regular person, and in turn he helps to protect them from harm, thus showing the true reality that he is a good person and has simply been the victim of unjust attitudes. Boo Radley is the one who saves Jem and Scout when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout states, “he gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 373). She is expressing the fact that Boo has given them these gifts, including the gift of saving their lives, and that he is not evil after all. The night after the attack happens, when Atticus is putting Scout to bed and she is sleepily recounting the story he has told her, she comments on the main character turning out to be nice and simply misunderstood. Atticus responds, “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (Lee 376). In this last piece of dialogue, Atticus’ words sum up the way that Boo Radley has been wrongly perceived, the victim of a discriminatory injustice. Atticus receives a significant amount of harsh treatment by the white members of the public because he is defending a black man during a time of racial segregation, and they do not agree with him despite the fact that he is a court-appointed lawyer. People in the town continue to judge Atticus because of his position, and they lose their respect for him because they do not believe that a black man should be considered innocent at all. In addition, Scout and Jem become outcasts due to their relation to him, as they begin to notice that the townspeople are treating them differently. However, they are children who love their father, and they do not understand what is going on to a full extent. During one part of the trial, Scout is attempting to figure out this situation as she learns that he has not chosen to defend Tom, but that it is his job. She states, “the court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. That’s what they didn’t like about it. It was confu sing” (Lee 218). Her innocent mind is attempting to figure out why the people are angry with Atticus, and she does not fully comprehend the racist attitudes that are responsible for this treatment. She is attempting to comprehend racism, but since she does not see the world in that way, she is having a hard time figuring it all out. After the trial is over, Jem and Scout are outside their home when Miss Rachel tells them “there’s danger a’comin’” (Lee 290). Scout soon finds out what the danger is: “this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 290). It is in this moment that Scout and Jem truly realize how hateful people are, and how there are real threats to their lives because of Atticus’ determination to prove Tom’s innocence. Bob calls Atticus a “nigger-lovin’ bastard” (Lee 291) and hates him because he was defending a black man against him. Despi te the fact that Bob is actually the one who beat his own daughter, he refuses to let go of the fact that Atticus defended Tom; losing the trial would have meant that Bob lost to a black man, which would mean he is a disgrace from society. Bob is defensive because he feels that Atticus’ defense against him has threatened his family’s position in society (Osborn 1140), despite the fact that this family is in a low position to begin with. At the end of the novel, after the trial has ended, Bob attacks Scout and Jem because they are Atticus’ children. Bob is the representation of pure evil- the fact that he is described as a “hulking figure” showcases Lee’s association of him as a lesser-than-human character (Murray 79). By describing him in this way, she de-humanizes him and makes him appear monstrous (Murray 79), displaying the idea that he has been evil the whole time, and that evil has supposedly triumphed over good thus far. His intention is to kill them with a butcher knife, but Boo Radley saves them. Despite the fact that the children have done nothing wrong, they are associated with their father, and the negative treatment Atticus has been receiving now spills out onto his innocent children. Tom’s trial is extremely significant in representing the theme of justice because the entire storyline surrounding Tom is based on the injustice he is suffering due to racism against him, as well as his quest to seek justice in court and prove his innocence. However, because he is a black man and the situation happened with a white family, the entire white population of the town assumes that he is evil and has committed the crime. This is due to the negative views of African Americans that the people had during the 1960s, and the racial divisions that occurred. When Scout and Jem find out that Tom is likely going to receive a death sentence, despite not killing anyone, they are outraged. Atticus tells them, “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘we think you’re guilty, but not very’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing” (Lee 294). At this point in the story, the children are learning that racial divisions have left Tom without a chance of proving his innocence because of the prejudice in the minds of the townspeople. Simply put, black men were never given the benefit of the doubt and were always considered guilty, despite evidence to prove otherwise. He continues to explain, “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). This can be taken as a social commentary on the injustice of the time, especially given the fact that Atticus is acknowledging it is wrong, yet he cannot do anything about it. It is arguable that Atticus himself is a symbol of justice because he defends Tom, despite the repercussions that occur, because he knows that Tom is innocent. Atticus is a person who truly believes in justice, no matter the consequences, and he tells Jem: “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295) Despite everything, Atticus believes that racism is to blame for the injustice in the world, and he is raising his children to understand this so they can continue to be good people. Tom ends up being convicted, despite the fact that “the story told by the prosecution is absurd, and Atticus rips it to shreds” (Osborn 1141). This is because racial bias has won; the jury is comprised of all white men, who side with their fellow white man instead of the innocent black man. In fact, many of the white men who sit on Tom’s trial had previously been involved in a racist lynch mob (Murray 79), and therefore the odds had been stacked against him the entire time. The theme of justice is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird through Boo Radley, threats to Atticus’ family caused by racism, and Tom’s quest for justice through his trial. Racism and discrimination are the causes of injustice in the novel, and the negative attitudes of the people in the town are representative of the people who lived during this time in the United States. Lee’s utilization of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence proves the point that, if one continues to silence the voices of those who are truly good or innocent, the concept of innocence will die and evil will win. Through her representation of various storylines as the ultimate idealization of justice, Harper Lee demonstrates that, in a time of racism and divide, black Americans were the victims of severe injustice and bias. The fact that Tom was wrongly accused, but convicted simply because the jury was made of all white males who had already been known to be part of a lynch mob, demonstrates the stacked odds of the time. By bringing these issues to light, Lee plays a significant role in shaping the history of racism in America and the origins of the ideas of the Civil Rights Movement that would soon take place. Works Cited: Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. 1960. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010. Murray, Jennifer. “More Than One Way to (Mis)Read a Mockingbird.” The Southern Literary Journal 43.1 (2010): 75-91. Osborn, Jr., John Jay. “Atticus Finch- The End of Honor: A Discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird.” The University of San Francisco Law Review 30 (1996): 1139-1142. The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Discipline: English Course Name: Modern English Literature Assignment Subject: The Theme of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Academic Level: Undergraduate Referencing Style: MLA Word Count: 2,014 “Remember, it’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird”: An Analysis of Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird In 1960s America, racial tensions and divisions dictated the norms of society. It is this society in which Scout, Jem, and their father Atticus live in To Kill a Mockingbird. The story centers around Atticus and his children, as they cope with the backlash from Atticus’ legal defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman. The concept of justice, racism, and equality in this novel have been one of the most timeless representations of the theme in classic literature within the last century. Lee’s symbolism of the mockingbird as the representation of innocence has been utilized repeatedly in popular culture and literature to this day. This image of the mockingbird represents the end of innocence, as to kill a mockingbird would mean destroying innocence and, subsequently, justice. In this story, some of the characters could each arguably be the mockingbird, such as Tom or Boo Radley, and their positions in society showcase just how harsh the reality was for those who were no t considered part of the accepted norm. In Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of justice is shown in three major parts of the storyline: the discrimination against Boo Radley, the treatment of Atticus’ family while he defends Tom, and the nature of Tom’s trial. Boo Radley is a character that represents the injustice that many people suffer simply because they are misunderstood by society. In a world where people are quick to judge one another based on superficial circumstances, people are quick to discriminate against people who are different than the norm. To Kill a Mockingbird showcases this as the society in the novel makes Boo out to be a monster who hides in his house because he is too scared to show his hideous face. Throughout the story, Boo fascinates Scout and Jem, as they have heard rumours about him and how terrifying he is. In reality, Boo Radley is simply misunderstood and the town has made up judgements about him because he is a recluse who stays in his house, afraid of the outside world. Boo Radley has a mental disorder and has been confined to his home for decades (Orsborn 1139). At this time, the majority of American society did not understand what mental illness was, or how to deal with it. Thus, many people who suffered had to do so in silence and were not taken seriously, repressing their true issues and creating cause for prejudice and discrimination. Boo is suffering from these ideals because his parents have decided that the best way to deal with his mental illness is to lock him up in their home for his entire life, which inspires the idea that he is a terrifying, ghost-like monster that haunts the neighbourhood. However, this backfires because Boo simply becomes a recluse who does not function like a regular adult, and instead he watches the children to experience life through them. Boo connects with Jem and Scout to the point where a relationship and understanding is formed, and by the end of the novel Scout begins to realize that Boo feels protective over the children, perhaps thinking of them as his own children. He leaves little presents for the children and secretly gives Scout a blanket when they are outside in the cold one night. Ultimately, the children come to trust him and treat him like a regular person, and in turn he helps to protect them from harm, thus showing the true reality that he is a good person and has simply been the victim of unjust attitudes. Boo Radley is the one who saves Jem and Scout when they are attacked by Bob Ewell. Scout states, “he gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 373). She is expressing the fact that Boo has given them these gifts, including the gift of saving their lives, and that he is not evil after all. The night after the attack happens, when Atticus is putting Scout to bed and she is sleepily recounting the story he has told her, she comments on the main character turning out to be nice and simply misunderstood. Atticus responds, “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (Lee 376). In this last piece of dialogue, Atticus’ words sum up the way that Boo Radley has been wrongly perceived, the victim of a discriminatory injustice. Atticus receives a significant amount of harsh treatment by the white members of the public because he is defending a black man during a time of racial segregation, and they do not agree with him despite the fact that he is a court-appointed lawyer. People in the town continue to judge Atticus because of his position, and they lose their respect for him because they do not believe that a black man should be considered innocent at all. In addition, Scout and Jem become outcasts due to their relation to him, as they begin to notice that the townspeople are treating them differently. However, they are children who love their father, and they do not understand what is going on to a full extent. During one part of the trial, Scout is attempting to figure out this situation as she learns that he has not chosen to defend Tom, but that it is his job. She states, “the court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. That’s what they didn’t like about it. It was confu sing” (Lee 218). Her innocent mind is attempting to figure out why the people are angry with Atticus, and she does not fully comprehend the racist attitudes that are responsible for this treatment. She is attempting to comprehend racism, but since she does not see the world in that way, she is having a hard time figuring it all out. After the trial is over, Jem and Scout are outside their home when Miss Rachel tells them “there’s danger a’comin’” (Lee 290). Scout soon finds out what the danger is: “this morning Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 290). It is in this moment that Scout and Jem truly realize how hateful people are, and how there are real threats to their lives because of Atticus’ determination to prove Tom’s innocence. Bob calls Atticus a “nigger-lovin’ bastard” (Lee 291) and hates him because he was defending a black man against him. Despi te the fact that Bob is actually the one who beat his own daughter, he refuses to let go of the fact that Atticus defended Tom; losing the trial would have meant that Bob lost to a black man, which would mean he is a disgrace from society. Bob is defensive because he feels that Atticus’ defense against him has threatened his family’s position in society (Osborn 1140), despite the fact that this family is in a low position to begin with. At the end of the novel, after the trial has ended, Bob attacks Scout and Jem because they are Atticus’ children. Bob is the representation of pure evil- the fact that he is described as a “hulking figure” showcases Lee’s association of him as a lesser-than-human character (Murray 79). By describing him in this way, she de-humanizes him and makes him appear monstrous (Murray 79), displaying the idea that he has been evil the whole time, and that evil has supposedly triumphed over good thus far. His intention is to kill them with a butcher knife, but Boo Radley saves them. Despite the fact that the children have done nothing wrong, they are associated with their father, and the negative treatment Atticus has been receiving now spills out onto his innocent children. Tom’s trial is extremely significant in representing the theme of justice because the entire storyline surrounding Tom is based on the injustice he is suffering due to racism against him, as well as his quest to seek justice in court and prove his innocence. However, because he is a black man and the situation happened with a white family, the entire white population of the town assumes that he is evil and has committed the crime. This is due to the negative views of African Americans that the people had during the 1960s, and the racial divisions that occurred. When Scout and Jem find out that Tom is likely going to receive a death sentence, despite not killing anyone, they are outraged. Atticus tells them, “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘we think you’re guilty, but not very’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing” (Lee 294). At this point in the story, the children are learning that racial divisions have left Tom without a chance of proving his innocence because of the prejudice in the minds of the townspeople. Simply put, black men were never given the benefit of the doubt and were always considered guilty, despite evidence to prove otherwise. He continues to explain, “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). This can be taken as a social commentary on the injustice of the time, especially given the fact that Atticus is acknowledging it is wrong, yet he cannot do anything about it. It is arguable that Atticus himself is a symbol of justice because he defends Tom, despite the repercussions that occur, because he knows that Tom is innocent. Atticus is a person who truly believes in justice, no matter the consequences, and he tells Jem: “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295) Despite everything, Atticus believes that racism is to blame for the injustice in the world, and he is raising his children to understand this so they can continue to be good people. Tom ends up being convicted, despite the fact that “the story told by the prosecution is absurd, and Atticus rips it to shreds” (Osborn 1141). This is because racial bias has won; the jury is comprised of all white men, who side with their fellow white man instead of the innocent black man. In fact, many of the white men who sit on Tom’s trial had previously been involved in a racist lynch mob (Murray 79), and therefore the odds had been stacked against him the entire time. The theme of justice is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird through Boo Radley, threats to Atticus’ family caused by racism, and Tom’s quest for justice through his trial. Racism and discrimination are the causes of injustice in the novel, and the negative attitudes of the people in the town are representative of the people who lived during this time in the United States. Lee’s utilization of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence proves the point that, if one continues to silence the voices of those who are truly good or innocent, the concept of innocence will die and evil will win. Through her representation of various storylines as the ultimate idealization of justice, Harper Lee demonstrates that, in a time of racism and divide, black Americans were the victims of severe injustice and bias. The fact that Tom was wrongly accused, but convicted simply because the jury was made of all white males who had already been known to be part of a lynch mob, demonstrates the stacked odds of the time. By bringing these issues to light, Lee plays a significant role in shaping the history of racism in America and the origins of the ideas of the Civil Rights Movement that would soon take place. Works Cited: Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. 1960. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2010. Murray, Jennifer. “More Than One Way to (Mis)Read a Mockingbird.” The Southern Literary Journal 43.1 (2010): 75-91. Osborn, Jr., John Jay. “Atticus Finch- The End of Honor: A Discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird.” The University of San Francisco Law Review 30 (1996): 1139-1142.