Learning Experiences(To Kill A Mockingbird) Essay, Research Paper

One of the principal aims of To Kill a Mockingbird is to subject the narrator to a series of

learning experiences and then observe how much she profits from her experiences.

There is rarely a chapter that does not teach Scout something new or does not build

toward a new learning experience. So, one rewarding approach to the novel is

throughout an examination of these experiences.

In the largest view, Scout learns about (1) justice and injustice through the Tom

Robinson trial; (2) prejustice and its effects on the processes of the law and society; (3)

courage as manifested in ways others act; and (4) respect for individuality of the human

being. On a smaller scale, Scout learns numerous things about numerous people; she

becomes aware of the difficulty of being a lady, particularly when under dressed; and she

learns when to fight and not to fight.

Many of scouts learning experiences being in clearly insignificant scenes.

Ultimately she must learn to respect the difference in behavior between vastly different

people, especially when the behavior differs from the normal as radically as in the cases

of Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose, and the Cunninghams. So early in the novel, Scout in the

novel, Scout is faced with some confusing experiences at school, where she confronts a

teacher who dosen t understand why she can read and where she meets Walter

Cunningham. Later, Atticus explains to her that to judge a person you must try to see

things from that person s point of view. You must learn to walk aroun in his skin. Then

you cab uderstand better why a person acts or belives what he does.

Only at the end of the novel does Scout finally learn to respect this saying. Until

then, she remains curious and confused why Boo never came out of his house. In the

meantime she goes through a series of maturing experiences. She learns how to see her

from the teachers point of view; she tries to judge the Cunninghams and the Ewells from

their side; she bears the insults of the town and particularly the apperent viciousness of

Mrs. Duboes. From all of these, she learns to look at the individuality of the others!

For Scout, courage is most often something with physical act and involves

personal danger. It is very difficult for Scout to see that greater courage is often required

in other places of life. Scout learns that the greatest courage can be found in a situation

where a person knows that he is going to lose and still continues to fight. To prove this,

Miss Lee first had Scout observe her father perform a physical act of courage when he

shoots the charging mad dog. Then Scout encounters the seemingless vinductiveness of

Mrs. Dubose. After this she dies, Atticus explains to them how courageous the lady was

because she knew she was dying but was determined to die free of morphine which had

preciously controlled her. She fought against great odds even though she knew that she

would lose.

The above lesser experiences prepare Scout for the greater test o Courage: the is

Atticus fight for Tom s life even though he knows that he will lose the case and even

though he knows that he is fighting against tremendous odds. This realization forces

Scout to quit fighting with her fists and try to combat others opinions with her head than

her physical violence.

Prejuduce is someting that has to taught and is therefore on of the most difficult

things to understand. Atticus has brought up both children to respect all people

nervermind there color. Scout s close relationship with Calpurnia attests to her

acceptance of a person of any color. Atticus as a lawyer has always believed in the

principle of justice and alliance to the processes of the law. Consequently, when Tom is

found guilty though it was obvious even to the children that he was innocent, they are not

capable of understanding the degree to which prejustice can alter the course of justice.

Even Atticus cannot explain it. All that Scout can see in the horror and disgrace where

an ignorant white girl can become instrument of death for an innocent Negro.