To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on “Maycomb’s usual disease,” as a pivotal part of the book, but also shows that compassion and wisdom can exist in these most bleak areas. The prejudice and bigotry comes from the lack of knowledge of Maycomb, and their fear to change what they have grown up with. Pre-conceived ideas are the main reason that Maycomb is ignorant of black people as they are afraid what a change of those pre-conceived ideas will bring. Even so, compassion still exists, as Atticus is able to save Scout and Jem from the influence of ‘Maycomb’s usual disease.’ Wisdom is also embodied by Atticus, where his wisdom, which is not necessarily knowledge but life experience, is able to force him to do things which are right, shown in his reluctant shooting of the rabid dog. The lack of knowledge in Maycomb about the outside world and their opinions about black people ingrains ‘Maycomb’s usual disease’ into their minds as they have no other opinions about black people.
Following Atticus’s decision to defend Tom Robinson in Part Two, Aunt Alexandra takes it upon herself to relocate to Maycomb to help look after the children during the trial. She does not approve of Atticus’s involvement in the trial, nor does she believe he is doing a good job of raising his children to the standards becoming of the, “fine folk’ the Finches are. We quickly learn that Aunt Alexandra is a woman of her time and settles into the town, “as if she had always lived with us… Maycomb welcomed her.” At this stage Harper Lee is presenting Aunt Alexandra as a typical southern lady. The use of Scout’s naivety as a narrator, allows Lee to be subtly critical of many of the characters, including Aunt Alexandra.
Calpurnia plays an important role when Jem begins to mature very quickly, she explains to Scout what is happening to him and tells her why he doesn’t want to play any more. Scout becomes closer to Cal during this time as she goes and sits in the kitchen with her when she is bored and Cal tries her best to find something to entertain her. When Atticus is away he trusts Calpurnia to take care of his two children, showing the children, whether or not they realise it, that what white people say about black people being untrustworthy is not necessarily true as Atticus would trust Cal with his life. She takes them to her church
Atticus shows respect to others, courage ,non-violent behavior. As they both mature they then realized why Atticus behavior that certain way. One way that Atticus influences his children is by treating both Negros and whites- even the one that disrespect him- with respect . As Atticus is getting persecuted by others so is Scout, at school, Cecils Jacob kept telling Scout that her dad was a Nergo-lover ,fought him, but she herself didn’t even know what that meant. When Scout asked Atticus what it meant he said it in a way she couldn’t understand and also told her he didn’t want to see her in a fight ever a again.
Another method is the children’s way of thinking and how they use the information from what they see and not what they are told. The last way she displays contrast of how empathy can prevent prejudice is with a distinct character named Mr. Raymond and his relations with coloured people. Using empathy in the things you perform can prevent discrimination and ill understandings of a person. As the book progresses Atticus displays that empathy will prevent prejudice and that he has a great knowledge of its effects. When Jem became very angry at Mrs. Dubose, their old and mean neighbor, he chopped down her shrubs in front of her house in a fanatical rage.
In both "Sonny's Blues" and "Everyday Use" the importance of family ties are revealed. In "Everyday Use" the characters have strong connections to their ancestral roots and family ties. By changing her name to "Wangero", her appearance and her mannerisms Dee believes she is confirming her African heritage. The family has conflicting ideas about their identity. Mama and Maggie's connections to their heritage comes from their memories, not their race so they're confused about Dee's new image.
She also learned that you have to know someone before you judge them. Boo was never a scary person like the kids were told; he was just different and kept to himself. As kids, Scout, Jem, and Dill would be scared of Boo. After he saves Jem and Scout and she gets to look at him, she sees him differently. Boo Radley and Scout’s experiences with him have helped shape her into the person she will be.
Atticus wanted Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose not only as a punishment for his misdeeds, but he also wanted to show Jem what true courage really was. He wanted to show Jem that a courageous person is not "a man with a gun in his hand", and that Mrs. Dubose was an excellent example and Atticus looks up to her despite her prejudiced remarks against him such as "nigger-lover". When Jem and Scout was reading to her, they were terrified of her "undulating lips" with "chords of saliva" dripping out of her mouth and that it had a "seperate existence of its own". The death of Mrs. Dubose, Atticus also mentioned that "she won", not by having a gun in her hands, but with her sheer will power and determination. He hoped that Jem and Scout would be able to respect such a courageous old lady she was.
His clothes don’t fit right, and signals a sort of childhood innocence. This John’s veil has not been lifted, and the author was trying to portray this ratty, uneducated picture as how the others see him as “black John”. They do not feel threatened by this good-natured boy, because he is still stuck in this “black” world. But after he comes back from college, the story reveals “Thus he grew in body and soul, and with him his clothes seemed to grow and arrange themselves; coat sleeves got longer, cuffs appeared, and collars got less soiled.” (Page 168) and you see that this newfound knowledge, this college education, has empowered him to see what the white folks never wanted him to see. He doesn’t understand how he could not have noticed this huge difference before, and “He grew slowly to feel almost for the first time the Veil.” (168) I think this veil, while opening up his eyes, also greatly confuses him.
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Scout learns, and applies, the life lessons her father had instilled in her. She understands what courage really is, alongside the definition of cowardice, and logic. “Because you’re children and you can understand it,” Mr. Dolphus Raymond explained to Scout. She realizes the necessity to see things though other’s points of views as well as treating everyone equally. She understands how truly wrong embarrassment and shaming of others is.