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Coming of Age 
  • What message about the way the world works does Scout take away from the trial?
  • What evidence is there that supports that Scout will not be prejudiced as an adult?  Is there any reason to doubt?
  • Think about Mr. Cunningham's role in the story.  What kind of adult do you think his son Walter will become?  What about Burris Ewell?

 
Posted by On October 13, 2014 at 11:23 AM  7 Comments

Comments
Ali A (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 7:15 PM
The message that scout takes away from the trial relating to how the world works is a sense of harsh cruelty. She realizes that to convince people to do the right thing it takes time because you can't change the way people think but you can show them a different view point. Throughout the case this is what Atticus is trying do, show the jury that a different view point in the case and to prove to the jury that Tom Robinson is innocent. To everyone in the court room it is crystal clear that Tom is innocent but because the jury had a way of thinking which, Atticus was unable to present clearly enough to a group of me who think they are superior to blacks, the jury came to the verdict that Tom was guilty. The evidence in the book that proves Scout won't be predijuiced is the fact that she is white. Back then white people did not have any predijuices against them. There is reason to doubt this fact because of the way Scout acts and dresses. According to Aunt Alexandra Scout doesn't talk the way a lady is supposed to because she curses and a lady doesn't wear overalls but skirts and dresses. Based on how Walter Cunnigham acted when he came over to the Finches' house for dinner he will grow up to be a kind and respectful adult. But he will also be the type of adult to be a follower. He will just like his dad do what seems right at the moment but not look at the long term affects. Burris Ewell will grow up to be like Walter Cunnigham, they both will be replicas of their dads and will continue to hold their family name to the meaning it has earned in the town.   
Matthew Hanzich (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 11:58 AM
From the trial Scout takes away that not everyone in the world is treated equally. She learns the world isn't as fun as it seemed, Just because of a person skin color he gets automatically judged and the judge and jury assumes he's guilty. She is not going to be prejudiced as an adult I believe that because of her father Atticus teaching not to judge on color of a human being. No there is no reason to doubt she will not be prejudiced as an adult. If Walter follows in his fathers foot steps he will probably be prejudiced. His father taught him to judge because of skin color. Same with Burris he takes after his father who is very racist.  
Suchi T (Guest) said On November 10, 2015 at 12:42 PM
The town of Maycomb consists of some cowardly people and some courageous people. One of the courageous people of the town is Atticus Finch. Atticus finch is a white lawyer who takes a black mans case in court. The majority of Maycomb disagrees with his decision because of their personal prejudice against black people, and they talk poorly about Atticus. Atticus's actions bring out the courage in him because by taking the case he shows that he is willing to stand up for what's right, no matter what people have to say about it. Tom Robinson, Atticus's client, is wrongly accused of raping Mayella Ewell and he shows his courage by showing up to court and respecting the court. He tells his side of the story peacefully, unlike Bob and Mayella Ewell and even though he knows that the case is very unlikely to go in his favor he stays calm in court. Mayella acts cowardly by lying to the court about what happened with Tom Robinson. She is afraid that if she tells the truth her father will punish her, therefore she lies and wrongly accused Tom of abusing her. Boo Radley is another example of a coward because he stays inside his house too afraid to face the real world. On page 259 Jem states, "I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time...it's because he wants to stay inside." This shows that although Boo can come out he doesn't want to because he's too cowardly to face the mean citizens of Maycomb. Tom Robinson's escape showed that Tom was tired of fighting this case. He knew that in the end he would be sentenced to death so he ran. To me, him running showed that he was tired of letting white people decide his faith and he wanted to decide his own faith so he ran. Atticus is said to be the only man to keep a jury out so long in a case. This means that if any other lawyer was to take Tom's case the jury would throw in out without a second look because of the fact that Tom is black and they are prejudice against colored people. However Atticus's expertise in law gave the jury a second thought about the case although they ended up naming Tom guilty.   
Brian D. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 8:31 PM
After the trial, Scout realizes that even when they know it’s wrong, people in the world are capable of being terrible. She understands that the world has many problems and issues, and that they usually end unfairly. She learns that prejudice and intolerance of other races and peoples can be very overpowering, getting in the way of reason and truth. The fact that she questions this very prejudice shows that unlike the adults, she may be unprejudiced in the future. Scout may still feel traces of prejudice- likely not violent or clear, but she may describe people by race and talk to others in specific ways. Because she grew up in a very prejudiced society, she realizes the harm done by prejudice (Tom’s sentence, harsh treatment of blacks, discouragement against mixed families) but may not realize her own (coldness towards Mr. Raymond), simply due to her environment and others’ opinions. Walter Cunningham, like his father, might grow up to be an adult who is moral, even when it may not seem so. He may try to do what’s right and what seems fair at the time, as he respects the Finch family when visiting and seems to be a nice, respectable boy, despite his family’s position. However, him growing up in such a prejudiced community may affect or alter his opinions of others. Burris Ewell seems to take after his father too- he can be cruel when he wants to be and can sometimes get his way, but is not respected and will likely be prejudiced.   
Shreya G (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 8:13 PM
From the trial, Scout takes away the message that the world is a prejudiced place. She comes to realize that people do not think logically about what is truly right or wrong, and rather, they use prejudices around them to form judgements and opinions. For instance, the people in Maycomb blindly supported Mayella and the Ewells on the basis of the Jim Crow Laws, regardless of Tom’s innocence, which was clearly explained through the evidence shown by Atticus. Scout will not be a prejudiced person as an adult because she, like Atticus, forms her opinions through logic and morale. Mr. Cunningham is shown to be a person with no opinions of his own and merely follows what the majority believes. Walter Cunningham will turn out to be like his father and become a follower, but not completely prejudiced. On the contrary, Burris Ewell will grow up to be a biased and prejudiced man because his father, Bob Ewell, is a very discriminatory and narrow-minded person himself. Burris’s surroundings are prejudiced and it will have a negative impact on him, causing him to become intolerant as well.   
Kunj P. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 4:39 PM
The message that Scout probably takes away from the court is that people with different skin colors then whites are not treated equally, racially divided, and aren't people to the whites they are like objects to them. I agree with Sayuni that even if all the evidence supports the black man, he'll still lose because the juries white. Some where around there she probably realizes that even if your truly honest and right but you are stated as wrong the people who are deciding are predisposed to hate what you say and judging your skin tone. Its good that Scout watched the trial because she will know how to handle things and she knows whats waiting for her out there when she gets older. Scout will not be prejudiced when she grows older because she is starting to understand about racism and other things. In the book it states that her teacher states:"That's the difference between America and Germany. We are a democracy and Germany is a dictatorship. Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody.Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced". She later starts asking Jem and Atticus questions because she wants to understand why prejudice is not acceptable against the Jewish in Germany, but is acceptable in Maycomb against the African Americans. This clearly states that she is not going to be prejudiced. Mr. Cunningham is a person who thinks of him to be higher then the others. He is a person who is not racist or totally equal he just goes with whatever is going on. Because of this Walter will become prejudice its only because he listens to his dad and probably is watching what he does so when he grows up he might do the same thing his dad does. I agree with Jessica that Burris Ewell on the other hand, will be a full racist. His father is the most despicable racist in the town so it is a force of habit that he will be too. Its true because he will be influenced by his dad and want to do the same things he did because his parents are doing it so he'll probably think its right.   
Jessica P (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 12:32 PM
From the trial, Scout most likely takes away a harsh sense of reality. She soon realizes that life isn't all fun and games like it was in the beginning, however it's a serious, never-ending cycle of good and evil. She will soon mature because of the trial, knowing how people can be. In a sense, it is good that she saw this, because now, she can already know what is waiting out there for her when she gets older. In the future, Scout will most likely not be a prejudice person. In the text it states, "Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Miss Gates was-she was goin' down the steps in front of us, you musta not seen her- she was talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say 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 Hitlar so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home" This quote symbolizes how Scout is learning what is and is not the right way to treat someone. No matter their skin color, age, size, and religion. Mr. Cunningham is an adult who holds himself in high esteem. He is a go with the flow type of man that sways in any way the wind blows. He is nor racist or totally seeing equal. Because of this, his son Walter will become a prejudice boy, not intentionally, but just by a force of his habitat. He will be more tolerable of blacks but not to a full belief that they are equal. Burris Ewell on the other hand, will be a full racist. His father is the most despicable racist in the town so it is a force of habit that he will be too.   
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