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Kaitlyn Isiordia, Alondra Murguia, Naomi Lodenquai, Ivan Marcelo, and Luciano Gargano
Mrs. Garvar
English 9 T/TR 2
24 November 2015
Social Injustices in To Kill a Mockingbird Project Part 3
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Lee shows the social injustices that
African Americans had to endure throughout their lives. Lees purpose for showing this was to
change readers opinions on civil rights. During the 1950s, when the book was released, racism
was a bigger problem than it is now, especially when it had to do with social justice. Lee defied
the expectations of the Southern white culture by writing this book, and she received a lot of
criticism because of it.
Lee believed that an individual, as well as authoritative groups, had specific
responsibilities in regard to issues of social injustice. She displayed these beliefs through many
characters in her novel, mainly Atticus Finch. Atticus gives many messages about courage and
shows many of these ideals in his daily life. In the novel, Finch believes that [courage] is when
you know youre licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter
what (Lee 149). In respect to the story, Lee believes that individuals should fight, despite what
others think, for justice in the world. She believes that even though people will disapprove of
what you do, you should always fight for what is the best. Lee also recognizes courts as the place
where justice should be at its best and not biased, and our courts have their faults, as does any
human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men
are created equal. a court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men
who make it up. in the name of God, do your duty (Lee 274-275). Lee trusts that our courts

have a strong responsibility to convict only who deserve it, not those who are discriminated
against. She tells everyone to persevere through prejudice, because it is what is assigned to us
through the rules of our nation.
When Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird, the responses towards her book were both
negative and positive. The book was challenged on multiple accounts, one taking place in
Virginia. In 1966 the book was challenged due to [a parent protesting] that the use of rape as a
plot device was immoral (Banned Books Awareness: To Kill a Mockingbird, 2012). Lees book
had a court case in which a white woman accused an African American man of rape. The public
did not think that this was a suitable book for a younger audience to read. Lee's book soon
became number 21 of the 100 most frequently challenged books of 2000-2009 (May, Jill In
Defense of To Kill a Mockingbird, 2015). This book was challenged due to the racial slurs,
racial hatred, and conflicted values written in the novel ("Banned and/or Challenged Books from
the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century," 2010). To Kill a
Mockingbird was also accepted by many people who agreed with Lees morals and ideas. The
novel was called skilled, unpretentious, and totally ingenious (The New Yorker To Kill a
Mockingbird 1960), and a pleasant, undemanding reading (The Atlantic Monthly To Kill a
Mockingbird The Atlantic Monthly 1960), when it came out in 1960. Also, African American
readers have both liked and disliked the concepts that Lee portrayed, in that some felt that it was
too personal by addressing the effects of social discrimination on human beings (PBS
LearningMedia) . Oppositely, some believed that To Kill a Mockingbird perfectly encompassed
the Southern societys culture and beliefs.
Lees arguments are still applicable to todays social injustices. There is still much
discrimination in the South against outsiders in society today. People are paid lower wages and

are not accepted into certain places or job environments. In todays courts, verdicts are still
biased based off of the defendant's race, gender, and age. Innocent people today are convicted
and sent to jail for crimes they did not commit. Lees character Atticus is a symbol of how the
justice system is skewed and should be fixed. Todays justice system can still be improved. DNA
sampling has brought reopened old cases, and has assisted innocent people in being released
from prison. Not all cases are open to this scientific technique, however, so many innocent
people could still be in prison. Although discrimination has been lessened in todays court
systems, it is still present and needs to be tackled. Cases still occur today that represent the racial
tension that Lee addressed. In the case Batson v. Kentucky (1986), the prosecutor charged to have
all black persons removed from the jury during the hearing of a black man accused of burglary
and receipt of stolen goods. The black man, Batson, was tried by an all white jury, and was
convicted on both counts (Bloomberg Law 2015). The justice system was skewed during the
time of this trial, and therefore produced unfair verdicts.
As a group we agree with Lees arguments. We are constantly exposed to corruption
within the justice system much like Lee was. Of course, the justice system is not as unscrupulous
as it was back then, but there are still some instances of this corruption happening today. This
exposure has an influence on our morals and the way we make judgements. Lees argument on
equality in the courtroom is to prove the innocence of those being falsely accused, and how
events like this still occur everyday. Equality in the courtroom is important as everyone should
be judged as a human being and for their own actions, instead of being judged solely on their
race, age, and gender. By thinking of these concepts as a group we have realized that the more
we observe prior cases that ended with an unsuitable sentence, we see more of the improvements

that are needed within the justice system. Its our generations responsibility to clean up the
social messes that our previous generations have left us.

Works Cited
"Batson v. Kentucky." Casebriefs Batson v Kentucky Comments. Bloomberg Law, 2015. Web. 24
Nov. 2015.
"Emmett Till Biography." Bio.com. Ed. Biography.com Editors. A&E Networks Television, n.d.
Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird": Profiles in Courage." EDSITEment! National
Endowment For The Humanities, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Kedmey, Dan. "Read TIME's Original Review of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'" Time. Time, 3 Feb.
2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Leerhsen, Charles. "Harper Lee's Novel Achievement." Smithsonian. Smithsonian Magazine,
June 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Mary Murphy & Co. "To Kill a Mockingbird: Southern Reaction 1960." PBS LearningMedia.
N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
May, Jill. "In Defense of To Kill a Mockingbird." EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. N.
pag. Student Resources in Context. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
<http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/CriticalEssayDetailsPage/CriticalEssayDetailsWindow?
zid=7d6ff762c015c06f22406d479b43b107&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE|
EJ2111200618&source=Bookmark&u=dove10524&jsid=f8ad30671500ad04e64ce188b74
1eafd>.
"Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009." Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 20002009. American Library Association, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015