Essay Stereotyped Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird

The characters of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird are all different in their own way. Sometimes they can seem like the most infuriating people in the world, but then again they can be helpful, loving, and caring. The citizens of Maycomb County are stereotyped a lot throughout the book. They are labeled as many different things, but some of the stereotypes made aren’t entirely correct. A lot of people in To Kill a Mockingbird stereotype others by the way they look or talk based on what society considers normal. Two of the main characters in the book are stereotyped; Scout and Atticus Finch. Scout Finch, the main character of the book, is a nine-year-old girl who is the narrator of the story. Scout’s Aunt Alexandra stereotypes Scout in†¦show more content†¦Because of what people have heard about Scout, they stereotype that she isn’t ladylike because she acts like a boy and wears overalls. Mrs. Dubose, the Finch’s neighbor, says, â€Å"’†¦what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways- a Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Cafà ©-hah!’†(Lee 135). In this case, Scout is considered a stereotype, but she changes her ways. Scout is confronted with her own stereotypes in the novel but as she grows and learns, she begins to regret her actions. Scout changes her ways throughout the book in order to get rid of the label people put on her. Even though she is still a tomboy at heart, Scout learns how to control her actions and act more like a lady. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, is also a victim of stereotyping. Atticus decides to help a black man (Tom Robinson) in court. Because of this decision, the people of Maycomb have a set opinion of Atticus Finch. They say that because he is working for â€Å"niggers†, he must be like them. They also say that because he chose to help Tom Robinson, that he doesn’t like white people, and more specifically, Mr. Bob Ewell. One day while strolling back from town, Scout and Jem see Mrs. Dubose. In response to saying hello, Mrs. Dubose says, â€Å"’Yes indeed, what has the world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I’ll tell you!’ She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew itShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Title of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee997 Words   |  4 PagesTitle of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee In the novel to kill a mockingbird Harper lee uses a metaphorical mockingbird to symbolise the different characters and actions within her book and to symbolise why people get the treatment they do and how they dont deserve it. The reader begins to understand the meaning of the title of the book through the personified mockingbird being used numerous times throughout the novel. 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