Another theme is woman and marriage. Austen is critical of the gender injustices present in Regency Britain. The novel demonstrates how girls like Charlotte need to have a loveless marriage in order to gain financial security. Austen believes that women are at least as intelligent and capable as men and considers their inferior status in society unjust. She herself went against convention by remaining single and earning a living through her novels. It is clear that in the novel Austen wants to show how Elizabeth is happy by refusing to marry simply for financial purposes and marrying for love.
A very important theme is society. The novel portrays a world in which society takes an interest in the private virtue of its members. When Lydia elopes with Wickham, therefore it is a social scandal to the society and injury to the entire Bennet family. While Austen is critical of societies ability to judge properly, she believes that society has a cruel role in prompting virtue.
Elizabeth Bennet is the heroine of the novel. After Jane, she is the eldest and prettiest. Her father favours her the most from all the other sisters. Elizabeth is guilty of prejudice an obstacle for her throughout the Book. Elizabeth’s prejudice causes her to misjudge two people. The fact that she thought that Darcy was very proud and arrogant and Wickham was kind and charming. Elizabeth’s’ first encounter with the handsome and exceedingly rich Darcy is at the assembly hall. Initially she has no reason to dislike him, however she overhears him make a impolite comment about her ‘she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me’. She believes he is proud and shockingly rude. This is the opinion she holds to for most of the novel. She wows she will never dance with Darcy and when pushed to dance with him on a second occasion, determinedly rejects him. On contrast to her first impression on Mr Darcy, Elizabeth finds Mr Wickham charming. Not noticing that Wickham is inappropriately frank about the mistreatment he claimed he suffered at Darcy’s hands, her own weakness of character reveals she can be, and indeed is narrow minded. Wickham’s story strengthens Elizabeth’s conceited belief that her own impressions of Darcy are true and unbiased. When she hears rumours from the Bingleys that Wickham is not what he appears she decides that they shares Darcy’s biasness and therefore dislikes them too. Throughout most of the Book Elizabeth dislikes Darcy and thinks very highly of Wickham. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, in accordance to social convention she is flattered by having been proposed to by someone of Darcy’s status. She reacts consistently with what she considers impartial options. His behaviour towards Jane and Wickham’s story have convinced her that she is correct in believing him to be ‘abominably proud’ Elizabeth reads Darcy’s letter with strong prejudice against him, thinking of every excuse possible because ‘forbearance to Darcy is injury to Wickham’. Her conceited Impressions of Wickham tend to blind her.
However the letter is a turning point for Elizabeth in her search for self realization, it changes her first deceptive impression, beginning to see Wickham’s true colours and his mercenary attention to Miss king; she suddenly realises that she has been vain and prejudiced in her apparently unbiased ‘opinions’. Elizabeth’s first impression of Wickham have stayed in place until she is jolted in to reality by Darcy’s revealing letter, heartily ashamed of herself realising how conceited she had been, she declared that until the moment ‘she never knew herself’. While Elizabeth sees after believing Darcy’s account that she had misjudged him regarding Wickham, she does not realise what Darcy is truly like until she hears the accounts of his housekeeper at Pemberley and reads Mrs Gardiner’s letter regarding Darcy’s involvement in Lydia’s marriage. From this moment on her love deepens as she realises what Darcy has done for her and her family.
It is ironic that Elizabeth, who in the beginning of the novel prided herself on her independent character analysis ends up relying on far more sources than her own impression to form an accurate judgement; Darcy’s letter, the experienced housekeepers account, Wickham’s shameful elopement and Mrs Gardiners letters. These are highly influential in forming her right and lasting opinion of the two men. Lamenting that ‘one has all the goodness and the other having all the appearance of it’. Elizabeth’s character developed eventually with the help of the incident in the novel, until she was able to see her blinding prejudice. Deceived by her first impression she finally discovers the two men’s true nature. Elizabeth’s prejudice causes problems in the Book, due to her prejudice she overlooks Darcy for what the fine gentlemen he is and because she fails to see Wickham she is unable to prevent Lydia from eloping with him.
Lady Catherine Debourgh is another prejudiced character in the Book however she lacks all the morals and principles that Elizabeth has. She is the Aunt of Darcy and the patroness of Mr Collins. She is a tall large woman with strongly marked features that might have once been handsome. Lady Catherine is extremely wealthy, her overbearing arrogance and sense of her own dignity is evident in all she says and does. She loves to give people advice about how to conduct their lives down to the most minute details. Her sense of unquestionable authority and right to control peoples lives is most sharply seen when she confronts Elizabeth about her rumoured engagement to Darcy, and because she is so use to having her own way she is completely taken by surprise when Elizabeth refuses to promise not to marry Darcy. She is a person who cannot tolerate any opposition and she hates to be contradicted. Lady Catherine’s enjoyment of flattery is no less sickening than Mr Collins enthusiasm to give it. Elizabeth’s preparedness to disagree with her is received with incomprehension.
Her tastes are vulgar and ostentatious and her professed love for music is a sham. In many ways she is a aristocratic Mrs Bennet, sharing with her a brashness and rudeness that stems from a lack of innate intelligence, meaning even though Lady Catherine is well bred she is still illiterate. Her attitudes and behaviour offer an illuminating contrast to Darcy’s.
Lady Catherine is prejudiced in the sense that she thinks low of everybody who does not match her standards this includes Elizabeth’s family and other families like the Lucas’. Even though Lady Catherine interferes in people’s life, her prejudice does not cause major problems in the novel. In fact, she unwittingly, without realising gives Darcy the courage to propose, a second time. When she attempts to prevent Darcy from marrying Elizabeth. Lady Catherine’s character does not develop at the end of the Book however she does have to swallow her pride.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” was written in 1960 by Harper lee. The chronology of the Book is 1930. The novel is set in America in a town called Maycomb County in Alabama.
This Book is based upon the life of Harper Lee. Her life is very similar to Scouts. Harper Lee’s father was a lawyer just like Scouts father. However, the main thing that Harper Lee wrote about that reflects Scouts life was a court case that actually did take place called the Scottsboro trial, when she was six years old. In 1931, nine African American men were tried for the rape of a poor white woman. Eight of the defendants were convicted and sentenced to death. Later on the white woman admitted that she had lied. The two trials mirror each other in the sense that in the same way judge Taylor went against public sentiment in trying to protect the rights of the defendants, the jury ignored evidence and the verdict was guilty.
During the first half of the novel, Harper Lee constructs a sweet and affectionate portrait of growing up in the vanished world of small town Alabama. Lee however, proceeds to undermine her portrayal of small town gentility during the second half of the Book. She dismantles the facade to reveal a rotten, rural underside filled with social lies, prejudice and ignorance. To Kill a Mockingbird has numerous accounts of prejudice. The novel is set in a period when discrimination and racism was very prevalent. They were very common acts in the early and middle 1990’s. In 1930 a system of segregation was in force. Black and whites were forbidden by law to mix. Any black person (and for that mater white) who challenged the system of segregation publicly would be killed by prosegretation fanatics. Even Atticus Finch, the character who represents idealism and devotion, never attacked the system. Although most of the discrimination was directed towards blacks, there was plenty of prejudice towards impoverished family by those who had money. However the black people decided to take action and in 1960’s action became stronger and blacks demanded more rights. Cleverly Harper Lee supports the civil rights movement by stepping back in time and quoting the 1930’s and thereby removing her novel from the emotional climate of 1960’s and distancing it but drawing lessons from it nevertheless.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is about the narrator’s growth of awareness; it belongs to a style of writing called ‘bildungsroman’. The narrator is taken from a period of innocence to a state of maturity. Harper Lee has a clear straightforward way writing of writing, Her style and legal language permeates the novel, however she also has the ability to conjure up atmosphere and create mystery and suspense in dramatic episodes. Lee uses a lot of simile ‘Calpurnias hand was as hard as a bed slat and twice as hard’. She also uses metaphor which is shown beautifully through the Mockingbird and she also uses a lot of humour and irony. Harper Lee’s ability to capture a variety of dialect, southern colloquial and expression add realism and authentity e.g. ‘buying cotton’ a polite way of saying that the person does not work and does nothing.
Prejudice is the most dominated theme in the novel. Prejudice is spread out and it can’t be escaped. It is all around Maycomb and is subjected towards individual characters who do not fit in to the expected behavioural pattern of society and about who little is known. The novel investigates many types of prejudice. One is the hatred and fear towards the blacks and the violence that could break out at any time e.g. the lynch mob. The character who has the most prejudice directed towards him is Tom Robinson. He is a brave and admirable man and he shows these qualities in the trial by speaking his mind and saying the truth. Still this was not enough to sway the jury in to choosing the right verdict of not guilty. One of the worst examples of prejudice is shown in the trial, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer when he admitted he felt sorry for Mayella Ewell, this proved how much racism there was between the residents of Maycomb. Black people were not allowed to feel sorry for white people, it was as if Tom was found guilty in order to teach him his place. The jury was more sympathetic towards Mayella because she was white. Tom Robinson went against the acceptable behaviour of a Negro and dared to feel sorry for a white person. Boo Radley is another victim of prejudice. He is a social recluse and outcast, he is the subject of many people’s vicious comments. In reality, these two characters are kind hearted and gentle people, who have done no wrong and only helped people. The novel tries to deal with how to combat prejudice. It shows how the actions of individual characters such as Atticus and Miss Maudie can make more of a difference. At the end the people of Maycomb County realise their mistakes, however it took the death of an innocent man to make them open their eyes.
Symbolism is used extensively in the novel through the mockingbird. Atticus advises his children that if they went hunting for birds they should kill the bluejays, ‘shoot all the bluejays you want, but remember it is a sin “To Kill a Mockingbird”’ bluejays are considered to be the bullies of the bird world, they represent characters such as Bob Ewell while the Mockingbird resembles the Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
The theme of tolerance to others is shown when Atticus tells Scout, you can never understand person until you consider things from his point of view.
Social class is another theme. Differences are explored through the social hierarchy. The relatively well of Finches stand near the top of Maycomb social hierarchy, country farmers like the Cunninghams lie below the Finches and white trash Ewells rest below the Cunninghams, but the black community in Maycomb despite its abundance of qualities squat below even the Ewells.
We find out that education is a very important theme during Atticus’ closing statement. Education is the key to unlocking the ignorance that causes such prejudice. This is proved because the people who are not prejudiced such as Atticus and judge Taylor are the only educated characters.
The theme of bravery is seen through Atticus’ fear of the gun and his refusal to carry it to protect his self when threatened by Bob Ewell. It is also shown through Mrs Dubose and her choice to give up morphine. However, bravery runs deeper than this, and is shown when Atticus decided to defend Tom, knowing that society would turn against him and his children.
Gender prejudice is shown when Scout has to wear a dress to school and also has to accompany the ladies of Maycomb for their weekly gathering. The females are very feminine and stereotypical and never question their roles.
The theme of innocence is shown when at the beginning Scout feels safe and secure and has no experience of evil. However after the trial Scout realises there are good and bad people. By the final chapter Scout learns justice does not necessary triumph everytime.
Fear of the unknown is another theme. Scout and Jem are afraid of what they didn’t know about in this case it is Boo Radley, when Scout finally met Boo, she was no longer afraid because there was no mystery surrounding him, she could see him for who he really was, she could see that there was nothing to fear.
Lee adds drama and atmosphere in the novel by including a number of gothic details in the plot and settings. These gothic elements include the unnatural snowfalls, the fire that destroys Miss Maudie’s house, the children’s superstitions about Boo Radley, the mad dog that Atticus shoots and the ominous night of the Halloween party on which Bob Ewell attacks the children and the Mockingbird that had sang just before the incident took place. These elements are out of place in the normally quiet predictable town of Maycomb.
Counterbalancing the gothic motif of the story is old-fashioned small town life values which manifest themselves throughout the novel. As if to contrast with all the suspect and moral grandeur of the Book. Harper Lee emphasises the slow paced good natured feel of life in a close knit community.
Aunt Alexandra is Atticus’ sister. Harper Lee uses Aunt Alexandra to expose what is wrong with the southern gentility. She is a relic of the old south she holds firm to out dated beliefs about being a southern lady. Her commitment to propriety and tradition often leads her to clash with Scout. She is a strong willed woman with fierce devotion to her family. She is very concerned with raising Atticus’ children properly, to attain this she maintains a strict code about with whom her family should associate with. An example of this is seen when she displays an act of discrimination against her own race, when she forbids Scout to have Walter Cunningham over for lunch. Jem and Scout don’t have particular pride in being Finches but Aunt Alexandra is on a crusade to rectify this situation, she is constantly persuading Atticus to lecture them on the subject of their ancestry. Aunt Alexandra is obsessed with gentle breeding ad her status in society. We can see that she wants the Finches to be elite and be the ‘royals’ of Maycomb. She is always in constant fear that Atticus and the children will disgrace the Finch family.
Apart from being infatuated with social status, after Bob Ewell, Aunt Alexandra is one of the most prejudiced character in the novel, so it is no surprise that upon her arrival she fits in like a ‘glove’ with the rest of the society. In the novel her ways of prejudice are shown when she goes to such extents to stop Scout integrating with Walter Cunningham. ‘I’ll tell you why, because he is trash, that’s why you cant play with him. I’ll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning lord knows what’. Other examples are the way she treats Calpurnia, she does not see the character of Calpurnia, just the colour of her skin. She feels it is necessary to keep Calpurnia in her place and not give her any authority over the children. She is appalled when she finds out that the children have attended services in a ‘black’ church and even tries to convince Atticus to get rid of her. We get to see more of her prejudice when she refuses Scout to visit Calpurnia’s house, saying ‘ young white girls don’t spend time in black people’s neighbourhood and certainly not in their houses. Aunt Alexandra along with Mrs Merriweather, Miss Crawford, Miss Rachel and others from the Missionary tae party think the Negroes are fundamentally wrong in assuming that they must be treated equally. She proves this by deciding everything for her black servants. She applies her own standards in assessing black people’s behaviour and interprets law in her own ways. She justifies separation by blaming the coloured folk that they do not adjust to the way of living. Aunt Alexandra, along with the rest of the Missionary tea party believes that by dressing well, using manners and being social they are true ladies. But they are hypocrites and can’t stand up for what is right, in the end it is Scout who becomes the true lady, Scout stands up for what is right and true to herself. Aunt Alexandra can be no such person because of her aristocratic breeding.
However, Aunt Alexandra is a character in the Book who develops and overcomes her prejudice. Our earliest impressions of her are unfavourable. She is so cold and unloving that she reminds Scout of Mount Everest. Towards the end of the novel we begin to see a better side to her, she loves her brother and remains loyal to him in spite of her prejudice. ‘I can’t say I approve of everything he does but he’s my brother. When Atticus returns from his defeat in the trial she greets him to the words, ‘I’m sorry brother’. Scout looks upon her Aunt with newfound respect when she sees her behaving with great self control at the tea party. It is not until the last pages that we realise she has a good heart and she realises her mistakes ‘I’ve been wrong, Atticus, I’ve been so wrong’. We see her character at its weakest, and watch as she grows more accepting. At the end she comes to regard Scout with more affection, even calling her ‘darling’. She is particularly kind to Jem after Bob Ewell’s attack. Even though she is prejudice, Aunt Alexandra’s prejudice doesn’t cause major problems for anyone in the novel, apart from annoying Calpurnia and the children.
Bob Ewell is not only the most prejudiced person in the story, but also the most evil. He lives with his eight motherless children in a shack near the town dump. He is unemployed, very poor and spends his welfare checks on whisky rather than food for his family. His children are never bathed or in good clothing. The Ewell children only go to school on the first day to get their records in. Bob Ewell is a genuinely nasty character in the novel. He represents the dark side of the south, ignorance, poverty, squalor, bigotry and hate filled racial prejudices. He is cruel to his children especially Mayella, he is a abuser of those weaker than himself. This is not a character to try to understand and certainly one should not want to wear his skin and walk around in it. In the novel, he serves as an antagonist to the Finches. Bob Ewell is so racist that he wants to rid the town of black people, as they are in his eyes inferior. Even though his fellow townsfolk ridicule him, sadly because he is white he still has the power with support of the white community to destroy an innocent black man. In court he is arrogant in his assumption that people will take a white man’s word over a black man’. He responds with lewd answers (even though Atticus has proved he is left handed) and is reprimanded by the judge several times. Despite Atticus’ great wisdom, he underestimates the depth of Bob Ewells wickedness which is to have serious repercussions at the end of the novel. Already highly prejudiced Bob Ewell does things for strange reasons. He spat in Atticus’ face because he did a good job of defending Tom Robinson. Bob wanted Atticus to retaliate so he can lower Atticus’name, of course, Atticus does not fight back, which only succeeds in making Bob angrier. Bob Ewells nastiness doesn’t just end with Atticus or the black community, he also tries to break in to judge Taylor’s house, but the worst thing he does is when he tries to attack Jem and Scout. This was a particularly horrible attack because the kids had never done anything to him and he knew the kids couldn’t retaliate with a grown man. Fortunately, Bob is another character who dies in the Book, therefore aiding the cause of Maycomb County becoming a better place.
Apart from the victims, most of the characters were prejudiced in the novel, yet their prejudice did not do anybody major harm in the novel, however the prejudice that Bob Ewell held caused very serious problems. To start of with it was he who not only physically but also emotionally bullied Mayella to falsely accuse Tom Robinson of raping her. Mayella Ewell cried rape because not only her father had forced her to, but also because she received regular beatings from Bob which psychologically left an impact on her and made her feel someone had to pay and that person was Tom Robinson. So Bob Ewells prejudice was to such an extent that he caused an innocent man to die, therefore along with most of Maycomb County he has Tom Robinson’s blood on his hand.
Both books contain a considerable amount of prejudice, however the prejudice in “Pride and Prejudice” is quite irrelevant while in “To Kill a Mockingbird” it is quite substantial.
Jane Austen has shown prejudice in a satirical manner while in to Harper Lee has shown its evil form. “Pride and “Prejudice” is about trivial themes like marriage, love and family life while in “To Kill a mockingbird” it is about evil, racial prejudice and discrimination which eventually grasps the life of a innocent man.