When Ignorance Blooms...

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one of the most prominent themes is the idea of ignorance in people. Ignorance, being the condition of being uneducated or unaware, is apt to be found all throughout the citizens of Maycomb county, whether it is in the form of racism and prejudice against blacks during the trial of Tom Robinson, or playing a part in the Finch children's attitude and views of others. Although possibly an underdeveloped topic, this is one of the bases for much of the lesson. To Kill a Mockingbird is trying to convey to the readers of the book. Ignorance plays a large role in the story as a whole, giving it its presentation of swayed perspectives of morality and judgment in the community of Maycomb.

Even one little casual comment from child to child could be a remark of ignorance. This could still hurt the receiver, no matter how odd it seems. After catching Scout trying to beat up Walter Cunningham for starting her off on the wrong foot, Jem invited Walter to dinner at their house. After taking a great amount of time to consider Jem’s offer, Walter agreed to come over. During the dinner, Walter began to pour Molasses all over his meal, and Scout, who noticed this, was greatly disturbed. She then proceeded by interrupting him asking why he was doing that. She found his pouring of Molasses everywhere quite odd. Atticus tried to stop her from questioning Walter’s peculiar act, but Scout did not understand that she was embarrassing Walter and that it was impolite. Walter immediately became embarrassed and stopped. However, Calpurnia was furious at Scout for that comment. “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,” Cal told Scout privately, “but you ain’t called onto contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?” (Lee 24) She had not realized that different people do different things and that she hurt Walter by that comment. Even though other people do things differently, it is not wrong to question and contradict other people’s actions. If she had been aware, the whole situation would have never happened.

Though the older children are supposed to set good examples to their younger brother and sisters, but sometimes their ignorance gets the better of them. In one case, the readers of To Kill a Mockingbird discover how ignorant Jem was to Mrs. Dubose. When Jem and Scout were young, they would often pass Mrs. Dubose, an old lady who often yelled and interrogated regarding their behavior. She would often insult the children, saying that they would never amount to anything or how horrible they were. Jem would always get furious of what she said and Atticus would tell him that Mrs. Dubose was an incredibly old and sick lady. But one day, as Jem and Scout were heading towards the stores, Mrs. Dubose insulted their father. She said that their father was “no better than the niggers and the trash he works for.” (Lee 102) So, after coming from the stores, Jem’s anger overtook him and he grabbed Scout’s new precious baton and viciously attacked Mrs. Dubose’s Camellia bushes. Atticus discovered Jem’s treacherous act and Jem was punished- he had to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon. Finally, after a month from having stopped reading, they discovered that she had died. Atticus explained to his children that she was a morphine addict and she had died free- off of morphine. To die like that was very brave and Jem was too ignorant to realize what Mrs. Dubose was going through every day until Atticus explained to him.

Even though it may seem that children are more unaware, adults, perhaps, may be more ignorant. But, like everyone else they too can realize and stop before anything dangerous happens. One late night Atticus was “visiting” Tom Robinson at the Maycomb Jail. Jem, having found out about this