In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, and John Steinbeck's novella, Of Mice and Men, shows how people during the 1930-60’s had to have courage. Without courage, people wouldn't be able to defy the many different forms of prejudice and racism shown during the 1930-60’s such as abstaining mentally ill patients from Psychiatric hospitals and whites defying social expectations by supporting the African American, Civil Rights Movement. Amid the 1930-60’s, courage was a common attribute seen throughout the populace yet most people had to keep it. During the 1930’s, if you were considered different, you were treated differently. Not only did these affect minorities, but handicapped people, as well as people who suffered from mental illnesses,…show more content… Harper Lee used the character Atticus to indicate how challenging societal prejudice needs courage. In To Kill a Mockingbird, amid Scout's day at school, Scout stirs up some dust with a schoolmate, Cecil Jacobs after Cecil shouts that Scout's father (Atticus) protects negros. Atticus has been requested to protect Tom Robinson, a colored man blamed for assaulting a white lady, Mayella Ewell, a devastated young lady living with her intoxicated oblivious father. It is a case he can't want to win, however, he reveals to Scout that he should contend it to maintain his feeling of equity and confidence. “‘If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it ?’ “For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again. (Lee 100).”’ In the mix with a sense of self-respect and courage, Atticus protects Tom Robinson as though he was some other man. He doesn't see Tom Robinson as a colored man which is what society sees him as yet an equal. He indicated courage by disregarding the societal pressures of his general public defending Tom Robinson as an equal and if he somehow managed to "fit in' with society's desires, he wouldn't put any exertion into defending Tom Robinson and simply enable the jury to see him just by his color and pronounce him guilty for a crime he never committed. Not only does Harper Lee talk about Racial Prejudice, however, she likewise discusses how individuals judge you in view of rumors that they hear. Harper Lee uses the character, Boo Radley, the most mysterious character in, To Kill a Mockingbird, who is detained in the “Radley House” until Bob Ewell tries to kill Jem. After a Halloween party which was thrown by the Women of Maycomb, Scout,
