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Essay / Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird, Obesity: The Last Bastion of Prejudice and a Bridge to Wiseman's Cove
Prejudice is a preconceived opinion or judgment without proper knowledge or consideration of the facts. I learned that prejudice is unfair and leads to intolerance, discrimination and racism. These aspects of prejudice are illustrated in the texts “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee, “Obesity: The Last Bastion of Prejudice” by Sahale Flanagan, and “A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove” by James Moloney. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayIntolerance towards particular groups of people based on prejudice and racism is found in Harper's “To Kill a Mocking Bird” Lee. Atticus takes a case to defend a black man in a city where black people are segregated and looked down upon. This causes the entire town to turn against him and even his children because they can't accept that one of their own is defending someone they hate. “Your daddy (Atticus) is a disgrace, and that nigger should be hung from the water tank!” (p84) Due to the extreme racism deeply rooted in the community, public displays of intolerant behavior are accepted in the town. Similarly, the article Obesity: The Last Bastion of Prejudice by Sahale Flanagan illustrates intolerant attitudes towards the obese based on stereotypical views. She uses the personal experience of a woman who experienced a sudden change in attitude toward herself due to a 150-pound weight gain. "...my children were embarrassed, my friends felt sorry for me, and strangers were shamelessly disgusted by my presence." - Leslie LampertUsing personal experience, Flanagan shows the other side of the story and is able to highlight prejudice against the obese by invoking guilt and sympathy in the reader. Flanagan also uses the 2nd person to be confrontational and direct in order to demonstrate the stereotypical and intolerant views of obese people. In this way, she makes the viewer feel responsible and uncomfortable. “You probably think she smells bad, you pity her, you ridicule her…” These texts illustrate how intolerance based on prejudice is destructive and unjust. many places in "To Kill a Mocking Bird", notably with the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom is a black man who is discriminated against due to racial prejudice. He is convicted of a crime despite all the evidence suggesting his innocence, because it would be a threat in a community that views blacks as lower class, if the word of a black man were taken over that of two white people . better than a black man, who are you better then? » p186Harper Lee creates a solemn atmosphere during Tom's verdict to emphasize the injustice and discrimination of the judgment. By using long sentences detailing each individual's movements, she creates a depressed atmosphere, waiting for the inevitable. "The foreman handed a piece of paper to Mr. Tate who handed it to the clerk who handed it to the judge...guilty...guilty...guilty..." p233 Similarly, in "A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove" by James Moloney, Carl Matt is assumed to be a troublemaker and is not welcome in Wattle Beach simply because he has the name Matt. Throughout the novel there are many overtones of discriminatory attitudes towards Carl due to an incident in the past regarding his grandfather who was a Matt. "I never thought I'd see this, Joy Duncan defending a Matt." P85This discrimination is particularly evident when Carl tries to find a job on the barge. Moloney uses an attitude contrast309)