There are many great works of literature; what makes them great is a subject of debate. However, common themes in literature include those of justice, identity, and culture, particularly regarding race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religion. One work that ties almost all of these themes together is Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The story was published in 1960, when racial tension and segregation were rife in America. It is a tale with several protagonists, including Atticus Finch, a lawyer representing an African American man accused of rape, and Tom Robinson, the accused man. Finch’s children Scout and Jem are also central to the novel, as is a shadowy figure named Boo Radley, whose true character is only revealed at the end. The novel is gripping on many levels, most of all because it represents a time of political turmoil in U.S. history that is sometimes denied or underplayed by American citizens. Several hard-hitting aspects of the book become crystal clear to the reader. These include several facts. Firstly, it becomes evident by the close of the trial that Mayella Ewell has unjustly accused an African American of rape. It seems equally clear that this is due to the indoctrination and
physical and sexual abuse she has been subjected to by her family, particularly by her father.
Additionally, Atticus Finch is revealed to be a character of great integrity who takes on a case that he realizes from the outset he is destined to lose because he wishes to uphold the principles of justice and his own ethical values. Tom Robinson is shown to be a kind and empathetic man that probably showed Mayella the most kindness she had ever experienced in her life, to his detriment. In contrast, Mayella appears to be a deeply damaged victim of abuse controlled and dominated by the male figures in her life, even though her show of affection towards Tom implies that she secretly wished to find a way out of her reality. Boo Radley is especially interesting, as he is white and from a middle-class family, yet his disability has entirely isolated him from society, although it becomes evident by the end of the story that Boo is a genuinely loyal soul with a heart of gold. Not only that, his differences have made the entire community see him as a monster. There is a parallel between Boo’s treatment by society and the unjust legal treatment of Tom Robinson, who is found guilty of Mayella’s rape despite Atticus presenting convincing proof that he was not the aggressor. Both characters are vilified by society because they are from marginalized sectors. They are unjustly judged and only supported by a few loyal and courageous individuals.