Wiley - Characterization Essay

     In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird,  Jem and Scout learn right from wrong through many events, but Atticus specifically teaches them about treating people as equal. Atticus himself shows this by defending Tom Robinson, letting Jem and Scout go to the First Purchase Church, and treating Mayella Ewell with respect even though he knows that she is lying.
     The main event in the book is the Tom Robinson trial. Tom was a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus made the right decision trying to defend Tom, even though he was black. " The court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. p. 163" . Blacks were treated like dirt back then and Atticus stepped up to the plate and did his best to defend that Tom was innocent. Maybe this taught Jem and Scout to treat others equally    
     The Finch Family had a black women by the name Calpurnia that was the house maid. On Sundays she attended the First Purchase Church. Jem and Scout wanted to go with her and see what negro church was like. None of the people knew how to read so they had a man read the hymnals so they would repeat them. "Zeebo cleared his throat and read in a voice like the rumble of distant artillery..... Miraculously on pitch, a hundred voices sang out Zeebo's words. p. 121" When they came home, they told Atticus and he was okay with it. This showed the children that it didn't matter the color of your skin on whether or not they should hang out with them.
     So during the trail, Mayella Ewell was called to the podium. Atticus was asking her questions about what had happened the night of the rape. He knew that Mayella was lying but still was treating her with respect. "You're a strong girl, what were you doing all the time, just standing there? p. 187" That showed how Atticus knew she was lying and therefore unintentionally showed Jem and Scout that they need to treat all people with respect. This came into effect when they were talking to Dolphus Raymond. He told them he actually didn't drink and that he preferred blacks. The children didn't judge him and put him a bad spot, but looked at him with a little bit of a more open mind.
     The Tom Robinson case, the First Purchase Church, and Mayella Ewells incident showed Jem and Scout to treat people as equal all the time. That is why Atticus specifically teaches them right from wrong through events in the story.