Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a highly regarded work of American fiction. The story of the novel teaches us many lessons that should last any reader for a lifetime. The messages that Harper Lee relays to the reader are exemplified throughout the book using various methods. One of the most important and significant methods was the use of symbols such as the mockingbird image. Another important method was showing the view through a growing child's (Scout Finch) mind, eyes, ears, and mouth. There is another very significant method that was used. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the effects of irony, sarcasm, and hypocrisy to criticize a variety of elements in Southern life.

Harper Lee employs the effects of irony in To Kill a Mockingbird as a way to criticize the deficiency of public education. "Now tell your father not to teach you any more. It's best to begin reading with a fresh mind." (pG. 22) Instead of praising Scout's ability to read at an advanced level, Miss Caroline discourages it. This ironic example set by Miss Caroline seems to demonstrate the inadequate training that she had received for her occupation. Miss Caroline seems to have been instruc

Unjustified discrimination, undoubtedly on of the main, key concepts of To Kill a Mockingbird, is a large element in which Harper Lee employs the effects of irony, sarcasm, and hypocrisy in criticizing it. "He ain't company, Cal, he's just a Cunningham-" (pg. 29) This is one of the first times in which Scout Finch encounters unjustified discrimination, and sadly, she fails to recognize it. When everybody invited to one's house should be considered "company," Scout redefines it as "people more important than a Cunningham." Although she is at a rather young age, she already regards people as socially inferior. Mrs. Merriweather spent an afternoon at the Missionary Circle complaining about the plight of the poor Mrunas in Africa, but just a few moments later, she states, "Might've looked like the right thing to do at the time, I'm sure. I don't know, I'm not read in that field, but sulky...dissatisfied... I tell you if my Sophy'd kept it up another day I'd have let her go." (pg. 235) It is amazing that Mrs. Merriweather does not recognize her seemingly straightforward hypocrisy. Just a short while ago, she was complaining about the poor Mrunas in Africa not receiving enough help, then she does a complete turn-around and complains about Atticus Finch helping out the blacks in Maycomb. The use of Mrs. Merriweather's hypocrisy greatly helps in Harper Lee's denouncement and criticism of unjustified discrimination. "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home." (pg. 249-250) Scout had already heard Miss Gates say that it was "time somebody taught 'em (the blacks) a lesson." Miss Gates is so engulfed in the myth of white superiority that she does not even remotely recognize her hypocrisy when she denounces Hitler and says that persecuting anybody is wrong. Apparently in Miss Gate's case, blacks aren't "anybody." By having Scout ask that curious question to Jem, it is then implied that Scout is still young, she has not yet been effected by the myth of white superiority. She still has the ability to reason out the hypocrisy i

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Approximate Word count = 1401
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)