Importance of Enlightment Ideals in To Kill A Mockingbird essays

Importance of Enlightment Ideals in To Kill A Mockingbird essays The French Revolution was a time of immense refinement that lasted from 1789 to 1815. During this period, new ideas of natural laws based on reason influenced the minds of individuals and political affairs. The attempt to provide rational explanations was called the Enlightenment. These thinkers began to advocate changes and reforms. The reforms were referred to as the Enlightenment ideals and were used to perfect society. The Enlightenment ideals consist of equality towards all people, against cruel and unusual punishment, tolerance towards others, natural rights, will of the majority, and the idea people are basically good. Harper Lee created a novel which flashbacks to the Enlightenment ideals. Her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960 about Scout Finchs childhood and the struggle of Maycombs society in the 1930s. The key Enlightenment ideals and beliefs are highly palpable in Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The ideals of equality, toleration of others, and po sitive view of human nature are illustrated despite Maycombs propensity to degrade individuals. Throughout her novel, Lee conveys the importance of equality among all people and races. Due to Maycombs lack of equality, the differences in social classes of the society are both irrational and destructive. Lee uses the childrens confusion to evaluate the equality in Maycombs society, ultimately, the prejudice in human relations. Aunt Alexandra replies to Scout, Because he is trash, thats why you cant play with him. Ill not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what, when she asks to play with Walter Cunningham (Lee 225). Equality towards all people regardless of their background or color is vital and is the basis of the Enlightenment and of the novel. The implication of equal treatment among people is intertwined with having to ...