Index To Kill a Mockingbird and Jasper Jones: a comparative essayContext, purpose, audienceGenre expectationsRacismConclusion To Kill a Mockingbird and Jasper Jones: a comparative essayThe focus of a comparative essay can be to compare and contrast two pieces of literature, and this is the case of the comparative essay To Kill a Mockingbird and Jasper Jones. Harper Lee's inaugural novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is often compared to the film adaptation of Rachel Perkin's Jasper Jones due to its portrayal of harsh racism in the small town of Maycomb and Corrigan. The context of being an outsider and not fitting into society's typical stereotypes is explored through the use of the main characters Scout and Charlie and social tension. This large social tension is then explored through smaller tensions such as gender expectations, isolation, racism and family differences. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayContext, Purpose, AudienceHarper Lee and Rachel Perkins explore the fundamental truths of racism, gender expectations, and isolation through a child's perspective in Jasper Jones and To Kill a Mockingbird. Focusing on the 1960s, both writers follow the childhoods of two isolated but adventurous children to show readers the way racism affects everyone. Known as “A Decade of Promise and Heartbreak,” the 1960s allowed both authors to share the truth about how brutal racism had become and still is. Looking through the lens of a child shows the innocence and honesty of their uneducated minds; not knowing why people of color were segregated from the rest of the community. To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on the perspective of Scout, a young and spirited child who sees many questions, aiming to explore such an incredible concept in America: why people of color have never had justice. Next, Jasper Jones, directed by Rachel Perkins, focuses on similar themes. It follows the journey of two conflicted young teenagers – Charlie and Jasper – who set out to find out who "killed" Laura Wishart. Similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, Jasper Jones explores the thoughts of Charlie, once again a child who cannot understand why Jasper (an indigenous Australian) has been convicted of misbehavior he never committed. Charlie would soon find out, the convictions were based on one thing: racism. Rachel Perkins is Australian and directed the film Jasper Jones with the aim of entertaining the audience, describing to them the hope of a cultural transformation throughout Australia, which many years later has become more welcoming. Harper Lee, American novelist and author of To Kill a Mockingbird, also wrote with the same purpose as Perkins. Lee wanted readers to see that the justice system in the 1960s was not discriminatory and that everyone should see things through the eyes of an innocent child. To Kill a Mockingbird and Jasper Jones present similar ideas, an ethnic romance and a thrilling film, both entertaining and informing. Charlie and Scout's perspective is knowingly similar, due to their backgrounds and involvement in the racism faced in the 1960s. The audience for both types of texts is largely aimed at Westerners. Focused primarily on those with an interest in culture and racism and those seeking information on cultural differences. Additionally, both texts delve into the effects of racism on young children and understanding them. Gender expectationsBoth the protagonists of Jasper Jones (Charlie) and To Kill a Mockingbird (Scout) are classified as "outsiders" in the small towns they occupy, their characterization is represented in a way that does not justify the gender preconception. Both Lee and Perkins characterize their main characters to go against the regimes of their respective gender roles. Scout is written as lacking general feminine qualities, always wearing overalls, never introducing himself formally, and would never be caught not socializing with Jem and Dill. In contrast, Charlie is seen wearing reading glasses, too large for his face, and the top button of his shirt is always undone. This shows us that Charlie lacks the athleticism and physical build that a "typical teenager" should always have. This is evident when Charlie falls while trying to escape out the window. Charlie's "irregularity" is less criticized in Corrigan than in the Maycomb scouts, but both are still sincerely classified as outsiders. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout's childhood is based on the taunts of the older women around her. Most women classify her as "shameful" and often complain that she should only be dressed in a "...dress and a tank top..." Furthermore, Charlie's uniqueness is never ignored by Corrigan's occupants, not even Jasper - an outsider himself - says Charlie, "...is an outsider like [him]." However, the scouts' incompetence in adapting to their respective gender roles is much more emphasized in To Kill a Mockingbird. Both Vintage Lee and Rachel Perkins use specific characteristics for both Charlie and Scout to emphasize the gendered preconceptions in the towns of Maycomb and Corrigan that have led them both to become outsiders. Through both types of text, we are able to understand that gender preconceptions have rarely changed since the 1960s. Racism To Kill a Mockingbird and Jasper Jones focus exclusively on the theme of racism and the fact that innocent people were convicted of crimes they did not commit based on their backgrounds. Both Lee and Perkins show readers that not only those who were POC, but those associated with POC were considered inferior. This is demonstrated when Atticus, a lawyer, who was the lawyer of a black person, was mocked while doing his job. One day, confronting Scout, Mrs. Dubose said, "Your father [Atticus] is no better than the nigger and trash he works for!" Not only was Atticus reprimanded for this, but so was Mr. Dolphus. Jem, a young teenager, criticized him for his affiliation with "blacks", especially when he was seen having romantic connections with some black women. Jem stated that, “He likes [blacks] better than us [whites], I guess.” However, with Jasper Jones it wasn't just blacks who were despised, but other races as well. It is obvious that minorities should not "prove" their worth to the community, Perkins intends to demonstrate that whites can overcome racism through admiration and respect for the actions of others. First, Jasper earns grudging respect from the residents of Corrigan for his soccer skills. Instead, Charlie's Vietnamese best friend, Jeffery Lu, known as "Cong" by his teammates, finally wins over his teammates with a winning performance. However, we all know that this kind of respect can be fragile: knowing that someone is only valuable when they do something exceptional, then they are not considered valuable as a human being. This is demonstrated when Jasper Jones never stops being Corrigan's scapegoat, and when Jeffery's father is beaten only hours after his "...superb...".