“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and makes the present inaccessible” (Angelou). Maya Angelou illustrates the destructive nature of prejudice and the effects it can have on society. His childhood took place primarily in the 1930s, a period also known as the Depression era where racism dictated the lives of many African Americans, as Harper Lee describes in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Martin Luther King Jr., a supporter of black rights during the Depression era, describes in his essay “An Experiment in Love” how Christian love, or “agape,” sparked the African-American nonviolent movement. The novel is told through the point of view of a 6-year-old girl, Scout, and centers on two innocent figures, Arthur Radley, a social outcast, and Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape, who are persecuted because of the prejudicial vision of social life. the city. As he matures and learns about the city, he begins to develop ideas and make judgments about the people in the city. Atticus Finch, Scout's father, takes to court to defend Tom Robinson, who is wrongly accused and convicted of the rape of a white woman and ultimately escapes, only to be shot by prison guards. Despite the open communication present in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, there is a shortage of love, as the author illustrates that social prejudice is inevitable and leads to discrimination. The value of communication is often stifled by the stubbornness shown by society, which leads to rejection and devaluation of its benefits. Martin Luther King describes in detail the power that communication can have in his essay “An Experiment in Love”: “A second fundamental fact characterizing nonviolence is that it does not seek to defeat or h...... middle of paper . ....a society that easily turns into a society driven by hate. In conclusion, despite the communication that Despite the open communication present in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there is a shortage of love, as the author illustrates that social prejudice is inevitable and leads to discrimination. Communication in society is stifled by the closed nature of prejudiced societies, and ultimately results in discrimination. The author argues that a closed and partial mindset can easily spread and destroy communities. Lee emphasizes traits of open-mindedness and tolerance, two traits that “create a beloved community.” Communicating with others can create tolerance within a community and prevent the creation of prejudice in society. We can see this concept play out in real life REAL LIFE EXAMPLES AND THINGS AFTER k.Works Citeddfsdfsdf