As Benjamin Franklin once said: “The strictest law sometimes becomes the gravest injustice.” » This quote means that the harshest laws can result in the greatest injustice to citizens. In To Kill A Mockingbird, society looks down on African Americans and defending African Americans is like killing someone in that type of society. The problem is how African Americans have been treated so differently and so poorly in an all-white justice system and in everyday life. Also, how people defending an African American were treated very differently than white people. (COUNTERCLAIMER HERE) Harper Lee illustrates the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird by developing tolerant characters. Dubose treats the children very badly, just as they pass his house. In the book, Scout and Jem drive through town and pass Mrs. Dubose's house. As Mrs. Dubose says to Scout, "Don't say hello to me, you naughty girl!" You say hello Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is rude to Scout just because Scout says hello to her. This is an injustice because Scout has never done anything to him other than being friendly in passing. Scout, however, does not know that Mrs. Dubose is dying and tries not to take morphine. In the book, Atticus defends an African American in court and no one likes it, including Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose makes crude comments to Scout and Jem about Atticus: "Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works for." This shouldn't have been said because Atticus is trying to be a good person. Back then, even talking to an African American could get you into terrible trouble. In the book, after a rude comment Mrs. Dubose made, Jem cut all her flowers with a stick he bought for Scout. After this event... middle of paper ... Walter is trash. Walter has just been called trash because of his social class. Aunt Alexandra is very rude about the whole thing. The trial had been very unfair and it was for this reason that Scout began to become aware of the injustice of society. “There is something in our world that makes men lose their minds: they couldn't be righteous if they tried. In our courts, when the word of a white man is opposed to that of a black man, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but they're facts of life. This is not justice because no matter how much evidence proves that African Americans are not guilty, the African American will always be the one blamed while the white person gets away with it. As Benjamin Franklin said, the strictest law prohibiting the acceptance of certain people into society becomes the greatest injustice that can occur. Works Cited To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee