In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee confronts the idea that breaking social norms can result in prejudice. This is done through the insightful words of Miss Maudie and Atticus, and the hateful thoughts of the citizens of Maycomb. Scout, the protagonist and narrator, doesn’t quite understand why the people of Maycomb are so prejudiced, and this innocence is echoed throughout the whole book. In part one, Jem, Scout, and Dill try to meet Arthur Radley. Arthur got mixed up in the wrong crowd as a teen, and a charge against him resulted in his house arrest. Of course, a scandal like this leads some of Maycomb (including Jem, Scout, and Dill) to believe he has become a stir-crazy creep, who wanders around at night and terrorizes the neighbourhood. By being locked up, a prejudice around his character builds. Miss Stephanie Crawford, the county gossip, spreads the following about Arthur Radley: “Miss Stephanie Crawford said she woke up in the middle of the night one time and saw him looking straight through the window at her… said his head was like a skull lookin‘ at her,” (pg. 16). This quote, and many others from townspeople, demonstrates the fictitious thoughts that build up in people’s heads when an event changes ones thought about someone else. The second character that breaks social norms in this book is Atticus Finch. His determination to stand up against a white man in hopes of freeing a black man sets him apart from many of the citizens of Maycomb. When Atticus defends Tom Robinson, Atticus’s reputation changes. For townspeople who share the same views as him, Atticus is a proud man who isn’t afraid to stand up for those who need it.  A quote from Miss Maudie demonstrates this: “We’re the safest folks in the world,” said Miss Maudie, “we’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are. We’ve got men like Atticus to go for us” (pg. 288). In the eyes of people who don’t believe the same things as him, he is white man standing up for the wrong people, not defending a lady’s honour. He supports the people that they dislike most. This quote, from one of the court critics, explains the change in people’s attitudes towards Atticus: “Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend [Tom Robinson]. That’s what I don’t like about it” (pg. 218). This quote shows the conflict of many people’s thoughts towards Atticus. On one hand, they respect him for the hard work he does to defend the people, but on the other hand, they don’t understand why he is trying so hard to get him free. This conflict is the reason for the widespread suspicion surrounding Atticus, and shows that breaking social norms can result in prejudice.