The Likelihood of Good Being Defeated as Supported by Literature: An Examination of Good and Evil in 1984 and to Kill a Mockingbird

According to popular works in the literary world, Walker Percy's statement, "In this world goodness is destined to be defeated," is valid. The Tom Robinson trial in Harper Lee's sensational novel, To Kill a Mockingbird supports Percy's theory. George Orwell's novel, 1984, served as a grim warning to the world of the impending validity of Percy's belief. Whether in acts of prophesy or recalling the past, the belief that all general benevolence in the world is destined to be crushed is a belief which is significantly supported, especially by Harper Lee and George Orwell's world-famous classic novels.

George Orwell looked upon future generations with a pessimistic view. In 1984, the nightmare of government ruling the public in every aspect (be it physically, mentally, or emotionally) had come true. His novel predicted that evil in the world would eventually have all power over personal freedom, benevolence, and independence. Orwell felt remorse for the path down which human nature was leading, and tried to make it so that statements such as Percy's might be a thing of the past.

In contrast to a dismal prediction of the victory of malevolence over good, the Tom Robinson trials in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird served as evidence to Walker Percy's statement. The most significant "mockingbird" in the novel, Tom Robinson, had his life taken away, due to the unjust conquering of racism over Atticus's and a few others's way of life in the town of Maycomb, Alabama in Southern America. Harper Lee's novel, rather than warning the future generations of harm, served as a "wake up call" to the present society to bring about both immediate and gradual changes civil society.

Walker Percy's statement, "In this world goodness is destined to be defeated," in the literary and realistic world, is a sadly supported statement. It is unfortunate, but a practical truth that evil has the power of hysteria, and of having a maddening-effect on the minds of society, to conquer innocence, freedom, and good will.