Jasper Jones: Justice, Agency, and Perspective Akhila Muraleekrishnan 11th Grade

Justice in society is the ultimate destination for those who wish to uphold the truth; however, morality is contradicted by an individual’s choice to be uninvolved when personal serenity is at stake. The novel Jasper Jones upholds this idea through the portrayal of silent bystanders as the driving force that powers the events of injustice that take place in Corrigan. Ultimately, this dilemma is revealed to the audience through the lens of Charlie Bucktin's experiences, which act as a catalyst in assisting him piece together the reality that achieving justice is not always a clear-cut matter.

Breakdowns within relationships are spurred into being by the inability of individuals to acknowledge their personal liability and condemn others of their misdemeanors. As Charlie witnesses his mother’s accumulating verbal abuse towards his father's misbehavior, he understands how his mother attempts to feed her dissatisfaction in life by criticizing those around her: “She called him a poor parent, a useless husband. She accused him of not caring for either me or her.” However, since Charlie's father stays uninvolved in order to restore peace, he is allowing injustice to linger; in fact, he is ironically being scapegoated as the excuse for...