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Consequences Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

Decent Essays

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

In the 1930’s Alabama was the most prominent state in America for racism. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee takes place in the 1930’s in Maycomb Alabama. The main characters are Scout, Jem and their father Atticus Finch, as well as a man named Tom Robinson. The novel is about Tom Robinson being accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus is Tom’s attorney in court and tries to prove to Judge Taylor that Tom is innocent and tries to protect Tom’s life from the crime he never committed. Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee reveals what the consequences are when there is racism in a society.

The first consequence of there being racism in a society is Scout, Jem and Atticus get made fun of and are hated by people in the community. The people of Maycomb begin to say hurtful and racist things to not only Atticus but to his children as well. For example, in chapter 11 on page 135 as Scout is walking past Mrs. Dubose’s house, she says to Scout “Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works for”. This shows that the people who do not approve of Atticus defending a black man are taking their anger out and showing racism on the whole family. They see the Finch family as more of a lowlife family now because they are on Tom Robinson's side. The people who think Atticus is wrong in defending Tom, don’t really know the truth which is Tom is innocent and never raped Mayella. Throughout the novel they have

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