preview

Examples Of Racial Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Decent Essays
Open Document

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird prejudice is interwoven throughout the entire novel. There is black/white prejudice, prejudice against individuals in the town and even inside the Finch family. To Kill a Mockingbird was set in the 1930’s in a small town in Alabama called Maycomb County. The community as a whole is very racist. The novel is seen through the eyes of a young girl, which enhances the themes of developing prejudice.

Tom Robinson is a black man who in the novel has been accused of the raping of a white girl. It is quite obvious he did not commit this crime, but the all white jury refuses to believe a black man’s word over a white’s. A man named Atticus is Tom Robinsons defence attorney and is also the father of the young girl who is telling the story. Atticus does not believe there should be a difference between black and whites; so even though he is threatened and called a ‘nigger lover’ he proceeds to defend Tom Robinsons to give hum the best chance of getting out of this. Tom Robinson faced racial prejudice throughout the novel; Mr Gilmer treats him like he is …show more content…

In the 30’s it is seen as extremely wrong to do this. Almost everyone in the town judges him, he drinks alcohol to try and avoid these judgements. People in the town begin to think ‘he cant help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does’ 221. Even though he isn’t drunk and he actually just likes it, he does this to avoid racial prejudice from other town folks. This allows them to criticise him about things other than the obvious racial issues. Mr Raymond has chosen to live with a black woman and have a family with her, he has also chosen to ignore the racial and class categories of Maycomb County. This is not the traditional ways. Mr Raymond realises prejudice and racism are wrong and instead of going along with those traditions he choses to live outside of them and fights prejudice in his own

Get Access