The Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW defines discrimination as unfair treatment towards someone due to not conforming with a specific group. Numerous federal laws (legalisation) have been introduced. An example is the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 which covers discrimination faced in employment/occupation. Sex, race, marital, Homosexual, disability and transgender are types of discrimination categories which are considered to be against the law in NSW. The type of discrimination law that I have chosen is race which is violated and portrayed in the movie ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Racial discrimination refers to being unfairly treated due to your race, colour, ethnic background, nationality etc.
In ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, Atticus
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TKAM portrays society in the 20th century and ‘White Supremacy’ which is mainly shown through racial discrimination in the Tom Robinson’s case (based on the Scottsboro Trial). During the 1930s, Maycomb society was full of racial segregation, racial discrimination and standing up for a coloured man was against the societal expectations, ideals and ‘White Supremacy’. The movie depicts challenges Tom Robinson had to overcome regarding the ‘Jim Crow Laws’ in Maycomb society which affected the average working Afrcian-americans. Atticus Finch follows his heart and fights for the innocent Tom Robinson knowing that he is damaging his reputation, risking his family’s safety and has a slim chance of winning due to his client being ‘black’. Regardless of the unanimous evidence in favour of Tom Robinson being innocent but due to racial discrimination being common in the 1930s an innocent man was sentenced guilty. In Maycomb’s society in 1930s it was near impossible to receive a fair trial because white people were referred to be more superior than coloured. This is shown through the dialogue ‘In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins’ which is said by
The whole town of Maycomb is racist, which makes Atticus’s job harder trying to defend Tom Robinson against the word of a white man.Tom Robinson’s case is unjust since he is black and the majority of Maycomb revert to the stereotype that all blacks are immoral and criminals. “Quote” shows that it is a situation where little is possible to do when defending a black man because the town of Maycomb is deeply affected by racism they tend to only make decisions based on the race and so immediately think Tom Robinson is guilty, that he did indeed raped Mayella when there was so much evidence to prove otherwise. This is challenging for Atticus, since he has to persuade everyone to pretend there is no stereotype about blacks and that they are human
“: "Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal." This quote shows how Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of a crime that he didn’t commit but due to the culture of the setting, Maycomb Alabama, was not receiving a fair trial because of his skin color. This quote shows Atticus not caring about his color and loving him just because of who he is and wants to defend him from what he knows is an unfair trial.
Many people in the town of Maycomb think that Atticus doesn’t have a chance at winning the case because he’s defending a black person who everyone is racist against. Numerous people in Maycomb disliked Tom, and when Tom was being accused for something he hadn’t done, Atticus stepped in to help him. This caused the people to disliked Atticus too. The news eventually spread around town to the fact that basically everyone hated him. In the text, Francis states, “He’s nothin’ but a nigger-lover.”(110) This quote shows that Francis is averse to what Atticus is doing for Tom. He called Atticus a “nigger-lover” to Scout which caused her to punch him in the face. Things like this also made people dislike him and his family for acting so aberrant.
Racism is a horrible thing. Saying different nationalities are better than the other, saying colored people do not deserve the same rights as we white people is so degrading and just mean.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses Atticus Finch’s character and setting to describe the conflict of racism and Finch’s moral conviction to do the right thing. The setting takes place in the 1950’s in idyllic town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the time of segregation and prejudice, white people treated black people very unfairly. Atticus, the protagonist worked as a lawyer. Atticus believes all men are created equal and entitled to a fair trial no matter the color of a man’s skin. A black man Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman, named Mayella Ewells. Atticus chooses to defend him against the town’s wishes. The whole town is against Atticus, who believed Tom was innocent and entitled to a fair trial under the constitution. Tom Robinson didn’t have a fair trial because of his skin color. Everybody in the whole court had already judged him
Have you ever thought that people should be treated differently because of their race, color or religion? In this book Atticus, Scou,Jem Finch all try to stop rasism but it doesn’t work very well. They may all know the basics of right and wrong byut it wasent taught to them the proper way. They also learned definitions of rascism, honnor and integerty. They were all different ages and it was hard to describe to them all, what each on emenat on a level that they could understand. This book goes through all these different themes and how the kids handle it.
In this book “to kill a mockingbird” the book is place in 1900’s the kind of racism that takes place in the book doesn't happen today But was very common in those Times.Now African American are accepted like any other person.
Atticus explains to Jem that “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Lee 295 ). Atticus explain the justice system’s flaws to Jem, shows readers how racist people were in the 30’s. Therefore the novel does show some of the oppression that people of color were being forced to go through. During the trial, Tom Robinson says he ran from the Ewell house because “[he] was scared [he’d] hafta face up to what [he] didn't do” (Lee 265). Tom’s confession of his worried feelings of court prove how terrible and bias the southern justice system is. Even though Tom’s life before the trial was never mentioned in the novel, readers can still get a glimpse of the racist views in the south through his trial. Also at Tom’s trial, readers can “see the town of Maycomb in its worst light, willing to execute an innocent man for a crime he did not commit rather than question their belief in black inferiority and their social taboos about interracial relationships” (Felty). The trial truly shows the racist beliefs and the horrible lives African Americans were forced to live through with no freedom and fear of each new day. The novel does show some of the daily difficulties that African Americans went through and for that reason it should be looked upon as an example of racism in the south. Overall, the
Society has evolved since the time of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, causing racial bias to diminish and fair assessment under the law. Harper Lee uses the unnecessary judgement of Tom Robinson by the court to show racial bias in the government. Evidence of this includes a quote from Atticus Finch, "To begin with, this case should have never come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white." (Lee 219). This quote shows that the accused was falsely criticized due to racial bias in the governmental system, and Atticus is recognizing that the only reason this trial took place was because of Maycomb's racist tendencies. Though it does not appear as often, racial bias still occurs in the government presently. A quote from the article
Discrimination: unjust treatment of a different group of people or things. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, discrimination is visible. The one most identify with is racism, with a great deal of the story revolving Tom Robinson’s, a black man, jury case. Left in the shadows, though, is the prejudice of other characters, whom the community of Maycomb may find to be a bit on the outs. Whether it is their way of life or how they act, someone always pick up on it and calls them out. Atticus Finch is old compared to the rest of the parents of students at Scouts school, keeping him from activities like the Methodists vs Baptists football game. Boo Radley, making poor decisions as a teenager, is confined to his house twentyfour-seven and
“But now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruining’ the family, that’s what he’s doing’.” (Lee 110). The power of hatred is one so strong, that it imprisons the Finches and African Americans of Maycomb County. In Alabama of 1920 to 1930, segregation is an established action of the Southerners, it’s a lifestyle. The slurs passed from the mouths of white Southerners and ending with the shooting of a black man, the ways of Maycomb County are ones seen as either shocking or common in today’s eyes. To Kill A Mockingbird is an eminent novel by Harper Lee that illustrates the aspects of discrimination and prejudice, tolerance and courage during a time in America where racial inequality
When To Kill a Mockingbird was originally published in 1960, America saw the mixing of races in society as "immoral, dangerous, even ungodly" (Levy). Plessy v. Ferguson was an U.S. Supreme Court decision that made segregation constitutional under the idea of "separate but equal". Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car specifically made for blacks and he said that his rights were violated. But, the Supreme Court said it did not interfere with the 13th or 14th Amendments. Separate accommodations included bathrooms, water fountains, parks, cemeteries, theaters, and schools (“Plessy v. Ferguson” 1,2). The African Americans facilities were not run as well as the white facilities. Specifically, in To Kill a Mockingbird, the African Americans live in a type of wooden shed which was close to the town dump, thus proving that they were not treated with the same respect as white Americans (“Segregation Laws”). The novel clearly shows the racist culture in the South. Jim Crow laws were a prime example of the ideology of white people during this time. In North Carolina, whites and blacks were enrolled in the military separately. No one of color was permitted in rooms where there were white troops (“Jim Crow Laws” 4). Notably, it was very common that African Americans did not get a fair trial, as well as got accused for crimes they did not commit (“Segregation Laws” 2). With this in mind, Atticus is a personal hero to Tom Robinson, as Finch defends him during the peak of racism in America. Atticus has values that are common values of a classic hero. He is swayed by the goodness of his heart and conscience as he takes on his town in a seemingly unwinnable case (“Atticus Finch”). He wants to obtain justice for people with no voice in society, specifically Tom Robinson (“3 Important Leadership Lessons...” 2). Atticus shows an overwhelming amount of courage throughout the novel
After reading Go Set A Watchman, readers may change their opinion on Atticus Finch. In go set a watchman he seems like a much different man than he was before in to kill a mockingbird. Though some readers may for the opinion that Atticus is now a racist, I do not completely agree. I don't believe that Atticus is a racist person. I think that he just made racist comments and actions, and that is where he was at fault.
In Harper Lee’s historical novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the main protagonist, Atticus Finch, delivers his final argumentative response to not only prove the innocence of Tom Robinson, who was allegedly convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, but to address the inequality and immoral code of conduct against African-Americans faced in society. Finch’s purpose is to publicise the unethical treatment blacks receive from whites and to show that they should not be the culprit of society due to their race. He adopts a passionate and sincere tone in order to emphasize the discrimination African-Americans face in society to the people in the courtroom.
Racial injustice is a main theme throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. The Tom Robinson case specifically, demonstrates racial injustice. The court, and people of the town wanted Tom in jail only because he was African-American, and did not take any of the evidence into consideration. “I heard her say it’s time somebody taught ’em a lesson, they were gettin’ way above themselves, an’ the next thing they think they can do is marry us.” (Lee, 283). In this quote, Scout tells Jem about how she heard her teacher talking about Tom Robinson, saying he deserved to be in jail. This proves that the people of the town are racist towards African-Americans. This was common for a town in Alabama during this time period.