Prejudice And Racism In The Jim Mockingbird

Racism is something that most people would claim they do not believe in or support; however, as clearly shown in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, racism is a disease that spreads through a region and worsens as time goes on. Racism is an issue that is still prevalent in the American society today, and Harper Lee’s timeless novel continues to teach the lesson that one needs to look beyond the color of another man’s skin and see them for who they truly are. Mr. Raymond’s conversation with Dill after Tom Robinson’s testimony initially shows that racism is better comprehended with age. He says, “Let him get a little older and he won’t get sick and cry… Cry about the hell white people give to colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people too” (Lee, 1960, p. 269). Here, it becomes clear that children can be naive to racism and the evil in the world, but as they continue to grow up in an area that feels so strongly about white supremacy, they become immune to the injustice and prejudice. Further, Mr. Raymond’s words allow the reader to better understand the severity of the racism in Maycomb and the entirety of the country. It also unveils a crucial theme in the novel, namely that one must consider a person of color to be no different from oneself, as all humans are equal. Additionally, racism is repeatedly referred to as a disease in the novel, which is explained when Atticus is talking to Uncle Jack about the trial and he says “‘... I hope and pray I can get

During the 1930’s depression, there was a great divide between black and white America. There were many communities and groups who had been exposed to the same treatment and persecution as the Negroes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee has used a small town setting, such as that in To Kill a Mockingbird, to illustrate America’s views on white supremacy and the inferiority of the black race. The author has illustrated view that are expressed world-wide through her characters in Maycomb county.

Folks." Scout was trying to say that all people are created equal. No one, by nature, is superior to anybody else. This is a very contrary view to what most people believed at that time, especially in the South. There was prejudice between races and prejudice between families. The most obvious theme of the book is racism. Staged in the early 1930’s in southern Alabama, racism was still undeniably present. Even though the amendments which freed slaves and gave them rights were passed more than sixty years prior, the culture of the south intertwined with racism. Interracial marriages were illegal. Different races could not attend the same schools. It was the law that whites and blacks could not even be put together in the same jail cells. Looking at these things, one can only imagine the upheaval when a Negro was accused of raping a white woman: but did this stop Atticus from standing up for justice? No, it didn’t. He knew perfectly well how criticizing eyes would view the case; no matter how glaring the evidence was, the people wouldn’t accept an African American’s word over a white man’s. Atticus saw all people as equal, regardless of their skin color and he knew what was the right thing to do. He was a friend and ally to the African American community and they respected them for it. Another example is the Cunningham family. When Walter comes over for lunch, Scout criticizes him but

Scout’s school did not stress the importance of equality, and it showed in the town’s ignorance. But, Scout did not let school taint her perception of others, and she believed “everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’. That Walter’s as smart as he can be he just gets held back [...]. Nothing’s wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” (Lee 304). Scout’s friend was going to get held back in school because he was poor and unable to attend as often. She stood up for him, because she thought everyone deserves an equal chance. However, a place that did not give everyone an equal chance was the courtroom where Atticus defended a black man accused of a crime he did not commit. After losing the case, Atticus consoles his children and tells Scout and Jem that “as you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, or how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295). While others may see a situation such as this and say that the black man was at fault, Atticus sees through the color of a man’s skin. He wants to make sure his children do this, too. Growing up in the south, racism was expected to be seen. But, just because something is common does not make it right. Atticus made it a priority to teach his

The prejudice seen in the fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee corresponds with the real narrow-mindedness during this time period. A fair trial would be unlikely during this time period between a white and a black man. Tom Robinson was presumed guilty because of his race.

Is Stereotyping and racism truly wrong? In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee six year old Scout Finch, and her older brother Jem, live with their father in cozy Maycomb, Alabama. They love to spend time with their close friend Dill, and also spy on their mysterious and reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. Later Atticus, there widowed father, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against fabricated rape charges from the Ewell family, exposing the children to the evil of stereotyping and racism in the South. Throughout the trial Atticus taught his children to respect others, no matter what action they were accused of committing. Atticus lived by the theme respect others, protect the innocent, and always take a moral stance.

The history of prejudice is deep-rooted in Western culture. This deep-rooted prejudice is clearly shown in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Lee emphasizes this by explaining that prejudice is always detrimental to a community, such as Maycomb. She demonstrates this by showing prejudice as detriment through racism and sexism. Racism is detrimental to the community of Maycomb.

“Race prejudice is not only a shadow over the colored it is a shadow over all of us, and the shadow is darkest over those who feel it least and allow its evil effects to go on.” One of the major themes of Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is that prejudice and racism can greatly corrupt a person and cause them to do evil things. In Harper Lee’s novel, Atticus Finch is a lawyer in Maycomb County, a small Southern town where racism and prejudice is common. Atticus is charged with defending a colored man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman. Atticus also has two kids, Jem and Scout, and is a single father.

We as humans have a predisposition to separate ourselves from things we don't understand and the things we find to be different than ourselves. Harper Lee has done a good job of capturing this instinct, and showing the reader the evolution of prejudice amongst humans and how it can impact our society. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the most important theme found is Prejudice plays a big role in human interaction.

People are criticized and placed on the fringe of society for many different reasons, but the effect is all the same. Harper Lee noticed that the world around her had a very negative way of looking at people who were not perfect. She took action during the 1960s and wrote a book (set in the 1930s) that teaches a simple lesson: prejudice is everywhere. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee accurately displays prejudice within communities and people groups by using the ideas of racism, sexism, and social status.

For many years, Boo Radley has been a source of fascination for the children of the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. Scout and Jem Finch are siblings who live with their father, Atticus. Along with Dill, who visits his aunt in Maycomb every summer, Scout and Jem spend much of their time trying to catch a glimpse of Boo. Even though they often find evidence that Boo is around, they never catch sight of him. Along with their hunt for Boo, Scout and Jem are faced with harassment from their classmates at school. Their father is an attorney in their small town. He has taken on the case of a black man accused of raping a white woman. The prejudice attitudes of the townspeople make life uncomfortable for the Finch family in Harper Lee's classic

names’s Tom Robinson”. Discuss the effects of racism on Maycomb citizens such as Tom and Helen Robinson,

Prejudice is a big factors in our everyday lives. People making opinions without knowledge. We see this almost anywhere in the world. The one thing everyone can't stand, but yet do it themselves. Prejudice in our world is so common that people have been blinded towards how and when they use it. But what was it like in the past? In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” we can see that this problem is quite visible. The characters Boo Radley and Atticus Finch are both sufferers of prejudice. It disturbed them in different ways, but in the end ruined them.

Shortly after Atticus takes on the case of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman the extent of the towns prejudice even extends to Scout’s elementary school class. Cecil Jacobs one of Scout's classmates, insults Atticus and then offers his opinion on what should happen to Robinson. “He had announced in these schoolyards the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended N******(74)”. The next day Cecil goes after Atticus again. ‘“My folk said your daddy was a disgrace an’ the n***** oughta hang from the water-tank!”’ (75). The extent of the radical view expressed by Cecil, his parents and undoubtedly of the other townspeople that “the n***** oughta hang” (75) shows that even before the trial has begun public opinion has shifted against Tom solely based on his skin. These quotes how the rising resentment against Atticus representing a black

I have read “To Kill a Mockingbird” in this “your choice” novel unit. One theme I discovered was prejudice. I’m not sure if that would be considered one but in my head it is. Plus, I know that it’s a big problem throughout the entire book. You have a white women (Miss. Mayella Ewell) accusing a African-American male (Tom Robison) of raping her, in which she lied, in case we figure out that she’s lying ourselves as we read through Scout’s point of view, though the court rules in Mayella’s favor because that would always happen back then. Where being prejudice comes into play is, everyone seemed to be against Tom, expect a few who support him, who includes Atticus, but he couldn’t do anything about it because Tom was African American.