Racial Issues In To Kill A 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

How does racism affect a story? As a kid in the 1930s, Harper Lee grew up when there was hardly any equality for African Americans. Harper Lee’s only novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is heavily based off of prejudice and racism from her childhood. In her book, she writes about racial discrimination through the eyes of a six year-old girl, named Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, during the Great Depression. Her and her family are deeply tied into racism and prejudice involved throughout this story. Racism in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is ever apparent as the story is located in a small southern town in Alabama; it is reflected upon three of the main characters: Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, Jem Finch and their father, Atticus Finch.

The residents of Maycomb are extremely racist, so the treatment of African Americans is undeniably cruel. When Scout talks about going to school, there is no mention of any colored children in the classroom. Also, Scout says that African Americans walk on the other side of the street when passing the Radley house out of fear. The most inhumane example of racism in the book is Mr. Ewell falsely accusing Tom Robinson of raping his daughter Mayella. Mr. Ewell is the second least honorable white man in Maycomb, next to Dolphus Raymond. Although, the townspeople still believe Mr. Ewell’s fictitious accusation over a kind hearted African American man, despite knowing Tom’s true innocence. The treatment of African Americans in Maycomb is the most ruthless for no sincere reason aside from skin color. Finally, the last ring of the social hierarchy of Maycomb is the mixed populace. These are the children of an African American person and a white person. More specifically, Mr. Raymond and his female partner’s children are mixed. Jem explains to Scout that mixed children do not belong to the white community or the African American community, or are known as

Dubose. When Scout and her brother, Jem, attempt to defend their father she behaves ignorantly by their dad as “‘no better than the [negroes] and trash he works for’” because she has always been accustomed to keeping black people as inferior (117). Mrs. Dubose shows how racism has always thrived in Maycomb, and although her behavior of yelling at innocent children just for their dad’s job, nobody would stand against her because of her age and many agreed with her. Towards the end of the story, Scout sees Mr. Raymond, a white man with a black wife, outside the courtroom of her dad’s controversial case. Because of Mr. Raymond’s relationship he pretends to be an alcoholic since he believes society would “‘never, never understand that [he lives] like [he does] because [that is] the way [he wants] to live’” (228). The fact that Mr. Raymond has to pretend to be a drunk to be with the woman he loves shows how big a problem racism. The people of Maycomb do not understand Mr. Raymond's actions and try to push him away, leaving him as an outsider. Throughout the novel, racism divides society and pivots people against each other leaving the conclusion that if one wants to live in a peaceful world, the ideas of equality and acceptance must be spread and racism

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird perfectly depicts a town succumbed to the racism that existed in the deep south during the time. Lee shows how there are good-hearted people who want change, but there are also ignorant people who will try to do anything to go against it. Some residents of Maycomb hope to push for a change because they understand the way people do things is wrong. Tom Robinson is a man who represents the change people want to pursue due to his false conviction; yet, some people are too scared to be the change, so they hide behind fake problems. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a perfect representation of those who want change but instead flock and hide since he says “[secretly], Miss Finch, I’m not much of a drinker” (Lee 170). This

The book To Kill a Mockingbird is historical novel that takes place in the 1930’s. In the book the author, Harper Lee, uses three characters to show how many hateful and racist people are in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. These three characters show how the town is racist and hateful towards them or their way of life. Tom Robinson is one of the three characters that was treated hatefully because he was african american.

To Kill a Mockingbird Do you know what it’s like to go through racism? It’s one of the worst experiences anyone could ever go through. Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. “ I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”quoted by Martin Luther King Jr.

To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, tells the story of a little girl named Scout. Set in Alabama in the 1930s, Maycomb county, Scout’s home, is a sleepy place, that hides a dark streak of racism. Maycomb gets pulled into a whirlwind court case of sexual assault consisting of an African American man getting accused of beating and raping a white girl. Scout, whose father defended the African American, learns of the deep problems in society. Still in the mindset of constant racism, the jury ruled against the black man, even though the evidence clearly proved that the girl’s father beat her. Unfortunately, this racism survives today, and one only has to take a peek at the news, or a glance outside to notice it. Racism still exists today, as seen through brutality against

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the real truth about racism throughout the 1930s in the American South is exposed. Tom Robinson's upspring and outcome in his court trial portrays racism in Maycomb as an essential element in the county’s social law. The black community is introduced as more unvaluable, rundown area rather than the exceptional, white folk area. Dolphus Raymond is a man who hangs around black folks and shares “mixed” kids with his black wife; although Maycomb County doesn’t agree with his lifestyle.

In today’s society, very much identical to societies of the past, continue to be injustices in our world. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, an emphasis on the mistreatment of individuals due to the color of their skin in a southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. Throughout the novel clear of the prejudice towards colored people during the early 1900's through the characterizations of Tom Robinson, Dolphus Raymond, and Atticus Finch.

In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, that was written in 1960, the racial issues are a big part of the story. In the Tom Robinson case, the racial issue is what makes Atticus think he will lose the case. Tom is a black man accused of raping a white woman. In this time, a white man’s word was more trusted than a black man’s. The jury for the case was made of all white men so they would be against Tom. Also, it was a white woman which made the case worse. Blacks were looked down upon and did not have a say in the government. Atticus tries his best to defend Tom because he knows he can’t do anything due to the racial issues.

In Harper Lee's very fruitful novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the creator investigates the issue of equity utilizing the image of the mockingbird. Set in the 1930s Deep South - a period of extraordinary narrow mindedness and racial disparity - the novel unravels as a record of bad form to the most generous yet unreasonably blamed subjects for the town of Maycomb. The kind hearted, however African-American Tom Robinson is unjustifiably put on trial for the charged assault of youthful Mayella Ewell. In spite of racial treacheries, Boo Radley is defrauded by the group taking into account the unfair town legends the Maycombians have made about him, driving him to live in a state of banishment inside his home. Atticus Finch, in spite of the fact that

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

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee, introduces topics such as socioeconomic, gender, and racial discrimination in the town of Maycomb. Society plays a major role in the novel, almost as another character. This “character” shapes the town of Maycomb and its people.

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird the culture and events can be related to what is happening in our society today. Furthermore things such as abuse, discrimination, and peer pressure from the book are three real world problems that relate to today. Moreover, there are various examples of these three issues throughout the book and there is also things that relate to these issues in real life. Likewise, an issue from the book that relates to real life is abuse because in the book Mayella was abused by her father and abuse today can be in many forms such as child abuse, animal abuse, verbal abuse and more.