Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a complex literary work exploring several aspects of the human condition. Lee’s story is one based in the 1930’s, shortly before the Civil Rights Movement. Her novel ventures into the societal issues, such as racism and gender stereotyping, in their fictional town, Maycomb. One recurring theme throughout the narrative is the social adjustment of the citizens of Maycomb and the human race as a whole. Lee showcases the progress in social justice matters by using symbolism and motifs.

Racism has been a big part of the human race ever since people were born. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the townspeople of Maycomb, Alabama misjudge the African-Americans of their town. They treat them like trash, and some people even think they are just filthy beings. Clearly, then, racism has had many ubiquitous effects on many of Maycomb's citizens.

According to a report from dosomething.org, in 2009, "2/3 of the criminals receiving life sentences were non-whites." This shows that racism is still going on today and in Harper Lee's book, To Kill A Mockingbird. Her book takes place in Maycomb County, Alabama during the depression. The story is told by Jean Louise Finch, who goes by Scout. She lives with her brother named Jeremy Finch, or Jem, and their father named Atticus. He is an attorney and not afraid to stand up for what he believes in, even if he gets looked down upon. Atticus takes the case of Tom Robinson, who is a black person. He is accused of having raped a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Although the evidence makes the reader believe that Robinson is innocent, the jury finds

Racism was very “popular” as you should say back in the 1930’s . Whites had all the power while blacks and other minorities were suppose to fear them. In Maycomb , Alabama racism was around and had effects on citizens. Segregating whites from blacks is a horrid thing. It’s inhuman to say you're better than someone else because of their skin color. We as humans are equal some may be more wealthy than others but when it all comes down to it we will all go in the same box in the same ground. Racism was and still is a horrible thing and it affected a lot people.

Racism was a very large part of society in the south during the 1930’s. Many colored people were thought of as less than their peers. Whites were considered better than African Americans were, and almost every white person accepted the unjust judgment. Racial discrimination hit hard in the south. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird were impacted by racial discrimination, including Calpurnia, Scout, and Tom Robinson and his family.

As the United States “progresses” in economic, educational and technological advancements we still are fighting for racial equality. With more than 50 years since the brown vs. board of education case there is still incidents like Ferguson, Baton Rouge, and Phiando Castile where many questions are still unanswered. However, Harper Lee dealt with these same problems in 1960 when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee created an emotionally confronting story. Lee writes through the eyes of “Scout” a lawyer’s daughter in a small sleepy town of Maycomb in Alabama during the great depression. Throughout the book “Scout” learns coming of age lessons from Atticus and her own experiences. But when Atticus takes on a case defending a black man (Tom Robinson) convicted for rapping a white woman (Mayella Ewell) and is found guilty. “Scout” her brother Jem begin to understand the effects of the prejudices in society. Therefore, Lee applies the literary concepts of diction and tone to revel the truth that prejudices in society negatively affect the way people treat each other in To Kill a Mocking Bird.

Rosa Parks once said, “Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” Atticus Finch a character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee follows this quote to the nail when he chooses to defend Tom Robinson. Atticus triumphs over the obstacles we call racism when he defends a black defendant accused of rape in a southern Alabama town in the 1930’s. Throughout the novel Atticus Finch has an optimistic, wise, and moral personality that proves to help and support many people including his own kids.

The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, addresses the issues of racism and discrimination in the south during the 1930s through a trial concerning rape. Tom Robinson, though convicted of this crime, was innocent. The evidence within the case shows that Tom Robinson is innocent because of Mayella Ewell, the young lady that claims she was raped, has most of her bruises on her right side, however, Tom Robinson’s left arm is completely useless. To add, Tom sounds more trustworthy than the other two witnesses, Mayella and Bob Ewell. The first witness, Heck Tate, says during his testimony, “‘It was her right eye, Mr. Finch. I remember now, she was bunged up on that side of the face…’” (Lee 225), with this information, it makes it less likely that Tom Robinson had assaulted Mayella because “his left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right” (Lee 248). However, it is more probable that Bob Ewell abused Mayella because, during Bob Ewell’s cross-examination, Atticus asks him to write his name, and Judge Taylor realizes Bob Ewell is left-handed when announcing, “‘You’re left-handed, Mr. Ewell’” (Lee 237). During Heck Tate’s testimony, he says that Mayella’s right side of the face was beaten up, however, Tom Robinson’s left arm is shorter than his right, so it is implausible he would have pummelled Mayella’s face, but it’s more likely for Bob Ewell to do so because he is left-handed, and, in general, is a horrible person. This proves Tom could not have walloped Mayella’s right

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

Racism is the hatred or intolerance to another race. This usually involves one party believing they are superior to the other and have the right to rule. Maycomb County, Alabama is a town that demonstrates separate is surely not equal. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee suggests the evident role race plays in the town.

Racism is the main focus of To Kill A Mockingbird. Throughout the story, Harper Lee teaches us about how people are treated based on their race through the different characters. Over time, she shows how most people are racist or desensitized to racism. A great example of this is Scout. Because Scout had been around racism before, she reacted to the trial differently than Dill. Scout even said “Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro,”(Lee 226) in regard to Dill being upset over how Mr. Gilmer was treating Tom Robinson during the trial. The trial’s outcome also helped show how people were treated differently based on race. In the case, there was no evidence that Tom had committed the crime he was accused of, but he was still convicted of the

The theme in “to kill a mockingbird” is how racism can get innocent people in trouble. When the narrator sees that Atticus was defending a black man, everyone thought it was a lost cause due to the fact he’s black and will easily lose. Scout learns that Atticus is defending a black man and then Scout asks before the trial “” Atticus are we going to win it?” “No honey.”” This quote explains that Atticus already knows that he is going to lose to an unfair jury due to racism and even though people think he might win, but deep down they already know he will lose. Since Atticus already knows he will lose, the reader can infer that as much as he tries he can’t change racism in the county and seats a saddening mood.

In the town of Maycomb, racism and injustice prevailed. As whites were prioritized over blacks, people such as Tom Robinson, Calpurnia, and the colored men from the church were segregated and marginalized by the society. Bob Ewell and Ms. Alexandra were two people who took advantage of the continuous race alienation around Maycomb. The Townspeople hid their true feelings about racism to feel included because the judge and the Townspeople discriminate for their own self-satisfaction.

In a 2009 report, 2/3 of the criminals receiving life sentences were non-whites, according to dosomething.org. This shows that racism is still going on today and in Harper Lee's book, To Kill A Mockingbird. This book takes place in Montgomery, Alabama during the depression. The story is told by Jean Louise Finch, who goes by Scout. She lives with her brother named Jeremy Finch or Jem, and her father named Atticus. He is an attorney and not afraid to stand up for what he believes in even if he gets looked down upon. Their dad takes the case of Tom Robinson, who is a colored person. After hours upon hours the jury finds Tom Robinson guilty even though he is actually innocent. It would have been very uncommon for a colored person to be found innocent in Alabama in the 30s. Scout and Jem are baffled by the end result of this case and don't understand why someone would be found guilty just because of the color of their skin. In To Kill a Mockingbird racism is seen very clearly through characters in the book such as, Mr Ewell, Mrs. Dubose, and Cecil Jacobs.

In the 1930s, it is only customary for any small southern town in the heart of the American south to face the explicit onslaught of racism, and Maycomb is no exception. Racism in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird affects the events in the novel by developing prejudice that controls the actions and speech of the population of Maycomb County. Shown through events such as the trial, the beliefs of Mrs. Dubose, and the Ewell’s accusation towards Tom Robinson, readers come face to face with the true attitudes of the population of Maycomb.