The theme I chose to write was racism in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Racism is the belief in which ethnic groups account for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others. This belief has been a part of the human race ever since people are born, racism is slowly fading, but people cannot that say all do not express it. There are still some who believe one's ethnicity and appearance change everything in that particular person. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the town's people of Maycomb misjudge African-Americans. They treat them like trash, and through some people's eyes, African-Americans are just filthy beings. In this novel, Lee expresses one's ethnicity and appearance change other's opinions about a certain character, without knowing the character's personality and beliefs. “Harper Lee is against racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.” Tom Robinson, an African-American man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell; since he is an African-American, he loses the case. Tom is given a defense attorney, Atticus Finch, who is chosen by the judge. Atticus Finch is a white man and he is an experienced lawyer. He tries his best to win Mr. Robinson's case and he proves that Mr. Robinson is not guilty of raping Mayella. Unfortunately, without hearing Mr. Robinson's testimony, he immediately loses the case. After the trial, Mr. Underwood says, "Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed." (Page. 241) Since Mayella is Caucasian and the fact that her words in the trial are against a black man, the jury instantly believes her statement, though it is a lie. Mayella hesitates answer all the questions Atticus asks her. She is hiding something and is afraid the truth would come out. When Tom is on the witness stand, he answers all of the questions that are asked of him. The story of Scout and Jem is juxtaposed with the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused, and unjustly convicted, of the rape of a white woman. That his death is likened to
White people believed to treat them like “trash” and they are influencing their kids to do the same which puts an impact on the community . The white people in Maycomb , Albama believe that black people are “ Filthy Beings” . Tom Robinson is a prime example in this book because , just because he’s an african american he loses the case of raping a white girl by the name of Mayella Ewell . Tom was given an defense attorney , which is Atticus and he was chosen by the judge . The law and system is so messed up that the judge picked a white man to be his attorney . Atticus Finch is a white man who is an experienced lawyer . Atticus is trying his best to win Tom’s case . All of a sudden he immediately loses the case . When the trial was over , Mr . Underwood said “Atticus has used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson , but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case . Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed . “ (241)
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
Racism is both an ideology and a system of domination. To be racist is not just a misuse of derogatory slurs and whatnot. Only certain communities have the power and the privilege to be racist. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird racism was one of the most recurring themes. Communities as well as specific characters were impacted by racism. Tom Robinson, Calpurnia, Bob Ewell and Dolphus Raymond were characters that suffered from Racism.
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the trial with Tom Robinson a black man convicted of a crime elucidates racism. The trial evidences that even some of the political leaders can be biased towards one side. In the trial, the jury is one example of those biased leaders. Harper Lee establishes the existence of racism in the novel through many illustrations throughout the story showing that the jury is against Tom for being a black man, and the community is also attacking Atticus for defending Tom.
Before the trial, Maycomb’s racist way of living brings down the innocent people in the town. Maycomb’s disease, also known as racism, influences the decisions and actions of the people. However, some people in the town do not have the disease, allowing them to see through the racism and help others. For instance, Atticus says to scout when they were talking about the trial, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 76). What Atticus means, when he says this, is that everyone in their society is equal and even if someone is different, they should still be treated with the same amount of respect. Atticus knows he will not win the trial, but he knows what is right, and he wants to bring justice to the system. While going to the courthouse, Jem, Scout, and Dill go on a wagon and eventually rode by Miss Maudie’s house. Miss Maudie comes outside and Jem asks her, “You goin’ to court this morning?” Miss Maudie replied, “I am not. ‘t’s morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at all those folks, it’s like a Roman carnival” (Lee 159). Miss Maudie compares the people at the trial to a Roman carnival, meaning that the trial was unjust and based off of racism. Miss Maudie knew Tom was going to lose because the town is so racist, and the people are so caught up in the town's way of life, they don’t fully understand what is right and wrong. Racism, a large factor of justice in the town, lead to the false
The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee demonstrates the effects of racism in southern America. Throughout this appealing novel, there are many characters who illustrate different personalities. Personally, I would compare Scout Finch to myself. After analyzing the character Scout Finch in relation to myself, while Scout portrayed more of a complex personality, I am easier to get along with, hence demonstrating how personality is the best method of establishing allies. Mine and Scouts personalities differ as Scout depicted more of a tomboy personality and solved a variety of problems by fighting, due to the aggressive personality she demonstrates.
Mayella Ewell, who accused a black man by the name of Tom Robinson of rape. Atticus, who defends Tom in court, knows that Tom is a good man, even though the citizens of Maycomb think otherwise. Miss Mayella Ewell wasn’t raped by Tom Robinson, she was raped and beaten by her father, Bob Ewell. However, because of growing up in the south where people of color were hated on, Mayella thought she could put the sin on Tom. While in court, Mayella was questioned by her attorney, Mr. Gilmer. Mayella testified by saying, “ I said come here, nigger, and bust up this chiffarobe for me, I gotta nickel for you. He coulda done it easy enough, he could. So he come in the yard an‘ I went in the house to get him the nickel and I turned around an ’fore I knew it he was on me. Just run up behind me, he did. He got me round the neck, cussin‘ me an’ sayin‘ dirt—I fought’n’hollered, but he had me round the neck. He hit me agin an‘ agin— … “-he chunked me on the floor an‘ choked me’n took advantage of me” (183). Atticus, Tom Robinson’s attorney, steps up to ask Mayella some questions, particularly about her home life. Mayella testified that Tom grabbed her by the throat and chocked her, but when Atticus asked Tom to stand up, the whole courtroom say that Tom was a crippled and there was no way he could have chocked her. Through ongoing questions, Atticus and the courthouse find out that Bob Ewell, Mayella’s
Many people say that racism is still a major problem in today's society, while others think that it is not. Racism is still around today and it has not been yet resolved. Since 1930, people have been treated unfairly and different than others. In many countries or states, nobody is trying to do anything to change that and make everyone respect others no matter what color skin they have, or where they came from. Even in books and magazines there are stories about people being treated differently because of what they look like.
Tom Robinson is accused of rape on Mayella Ewell. The trial date is set and Atticus Finch is chosen to defend Tom in court. Mayella claims to have asked Tom to reach something from a dresser that is too high for her to reach herself, stating then that he hit her, chocked her, and sexually abused her. However once her and her father, who
How has racism of the past change how we view racism today? We have come very far on the issue of racism, but we still have a long road ahead. In 2016 people would react to Tom Robinson’s trial with different worldviews, open minds, and a primary focus on the evidence, rather than their personal opinions.
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, discrimination was a prominent theme. In the novel, there are examples of sexism, classism, and racism which all help show the reader that to kill a mockingbird was set in a small town in the 1930s, and the town struggled through the depression, was very segregated and as it was a small town there was a lot of opinions and gossip these ideas are clearly shown through the Cunningham’s, scout, and Tom Robinson in the novel.
In the book Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird there are a lot of themes but some really stuck with it through the last half of the book. Racism was one. Harper Lee really showed that Racism was a problem in the 1930’s, some people would treat the colored folk equally and people would call them rude names. Others would treat colored folk like dirt. Harper Lee chose to include Racism into her book to help show that racism is a problem no matter what because it's been in human nature for so long.
Racism can be heard from different races from different countries. In the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee tells the readers that racism can exist without knowing that it does exists. Different types of races should have the same opportunity as other races.
There are many themes that Harper Lee talks about in To Kill A Mockingbird, but one of the most important themes is about racism. Racism changed the lives of many of the characters in in `To kill a Mockingbird'. The Finch family, including Scout and Jem are hounded just because Atticus was defending an African-American man. Other kids in Maycomb are influenced by their parents and others surrounding them about what to think about racism and African-American people. So, they believe that African Americans are lower than them.
During the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, it conveyed many different themes/points of Racism, Social Injustice, and Bravery. While the reader was progressing throughout the book the characters. and the environment was beginning to expand and grow to a point where a person could connect with the book. The first topic that stood out to the reader would be racism. The first demonstration of racism in the book, Lee was explaining the setting of Maycomb. A small town in Alabama during “The Great Depression.” Lee was vocalizing the point of racism heavily in this book. Harper Lee demonstrates three strong points/themes during the course of the book. Such as, racism, social justice, and bravery, Atticus and the kids battle through those different themes throughout the whole book.