Theme Of Racism 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

In the story “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the main character Scout realizes the town she lives in is full of bias and prejudice toward negros. Scout, the only daughter of lawyer Atticus Finch, is faced with the activism that follows this prejudice when her father decides to defend a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law. She is constantly harassed and tormented by the residence of their small town, Maycom. What Lee is trying to show through these events is that people are always going to have prejudices, and sometimes these prejudices come from the people you least expect it form. In the story, neighbors, friends, and family all show their prejudices about the defendant Tom Robinson to Scout, who finally realize the world isn’t perfect but is, in fact, full of flaws and prejudices.

The setting of the book To Kill A Mockingbird has a huge role on the conflicts, outcome of the trial, and Jem and Scout’s development. The book takes place in Maycomb county Alabama, in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Since Alabama is in the south, and was before the Civil Rights Movement, most of the white residents in the town were racist. In the book, the town of Maycomb is almost like a character on its own. It is a small town that had lots of farmers who were struck hard by the Great Depression. Scout, who is the narrator of the book describes it by saying, “Maycomb was a tired old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square”(Lee 6). Scout even goes on to say, “People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything”(Lee 6). In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the conflict of racism is shown through the trial, Atticus, and Jem and Scout’s uprising in a non-racist home but in a prejudice town.

Imagine being persecuted your entire life. Having to constantly respect someone even though they were rude to you. This is what many African-Americans had to go through during the 1930’s. Racism is a major aspect in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The main character, Scout, has to deal with this problem everyday. Bob Ewell, Mr. Cunningham, and other characters are very racist, and don’t approve of Atticus defending a “Negroe”. This causes Scout to be bullied in school and even attacked by Mr. Ewell. Also, characters such as Tom Robinson are negatively affected by racism in Maycomb. Tom is killed just because of his skin color. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s use of point-of-view, irony, and symbolism help to develop

Racism has the power to change anybody’s life. Jem Finch is a young teen character from To Kill a Mockingbird who longed for the warm summer days when he could just play on the lawn and not care about the future. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that he cannot just play around when he knows what is going on around him and what is happening to the black community of Maycomb, Alabama. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a success in the world of literature. Set in the 1930’s down south where racism was rampant, Harper Lee shows us the challenges of growing up in a community of inequality through the characters Jem and Scout Finch. Jem is older than Scout by 3 years so he understands how serious the nature of racism is and

Imagine being a white lawyer in the 1930s and being asked to defend a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman. This is exactly what occurs in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, when Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, chooses to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, in 1935. Many people may believe Atticus Finch was wrong to have defended Tom Robinson because it put him and his family in harm’s way. However, Atticus was right to have defended Tom Robinson because Atticus knows very well that all people must be treated equally. and Atticus has to set a good example for his children.

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.

We live in a world where people are constantly discriminated against because of their gender, race, or ethnicity, in a world where people no longer worship God-but people in power, in a world where people are not just homeless, but stateless, and in a world where no one feels safe. The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee tells the story through the eyes of Scout Finch, who talks about her father, Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man unjustly accused of rape; and about Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor who saves Scout and her brother Jem from being killed. The book emphasizes on the theme of ‘morality and ethics’ by portraying juxtaposing characters, prejudiced characters and conflicting

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, many minor themes are present such as gender and age. However, the largest and therefore major theme of the book is racism. All of the events and themes in the book had only one purpose, to support the theme of racism.

Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird is known to be one of a kind when it comes to its depiction of inequality as a result of racial injustice during the 1900s. Throughout the book, readers journey through the everyday life of 6-year old protagonist Jean-Louise Finch or “Scout” in Maycomb of the deep South. When her father attorney Atticus Finch, takes the case of a convicted black man Tom Robinson, the entire town of racist Alabamians turns up to watch the show of yet another black being punished, guilty or not. However, soon enough, readers can deduce that Robinson is falsely accused even though the majority of the population think otherwise. It should be noted that although the concept of racism is thoroughly interrogated throughout

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

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.

Racism is a very serious issue that affects many peoples lives. Racism is the belief in the superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice towards people based on their race or ethnicity. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” racism is found in the town of Maycomb, Alabama which greatly affects the characters. Racism clearly influences the characters in the novel through the time of Tom Robinson's trial. The characters that were most affected and will be further analyzed will be Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Jean Louise Finch (Scout), then some conclusions will be made.

All his life he never knew the truth; nothing has interfered with his life as a child until now. Being young, he has not been exposed to any of the unsettling truths of the real world. Forcing himself into the conflict exposes Harper Lee’s character, Jem Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird, to the racism and violence of the real world through growing up, facing defeat, and learning the harsh truths leading to his loss of innocence.

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird...Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy” (Lee 119). The white community sinned and the black community suffered as an innocent mockingbird was killed. Although innocence is one recurring theme in Harper Lee’s novel, it seems as though it only mattered to her. Lee illustrates the widespread racial discrimination and oppression that developed in every social class of Maycomb, Alabama. Mulligan’s interpretation however manages to miss one of, if not the biggest overall theme of the book, profound racism. But what Mulligan fails to reinforce is the idea of deeply embedded racism. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee portrays a balance of the dualism between good