Theme Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

There are many racism problems in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is a lawyer in the racist state of Alabama and he is trying to defend a man by the name of Tom Robinson after he got accused for raping a white woman. Atticus knows that nobody is going to believe Tom’s side of the story because he is black in the racist state of Alabama. Through Atticus’s morals the reader learns that he feels obligated to help this

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 is a disease in society. We’re all equal. I don’t care what their colour is, or religion. Just as long as they’re human beings they’re my buddies.” These words said by Mandawuy Yunupingu, are saying skin color should not matter and individuals should be treated the same because people are all human beings. Putting oneself in someone else's shoes and seeing what he is seeing and feeling is the main theme, in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main character, is a lawyer in a small town that he and his family live in. He tries to win a trial about a false rape of a different skin color that he knows he will not win; but he does not give up. He keeps trying with all his might to win. Atticus is trying to set an amazing example for his children, Scout and Jem. When Bob Ewell, the person against Atticus on the trial, spits on Atticus

Decades ago, in the 1930s, people of color were not treated fairly. Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird took place in the 1930s in the fictional place of Macomb County, Alabama. It was narrated through a young girl named Scout Finch. Throughout the novel, Scout, her older brother, Jem, and their good friend Dill discover realities of society. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, was appointed to be the attorney of a black man. Because of the time period, the case was almost hopeless, but Atticus fought anyway. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays universal themes such as racial intolerance and innocence of youth.

Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee focuses more on the aspect of racial discrimination rather than “poor white trash” discrimination (Hovet 187). It is so conspicuous that a man loses his life because of it. Racism is very prominent in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as the South as a whole in the 1930s, but becomes crucial when Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, causing the lives of their families, the Finch family, and the citizens of Maycomb County, Alabama, to be changed forever by death and overcoming prejudices. Atticus Finch is an upstanding lawyer, father, and citizen of Maycomb who must overcome the obstacle of defending Tom Robinson

Sadly, throughout this novel Scout and Jem continuously encounter situations of racism through their cousin Francis, school friends, and neighbors. Racism is a situation Scout and Jem have to face as Atticus tackles the case, but it is nothing compared to what Tom Robinson will encounter with the

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

Racism was one of the biggest topics in To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and also one of the biggest issues in the United States during the 1930’s. In the novel Atticus Finch is a distinguished and successful lawyer in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb during this time was home to many racist citizens, and also home to many struggling families. Even though Maycomb’s community is filled with racist people, Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, but claimed he did not. Once Robinson’s trial begins he is put in jail and then soon after a mob gathers at the local jailhouse to lynch him. Atticus, having exceptional morals stood out from the rest of the residents in Maycomb. He defended Tom not only as his job but as a

Race is a huge topic of discussion in the novel, as well as in our society today, it is conveyed that we often have trouble accepting difference and make assumptions of a person based on the colour of their skin, not their actions. This theme of racism is evident from the onset and throughout the novel, Lee uses the word “nigger” conveniently to display the underlying racism in Maycomb county and to highlight the racist attitudes of many persons in the novel. This theme of racism is evident in scenes involving Tom Robinson, Atticus states in the courtroom “"Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson's skin”, in this quote it is illustrated that the colour of Tom’s skin is associated with the depravity of the crime committed, this idea that there is a link between one’s colour and their actions is a theme that is a constant in our current society, as it is not unusual for a person to be exposed to stereotyping due to the colour of their skin. Racial discrimination is a theme that is still ever relevant in today's society as we are constantly associating specific groups with crimes and injustices. The theme of race is a subject matter that has kept Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” pertinent in our evolving and ever changing world and will continue to do

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.

There were segregation laws in place including separate schools, specific seating on buses and segregated work places. It was unheard of that a white person would defend a black person in court. Atticus states in his speech, “This case is as simple as black and white, the state has not produced one iota medical evidence to to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson's charged with ever took place” (Lee, 271) This shows that the conflicts between these two groups of people, due to their skin colour, creates a tenacious atmosphere. This segregation that occurs between them rules people’s thoughts. Atticus Finch tries to change people’s thinking. During the 1940’s slavery was rampant throughout southern United States. This created tensions between the two races. The black race were treated as an inferior group. They were longing for equal rights. Atticus states in his

Atticus is first questioned about the reasons for why he was actually trying to defend Tom Robinson in the case and answers, “For a number of reasons… The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature. I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (Lee 75). This emphasizes that Atticus most likely believes Tom deserves justice just as much as a white man does. He also does not want his children to turn out prejudice like the rest of Maycomb. After the case he speaks with Jem about how Tom’s case was unfair, “There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Lee 295). Atticus explains to his children in this quote that the reason there’s so much prejudice towards colored people is that of the white people themselves. Atticus himself is very representative of the theme because he does not have a bias toward black nor white people making him an extremely important figure in the attempt of eradicating

African Americans make up 57% of the people in state prisons for drug offenses (11 Facts About Racial Discrimination). Racial discrimination and prejudice has been plaguing America in recent years as well as in the past. Prejudice is defined as a preconceived conception that is not based on reason or actual experience; biased. Harper Lee discusses the racial prejudice of African Americans from the 1930’s in her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Prejudices against African Americans are still present in modern society because of unjust treatment in law, racial profiling, and wage inequalities, even with laws to protect African Americans from discrimination.