To Kill A Mockingbird Equality

In a speech, Frederick Douglass stated “[t]here are seventy-two crimes…which, if committed by a black man…subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment.” While that is not the case today, racism continues to be an important and urgent issue in the United States. Although the shadow of racism continues to haunt Americans, race relations among people in America have slowly improved. From the active practice of institutional racism during the 19th and early 20th century, the spike in criticism against institutionalized racism during the Civil Rights Movement, and the dissolution of racial barriers in the past two decades, the wane of racial tension in America is evident.

The quote “Show me the guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can be beat every time.” ,said by Lou Brock is something that the beloved character Eddie Rake, from the novel Bleachers written by John Grisham, would say in one of his pow-wows to his players. However, quite the contrary could be said about him.

Gender inequality and race inequality are similar and different in that they are both unjust, however race inequality plays a more prominent unjust theme in the time and setting of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both black people and women dealt with stereotypes, like being a woman associated with being useless, a gossip, and delusional and being a black person meant you are uneducated. These stereotypes led to the word “female” or “n*gger” or black an offensive term. These connotations made being a woman or a black person less worthy. These connotations and stereotypes invalidated a woman’s or black person's word, these stereotypes and connotations led to their word being less true or important than a white mans, even in court. Gender inequality

The absence of courage on equality in the novel To Kill a mockingbird led to the death of Tom Robinson. In Maycomb African Americans were looked upon as second-class citizens, because of this none of them could vote or attain the same equal status. Moreover, in the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird an African American was put on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. Likewise, this was obvious to everyone present in the courtroom, however, the lack of courage to stand up for equality in this town caused Tom to be sentenced to life in prison and eventually die. According, To Kill a Mockingbird “I don’t know how they could convict Tom Robinson, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they do it tonight” (225). This quote shows how all citizens knew

Even though racism decreased dramatically over the past decades, there are still problems today that are strikingly similar to the problems in To Kill A Mockingbird. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus explains to Jem and Scout about the unfairness of court: “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 220). Even though this was set in the 1930’s, juries from court still have a racial bias to this day. In fact, from the Sentencing Project, an organization that advocates change in sentencing policy and advocating alternatives to incarceration, it has been shown that African Americans are “six times more likely to be incarcerated than white males… if current trends continue, one of every three black Americans can expect to go to prison in his lifetime” (Sentencing Project 1). In the United States, people have come a

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the exaggerated tension between races was unjustified through the reveal of the Finch’s unbiased perspective towards African Americans and segregation. Before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, a large portion of the southern community judged based on skin color, but the Finch’s showed that there was a chance of a world where everyone was equal and isn’t discriminated on a daily basis.

In The book To Kill A Mockingbird my dominant theme is everyone should have equal opportunities because we all are humans no matter how rich or how different your skin color is. Harper Lee gives so many evidence on why no one is treated the way it should be. The whites are treating the colored differently even when the slavery ended in the history of America. First evidence during Tom’s trial in court that shows so much racism when you look at all of the evidence given on the case it proves that Tom is an innocent disabled man who has nothing to do with raping. Tom is a black man and being black in maycomb is a like disease, while the whole jury is made up of white people they claim Tom as guilty rapist. A crime he didn't and a crime he never

Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird, was born in 1928. She made an idea due to racism in her era of a novel she wanted to write. She came up with a fictional story that teaches valuable life lessons. Atticus, the main protagonist, exemplifies the growing resistance to racism in the time period. The book takes place in the 1930’s but was published in 1960 so it brought in current ideals about equality.

Equality is a struggle for mankind, we have been this term for hundreds of years whether it’s racism, sexism, or ageism. These problems are diversely affecting many communities. Atticus Finch taking on the Tom Robinson case and getting bashed for it, Jem and Scout learn that killing mockingbirds is a sin; Atticus losing the case, yet still making an impact on Maycomb’s way of life. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout are raised in a small town called Maycomb in the 1930’s. Throughout this novel, Jem and Scout encounter many obstacles revolving around equality. Throughout this book, it is made clear that African Americans are NOT considered people, the whites contain higher authority over them.

During the 1930’s, equality was not like it is today. Race was a common issue during this time. White people believed they were worth more and better than black people during this time. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the issue of equality is an ongoing theme throughout the story. Aunt Alexandra is a minor character in this story.

Is there a definition of the word equality to which everyone can come upon and can agree with? “The quality of being the same in quantity, measure, value, or status”; is the definition that you could find in the Merriam Dictionary or any other dictionary. There is only one major problem. No one applies this definition the same in the real world, and people have completely different perspective of what equality really means. A young girl, Scout Finch, faces many situations involving racism, and numerous types of prejudice, which have an impact on her life that teaches us various amounts of life lessons.

If there is a favorable circumstance under which one can achieve equality, wouldn’t one pursue it? Humans are created to be unbiased, however intense circumstances ignite the reinforced barrier that fortifies the human race and instead, thrusts the other, more marginalized members of humankind over to the other side of this barricade, who are later bombarded and harassed amplifying the hatred amongst individuals. This concept distinctly accentuates the comprehensive impression of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, where a modest and trustworthy black man, Tom Robinson who represents the black community, is used as an excuse to support the white privilege, and is condemned for a scandal he does not perpetrate. Therefore,

“Break the bonds of injustice and oppression which give rise to glaring and indeed scandalous social inequalities,” says Pope Francis. From people hiding their identity, to people struggling to make a living, to people getting based off of their gender it all leads back to one thing: social inequality. Even though society claims that everyone is born equal and is treated the same;most are afraid to embrace their individuality because of inequality in society.

American equality is the fair treatment of others, and if they are on the same page. Not everyone is treated equally in today’s society. This is because of the skin colors and racial backgrounds. Some people think that colored people are bad, and some people think that white people are bad because of our different skin colors. Other races don’t get equality like the whites do.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents the idea that equity is demonstrated by showing fairness towards all people despite the fact that others disagree with the idea. Social justice requires equity because people should treat others with respect and fairness to have the favor returned. The character of Atticus Finch demonstrates equity by showing decency to all, including those of different races, socioeconomic statuses, and those who are social outcasts.