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To kill a mockingbird gender roles
Racism in modern days
To kill a mockingbird gender roles
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The Dangers of Prejudice
To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel that transcends time, and holds its relevance today. Throughout the trial and conviction of Tom Robinson, you see how racial prejudice skewed the judgement of people, and caused turmoil. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee emphasizes the blatant issues of sexism, racism, and social class and how these issues can manifest in a community and affect their judgment. Throughout the novel, sexism is shown through the eyes of Scout and the women of Maycomb. Early on in the novel, there is a sense that women are not respected in the community. As Dill is living in Maycomb in the summer, Scout says, “He staked me out, marked as his property, said I was the only girl he would ever
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During the novel, Scout goes to church with Calpurnia. Calpurnia attends an African Americans church, and Scout and Jem are the only white people there. They are not completely welcomed and when Lula sees them, she exclaims to Cal, "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here—they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?” (Lee 136). The racism in this community causes a divide between people. Even though Scout and Jem are not doing anything to Lula, Lula is still cold and unwelcoming. Society is causing Lula to think white people should not go to church with black people. Similarly, during the trial of Tom Robinson, racism played a huge part. As Bob Ewell testifies against Tom, he says, "I seen that black ni**** yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!” (Lee 196). During the trial of Tom Robinson, Tom is belittled and accused of a crime he did not commit. Bob Ewell, perhaps the most blatant racist in the novel, is disrespecting Tom constantly. He is not using Tom’s name, instead he is using a derogatory term, and amplifying Tom’s race. It shows that Tom’s race is insulting to Bob. He also uses the term “ruttin” , which is commonly used with animals. He is demeaning Tom, and the community let’s Bob get away with it. This event shows how corrupted the community …show more content…
When Scout wants to play with Walter Cunningham, her aunt denies Scout and says, 'I'll tell you why' she said. 'Because-he-is-trash, that's why you can't play with him,” (Lee 256). This idea of social class divides the town of Maycomb. It causes the Cunninghams to be isolated and marginalized. The community does not want anything to do their family. They are seen as “trash”, and Scout is not allowed to play with Walter. The fact that Scout is unable to associate with Walter shows the social divide. Her aunt thinks that their family was better than the Cunninghams, and therefore should not be seen with them. Jem also has a sense of the social classes and states, “There’s four kinds of folks in the world. There’s the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there’s the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes,” (Lee 258). Jem illustrates that Maycomb is divided by social class. The “ordinary” people like Jem’s family are seen as superior. The worst thing is that African Americans are at the bottom of the social classes. The people who are not at the top of the social class are excluded and marginalized. They are judged and often ridiculed. This prejudice is causing the community to separate, and there is a lack of empathy and
This essay will focus on exploring the theme of prejudice in Harper Lee’s novel - ‘To kill a mockingbird’ , published in the four years after the renowned bus boycott of Montgomery, , it resonates with the feelings and attitudes prevalent at the time. A variety of different types of prejudice are exposed to us throughout the progression of the novel, arguably the most significant being racial and class prejudice. I shall focus my essay on exploring how these types of prejudice are explored in the novel.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is an exquisite example of the impact of prejudice and discrimination on a small Southern town post-Depression. On Harper Lee's novel, Telgen states, "Comprising the main portion of the book's examination of racism and its effects are the underlying themes of prejudice vs. tolerance: how people feel about and respond to differences in others" (292). The motif of discrimination in this story is strongly supported by numerous examples, events, and seemingly unimportant anecdotes described throughout the novel. To Kill a Mockingbird expounds upon the ideas, thoughts, and interpretations of Jean Louise Finch (also known as Scout) and her older brother Jeremy "Jem" Finch. As the siblings live out many adventures and mature, both in years and in experience, they start to learn and recognize the prejudices occurring in their town. While they were brought up by Atticus Finch, their father- a man who strongly believes in the equality of all- others in the town of Maycomb do not have these same views. These differences lead to many problems throughout Scout's narration. This best-seller greatly expresses the repercussions of discrimination and prejudice of gender, race, and class.
Inside the book, we learned that most black people could not read. Also, it was showing that most of the black people were accepting of Jem and Scout. A man, Zeebo, who arose from the crowd said, “we’re mighty glad to have you all here. Don’t pay no ‘tention to Lula, she contentious because Reverend Sykes threatened to church her” (Lee 159). Out of all the people attending the black church at that time, Lula was the only person who was against Jem and Scout attending the black church with Calpurnia.
According to Jem, ““There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumb, and the negroes”” (Lee 206). Scout responds, “‘Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks’” (Lee 227). Scout had a deeper appreciation for social equality.
Although most discrimination appears as white people against African American people, there is one case where the discrimination appears as African American people against white people. On a Sunday when Jem and Scout’s father, Atticus, is not home, Calpurnia, their cook, takes the two children to her church. Once there they were confronted by a woman named Lula. She is racist against white people, and shows it by saying, “‘I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to n***er church’” (Lee 158).
There are many different destructive forces in the world that can ruin society and destroy one’s morals. Selfishness, arrogance, resentment, but out of all that, racism and prejudice against others is the worst. Discrimination is best apparent in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird when Lee shows the horrible prejudice that Tom Robinson, a falsely convicted black man, and Boo Radley, a neighbor who never leaves the house. Both characters received different type of discrimination, but in the end, both of their lives are damaged due to the prejudice. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, discrimination against Tom and Boo demonstrates the theme that due to its close-mindedness, society can destroy individuals and ultimately itself.
Racism, Social Status, and Sexism In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows prejudice through racism, social status, and sexism throughout the book. Lee provides many examples throughout the book. She narrates the book through a young girl's eyes so that the reader can see how all of this looks to the younger people in this world and how they understand it. The way the plot is viewed by the reader is different from how younger and older people view it.
To Kill A Mockingbird Final Paper Draft Evelyn Finch The theme of prejudice appears many times throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. A prejudice is a biased opinion that is created without reason or actual experience. The theme of prejudice is first introduced in Chapter One when the readers learn about the social classes of Maycomb and how people are judged. The theme progresses throughout the story as we learn more about the characters and their biases and racism-- and not just in Maycomb, in all of the south. The theme of prejudice propels the story greatly; the Tom Robinson case is solely based on the south’s prejudice against anyone who was not “normal”.
Her attitude towards any group or person that she considers to be lower than her on the social pyramid of Maycomb is distinguished. For example, with her attitude towards the Cunninghams, when Scout suggests she should invite one over. Lee writes, “She took off her glasses and stared at me, ‘I’ll tell you why,’ she said. Because-he-is-trash, that’s why you can’t play with him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what.’” This shows her symbolism of the high class society.
This shows Bob Ewell has no respect for Tom Robison neither the blacks. This is why Bob Ewell continues to be
Unfortunately for Tom Robinson (male african american) his paths crossed with the daughter of a proud white family that left him in a dreadful situation. Tom Robinson is accused of rape by the Ewell family. The reason the Ewell’s accuse him of a crime he did not commit is because to them he is dispensable, his life being thrown away is a better alternative than being criticized by one of their neighbors. ” She reached up an’ kissed me ‘side of th’ face. She says she never kissed a grown man before an’ she might as well kiss a nigger” (Lee 260).
Throughout the novel many people in Maycomb are prejudice towards genders and what each gender can and cannot do. This is towards females in To Kill a Mockingbird. The first example is when Mrs. Dubose makes a comment towards
Being a poor white man with rude and unmannered conduct, Bob Ewell is the epitome of a racist. He accuses Tom Robinson of assaulting his daughter, believing Tom Robinson’s race to be all evidence necessary towards the allegation. During the trial, Bob Ewell throws out hateful and offensive words towards Tom, addressing only his race, never his name. Bob Ewell fits the template of a bigot well, distributing ill intent towards those who oppose him or his ideals. Following the trial, the reader is informed of various times of Bob Ewell’s evil intent and actions, one regarding Tom’s wife, Helen Robinson.
Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. Some are blatant and open, but others are more insidious. One obvious way that racism presents itself is in the result of Tom Robinson’s trial. Another apparent example is the bullying Jem and Scout had to endure as a result of Atticus’s appointment as Tom Robinson’s defense attorney. A less easily discernible case is the persecution of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who chose to live his life in close relation with the colored community.
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “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.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...