Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

Various studies claim that racism still exists today. Throughout history, racism has corrupted the minds of leaders. Adolf Hitler represents a great example of one of the most frightening racist minds within history as he killed over six million Jews. Likewise, racism taints the minds of average people. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the residents of Maycomb, Alabama act with prejudice towards the black community. Under the influence of intolerance, a person can become blind to the truth. The theme racism presents itself as a theme in the novel through Atticus defending a black man, Calpurnia working for the Finch family, and the unjust conviction of Tom Robinson.

Firstly, the citizens of Maycomb display racism by reacting

In the 1930s, a black woman could never become a mother figure to a white child as the two different communities both viewed it as a socially unacceptable deed. Aunt Alexandra does not approve of a colored woman cooking for the Finch family. She tells Atticus, “You’ve got to do something about her…We don’t need her now” (182). Clearly, Aunt Alexandra wants to dismiss Calpurnia due to her skin color. Because she viewed Walter Cunningham as socially unacceptable, she saw Calpurnia, a poor black woman, as a social outcast as well. Furthermore, a small portion of the black community does not want Scout and Jem coming to their church. For example, Lula talks indignantly to Calpurnia about bringing white children to a black church. She tells Calpurnia that she has absolutely no business bringing Scout and Jem to First Purchase Church, and makes it clear that she dislikes the children. Once more, the theme of bigotry plagues Maycomb in the book through the racism inflicted on Calpurnia and the

When a person testifies in court, they repeat an oath that goes something like this, “I swear that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.” Tom Robinson received a partial trial. Atticus laid the simple facts in front of the jury and proved that Bob Ewell lied about the black man. Before the court case began, the jury had already made a verdict: Tom Robinson raped Mayella Ewell. Additionally, Tom knew that the court would declare him guilty for a crime he did not commit due to the color of his skin. Atticus tells Jem, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins,” (295). Conclusively, Tom’s court case reflects the racism that existed during the