Racism, Characters, and Abuse in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

1366 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Role of media in public opinion

In To Kill a Mockingbird many things occur to be simple and everyone’s happy but it’s not always peachy in Maycomb Alabama.
To Kill a Mockingbird tells of a little girl’s love for her family and life living in a racist community filled with judgmental people (Shackelford). This was the time were black people were treated unfairly in courts especially in Alabama (Johnson). Alabama was the most racist part of the south everything was separated and blacks were treated like dirt that the whites walked on. In the book blacks did not have many rights and had to be servants and workers for the whites.
During this time in the south between the life in the house and outside the house racism was very known (Watson). People didn’t really want black people in restaurants or anything else because they didn’t like the black people. Racism was so bad that many blacks had freedom but no rights in courts, restaurants, and even walking down the streets. Many African Americans wanted to discuss the problem of racism books in class to know what happen during that time (Saney).
During the 50’s in the south the racism was still high but in a court case “separate but equal” meant that the blacks and whites where still segregated but equal in the courts (Chura). In To Kill a Mockingbird Lee shows what’s really going on and goes over the boundaries to teach people about their selves (Metress). She shows how racism has affected the world and how it has change the world and shows that there is still racism in Alabama.
Slavery has been going on a while and the people were fed up with it so they begin to fight back and show how they felt in Alabama and against racism as many blacks marched and did sit ins for their rights. Many whites still did not wan...

... middle of paper ...

...terary Criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Vol. 194. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Smykowski, Adam. "Symbolism and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird." Readings on "To Kill a Mockingbird". Ed. Terry O'Neill. San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 2000. 52-56. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Vol. 194. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Watson, Rachel. "The view from the porch: race and the limits of empathy in the film To Kill a Mockingbird." The Mississippi Quarterly 63.3-4 (2010).: 419+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Zaidman, Laura M. "Harper Lee: Overview." Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers. Ed. Laura Standley Berger. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Twentieth-Century Writers Series. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Eliezer Wiesel's Relationships

    1285 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'. Rpt. in World Literature Criticism, Supplement 1-2: A Selection of Major Authors from Gale's Literary Criticism Series. Ed. Polly Vedder.

    Read More

  • Teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    1491 Words  | 3 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.

    Read More

  • to kill a mockingbird

    655 Words  | 2 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee sheds light upon the controversy of racism and justice in his classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The notion of equality in accordance with the law and the pursuit of justice are hindered by racial discrimination. The essence of human nature is pondered. Are we inclined to be good or in the wrath of evil? The novel reflects on the contrasting nature of appearance versus reality.

    Read More

  • Decoding Symbolism and Prejudice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the racism, prejudice, and the innocence that occurs throughout the book. She shows these themes through her strong use of symbolism throughout the story. Even though To Kill a Mockingbird was written in the 1960’s, the powerful symbolism this book contributes to our society is tremendous. This attribute is racist (Smykowski). To Kill a Mockingbird reveals a story about Scout’s childhood growing up with her father and brother, in an accustomed southern town that believed heavily in ethnological morals (Shackelford).

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird: A Timeless Classic

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves of classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for its execution of style and the importance of its content.

    Read More

  • Racism in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a simplistic view of life in the Deep South of America in the 1930s. An innocent but humorous stance in the story is through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch. Scout is a young adolescent who is growing up with the controversy that surrounds her fathers lawsuit. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer who is defending a black man, Tom Robinson, with the charge of raping a white girl. The lives of the characters are changed by racism and this is the force that develops during the course of the narrative.

    Read More

  • The Breakfast Club Belonging Essay

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel To Kill A MockingBird is primarily based on the problems associated with prejudice and cultural bias during the 30’s. These themes that are explored by Harper Lee allow’s a greater approach to referencing belonging and most of

    Read More

  • The Life and Writings of Harper Lee

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stark, Elizabeth. “To Kill a Mockingbird: About the Author.” The Big Read. National Endowment for the Arts, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. .

    Read More

  • Logan, Jody, and Tea Cake in Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

    1955 Words  | 4 Pages

    " The Southern Literary Journal 17.2 (Spring 1985): 54-66. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed.

    Read More

  • How Is Atticus Wrong In To Kill A Mockingbird

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the 1960’s bus stations had to have separate waiting areas and ticket booths for whites and blacks. Blacks were forced to sit on the back of buses. Everywhere across America blacks were being segregated. Even still today after all the Jim Crow Laws are long gone, there are still many racist people and groups. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major problem throughout the entire novel. Dividing the town and making them choose between what's right and wrong. Atticus is chosen to be a lawyer for a black man that was accused of raping a white girl in a small town. Most white people in the town think hes doing something wrong. The black people see him as hero and show respect to him. After the trial the jury says Tom Robinson is guilty after clear evidence shows he is not. He is sentenced to death. In Alabama in the 1960’s blacks and whites went to separate churches. In To Kill A Mockingbird Jem and Scout go to Calpurnia's church and some of the people their referred to it as “Their church.” This shows how segregated the south was.

    Read More

  • Evil and Injustice in Harper Lee´s Novel:To Kill a Mockingbird

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    Think back the world where evil and unjust actions are based on the color of skin. To Kill a Mockingbird is all about that world. It is about a real world and a real-time period where this injustice would happen. All of these quotes together show how evil, hypocrisy, and injustice are prevalent in society; they show us how normal people can be prejudiced, how they can cheat out others for their own personal gain, or even just because they don’t like that person. On top of it all, these quotes are through an innocent child’s perspective.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Essays: Discrimination and Prejudice

    1388 Words  | 3 Pages

    Discrimination and prejudice were very common acts in the early and middle 1900's. Prejudice in this book is displayed by the acts of hate and misunderstanding because of someone's color. People of color were the majority that were treated unfairly. During this time in the southern states, black people had to use separate bathrooms, drinking fountains, sections in restaurants, churches, and even go to separate schools. Although much of the discrimination was directed towards blacks, there were plenty of accounts towards impoverished families by those that had money. Discrimination is prevalent when people that are different are called names. Some people thought blacks were automatically dumb because of their color. They weren't allowed to do anything but menial tasks (such as chopping wood) and hard labor because they were thought too dumb.

    Read More

  • Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fiction usually based on what happened in real life. This novel, Harper Lee based on what she seen and writes about it. Racism was quite popular that moment. At the start of the story Harper doesn’t want to go directly into the problems but wanted it grows slowly through a vision of a little girl – Scout. It begins with the memories of a child “when he was nearly thirteen”. This is another interesting way from style of writing, beginning slowly and calm yet deeply meaning in the end. In this novel and all above 15 first chapters, racism exist in people’s mind, on actions and mostly from dialogue, questions they’ve been asked by people around. Relationship in social also causes the problems like this to happen too.

    Read More

  • Symbolism and Allegory in To Kill a Mockingbird

    3737 Words  | 8 Pages

    "To Kill a Mockingbird." Sparknotes LLC. 2003. Barnes & Noble Learning Network. 2 Nov. 2003 .

    Read More

  • Hypocrisy and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    461 Words  | 1 Pages

    Hypocrisy is as much a part of Maycomb’s society as church and community spirit. For example, Mrs. Merriweather talks about saving the poor Mruans from Africa, but she thinks black people in her community are a disgrace (p.234). The hypocrisy of this teaching is shown as soon as she mentions the word ‘persecution’. This is due to the fact that she herself is persecuting the black people of Maycomb by not raising an eyebrow at the killing of innocent black men. Furthermore, it is obvious Bob Ewell is abusive to his daughter, Mayella, and that he is the one who violated her, not Tom Robinson (p.178). Since there is such hypocrisy in Maycomb, there are excuses made for whites. The jury probably thinks that if they pronounce Tom innocent the citizens will mock them as they do to Atticus. Harper Lee uses hypocrisy to show how the people of Maycomb are so engulfed in a variety of elements that they unknowingly complete acts of unjustified discrimination.

    Read More

More about Racism, Characters, and Abuse in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Open Document