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Problems with racism in literature
Literature as a reflection of society pdf
Literature as a reflection of society pdf
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The lens that i was reading from in TKAM, is the differences between african american and white culture. I am mainly focusing on unspoken circumstances such as poverty, bad jobs, illiteracy etc… things that go back for generations. These unspoken differences are the results of white people pushing african americans below them, and then, african americans are living in terrible situations. These can be social, economical, and even political. The justice system in the time was greatly based on white men.
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, cultural differences between african americans and white people shows many unspoken social boundaries including the way african americans are treated not only because of racism but because of tradition as well. This is seen when Jem, and Scout are walking up to calpurnia's church. They begin to notice
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things about the church that they'd never thought of before.
In the book, Scout says: “the church yard was brick-hard clay, as was the cemetery beside it. If someone died during a dry spell, the body was covered with chunks of ice until rain softened the earth. A few graves in the cemetery were marked with crumbling tombstones; newer ones were outlined with brightly colored glass and broken Coca-Cola bottles.” (157) This indicates that they were very poor for their only church to be in such poor conditions. Another great example of unspoken differences is when Jem and Scout are at church with Cal, Scout is very self aware that she and Jem are out of place. She says: “I agreed: they did not want us here. I sensed, rather than saw, that we were being advanced upon” (159) Although nobody is making them leave, it is obvious that they are not welcome there to some people. Jem and Scout were white children. That's all that matters to some people in the church, even though they had good reason to dislike them, because black folks wouldn't be let near a white
church. Language is also a good indicator of unspoken racial problems. Because white people would not allow black people to be in their schools, and the fact that they won't give any funding towards a black school, african americans speak in “colored folks talk” a sort of bad grammar language due to uneducation. When Scout asks Cal why she talked differently around her people she replied with an example about them: “Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks’ talk at home it’d be out of place, wouldn’t it? The fact that she called it “colored folks talk” means there are social terms for this. So it is a common thing. It shouldn't be. If african americans had the chance to better educate themselves, they would be able to take better jobs and contribute more. Then they may be more socially accepted in the community. Reading this book through my lens greatly helped me understand about the human condition and real world problems. As scout grew up she realized the darkness in this world. As I read this book and researched throughout this year, I was reminded about this world and the beauty along with wickedness. The words of harper lee re-created an image in my mind of how the world used to be, and how similar it is today. But one must not be focused on glaring at the evil in the world. We as human beings with faults, must stand up and work through problems together. Only then can we fix wickedness in a large area.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960, is a novel which explores the theme of challenging racial prejudice. Within this novel, Lee has portrayed unintentional racial prejudice through the characters Atticus Finch, Link Deas and Scout Finch. With these characters, and their roles in exploring the theme of racial prejudice, Harper Lee has set unintentional boundaries for readers, as result, racial prejudicial thinking from contemporary perspective, in comparison to historical views, is challenged to a small extent.
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major theme. Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, defends a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law against a white man, Bob Ewell. Robinson had reportedly raped a young white girl, Mayella Ewell. But according to Robinson he had gone to help Mayella, as he often did, with work around the house. As he starts helping Mayella, she tries to get Tom to kiss her and will not let him out of the house. Bob Ewell sees this and chases Tom out of the house and accuses him of raping his daughter. Atticus goes against almost everyone in Maycomb County’s opinion in defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the course of the novel, racism effects many characters such as Tom and Helen Robinson, Scout and Jem Finch, and Mayella and Bob Ewell. All these characters had there lives
During the book Scout and Jem are at an age were people around them greatly affect their thoughts, views and ideas about the world. Although Atticus tried to raise them to treat Negroes as equals, people around them affected their views on them. A good example is when Dill questioned the seemingly rude way which Mr. Gilmer treated Tom Robinson. Scout replied by saying, "…after all he's just a Negro." (Lee 201). She believes it to be acceptable. This is not something her father put in her head but people in her town. The same also happens in the black community. When Atticus asks Calpurnia to watch his children for him while he is out, Calpurnia accepts and takes the children with her to church, a church for black people. When she arrives with the children, they are greeted kindly except by a few people. These people use the same reason as in the last example as to why they should not be there, because they are white.
Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the racism, prejudice, and the innocence that occurs throughout the book. She shows these topics through her strong use of symbolism throughout the story.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”-Martin Luther King Jr. This quote shows how racism is like darkness and hate and love and light are the only way to drive racism out. The story takes place at the time of the great depression. Scout lives in a very racist and judgement city in the south. A black male is accused of raping a white woman. Scouts dad Atticus gets appointed to be the defendant's lawyer. Racism is an antagonist in To Kill A Mockingbird because the white people of Maycomb discriminate the blacks and make them feel lesser. The theme racism can be harmful to everyone is shown by many characters throughout the book.
“To Kill A Mockingbird” is marvelous and unforgettable novel. Not only show how dramatic, sad in and old town – Maycomb be like, but through her unique writings, some big conflicts about politics and critical is going on through this tired old Southern town. Not just in general like education, friendship, neighbors but also pacific in individuals like family and the people’s characteristics themselves. In one book yet can covered with such many problems, Harper Lee must have been experienced a lot and deeply understanding that time. That is why the book lives, becoming literature and get the love from the audiences a lot. One of the problem and mostly run along with the story and interest me is racism between white people and black people socially.
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.
also as we see in the book she leads an almost ‘double life’ when she
'Democracy,' she said. 'Does anybody have a definition?' ... 'Equal rights for all, special privileges for none' (Lee 248).
are referred to in the novel. As I mentioned above, there are a lot of
In the opening chapters of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee introduces several subtle instances of racism. However, when Jem and Scout are welcomed into Cal’s Church in chapter 12, the reader really gets to travel behind the false disguise of Maycomb County’s white society to see the harsh realities of the injustices suffered by the blacks. The black community is completely separate from the whites -- in fact, Cal lives in a totally different part of town!
One of the first lessons Scout gains from Calpurnia is when Walter Cunningham, Scout’s poor classmate, comes over for lunch. Scout makes fun of Walter for dousing his food in syrup and Calpurnia quietly brings Scout to the kitchen to reprimand her: “ ‘Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo‘ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo‘ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin‘ ’em’” (25). Though this scolding, Calpurnia enlightens Scout on the fact that no matter what she has, she will never be better than anyone if she is not courteous and respectful to them, no matter who they are. This lesson remains with Scout as she grows older and is seen to have a positive effect on the way she acts and thinks about race and class. Another important lesson Scout learns from Calpurnia was taught less formally but was nonetheless significant. While their father was away on business, Calpurnia took Jem and Scout to her black church, it is outside that Lula, a member of the congregation confronts Calpurnia on bringing white children with her. Scout believes Lula speaks for the church but is proven wrong when Calpurnia’s son along with
One of the widely recognized controversies in American history is the 1930s, which housed the Great Depression and the post-civil war, the ruling of Plessy versus Ferguson and the Jim Crow Laws, and segregation. While textbooks detail the factual aspect of the time there is only one other literature that can exhibit the emotion experienced in the era. To Kill a Mockingbird is the acclaimed novel that displays the experiences of the South, through inequality and segregation, social class differences and the right to fairness. The novel’s experiences are narrated through a grown Scout, who appears as a little girl in the novel, offering her innocent views on the happenings in Maycomb County. The most observed aspect of the novel is race and racism; with Tom Robinson’s trial being the prime focus of the novel, the issue of race is bound to be discussed throughout the novel is race, racism and segregation; with Tom Robinson’s trial being the focus of the novel, the issue of race is heavily represented throughout the novel. With Mockingbird being a common book among English Language Arts and Literatures classrooms, the topic of race is bound to surface amid a young, twenty-first century group of student of students with the inevitability of this discussion, the question remains on how to approach the conversation as an educator. As an educator, one should seek to establish the context of the times, prepare the students for the conversation and examine the other characters and situations similarly to race. Educators must also be introspective before examining their students’ feelings, so that they are not surprised by their emotions and can also express their feelings to their students. The discussion should target a goal, one of examin...
I believe that all white men should de treated equal, but a black man, is not like any white man, and shoulb be treated worse than us whites. All men in Maycomd County should see it the same way, even that stupib niiiiii loving Atticus Finch. I can not believe he would try to convince all of Maycomd that i beat Mayella, and dishonor me that way that he did. I was so mad at the end of that of the end of that case that “Mr.” Atticus Finch woulb disgrace me like that, and in the defense of a dlack man? Us whites should should defend each other, and not that dlack Tom Robinson that raped my girl Mayella. I was so mab that a couple days after the trial, I spat in his face and tolb him that Ill get him, even if it takes the
‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is a brilliantly written novel by Harper Lee. The novel is set in Alabama, USA, in the 1930’s and tells the story of a man who died in the 1930’ a lawyer who defends a wrongly accused black man while trying to raise his two children, Scout and Jem, as they go through childhood and. adolescence, life’s most active learning stage. The book is written through the eyes of Atticus’ nave young daughter, Scout, and southern.