Injustices from the 1930s Represented in Literature Throughout history, there are many examples of human inequality. In the 1930s, prejudice and stereotypes were prevalent as shown in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Though many characters in the novel face these injustices, they all do so with courage and grace in the face of adversity. The events that occured in Tom Robinson’s trial are one example of Inequality in the novel. When Mr. Gilmer questions Tom, he frequently calls Tom, “Boy” which shows the disrespect allowed by the court toward african americans. In addition, Bob Ewell even goes to the extreme of using a racial slur when he states, “I see that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!” (231). These cynical words was permitted by the court, which shows the injustice occurring in the 1930s. After all of the testimonies, Tom Robinson is convicted of a crime he did not commit by a white jury. Later, Tom Robinson is lead to his demise. The fact that the Jim Crow Laws do not allow Tom Robinson’s peers to serve on the jury is the most shameful injustice. …show more content…
In addition to the Jim Crow Laws not permitting african americans on a jury, other characters are affected by injustice of these laws.
The entire black community is relegated to the balcony so they are segregated from the white crowd. This isn’t a desirable location due to the fact that there is no air conditioner in this time. Jim Crow Laws made it especially difficult to obtain a job. This is especially true for Helen Robinson. Calpurnia explains to Scout why it is difficult for Helen when she states, “It’s because of what folks say Tom’s done… Folks aren’t anxious to -- to have anything to do with his family” (164). Finally, the mindset of many with people perpetuates the practice of the Jim Crow Laws. For examples, Aunt Alexandra is not accepting of Calpurnia as a member of the Finch pedigree. She feels that a family is established by breeding
alone. These prejudices and stereotypes in To Kill a Mockingbird are not only demonstrated through race, but also through mental illness stigmas. One character that displays mental illness is Mayella Ewell. Her behaviour on the stand during the trail shows the years of abuse from her father. Though Mayella is mentally ill, she isn’t the only one. Boo Radley is a recluse that demonstrates social anxiety and possibly agoraphobia. Because of his mental illness, he is stereotyped to be a feral monster. When Scout finally meets Boo, she realizes that she stereotypes him by saying, “'Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough” (374). As Scout looks at the town from Boo’s porch, she remembers the irascible Mrs Dubose. Mrs Dubose probably suffered from a mental disorder, but at this time, many people saw people with mental disorders as crazy. To Kill a Mockingbird shines a light on the struggle of human injustice in many forms. From racial injustice and the stigma of mental illness, all characters showed resilience and grace in the face of adversity.
In the novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee some characters suffer in the hands of justice and fairness more than others. Many characters in the novel are discriminated against such as Calpurnia, Dolphus Raymond, Helen Robinson, Burris Ewell and more. However I will be focusing on the discrimination against Tom Robinson for his race, Walter Cunningham for his low socioeconomic status and Boo Radley for the rumors and supposed mental instability he holds. I chose those three because they are the most prominent and I will discuss how the discrimination against the characters therefore leads to their injustice or unfairness.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird explores the concept of injustice and her readers are introduced to a society where the social hierarchy dominated acts of humanity. We are often put into situations where we witness member of society be inhumane to one another in order to fit into the community and to act selfishly to save yourself. Within the text, we are also commonly shown the racial discrimination that has become society’s norm. Because of the general acceptance of these behaviours, it is explicitly show to all that the major theme Lee is trying to portray is ‘Man’s inhumanity to man’.
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
Injustices There have been many famous pieces of literature, but one that stands out is the 1960's classic To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. Lee, who only wrote one book in her life time, wrote of prejudice, injustice, and racism in the 1930's. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the Deep South in the 1930's. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story in which a black mad is accused of doing something he didn't do. During the whole story some of the two of the main characters, Jem Finch and Jean Lousie Finch, grow up in there mind
How would you like it if someone walked up to you and berated you based on the color of your skin? A characteristic like that isn’t even something you can control, so an insult of that nature can leave one furious and oppressed. Discrimination is inevitable in any culture, throughout history, in modern times, and even in ancient times. For example, the oppression and murder of 6 million Jewish people during the Holocaust, the African Slave Trade which occurred for multiple centuries, and more recently, the “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya people in Myanmar, brought on by the government of the Asian nation, all of which are tragedies doomed to happen when history repeats itself and people do not learn
Throughout History, men have looked down on blacks and women. But this does not justify the view that blacks and women are below white men. When people look down on blacks and women, they preform injustice. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is full of injustice. During this time period, everyone looked down on blacks and women, which makes Maycomb one in the same with the discriminators. In particular, the people in Maycomb looked down on Tom Robinson, and many others looked down on Scout. Around the Finch household, Aunt Alexandria always tries to do away with Calpurnia, the black housekeeper and cook as Alexandria says, “We don’t need her (Calpurnia) now.” (182). Injustices in Maycomb include the case of Tom Robinson, the way Aunt Alexandra treats Calpurnia, and the way people treat Scout.
It is easy to understand why this novel has become a classic and a must-read for everyone around the world. Written and published in the 1960’s, society was still struggling with prejudice and discrimination, and this book caused a huge impact on the world’s perspective. Even today, “To Kill a Mockingbird” continues to impart valuable lessons to anyone who decides to wilfully read and understand it. Prejudice and inequality are both ideas imposed by ignorance and closed minds, and people need to become more understanding and tolerant of other ideas, races, religions, and ways of life; it is essential in order to achieve a world in which love, rather than hatred, drives us all to make a change.
In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest” Ellie Wiesel. Readers may find the amount of injustice in Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird a little shocking. This could be why it’s such a popular book. People like the suspense of knowing someone’s right, but still being found guilty for something they did not do. There are many times throughout the book when people are powerless to prevent injustice but they still protest it. This shows that even when people unjustly punish there should always be someone to protest it. The theme of injustice is a common one in harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whether it be through racism, misinformation, or Arrogance.
Injustice of people based on race “...my father had fought for him all the way.’ Then Mr. Underwood’s meaning became clear: 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” (pg. 323). The trial is shown as injustice because an innocent man goes to jail. Injustice isn’t just shown in the trial it’s shown throughout the whole book, multiple characters (like Tom Robinson, Atticus, Dolphus Raymond) in To Kill A Mockingbird were discriminated against due to the color of their skin and who they associated with.
Injustice In the world today there is a say that is widely used and go something like this, “Life just has not been fair to me.” No one in To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee understands this more then Tom Robinson who had his act of kindness stab him in the back. Humans act in many different ways when being unfairly treated, some act in shock while others act in anger or frustration. In Tom Robinson’s case the result of his mistreatment sadly moved him to suicide. People who I feel like were treated unjustly in this book are Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson.
Fear is a survival response to anything that may possibly endanger you. Fear is the cause for most emotions, rules, words and actions. Fear of what you don't know can cause hate. Hatred is anger, and anger is a response to being hurt or upset; the unknown is upsetting. Scout Finch, the naive child in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is realizing that even though people are afraid of ignorance, they protect it vehemently. She sees fear overpowering reason in symbolic ways, in events she witnesses, and through characters she interacts with. It makes sense to her that one would try to understand what they are afraid of, but sometimes fear can overwhelm logic.
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are very important themes. Including justice, don’t judge a book by its cover, and loss of innocence.
There was always hatred for each other throughout the story, such as the Ewell’s feeling for the African American, Tom Robinson.
People around the world have been suffering from an endless disease known as the injustice. A disease that eliminates values, injures dignity, leads specific people to revenge–mostly violence–and requires the community under which the injustice has affected to recover from it. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the story takes setting during the Great Depression in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. The novel deals with racial injustice by setting a scene where Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a young white woman. However, despite significant evidence that proves Tom Robinson’s innocence, the jury convicts him because of his race.