Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Have you ever judged someone because of their race or how they live? If so, It means you are prejudice and there are plenty of examples of it in To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee began To Kill a Mockingbird in the mid-1950s, after moving to New York to become a writer. She completed the novel in 1957 and published it in 1960, just before the peak of the American civil rights movement. Critical response to To Kill a Mockingbird was mixed: a number of critics found the narrative voice of a nine-year-old girl unconvincing and called the novel overly moralistic. Nevertheless, in the racially charged atmosphere of the early 1960s. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, prejudice is described as judging someone without knowing them, and Racial and

social prejudice has changed since the time of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
Racial prejudice is all over this story especially with Tom Robinson.

Tom is is an innocent black man that has been accused of raping a girl named Mayella. Since Mayella is white the court will take her word over the blackmans every time. Tom is very nice and polite and would never hurt a fly. Tom sadly goes to prison and dies trying to escape. Atticus is was defending Tom in the case and got a lot of hate for it. Francis hates scout and says “I guess it ain't your fault uncle Atticus is a nigger lover” (Lee 110). This shows how Francis Atticus’s own nephew doesn't like him all because he is defending a black person. Francis isn't the only one, for example, Mrs.Dubose says “ Not only a finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse defending niggers” ( 135). She is also upset Atticus is defending a “nigger”. Black people were abused and had no rights, they were seen as property. Its embarrassing what they did to black people in the past. Black people were “hanged, shot, burned at the stake, castrated, dismembered, and maimed both to punish perceived wrongdoers and to warn others who might challenge the status quo”( Lewis 14). Black people were scared back then because they couldn't do anything to anyone who was white. Its stupid thinking one race is to superior to another. Were all equal and a lot has changed since

then.
Social prejudice was also a big issue back then and was a major part in the story. The Cunninghams and the Ewells are the poorest families in Maycomb. They are treated very poorly also just because they are poor. The Cunninghams are so poor that they only go to school once a year while the Ewells live around black people. They aren't seen the same as the rest of the white people like Jem says “ I’ve got it all figured out, now. I’ve thought about it a lot lately and I’ve got it figured out. 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” (226). They are social outsiders that no one likes. No one really gets to know them because if they are a Ewell or a Cunningham they are assumed to be mean and annoying. When Scout had Walter over for dinner he poured syrup all over his food which was very rude. Scout yelled at him and called called out of the room by Calpurnia . Calpurnia asked why she yelled at him and scout explains: “he ain't company Cal he's just a Cunningham” (33). Scout is already treating him worse than everyone else because of the family he comes from. Another time Scout wanted to play with walter but Aunt Alexandra wouldn't let her and replied with: “Because he is trash, that's why you can't play with him” (225). Aunt Alexandra refers to walter as trash since he is so poor. This shows how people think the Ewells and Cunninghams are different just because they are in a lower social class. This isn't right because they could be nice people but everyone automatically assumes they are bad.
Racial and social prejudice has changed alot since this story has been written. As racial prejudice goes it's still some what here. Some people still dislike black people just because they are black. Some people think that black people do bad things without even knowing them. Were all treated equally and no one can be falsely accused in court like poor Tom. There are groups like Black Lives Matter which is “a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society, it's a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of Black people by police and vigilantes”(Wikipedia 1). Black Lives Matter is causing a huge argument in the world. Also there was a study of who thinks humans should be equal and these were the results: “88 percent of black people think that the goal for racial equality requires more work.When compared to whites, 40 percent are hopeful that the country will continue to work towards giving black people equal rights as whites, while 38 percent believe that the country has already made the necessary changes”(Huffington 1). As social prejudice goes it's not really here anymore. There are homeless people all over the world and people help them by giving them money. Society doesn't really think of them as mean people we feel bad and help them. There are also movements like The National Coalition For The Homeless, who is on a mission To “prevent and end homelessness while ensuring the immediate needs of those experiencing homelessness are met and their civil rights protected”(National Coalition For The Homeless 1). This is a great moment that shows we've changed. This shows how Racial and Social prejudice is in our current lives.
Racial and social prejudice has changed since this book has been written but could still use a little more work. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, prejudice is all over the novel and is powerfully portrayed in many examples of racial and social prejudice, which has changed alot since To Kill A Mockingbird. You can see how much Atticus was hated for defending Tom just because he was black. The Ewells and Cunninghams are hated because they are poor. They are hated without any reasoning which isn't right. Luckily a lot has changed and humans treat each other better in today's world. Prejudice is just wrong in general. If the society got rid of prejudice it would be a much better environment to live in.