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Racial Prejudice is a problem in which humankind has been experiencing over the last few decades and has been posed as a problem in which a sense of moral conscience is needed in a person to battle the prejudice in the world. In the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” written by Harper Lee, the event illustrated to show the idea of racial prejudice in the town of Maycomb, is the Lynch Mob scene. In this scene, Atticus, whose name was based on a Greek city of Attica, which was the home of justice, prevents Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white female, from being murdered by the mob. Harper Lee uses various language techniques to further emphasise his point. Through writing this novel, Harper Lee has been referred to as the forerunner of the Civil …show more content…
Scout describes the lynch mob as, “I thought they must be cold-natured, as their sleeves were unrolled and buttoned at the cuffs. Some wore hats pulled firmly down over their ears. They were sullen-looking, sleepy-eyed men who seemed unused to late hours”. This irony emphasises their brutal and hostile nature and by describing them as this way, it shows that the lynch mob had actually dehumanised themselves. By buttoning up their shirts and pulling their hats down, it shows that they are hiding their individual personality behind their clothing and were ashamed to reveal who they were. The use of irony is effective here as this was being described through the eyes of young Scout Finch whose ideas are still very innocent, so she misinterpreted the mobs intentions. There were some individuals who did not cover themselves up, “Mr Cunningham wore no hat, and the top of his forehead was white in contrast to his sun scorched face”. This shows us that some individuals were not afraid to voice their …show more content…
Scout describes them as, “was the most venerable and hideous of the country’s buildings”, and “was a miniature Gothic joke one cell wide and two cells high, complete with tiny battlements and flying buttresses. It had a "red brick facade" and "ecclesiastical windows.” These descriptions made by Scout are used to make fun of the whole view of the white members of the society. By referring to it as a gothic joke the author is suggesting that it contains the repressed prejudice of the people in the town and it is being described as a joke because the law does not treat the black and white equally. The juxta positioning of the words venerable and hideous suggests that the justice in Maycomb is racially biased and is working against the interests of the black community. Also when the narrator quotes, “It gave the town a respectable look and no stranger would ever suspect it was full of niggers,” it emphasises my point. This use of irony shows that behind the mask of justice and peace, there lay a community of disgusting individuals who would punish the black population of society at will. This idea is still relevant in society today as racial injustice is present in the world today, such as the injustice shooting of the black boy by a white American police officer. Although there were people who
To Kill A Mockingbird displays an environment where one must be inhumane to another in order to become socially compatible. Maycomb has established a hierarchy where social compartmentalisation is the way of life. Men with a profession and a career are superior, while the farmers are near the bottom of the social strata and are considered inferior. No matter which remarkable qualities Negroes possess, they are always s...
There 's a point in everyone 's life when people are forced to wear a mask to hide their true selves. People want to fit into what they think is normal. Most of the time, the individual behind the mask is very different from what they are being perceived as. They can be evil and wicked, or they can be smart, loving, and caring. Characters in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee live through the Great Depression and Segregation. They all have qualities that make them unique in their own ways. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, citizens are put under stereotypes all throughout the novel. Characters get assigned labels that aren 't entirely correct. Dolphus Raymond, Mayella Ewell, and Boo Radley are all products of what it looks
Growing up in a prejudiced environment can cause individuals to develop biased views in regard to both gender and class. This is true in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, where such prejudices are prevalent in the way of life of 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. The novel is centered around the trial of a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. The narrator, a young girl named Scout, is able to get a close up view of the trial because her father is defending Tom Robinson, the defendant. The aura of the town divided by the trial reveals certain people's’ prejudices to Scout, giving her a better perspective of her world. Throughout the story, Aunt Alexandra’s behaviors indirectly teach Scout that prejudice is a disease with deep and far reaching roots.
Through settlement patterns, justice, and social stratification, Harper Lee reveals the ways of prejudice. The first instance of prejudice, settlement patterns, greatly affects how people of Maycomb are prejudged, not just where they lived, but also where they dwelled. The Ewells are considered the lowest class of Maycomb, aside from the blacks, which is shown by the fact that they live at the edge of the town, right next to the black people. “‘He would show me how, where and how they lived. They were people, but they lived like animals’” (30).
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere”. Martin Luther King envisioned a world in which society lived without hate but in peace with one another, his dream was cut short when he was assassinated purely because of the racial prejudice someone had. The injustice he faces relates heavily to his quote as it speaks the truth about the innocence of one person and it must be protected from the evil of society. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee, addresses the cruel society in which injustice is served based on the withstanding prejudice and racism the town of Maycomb contains. The author addresses this to the reader through the use of characters that symbolize the victims of
Prejudice is a real life problem in the world. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes the prejudices found in a small American town in the 1930's. Race, social class, and gender are examples of prejudice.
In the classic 1960 novel of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses irony to reveal Maycomb’s true colors of prejudice, racism, and hypocrisy. The “tired old town” seems ideal and peaceful on the surface, but as the story progresses, it becomes evident that the town is a biased, racist community. (p. 5) The author’s irony helps the reader interpret the actual hypocritical views of the story’s characters. Simon Finch, Miss Merriweather and the Missionary Society, and Miss Gates all show the existence of discriminatory and impartial views that surround the town. Their actions contradict their words and seemingly positive intentions, showing their real ignorance.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, many different themes come into view. One major theme that played a big role in the character’s lives is racial prejudice. Racism is an unending problem throughout the book. The song “Message from a Black Man” by The Temptations has many similarities to the theme of racial discrimination. Therefore, both the novel and the song prove that racism was a great obstacle for some people at a point.
In the town of Maycomb, there is a big case about a black man who is accused of rape. Scout's father Atticus is the black man's lawyer. While talking to scout about his case, Atticus says, "'Simply because we were licked a hundred years ago before it started is no reason for us to try to win'"(Lee 87). Even Atticus a fair and right man admits there's racism in the town of Maycomb and that he will not win the case because of it. The town of Maycomb has some good people, but many people have racist and unfair
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, depicted the harsh reality and injustice of the government system during the 1960’s. The author, Harper Lee, conveyed a story of a southern lawyer who defends an innocent colored man, named Tom Robinson, whom was found guilty because of the pigment of his skin, even though there was crucial evidence that proved his innocence. Harper Lee’s literary phenomenon, To Kill a Mockingbird, was influenced and based on actual events during her childhood. In the novel, the author provides symbols, gothic motifs, and distinct characters to display her ideas of innocence, justice, and fairness during this time.
Racism and discrimination is a major societal issue in society in the past and even today it is also a major theme in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. two main characters in the book Scout and Jem, live with their father in a town called Maycomb their father Atticus who teaches them many life lessons such as treat all humans equally no matter what their race, is a lawyer for a man named Tom Robinson who is accused of a crime and is discriminated against all through the trial and even until his death. African Americans have been treated unfairly in society for a very long time, along with in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Many of the characters in the book are discriminated against. For example, Jem and Scout are discriminated against by the African Americans when they go with Calpurnia to her church.
Throughout the history of the the United States of America, society has been depicted by race. Racism shown in the time period of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has multiple similarities and differences with the modern day. There are many different examples shown within the book To Kill a Mockingbird. A way that the book shows blatant racism is the use of the word niger.
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.
Is the black cat crossing your path truly a bad sign? Rupsha Mukherjee asked that question and then found some answers. What she found is truly connected, she found “In Christianity, men and women wear a black robe while attending the funeral ceremony of a deceased person. As a result of such practices, black is identified with death, decay and the devil...a wrong impression in the minds of people, prompting them to adopt unjust ways of segregation.” This connects to my theme of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in a way that shows that the blacks are seen as evil, the devil is evil, death is evil and black is associated with those two beliefs adopting a way of segregation that is unjust. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee she
Scout learns that by yielding to prejudice, we often hurt and cause strife unto others. For example, Scout is harassed and becomes the target of insults when her father decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. This is a plajurized essay. The hate felt towards black people by the majority of the Maycomb citizens causes them to bother and harass those who attempt to befriend the black people. Forgive me for stealing this essay. Scout realizes that the only reason she must undergo this torment is that her father is defending a black man, which has become taboo because of the corruption that racism has caused in many people. In addition, Scout watches Tom Robinson undergo unfair treatment and false accusations. Please dont tell my parents I stole this essay. Although Atticus provides the jury and the people of Maycomb with overwhelming evidence benefiting Tom, and ultimately proving him innocent, this is not enough to overcome the powers of hate and racism. Scout watches as the jury deliberates and convicts Tom Robinson of murder because he is a black man. This is a stolen essay. Although Scout witnesses a myriad of injustices occurring against black people, she also sees an exiguity of kind and compassionate movements towards black people.