Examples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

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“Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!”(135). In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dobose declared with finality and disgust, glaring at Jem and Scout as spittle flew from her mouth and onto their faces. As an old, unpleasant, and virulently racist member of the Maycomb community, Mrs. Dobose took it upon herself to educate the Finch children of their father’s unwise decision to defend the black man, Tom Robinson. Although the children had become almost accustomed to the insults and mockery aimed at Atticus, they had never heard them coming from an adult. It was at that moment that Scout finally understood the extent of racism in her little town. One of the main themes-racism- exists throughout the book as evinced by the unjust treatment and accusations Tom Robinson received, the impolite way Aunt Alexandra behaved towards Calpurnia, and the contempt with …show more content…

This hatred for the blacks extended to the Finches as well, for Atticus had agreed to defend a black man. Not only did friends, neighbours, and all the children in school turn against them, family did so as well. Scout, Jem, and Atticus endured hostility, scorn, and loathing directed at them even from their cousin. “Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover” Francis, Scout’s cousin, mocked with distaste, earning himself a punch from an outraged Scout (110). The Finches soon realized what it meant for them for Atticus to willingly defend a Negro in court as people soon looked at them like trash and scum. The words “nigger” and “nigger-lover”, used multiple times in the book, imply the disrespect and detest the community felt for the Negros. “Nigger” became a pejorative word and a racist insult rudely directed at Negros. From the way white Americans threw that word around and openly insulted and spat in Atticus’ face, one can feel how much racism influenced the society in that

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