Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird
According to Wikipedia racism is defined as ideologies and practices that seek to justify or cause the unequal distribution of privileges or rights among groups that are conceptualized as racially or ethnically different. These can take the form of social actions, practices, beliefs, or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based on presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualities. It may also hold that members of different races should be treated differently. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates racism through the harassment of Helen Robinson after the trial, treatment of Tom Robinson in jail, and the views
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of the community towards African Americans. After the trial, Helen Robinson was harassed daily by the Ewell's.
Mr. Link gave Helen a job after the trial because Tom was shot and killed. Helen was a non-violent person this attribute was shown when the Ewell's threw things at her, she took the high road instead of retaliating. It took a toll on her when she had to start walking a mile out of the way to get to work. When Mr. Link found out he had a few choice words to say to Bob Ewell. "... I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen not being able to walk this road..."(Lee, 334). Helen begged Mr. Link not to say anything.
Racism is also apparent while Tom was in jail. Walter Cunningham and a few other farmers showed up at the jail late that night. They were asking for Tom Robinson " There followed what I later realized was a sickening comic aspect of an unfair situation
the men talked in near whispers"(Lee, 202). It was transparent that they had some reservations about what they wanted to do. When Scout ran through the crowd of men she could smell alcohol. She also did not understand why these men were wearing long sleeve shirts and overalls since it is the summer. However, Jem and Atticus did and they both stood their ground until the men
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left. In the U.S.
justice system, it is believed that everyone gets a fair trial. However it is clear that Tom's trial is biased. The case that the state presents is that Tom Robinson raped and beat Mayella Ewell. However, the evidence the state has provided was called into question multiple times during cross examination. The only viable evidence was that of the beating Mayella received. Bob and Mayella Ewell both had a difficult time testifying, by being either cocky, rude, over emotional or, confused with what exactly they are testifying to. When Tom got up to testify Atticus pointed out circumstantial evidence that of which is that Tom cannot use his left arm. Atticus states "... Some Negros lie, some Negros are immortal, some Negros are not to be trusted around our women"(Lee, 273). During his closing arguments, but the message he wanted to get across is that not all African Americans are bad. Atticus gracefully begs the jury to not convict Tom because of his skin, but because of the evidence. "...In the name of God do your duty"(Lee,
275). Atticus, Heck Tate, and Judge Taylor did everything they could to help Tom. Mr. Underwood did not mind telling people that either. Atticus did everything he could to protect Tom however, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed"(Lee, 323). It is not always easy being the bigger person, especially when society is against you, or when people try to hurt you because of the color of your skin. But the worst of it comes when someone tries to frame a person for a crime they did not commit because no question would be asked. It was not easy living in the conditions and going through what most African Americans had to. But they persevered and focused on the positive because... one day "we shall overcome"(Lyndon B. Johnson).
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
Tom Robinson is at the stand being questioned by Mr. Gilmer. Dill starts to feel sick because of how Mr. Gilmer is treating Tom. The narrator explains, “Well, Dill,after all he is just a negro” (Lee 266).This piece of evidence shows that prejudice is used as an antagonist in the novel by giving an unfair trial to Tom Robinson. The quote states “he is just a negro,” which shows that the trial is unfair just because of the towns racial views on people of color. The jury is all white and the case is black versus white. The jury is very biased towards the case. The prosecuting lawyers and defending lawyer are giving their closing statements. Atticus ends with a powerful speech that prove Tom is innocent and his views on race. The jury thinks over all the evidence for a long time and come to a verdict. The author of To Kill A Mockingbird quotes, “Guilty...Guilty...Guilty...Guilty…” (Lee 282). This quote shows the jury is very prejudice. There is more than enough evidence to prove Tom did not rape Mayella and that Bob Ewell beat her. Even though there is enough evidence to proves Tom’s innocence the jury’s verdict is guilty just because of their hate and their prejudice towards African Americans. Ultimately, prejudice is being used as an antagonist is very thoroughly shown throughout the entirety of the
Having grown up in the home of a lawyer, Jem understands the ways of the courtroom and recognizes Atticus’ behavior in court. When Tom Robinson is put on trial for being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Atticus is appointed his attorney. As questioning continues, Atticus blatantly proves it was impossible for Tom to even commit the crime. Jem says to Reverend Sykes, "...don't fret, we've won it....Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard" (Lee 279). Jem’s response to Reverend Sykes comment
Throughout the novel we see the abusive behaviors of Bob Ewell towards people, especially to his daughter Mayella. When Bob Ewell saw what he did from the window he screamed “you goddamn whore, I’ll kill ya” (Lee 198). This inferred that Bob Ewell was talking to his daughter and not Tom, who later testified that when Bob yelled this he was looking right at Mayella. Atticus also makes a case on page 127 about how no one, not even Bob, called a doctor to check on Mayella. By not calling a doctor it proved Bob Ewell was only concerned for himself, not even for the own well-being of his daughter, he was a selfish and horrible father. Also, the Ewell family was one of the lowest whites in Maycomb they had no money and no education, the children only attended the first day of school every year. Bob Ewell wanted the people of Maycomb to view them higher than they do now, but was too lazy to do it himself. Mr. Ewell believed that pinning his own abusive behaviors on Tom Robinson would make people believe he saved their town from dangerous man, and they would now think highly of him. Bob Ewells selfish behavior and poor parenting skills lead to him being a responsibility in the death of Tom
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
Tom Robinson’s trial, and in fact his entire life, was badly affected by racism. It is truly a testament to the corruption of society when a person who has earned a bad reputation is held in higher esteem than a person who was born with it, as is the case with Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson. Even though Tom was obviously honest in his testament, the jury sided with Bob Ewell because he was white. They made this decision despite the fact that the Ewell family was widely known to be a worthless part of society. Jem, not being racially prejudiced, could not understand this mentality. As Atticus pointed out, “If you (Jem) had been on the jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man.”
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.
He was strong enough to ignore this negativity. During the trial, the jury and the judge also displayed a prejudicial belief system. The unfair attitudes and ideas of the townspeople towards were exhibited throughout the book. Tom was very confused when he was accused of this incident because he had never been anything more to Mayella Ewell than an acquaintance. The older you grow, the more of it you’ll see.
Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Robinson is caught with Mayella in the Ewell residence by her father Bob Ewell. Bob swears by everything that he saw Mr. Robinson taking advantage of his daughter, Mayella. Robinson supposedly runs out of the back door of the house and Bob states he does not beat Mayella. Then Bob storms into the sherif...
The long awaited trial of Tom Robinson has concluded yesterday, with the jury convicting him guilty under the charges of raping Mayella Ewell, daughter of Mr. Bob Ewell. The defendant, Tom Robinson, was accused by Mayella Ewell of raping on the 21st of November 1935. The defendant's lawyer, Atticus Finch, put up a strong defense to indicate Tom Robinson was not guilty. Atticus Finch conserved this evidence through each testimony. The first witness, Sheriff Heck Tate, testified that when he went on the scene, he saw Mayella wounded on the right side of her face but no doctor had been called. The plaintiff’s testimony was she asked Tom Robinson to break up a Chiffarobe and that was when Tom Robinson attacked her. She said the “next thing I knew Papa was in the room
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” there are many examples of racism. During the 1960s when the book was published, racism was acceptable and Black people were constantly dominated and ridiculed by Caucasian people. This novel written by Harper Lee is based on racism against Black people and the refusal of people to treat everyone equally.
Racism obstructs a person 's innocence making them feel as if they are held guilty for their race. As one author 's says, “Race doesn 't really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don 't have that choice” (GoodReads). She simply implies that race of a non-black person does not matter because it’s the only race that is conflicted with. Black people, in the early 1800s until the late 1980s, were judged solely based on their race. Two authors relate their characters on racism and how the white community obstructed the significance of their black characters. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, she introduces a fictional town, in which the white community shows inconsideration towards the blacks. Lee focuses on one
She is told she acts too much like a boy when she should be acting like a girl. Scout describes Aunt Alexandra as “Fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pant.” (108) Aunt Alexandra discriminates Scout for not wearing lady like attire and tells her that if she continues to dress that way then she can’t be a lady. Aunt Alexandra soon becomes determined to put an end to Scout’s non-feminine behavior. Atticus tries to explain to Scout that "She asked me to tell you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it's meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you'll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly,"(178). Atticus has decided to take his sister’s word and tell his children what they should act like despite him not approving of this. Scout’s behavior is what leads her Aunt Alexandra to discriminating her and telling her she’ll never be a lady if she continues to not dress and act like a lady; making her very determined to
These injustices have begun long before Tom’s trial, but it is his trial which epitomizes the problems with our society. The first witness was simply just a misguided fellow named Heck Tate who it seems didn’t have much to offer to the case. Next, Atticus Finch called Bob Ewell to the stand. When I saw Ewell take the stand such a fierce hatred rose within me that I began to shake and tremble. Ewell wrongfully accused Tom of raping his daughter Mayella, however, with the grace of God, Atticus Finch had shown that it was very possible that it was Bob Ewell who because he was a lefty could have beat Mayella. If it were not for great men like Atticus Finch I would have lost all hope for this world. As I watched Mayella take the stand I wondered how such a kind looking person could be someone of such poor character. Her words seemed to paint a picture of a sad life; one where a father neglects her and she has fallen under hard times. Atticus, after pointing out it was probably Bob who beat her, asked Mayella who it really was that beat her. Mayella made it clear it was Tom Robinson, upon which Atticus asked Tom to stand. To the astonishment of the court Tom was handicapped! Tom was then called to the stand where he laid open for all to see the truth, explaining that it was Mayella who came on to him (that treacherous woman!). Soon enough the trial ended and every one awaited the verdict of the jury. The next few hours were the most nerve wracking of my life.
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.