In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the town Maycomb has a big role in why a lot of things went the way they did. Maycomb was very prejudiced, the way the town is is immensely segregated. Because of the segregation, Tom Robinson lost the case. Even though all the evidence pointed to the fact that he did not do it, since he was a black male everyone automatically assumed he did it.
Just like in the case of Tom Robinson, this town is just as racist as Maycomb. Over a hundred men stood outside the jail hoping for a good time beating and killing the men, which can be compared to the few who were outside Maycomb’s jail.
Being an African-American and living in a generally prejudiced town like Maycomb, Tom was already licked from the start. Tom was allegedly accused of raping a white person and as Atticus says, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (295). During his trial, Tom could have lied about his reasoning for helping Mayella, to keep himself from getting into more trouble, but instead he showed real courage by revealing the real reason behind his actions: “I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em” (264). Since Jim Crow laws were active in Maycomb, Tom’s answer was seen as a terrible mistake: “Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer” (264). It showed that he, being a black person, thought he was better off than a white person.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, this theme of deluding oneself rather than admitting a painful truth is shown through the town of Maycomb itself, Mayella Ewell’s internal and external struggles in dealing with her feelings for Tom Robinson, and how Jem refuses to believe that the world he grew up in turns out to not be what he had imagined.
Hypocrisy is as much a part of Maycomb’s society as church and community spirit. For example, Mrs. Merriweather talks about saving the poor Mruans from Africa, but she thinks black people in her community are a disgrace (p.234). The hypocrisy of this teaching is shown as soon as she mentions the word ‘persecution’. This is due to the fact that she herself is persecuting the black people of Maycomb by not raising an eyebrow at the killing of innocent black men. Furthermore, it is obvious Bob Ewell is abusive to his daughter, Mayella, and that he is the one who violated her, not Tom Robinson (p.178). Since there is such hypocrisy in Maycomb, there are excuses made for whites. The jury probably thinks that if they pronounce Tom innocent the citizens will mock them as they do to Atticus. Harper Lee uses hypocrisy to show how the people of Maycomb are so engulfed in a variety of elements that they unknowingly complete acts of unjustified discrimination.
them and what they do. In this book I have noticed that there are is
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “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.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
present times by the state of the actual town. It is very poor and in
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.
victims of prejudice. To take advantage of these men would be a sin, just as it
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and oppressive events that actually took place in the south during the time period in which the novel is based. In addition to actual historical events, events and examples from the book that clearly illustrate the overpoweringly high levels of prejudice that were intertwined in the everyday thinking of the majority of the characters in the book supports the fact that Tom Robinson never stood a chance of getting a fair trial.
Maycomb is a small town with big problems. Maycomb is a town in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”. “To Kill A Mockingbird has a slew of character, including Atticus, Jem, Scout, and Tom. Atticus is a lawyer with a son, Jem, and a daughter, Scout. Tom is a black man who is accused of rape, and Atticus has to defend him. It makes sense for Atticus to defend Tome because he has good character; he is selfless and brave.
often managed to get black people to do jobs for no pay, and the black
A good society is one that is comforting, kind and supportive. Maycomb is one society that fits these attributes. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb is a community in which the residents are safe and happy. Although they face many problems, the people of Maycomb always help each other out and make sure everyone is happy. Also, in this community there is empathy for anyone in pain and everyone tries to comfort them. Lastly, Maycomb is a place where everyone is always there for each other no matter what. Maycomb is a good place to live because friendship has value, there is compassion for those in distress and people defend each other.
The novel takes place during the 1930s in the town of Maycomb, at a time of racial discrimination and inequality. Tom Robinson is a kind hearted African American who is wrongly accused and convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, who is a white woman. His lawyer Atticus Finch, although white, does not back down from representing Tom Robinson in court. He already knows to expect a negative reaction from society.
In the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, there were many people, both children and adults, who were affected by racism in the 1930’s. As shown throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, racism has affected the way people treat others, leading to false accusations and death. Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell were both victims. It was expected to hear unkind things being said, however, it took more than strength to overcome the damaging words. With Tom being accused of rape, there had to be a trial, however, there was no need, since Tom was African American. On Page 316, Mrs. Maudie says, “The handful of people in this town who say fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say fair trial is for everybody, not just us…” This proves