Outcasts In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

An outcast is defined as a person who is not accepted, and has been rejected by society. People who are outcasts can have a wide variety of different attributes that make them different from the majority. Outsiders like this might have a mental illness, they might be poor, or they might just have a different color of skin. No matter how small the difference may seem, it can be something that separates them from everyone else. During the mid to early 1900’s there were many different types of people who were outcasts in societies. Although present day society has become more accepting to people who are different, there is still a long distance to go before everyone is completely accepting. The treatment of outcasts during that time period

Excessive drinking in the 1930’s was not seen as a very big problem like it is today. In fact it was so widely accepted that it could be used to your advantage. This is shown in the case of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, a wealthy, white man who spends most of his time with the African American people of Maycomb. The community of Maycomb, sees him as being an outsider in society because does things that they do not agree with. To avoid too much scrutiny he drinks out of a bottle in a brown paper bag, giving people the idea that he has a drinking problem. He wants people to believe, “‘...Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey--- that’s why he won’t change his ways.’” (Lee 268) Even though he does not like to drink, people think that is what he is doing, so they treat him differently. Dolphus Raymond does not want to be an outcast, so he fakes

He is not outcasted for his wealth, or his well being. Tom Robinson is an outcast because of the color of his skin. This has consequences other than being rejected from society. For example, when Judge Taylor polled the jury they all answered, “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” (Lee 282) The evidence that was presented to jury had clearly pointed to Tom’s innocence, but because he is not accepted by society no one would stand behind him and say he is innocent. Today, race is less of a factor for someone being an outcast, however people of different race are not always fully accepted into society. The fact is that race does not actually make you that different from other people, it just looks that way on the outside. The color of your skin is caused by, “the presence of a pigment called melanin”(Human Biological Adaptability) This gene does not affect your IQ or anything related to your social life. Just because people look different, they are treated as if they are not equal to others. No matter what time period is being studied, skin color is a common