Racial Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In the publication of, To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, uncovers racial discrimination through the perspective of a little girl named Scout. She recalls her knowledge as a six-year-old and explains the circumstances of her life with her single father. Atticus, Scout’s father, is a lawyer chosen by the state to defend a local African-American fellow named Tom Robinson. He is falsely accused of raping a white woman. Within the few years revolving the trial, Scout and her brother Jem observe the cruel consequences of prejudice and hate, all the while observing the morals and values displayed by their father. Atticus’ morals consist of striving to have no prejudices, being courageous in difficult situations, and living through another’s …show more content…

For the purpose of definition, prejudice is recognizing that one’s opinion is not based on actual experience. With this in mind, Atticus does his best not to have any grudges toward people who may deceive him. Because Atticus lost the trial, he did not have any hatred toward anybody or any specific group of people. Furthermore, he has the prejudice of a child. As a child in the 1960s or 2016, we are not born with prejudice. Children are not born with prejudices, but they develop in a person from the biases and attitudes of their surrounding environment as well as by the influence of others around them. An example of a developed attitude in this book, is the prejudice towards Calpurnia, the Finch’s housekeeper. Calpurnia part takes in supporting because the children live in a motherless home. In fact, she took the children to church one Sunday, and Aunt Alexandra expressed her feelings to Atticus about how she did not enjoy the children going to an all African American church. He simply said, “she’s a faithful member of this family” (137). Once again it is clear that Atticus proves that he does not have any prejudice toward Calpurnia, or more specifically African-Americans because having Calpurnia is an integral part of their family’s day to day

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