What if racism was still as strong today as it was 80 years ago? What if life still wasn’t as fair for the people of “color?” In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, two kids of the names of Scout and Jem realize that racism is one of the most powerful subjects of hate that could take place anywhere and at anytime. Their father, Atticus, takes on a case for defending an African American man who is accused of rape with the name of Tom Robinson, little do the children know this, but this decision that their father has made puts their whole family in danger. The town of Maycomb in which they live in, is known for being extremely racist, everyone encourages Atticus to throw the case, but he won’t budge. As days pass, they receive threats, risk their lives, and the children do not …show more content…
Even with Atticus being an outstanding lawyer, they still had lost the case even though it was all one sided towards Atticus’ side. The most important themes in To Kill a Mockingbird is Evils of Racism, Man against society, and Facing reality. The town of Maycomb is full of racist folk and most of them show no empathy for the people of color. Racism seems such like a normal event that always takes place in their town that Scout doesn’t even know what is right or what is wrong. “Jem, I ain’t ever heard of a nigger snowman,” I said (Lee 89). Scout is so blinded by how racism is such a dark subject that she uses racist terms, doesn’t even know what she is talking about, and questions an object that is colored differently. This shows that Scout is so use growing up with white children, and just white racist people in general that she cannot tell the difference of what is right and wrong, or what her dad believes is right. Atticus took a huge risk for his family when taking the case, things weren’t the same for him or his children. He had put all of them in danger, he had made his children worry for him. ‘“Scout… I’m scared.” “ Scared’a what?” “Scared about Atticus.
Scout’s family is completely against racism and prejudice. In the town of Maycomb, prejudice is a disease, but Jem, Scout, and Dill are immune to this illness because of the people who raise them. For example, when Cecil and Francis tell Scout that it is a disgrace for Atticus to defend Tom, even though Francis is Scouts cousin, also when Scout and Jem hear the verdict of Tom’s case they both cry and are angry about the sentence while the rest of the town is happy. Scout doesn’t want Walter Cunningham to come over for dinner because she thinks that he is a disgrace. For all of these reasons it shows that the Scout, Jem and Atticus must not be racist or prejudiced.
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
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around it.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
"It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars was the bravest man who ever lived” (Lee 134.) Atticus raised his children in a time period where society treated you by the color of your skin and not for who you are. Atticus and his children are full of confidence and bravery during a time of inequality, depression, and racism. Atticus stood up to what he believed in and he was most importantly brave. His daughter Scout had to stand up to all the hatred she was getting for her father's trial.
Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the racism, prejudice, and the innocence that occurs throughout the book. She shows these topics through her strong use of symbolism throughout the story.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”-Martin Luther King Jr. This quote shows how racism is like darkness and hate and love and light are the only way to drive racism out. The story takes place at the time of the great depression. Scout lives in a very racist and judgement city in the south. A black male is accused of raping a white woman. Scouts dad Atticus gets appointed to be the defendant's lawyer. Racism is an antagonist in To Kill A Mockingbird because the white people of Maycomb discriminate the blacks and make them feel lesser. The theme racism can be harmful to everyone is shown by many characters throughout the book.
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
Sum up, the social relationship between these people here, this old town Maycomb is complicated and pretty tense. This novel has taught us so much, thanks to Harper Lee – one of the greatest writers of all time. It has opened our eyes wider about racism at that time and compared it to nowadays it has become so much better. People are equally, no matter what skin color you are, what religion you have, or where you’re from, what you’re appearance looks like, we are all equal, and we are all the same – human. So instead of treating badly to one another we should all united and make the world a better place.
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.
As previously mentioned, the point of view in this narrative is from Scout. Her upbringing has been respectful to the African-Americans in her society and she shows this with her relationship with her maid, Calpurnia. Other children her age have adopted their parents' racially prejudice views, causing her of many problems. Atticus's lawsuit seems to isolate his children and Scout is taunted with remarks in the playground. Her only retort is violence and Atticus, as an virtuous father, does not condone this behaviour either: "My fists were clenched I was ready to make fly. Cecil Jacobs had announced the day before that Scout Finch's daddy defended niggers."
In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police.
Racial prejudice is widespread in the county of Maycomb, and a prime example is the Tom Robinson case. Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella, a white woman. Atticus puts forward all evidence from his witnesses that clearly proves Tom was innocent, Jem even says, ?and we?re gonna win Scout. I don?t see how we can?t? (pg 206), but Tom still received a ?Guilty? verdict. Atticus tried removing the prejudiced thoughts of the jurors by saying, ??the assumption - the evil assumption - that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings??. (pg 208). Atticus? saying insinuated the point that all of God?s children were created equal. To the jury, the only important thing was that Tom was black and the accuser was white, he never stood a chance under those conditions. These racial tensions between blacks and whites had made their way into the courtroom, a place where everyone should receive a fair trial no matter what race or colour, but an unjust verdict was reached. The prejudice that was felt towards Tom made him lose all hope of freedom, and as a result, he died upon an escape attempt. Tom was victim of racial prejudice and loss of hope.
Atticus taught Jem and Scout to respect people, even if they didn’t respect them back, he taught them to understand that you never know what a person is going through to make them how they are so you shouldn’t judge them or hold it against them. Because Atticus taught his children these lessons they were able to recognize the injustices found throughout the town of Maycomb and sometimes when they spoke out, they would make a little change in someone’s ideals (for example, scout talking to Mr. Cunningham at the jail house, or Jem spending time and reading to Mrs. Dubose.) Whereas, the children of Bob Ewell wouldn’t recognize injustices because Bob Ewell didn’t teach them about morality, he only taught them how to be like him—which is a liar, a slacker, and a rude hurtful person. The same goes for the rest of the children; Cecil Jacobs referred to Black people as “niggers” (Lee 99) because that’s how his father and the town taught him to refer to black people as, whereas Atticus tells Scout to never say that word because its “common” (Lee 99) meaning uneducated. Even though Atticus wasn’t confronting everyone with racist views, what he was doing was way more effective than going for to door educating people, he was educating his children, educating the next generation on how to act in the face of racism and he showed them what was right from wrong. By teaching his kids these important lessons he is making sure that they pass their knowledge on to everyone else and that by doing that the next generation won’t be as ignorant as the previous one. Atticus didn’t have an insufficient response to racism; he just understood that he couldn’t change the town, but the children
Imagine that you are accused of rape, you know you didn’t do it, but people still didn’t believe you because of your race, how would you feel? This is the problem that Tom Robinson faces in the book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This all takes place in Maycomb County, during the Great Depression. Maycomb County’s population contains mostly white people. Racism is present during this time and they all believe that blacks are bad and their only job is to work for them.
“Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome” - Rosa Parks In the story, To Kill a Mockingbird, racism was presented when Tom Robinson was found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell, also when Calpernia was known as the black maid of The Finch’s. Harper Lee, shows that racism was a problem back then, and racism still exists in our world today.