Unfair and Cruel Treatment During the Great Depression in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

829 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History of racism in the us

To Kill A Mockingbird depicts the daily occurrences in Maycomb County, an Alabama town in Southern USA. The story is set in the 1930s, when the people are mostly poor as a result of The Great Depression. Set in a time before the implementation of racial and sexual equality, the story provides insight on the mentality of the county people and their discriminative practices, which are aggravated by their difficult financial situation. Maycomb County is a white peoples town; the black community live on the outskirts of the town. Racism is so rampant that people do not even realise it happening. The blacks are deprived basic rights; they are not allowed proper jobs and are separated from the whites in every occasion. The blacks are even forbidden from going to a white church or boarding a white person’s bus. The whites of Maycomb County believe that they are superior to the blacks in every way, and avoid contact with them as much as possible. This behaviour is well portrayed by the unjust and derogatory treatments experienced by Tom Robinson, a poor black man who is being accused of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell. Upon feeling humiliated after her failed attempt to seduce Tom, Mayella acts out by accusing him of rape. This is cruel of her, as she knows that sending a black man to trial is a death sentence. Even though he is innocent, Mayella knows that Tom will have very little chance in winning the case. Heck Tate, the sheriff of the county, arrests Tom even though there is no evidence of Mayella’s claim. This may appear as unfair, however, upon realising how worked up the town is about the case, and out of fear for Tom’s safety, Heck Tate decides that holding Tom may be the right thing to do. This suggests that he i... ... middle of paper ... ...found guilty and is sent to prison. Instead of protecting his rights, the justice system hypocritically condemns him. The verdict sends shock to Atticus’ children and significantly affects the way they view the world. As time passes, Tom is demoralised even though Atticus is still determined to fight for his justice. Tom is left with only two options; to fight with the judicial system that oppresses black people’s rights, or escape. Eventually Tom decides that his only chance is escaping. As he runs across the prison yard, the guards shoot at him. Tom dies in cold blood unable to claim his justice. Harper Lee expresses the unfairness and cruelty faced by Tom Robinson through these events. Harper Lee realises the brutality of a white community towards black individuals before the establishment of equal rights, and she does this through the story of Tom Robinson.

Show More
Related

  • Similarities Between To Kill a Mocking Birds and the Scottsboro and Tom Robinson Trial

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee some characters suffer in the hands of justice and fairness more than others. Many characters in the novel are discriminated against such as Calpurnia, Dolphus Raymond, Helen Robinson, Burris Ewell and more. However I will be focusing on the discrimination against Tom Robinson for his race, Walter Cunningham for his low socioeconomic status and Boo Radley for the rumors and supposed mental instability he holds. I chose those three because they are the most prominent and I will discuss how the discrimination against the characters therefore leads to their injustice or unfairness.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Power Quotes

    493 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the 1930’s, turmoil has erupted in Maycomb, Alabama all because the young lady Mayella Ewell has accused African-American Tom Robinson of raping and sexually assaulting her. Yet, Mayella Ewell has no power because of her race, class, and gender. At the time, Maycomb, Alabama was at the peak of segregation against African-Americans. Mayella Ewell may be white, but that does not mean her class, gender, nor her race give her power.

    Read More

  • What Does The Flowers Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is based during the era of racism and prejudice. This era is commonly referred to as The Great Depression and is during the mid-late 30’s. The novel is set in a small town and county called Maycomb, Alabama. The novel follows the story of the Finch’s and their struggle before, during, and after a rape trial that is set against an African American by a white woman and her father.

    Read More

  • How Does Atticus Show Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    The town of Maycomb in the 1930's was split into two sections, the white section and the black section. This was a time of racial segregation, where blacks were not permitted to go to the same schools as the whites.

    Read More

  • Tom Robinson Quotes In To Kill A Mockingbird

    164 Words  | 1 Pages

    Tom Robinson is a kind black man whom Atticus is defending against the charge that he raped Mayella Ewell. Atticus knows that he will lose because Tom is black, but he also knows that Tom is innocent and that he has to defend him. Tom Robinson is portrayed as a hard-working father and husband in the novel and he was only attempting to help Mayella since no one else would, but she made advances that he refused and her father saw them. On the witness stand, he testifies that he helped her because, "'Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun.'" (256). Even though Tom helps Mayella out of kindness and pity, Mayella is trapped and must accuse him of raping her to save her own life. Shortly after being wrongfully convicted

    Read More

  • Discrimination In Bob Ewell's To Kill A Mockingbird

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the storylines in the novel is the Robinson-Ewell trial. Tom Robinson is an innocent African-American, accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a lower-class white girl. At the trial hearing, everyone is able to tell his or her side of the story before Tom is allowed to speak. All stories, however, offer two different versions of Tom and Mayella’s relationship. Moreover, Mayella and Bob Ewell tell the jury what they expect to hear, about Tom being a monster. They explain that there was no reason for his actions against Mayella. According to them, along with the rest of Maycomb, it's just expected that a black man would rape any white woman if he had the opportunity. The Tom spoken of by the Ewells shows the stereotypes that justify whites to be superior to blacks. However, Tom tells the jury about his innocence. He pr...

    Read More

  • Victim or Villain? Mayella Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the major events in Harper Lee’s award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird is Tom Robinson’s trial. It is based on the Scottsboro Case that took place in 1931 in Alabama, in which several black men were accused of raping two white women. Both the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson are unfairly judged, however, because of prejudice against colored people. The racial discrimination makes whites’ testimony more believable even when it contradicts itself. The same happens in To Kill a Mockingbird. As we delve deeper into the case and get increasingly closer to the truth, it is quite suprising to see that Mayella Ewell is the true villain rather than a victim. She shall and must bear full responsibility for her actions because she makes the decision to tempt Tom Robinson, gives false testimony in court that directly leads to Tom’s death, and has been well aware of the consequences of her behaviors.

    Read More

  • Courage in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    "The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did-I-didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells,'" Atticus solemnly explains this to his brother. First of all, Atticus demonstrates courage when he undertakes the task of defending Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of rape. Atticus knows he won't win the case and like Mrs. Dubose in her battle against morphine, he is "licked" before he begins. Nevertheless, Atticus knows that Tom is innocent and that he must fight for him, since no one else will. Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom with vigor and determination, giving it all he's got with one mission in mind. He wants the people of Maycomb town, whether they believe it or not, to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told"

    Read More

  • Bob Ewell Prejudice

    789 Words  | 2 Pages

    Harper Lee wrote, “when Atticus turned away from Mayella he looked like his stomach hurt.” during the trial. (chapter 18) People tried to force their way into prison and kill Tom Robinson. A group of white men including Mr Cunningham really wanted him killed as the town believed the white family’. They chose the Ewells over Tom Robinson because he is black. There were two churches in Maycomb, one for the blacks and one for the whites. This is another example of racism. They also had separate seating arrangements in the courthouse for white and black

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Tom Monologue

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    All the while I can only imagine what Tom must be thinking. It is an awful situation, yet Mayella is white and he is black, and there is nothing anyone can do about that. More people start to flood into the courthouse, trying to snatch up the best seats as if they were fighting over one hundred dollars. After a half hour passes, I spot Tom and Atticus making their way to his table. This has been the most anticipated moment and day in Maycomb ever since Atticus decided to take the case. When I saw Tom it sent chills down my stiff spine. I need to be here, I have to be here for the town, for the sake of me knowing what happened. For a second, I caught a meaningful glimpse of Tom’s sorrowful eyes and saw that he wasn't a monster and that those were the eyes of an innocent

    Read More

  • Life Lessons in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Themes of Prejudice and Tolerance in To Kill a Mockingbird

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Discuss how the historical, political and social setting of Harper Lee's

    2385 Words  | 5 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird is set in a small town in Maycomb County. Alabama, in the 1930s, which was a dark period in time for America. it had been hit by the Depression. Up until 1929, America had been. doing very well, becoming a much richer country.

    Read More

  • Helen Robinson´s point of View in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Unfair and Cruel Treatment During the Great Depression in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Open Document