Therefore, Morrison uses “whiteness” as a symbol in the novel so she can criticize the treatment of African-Americans by the whites and the legacy of slavery. The whiteness symbol is used by Morrison to develop her criticism against segregation and racism throughout the book by representing everything that is bad in the novel. One of the ways that Morrison uses the symbol to develop her critique to the society of the time is by creating the majority of the characters in the novel black, and the few white people present are always representing violence and wrongdoing. For example, the accident that led to the death of Guitar’s father was in a white man’s mill. This scene can serve as a representation of how the white man treats the black man and by describing Guitar’s
As the reader begins to see the unfairness of the actions against black people, mostly because of Atticus’ speech, the theme of discrimination is developed through the motive of ‘walking around in their shoes.’ The title, To Kill A Mockingbird is very symbolic and meaningful. The quote which corresponds with the title is also said by Atticus and is, ‘Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can’t hit ‘em, but it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ There are two characters in the text which are metaphorical to the mockingbird. One is the obvious one, Tom Robinson, a black man accused of the rape of a white girl, whom Atticus defends, and the other is Boo Radley. Just like a mockingbird, Tom Robinson only did good and in the end was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He helped Mayella Ewell every time she asked, for free, and for it he was accused of raping her.
The main concern and issue in TKAM is the concept of prejudice. In the text, prejudice is represented mainly through the racial inequality in the town of Maycomb . In the text, we see Atticus' belief in treating and respecting everyone as an individual contrasted with a number of other wold views. The aspect of racism is shown when the people of Maycomb accept the testimony of an obviously corrupt white man. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”.
He is almost completely shunned from the town because he is trying to help a black man accused of rape. Mayella had told Tom, “I said come here, nigger, and bust up this chiffarobe for me, I gotta nickel for you.” (p.241) She had tricked him to coming over to her. Then that’s about the time when she accuses him of rape. He had felt sorry for her, which is why he was falsely accused in the first place. Courthouse segregation was one of the biggest bits of racism I found in this book.
Because of this racism and prejudice, the decision of Atticus’ to defend this man (who would certainly be killed without a lawyer because he is black and the accuser is white) is widely discussed in the town. Atticus seems to take all the criticism and name-calling well and sticks to his belief. Atticus also seems to want to influence his children’s thoughts and attitudes towards colored people by hiring an African-American maid, Calpurina. He pays her a normal wage, one that a white maid would receive, and treats her with the same respect he
In Harper Lee’s compellingly poignant novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ we witness various forms of racism and injustice. As the protagonist, Scout exposes the bigotry present in Maycomb County and what the characters endured because of it, particularly the African Americans. We also observe the discrimination that certain characters, such as Atticus Finch and Mr. Dolphus endure because of the racial stereotypes who couldn’t comprehend their belief for justice for all. Racism in Maycomb was the norm. Most of the people of Maycomb were unjust and ignorant when it came to the most basic rights of the African Americans.
. . I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating” (Patton, 36). Not only was Msimangu reffering to whites abusing power, but also black men as well. Essentially he is cautioning John that the power of corruption can take over any man.
The Significance of Symbolism in “To Kill a Mockingbird” toward Social and Racial Prejudice The novel by Harper Lee, “To Kill a Mockingbird” mainly discussed about prejudice in many aspects. One aspect is about the prejudice against Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely accused of raping a white woman and convicted to be guilty by all white jury because of the custom of the society and the racism of the people. Harper Lee uses symbolism which carries the message better than words to signify the prejudice that can be seen as symbols throughout the story, mostly about the problems of social and racial prejudice in the South in 1930s. The use of prejudicial symbolism can be studied by looking through symbols from the book. The paper will be discussing about symbolization of the prejudice against Tom Robinson, the causes from historical context and the evidence of prejudicial thought which is upheld by people in Maycomb society.
This shows that perhaps some blacks still hold a grudge against whites for all they have put them through in the last century. The fact of the matter is; however, that in saying only white people are racist, they are being racist themselves, therefore disproving their statement. To say that racism is a “white person’s disease” is also factually incorrect. All of us, as humans, discriminate; it is a natural instinct which we all share. Psychologist Larry A.
Sargent Shriver once stated,” The roots of racism lie deep in man’s nature, wounded and bruised by original sin.” So if racism is deeply embedded into “men”, wouldn’t women have the power to undo this sin? In How to Kill a Mockingbird, Calpernia Tate and Lola are two feminine representatives contributing to black rights. Lula’s sense of loyalty is admirable although futile due to her abhorrent tone, enraging white society more than impressing them. While, Calpurnia’s rational approach emphasizes the equity between the white and black races. Showcasing intelligence, manners, and loyalty: Calpernia portrays the perfect black representative, revealing the humanity Negros.