Even though he is innocent, because he is black, there is almost no chance he will win. As Atticus says, "In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins" (Lee 249). Tom has a right to justice too, but society thinks he does not deserve it because he is different. Next is the Finch family. They are not black and are well respected by the community, until Atticus is assigned to defend Tom.
Thus the racist social values of Maycomb County are responsible for the failure of Atticus Finch’s defense for Tom Robinson. When hate and racism start controlling people, that hate will be factored into each decision they make in life. For example, defending someone who is guilty and criticizing someone who is innocent. As a result of hate and racism controlling the witnesses of the trial, they are another factor that cause Atticus’ defense to fail. There are several characters involved in the justice system of Maycomb County.
Racism and Prejudice Essay Prejudice is an unfavourable opinion or feeling while racism is the outworking of this feeling, it is the actions that come from prejudice. Racism is a belief that inherent differences exist among the various human races, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others. Racism is used as a form of power and control over people. It is shaped by people’s upbringing and experiences. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the movie Mississippi Burning the foundation and outcome of racism are explored.
By reading the principal’s speech, Richard was saying what the white power wanted him to say and to Richard this would be giving in to the very thing he hated so much. Richard was willing to leave school without a diploma instead of this. White people alienated Richard from his environment because he did not accept the way of life that other black people did. Richard’s relatives never understood Richard and because of this he was alienated from his family and his own people. Shorty is the young black boy who gets beat by the white people and jokes about it.
Cousin Francis yelled, “He`s nothing` but a nigger-lover!” (Lee pg83). Just because Atticus was doing the right and noble thing, Cousin Francis thought that he loved black people but he did not know Tom. Although, Jem stated that, “Atticus says cheatin` a coloured man is ten times worse than cheatin` a white man.” (Lee pg201) It is worse because it is like killing a mockingbird, which is a sin, coloured men do not really bother anybody. And then Atticus explained that, “...You’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life, ...whenever a white man does that to a black man, ... that white man is trash.” (Lee pg220). He explained that white men always win and cheat, so the white men are the victors but the white man is always a bad man.
Craig Silvey has represented prejudice to be a major problem in Corrigan in the novel Jasper Jones. In Corrigan Jeffery and Jasper are the main targets of prejudice in the Corrigan community. Jasper Jones is an outcast in Corrigan because he is a half-caste, “they think I’m just
People aren't willing to accept change and theirs not much you can do in the 1930's to change that because it was "sociality acceptable" not to. Racism was given to its full potential in this novel by displaying that of Tom Robinson being charged on a crime that he did not commit. He is accused of raping a white women by one of the most untrustworthy people in the town. This was just another accusation in this time but ended as most did, with the wrong outcome chosen because of social inequality. Differences in social status are explored largely through the overcomplicated social status.
-Okonkwo (Chapter 4)” Furthermore, in the Ibo society, a man is respected if he is fearless and courageous. Okonkwo would be the quintessential representation of such an individual. He is seen as a man incapable of affection or compassion because he rules his household with fear and a heavy hand. One can infer these qualities of Okonkwo by the following quote in the novel “Things Fall Apart. “Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not
In spite of all efforts these boarding schools produced the opposite. It bred more racism in the aspect that all Indian children presumed all white to be unsympathetic and harsh. They fully expected to be hated and abused by every white settler they saw. In the end white man may have taken their land, but they also took away their
Perhaps down in his heart, Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear… It was not external, but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. (13) Okonkwo puts on a mask. He shows the unreasonable and irrational side that everyone in his tribe and family can see, but “in his heart, Okonkwo [is] not a cruel man”.