How Is Injustice And Racism Portrayed In The Novel

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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. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy,…Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(Page 98 Atticus) This citation is the focal point of the novel. Tom Robinson, a black man who did no wrong, as all evidence proved yet he was still found guilty. Atticus Finch was one of a few who believed in ‘justice for all’. Atticus was mocked and shunned for defending a black man yet he never retaliated. “The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." (Atticus 114). Atticus believed that just because the town’s folk were prejudiced against the Negroes, it didn’t make it acceptable. EXPLAIN MORE(HOW IS THIS QUOTE RELEVANT TO THE PROMPT? THEN LINK BACK ?(LIKE A CONCLUDING STATMENT)!!! Tom Robinson is the metaphorical ‘mockingbird’ of the novel. His intention,was noble and honorable yet it was overlooked as a result of racial discrimination “I felt sorry for her... You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" (Page 200 Tom Robinson, Mr. Gilmer). A black man feeling sorry for a white woman was found to be contemptible. As Mr. Gilmer implies how can a Negro feel empathy for a white woman who is much higher above his class in the social hierachy? Mr. Gilmer
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