In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, in a court trial. The town of Maycomb turns against him due to this. Atticus, furious about the reaction from his town, explains, “…why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand” (Lee 88). Atticus does not have any racial biases, and he does not agree with the views of the majority of the people of Maycomb. Atticus, describing his beliefs to Jem, “…The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be
He was obviously (due to the evidence) innocent, but racist southerners of the jury ruled him guilty anyways. ii. Due to the support of Tom Robinson, the common person hated the finch family. 1. Both examples show how prejudiced the city in the South actually was.
Tom is sentenced to death. Although Atticus is sure they may have a chance if they try an appeal, Tom believes that he will once again be judged by the colour of his skin, and not by his innocence. Rather than take that chance, he decided to take his own and attempted to escape from jail. He was shot seventeen times. The Finch family are the only ones to show him any sympathy or understanding.
When she drew it away, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. “Your fathers no better than the ******* and trash he works for!” (Lee 117) 1. (analysis)This quote said by Mrs. Dubose towards Jem and Scout shows how racists she is. Mrs. Dubose and most of the towns people dislike the Finches because Atticus is a white man defending a black man. Jem and Scout stats to become aware that all this is caused by segregation.
Similarly, there were many hollow rumours running around the county based on Boo Radley, and the majority of the residents of Maycomb decided these unjustified stories resulting in the alienation of Boo. Tom is represented as one of the greatest victims of prejudice by Harper Lee, as he is continuously discriminated for the colour of his skin. It is easy to see that one of the main "mockingbirds" in this story is Tom Robinson- a harmless man who becomes a victim of racial prejudice.
The book is written about 1950’s but set way back earlier-about 1930’s. This influence the way people were like-violent and disrespectful to black people. It is because America was having a tough time-slave trade which made black people to be forced to leave their homes and go to work for white people who would keep them in terrible conditions. Slaves wouldn’t have any rights to say a word because they were called ‘disgrace’ and they are not accepted as the same level as white people. ‘Maycomb was an old town’ because everybody knew what was happening at the time, therefore gossip about Thomas Robinson would spread as fast as light.
An honest example of this can be throughout the Christopher Donner Manifesto. He was terribly focused to indicate that the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) was a great deal racist and had file criticism when criticism to the LAPD against his therefore decision brothers’ in arms. Within the finish he had to require the law into his own hands and shot a policeman and still take matters that shown that he was racist against the police and was treated as a threat to the community and therefore the police. In the end, he committed suicide so as to create is beliefs into
The lack of knowledge in Maycomb about the outside world and their opinions about black people ingrains ‘Maycomb’s usual disease’ into their minds as they have no other opinions about black people. This is shown by the crowd’s outrage as they gather to lynch Tom, not knowing that he was innocent, but blinded by ... ... middle of paper ... ...sirable traits to have as they can motivate you through the toughest tasks and drive you to do what should be done instead of abandon your duties. In conclusion, Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird highlights the horrible prejudice and ignorance towards black people in the southern town of Maycomb, but also shows wisdom and compassion as not only desirable but necessary traits to have to withstand the bombardment of pre-conceived ideas from the people surrounding you, and also portrays these qualities as a shield to people around
Sometimes it seems that all men are created equal but in Maycomb, Alabama the people beg to differ.To kill a mockingbird is basically remembered of in the event of the trial of Tom Robinson and its racist outcome. The most obvious part of prejudice in the novel is racism, which causes otherwise upstanding white people of Maycomb to accept the testimony of an evil white man over the evidence supporting the testimony from a black man. Yet prejudice is also visible in the racially condescending Mrs. Grace Merriweather; in Aunt Alexandra’s and many other character’s belief in the importance of social class; in the gender stereotypes that people try to force on Scout; and even in the way the town views Boo Radley as a monster because he acts
Ce’Desia Burgess February 7, 2011 4/A To kill a mocking bird Throughout the novel, To kill a mocking bird, prejudice was almost like a “tradition” to those of Maycomb. Since prejudice was like a tradition, most of the citizens followed it with no questions asked. Some of the townsmen of Maycomb knew that following this “tradition” wasn’t right, but yet they never thought to step up to take action against it. Some one didn’t have the courage to take a stand for going against this “so called tradition” until the alleged rape came along after an innocent African American man by the name of Tom Robinson. This alleged rape was the “event” that brought the prejudice that was happening in the novel to the attention of the audience