Examples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird
IA1 – “To Kill A Mockingbird: Racism encountered by African Americans during the Great Depression”
Word Count: 1000
Harper Lee’s abrasive drama "To Kill A Mockingbird” published in 1960 during the American civil rights movement, was a literary miracle set in Maycomb, Alabama that transformed into a profane work which rapidly adopted pervasive social and cultural norms. In a southern judiciary, the story explores a racially discriminatory culture amid a socially deprived flourishing majority. Lee educates current generation on the brutal discrimination that captivated 1930’s, influenced by racial strife amongst a marginalized group. Racism is illustrated through the protagonist, Jean Louise Finch (Scout). Although, key characters that enhance
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Despite Atticus’ lawful actions in attempting to protect the alleged, Tom is shot 17 times. Tom’s death is a result of the jury’s conclusion based solely on his race, excluding the evidence present in court. Scout’s perspective to Dill and Jem is as follows: "Tom's death was typical. The classic N-word mentality” (p.265). The quote concisely captures the tragic effects of inequality on many innocent souls. Moreover, Lee uses "n-word" and "typical" to resemble alliteration, while Scout dictates Tom's death in a harsh tone. The word "mentality" vividly depicts dehumanization in 1930’s. Jem, Scout and Dill are deeply affected by the news as their reactions reflect the sense of bereavement felt by African Americans. By analyzing writer's choices, Lee allows audiences to sympathize with the black society, due to horrific consequences on institutional racism. Similarly, Atticus' statement to his children, "it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird" (p.119) discloses the fact that virtuous people are targeted without proof and this foreshadows Tom’s demise. Mockingbird serves as a metaphor for Maycomb’s innocent black community, unjustly assailed by the dehumanizing morality of the whites. Killing a Mockingbird, therefore, symbolizes a request to abolish innocence. By analyzing writer's choices, Lee acknowledges racial inhumanity and provokes racial tension on audiences. Lee's holistic view of Tom’s execution reflects the predominant theme of racism. Lee's message is a powerful commentary on racial intolerance that prevailed in 1930’s, embraced by a harrowing account of brutal
How Does Atticus Finch Show Courage
756 Words | 4 PagesIn the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee takes on the malignant impact of racism, a deeply rooted problem, from a different perspective and teaches readers what it truly means to be a good person as she brings to life one of the most virtuous characters in American literature-Atticus Finch. Told through the eyes of a young child, readers learn about the heavy prejudice embedded in the people of Maycomb County and the loss of innocence that is brought upon the kids as a racial conflict spurs a series of significant events in their quiet town. Taken place during the early years of the Great Depression, Maycomb must face its biggest problem-racism. Atticus Finch is the lawyer who defends this case and ultimately brings a
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1051 Words | 5 PagesThe book “To Kill A Mockingbird” was written by Harper lee. Throughout the book Lee uses a story to get a deeper meaning out to her audience and the world. During the where the story was set there were inequality issues and very prejudice opinions. Intertwined in the book she addresses the controversial topics like race and different forms of prejudice. There were several different forms of prejudice in this book.
Examples Of Stereotypes In To Kill A Mockingbird
508 Words | 3 PagesTom is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, believes that he is innocent and he is only being accused because of his color. Stereotypes of blacks such as the assumption that they lie and are bad people cause others to not give someone a chance to be proven innocent, not unlike Tom. In the book, the characters refer to a black person as a “nigger” which is a very offencive and negative term which shows how people in the early 1930’s viewed people of dark
To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Quotes
812 Words | 4 PagesHarper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930’s America. The main characters, Scout and Jem live in a world filled with racial bias and prejudice. While a major court trial is going on, Scout and Jem are trying to make sense of all that is happening, but they are pure children in a world filled with hateful people. Overall, Harper Lee includes a strong theme of innocence throughout her novel. This theme idea relates to the symbol of the book, the mockingbird, in the fact that, “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” so killing a mockingbird is destroying this overall idea of innocence.
How Does Lee Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird
1001 Words | 5 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a domestic fictional novel that portrays the awakening to racism and prejudice through the eyes of a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, Scout. Growing up in the “tired old town” (9) of Maycomb, the protagonist Scout matures through many encounters in a world that evolves from pure innocence and fun to a world of segregation and injustice. Throughout these trials, Harper Lee illustrates Scout’s innocence, maturity, and courage. Lee provokes the theme of courage through the literary devices of conflict and symbolism. Atticus Finch and Aunt Alexandra are also characters who illustrate symbols of moral courage.
Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
1013 Words | 5 PagesThe Presence of Prejudice In Harper Lee’s great depression era novel To Kill a Mockingbird, she fuels a raving battle against prejudice in a steadfastly racist society. The protagonist, Jean-Louise “Scout” Finch, looks on as the fires of prejudice rage all around her beginning “the summer Dill came”(3), and ending when “Bob Ewell fell on his knife”(314) several years later. During the period between these events, Lee kindles situations that, “ain’t right”(242), like the diffident treatment one lawyer gives when cross-examining Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly tried and convicted of rape, and later on where Tom’s defendant must remind the jury that not “all Negroes lie, that [not] all Negroes are basically immoral beings,” (232) and even a
How Does Lee Use Racial Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
825 Words | 4 PagesIn Harper Lee’s gothic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, protagonist Scout Finch and her family are introduced to racial inequity in the “tired old town” (5) of Maycomb, Alabama. Scout's father Atticus Finch, a lawyer, is given the task of defending a black man “{whose} name’s Tom Robinson” (86), who has been accused of rape, in court. During the trial, Scout and her brother Jem learn the appalling effects of racial prejudice and the iniquity of the world and the people in it. Tom Robinson is deemed guilty because of his race, despite all evidence proving his innocence. Lee utilizes literary techniques in the novel to further develop the theme of racial prejudice, such as Atticus’s encounter with Tim Johnson, Mrs. Dubose’s camellias, and her use
To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes
610 Words | 3 Pages“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, prejudice, justice, and innocence. The novel is set in the 1930s in Maycomb, a small town in Alabama, and follows the story of Scout Finch, a young girl, and her family. The novel has a profound impact on its readers, and it is considered to be one of the greatest works of American literature. In this essay, I will explore the importance of five quotes from the novel and how they relate to the themes of the book. “Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
To Kill A Mockingbird Racism Quotes
923 Words | 4 PagesTheir racist attitude is emphasized by them thinking he is just another black man in a prison. This mindset allowed them to slaughter Tom instead of potentially wounding him so he would not escape. The movie downplays this event by mentioning Tom “was trying to run away and they shot him” (Mulligan To Kill a Mockingbird). The movie claims Tom is only shot to prevent him from escaping. Unfortunately, this “shot” proved to be deadly.
Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
628 Words | 3 PagesDespite overwhelming evidence of Tom's innocence, including the compelling testimony of Atticus Finch, Scout's father and the defense attorney, Tom is convicted based solely on his race. This starkly illuminates the deeply ingrained racial bias and prejudice that prevailed in the justice system of that time, where black individuals were automatically presumed guilty solely based on the color of their skin. Tom's tragic fate underscores the harsh reality of racial discrimination, where African Americans were denied basic rights and treated as inferior to white people merely due to their race.
Examples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird
860 Words | 4 PagesThe novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” was written in 1960 by Harper Lee in the point of view of a young innocent girl named Scout. One of the main messages that Lee has (need a new word than – indicated or set out) is racism, it plays an important role which strongly impacts many character’s lives unfairly and changes the relationship between two. Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” shows that it is wrong to hurt someone who does no harm to you, for example, black people are innocent but no way did they have as many rights as white people did. Black people lived hard lives because society was judgemental, irrational and most importantly, racist. As Scout and Jem grow older they learn to cope, take responsibility and are introduced to new aspects of life, one of which is racism.
How Does Harper Lee Present The Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird
933 Words | 4 PagesThis positions the reader to think that Tom is already seen as the villain by all the white people of Maycomb and his family is feeling the effects of this. Scout again loses her innocence when she realises that Tom Robinson was shot dead at the Enfield prison. “But I found myself shaking and couldn’t stop(pg261).” Imagery is evident here with Scout never interacting with someone who was shot and this corrupts her mind making her shake and lose her innocence. Toms’ death affects Scout substantially as he realises that the world is injustice to people of colour.
Examples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird
1914 Words | 8 PagesHarper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that show the life of a southern state od Alabama during the “black racism” time period, where majority of the people had the mentality that (quote) with the exception of a few. To chosen to portray it from the eyes of Scout Finch, from a child’s point of view. Living in Maycomb, in the midst of a conservative society of the 1930’s and 20’s Southern America Scout Finch is an extra ordinary child.
Theme Of Isolation In To Kill A Mockingbird
1244 Words | 5 PagesIn To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us about the town of Maycomb County during the late 1930s, where the characters live in isolation and victimization. Through the perspective of a young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, readers will witness the prejudice that Maycomb produces during times where people face judgement through age, gender, skin colour, and class, their whole lives. Different types of prejudice are present throughout the story and each contribute to how events play out in the small town of Maycomb. Consequently, socially disabling the people who fall victim from living their life comfortably in peace. Boo Radley and his isolation from Maycomb County, the racial aspects of Tom Robinson, and the decision Atticus Finch makes as a lawyer, to defend a black man has all made them fall in the hands of Maycomb’s prejudice ways.
Examples Of Racial Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
857 Words | 4 PagesEssay In the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, there are many important messages shown throughout the book. However the primary focus was set on racial prejudice that existed in the 1930s-1940’s in the fictional town of Maycomb County. The racism in the novel was very much a reality in 1930s-1940s America. A very good example of the racial prejudice that existed was in the courtroom during Tom Robinson’s trial, an innocent Negro man held against his will for a crime he did not commit.
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