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How To Kill A Mockingbird Affect Society

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There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads- they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s word, the white always wins. They’re ugly, but these are the facts of life” (Lee 295) - Atticus Finch. To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel set in the 1930’s in Maycomb County when racism was more often seen than today. A town with a racist society filled with many white racist individuals. Several characters are affected due to racism such as Scout being influenced and affected by society, Tom Robinson losing his freedom and being accused and Atticus ruining his reputation and losing his case. Even though racism played a big role in To Kill A Mockingbird these individuals made a change …show more content…

He lost a case because of a racist jury and lost his freedom and life along with it. To begin with, Tom Robinson is affected by racism because he is black and in society black men are not to be trusted near woman and since he was accused for raping Mayella Ewell, jury and Maycomb citizens believed that Tom Robinson was guilty. For instance, “[…] the evil assumption- that all Negro men are basically immoral beings, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women […]” (Lee 273). This shows us that many white individuals believe that black men are immoral beings and should not be trusted around woman, this instantly clicks into the jury’s mind leading a head start for the Ewell to win the case and even the jury already jumping to conclusions with their final decision with racial judgements. Tom Robinson is also affected by racism due to losing his life and freedom because of losing a case which he was accused. To show, “Tom’s dead.” Aunt Alexandra put her hands to her mouth. “They shot him,” said Atticus.” (Lee 315) and “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty…guilty…guilty…guilty” (Lee 282). These two quote show the loss of freedom because he lost a case and was sent to jail for a crime he did not commit and also due to racism he lost his life as Aunt Alexandra states “Tom’s dead”. If tom was not included into this situation he would have been living a long life with his family but this shows the effect of racism and how it can change a Negros life dramatically even though h did not commit the crime but yet he paid unnecessary

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