Tom Robinson Discrimination Quotes
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship in America. While many problems were happening at the time, one of the most significant and pervasive issues was discrimination and prejudice. In Maycomb, racism and segregation were normalized, and gender bias and classism were also prevalent. Women were expected to act in a certain way, exemplified by Aunt Alexandria's constant nagging of Scout to be more ladylike.
Primarily, Racism is the most prevalent conflict in the novel, set during a time of segregation when black people were treated as inferior to white people. The metaphor of the mockingbird is used to represent the innocence and vulnerability
…show more content…
Despite Atticus's best efforts to prove his innocence, Tom is convicted. Several quotes from the novel illustrate the pervasive racism in Maycomb, such as when Mr. Raymond acknowledges the harm that white people have caused the black community, saying, "Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they're people, too." Pg.229
Conversely Another quote, from Scout, reveals the stereotype and prejudice that were rampant in Maycomb. She tells Mr. Raymond "Atticus says cheatin' a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin' a white man..." Pg.229 as Atticus explains “the evil assumption – that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.” This assumption is rooted in the false belief that all black people are liars and immoral.
Moreover, as third quote from Mr. Ewells reveals the open racism that was accepted in Maycomb by saying "I seen that black n***** yonder ruttin' on my Mayella." Pg. 231 He uses a derogatory term to refer to Tom Robinson Infront of him inside a courthouse, in front of witnesses, demonstrating the normality of this kind of
To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Judgement Quotes
718 Words | 3 PagesIn the modern world, we are surrounded by judgement and discrimination. Nearly everyone is faced with hardships and insults based on their beliefs, habits, interests, and appearance. In a time of such hatred, there is a handful of pieces of literature that have spoken truth through the ages. One such book is To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the Great Depression in the fictional southern town of Maycomb, Alabama.
Why Is Tom Robinson A Typical Place For The Night Of Prejudice
690 Words | 3 PagesThe case of Tom Robinson pushes people to their most uncomfortable limits when it comes to
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1312 Words | 6 PagesTaking certain words from the quote such as, “My folks”, implies that racism is being taught generation after generation. The quote shows a direct link to the prejudice most of Maycomb's community has towards people of color. Cecil Jacobs furthermore states how white people discriminated against black people during the 1930’s. Bob Ewell, a witness in the testimony, and the father of Mayella Ewell, is a very racist person. In one instance, Bob describes Tom Robinson as a black, nigger, raping his Mayella.
Why Is Tom Robinson Unfair
865 Words | 4 PagesThe children feel it was unfair, but then again they are naïve to the racism. Atticus appears unmoved at the verdict. Atticus, a lawyer at Maycomb, supports Tom Robinson and feels as if he is innocent. Taking on the job to help defend Tom was an act of courage, seeing how everyone else was so opposed to this man because he was black. "It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1637 Words | 7 PagesThroughout the story, begins to notice the truth about Maycomb and the rest of the world. As the story progresses, Scout is able to depict how discrimination, racism, and segregation are present within the society that she lives in. This arises when her father, Atticus Finch, is representing an African American man, Tom Robinson, who has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. Robinson is put on trial and found guilty, thus showing Scout and her brother, Jem, that their town is not as innocent as it seems, consequently making them more knowledgeable about
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
758 Words | 4 Pages“Cry about the simple hell people give other people— without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think they’re people, too” (Lee). Prejudicism is demonstrated through the people of Maycomb in this quote because it shows how people already have a biased opinion on Negroes without knowing them just because of their appearance. “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for” (Lee). The quote above shows how people in Maycomb are prejudiced because they are judging Atticus simply of the fact that he works for a “kind” of people they don’t accept.
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
934 Words | 4 PagesTom’s trial is set up to fail from the beginning, having an all-white jury and a black man’s words going up against a white man’s. Atticus simply puts it, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life” (Lee 295). The justice system of Maycomb is one built on racism and prejudice. Whatever Atticus proves means nothing to eleven of those twelve jurors.
Examples Of Adversity In To Kill A Mockingbird
794 Words | 4 PagesAtticus has very proper and true experiences with racism, due to how Tom’s case went and was examined by the judge and jury. By Atticus saying this to the courthouse he is giving the jury a better idea and opinion of how racism is alive and awake in Maycomb. Atticus is speaking the accuracy of how adversity is unleashing awful discrimination upon the people of
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
800 Words | 4 PagesAtticus gives his final speech to the jury: “‘You know the truth and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around our women- black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of man. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked up on a woman without desire.’” (273) There is not a certain person that just acts a certain way; black or white people will be people. They will do bad things and good things it doesn’t matter what they look like or where they come from.
Tom Robinson's Innocence
1442 Words | 6 PagesMaycomb refuses to accept Tom Robinson’s innocence and instead uses him as a scapegoat to protect the Ewell’s pride and to justify blaming him for Mayella’s circumstances which preserves Maycomb’s power over the African American community. Maycomb’s inability to believe Tom’s innocence is because his case is a “black man’s word against the Ewells” and “the jury [can’t] possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word” because Maycomb deems ignorant, uneducated white people, like the Ewells, as more respectable, valuable, and trustworthy than black people (88, 108). Tom’s case demonstrates how Maycomb sees African Americans as expendable because of deep-rooted prejudices. Maycomb chooses to condemn a black man to death over damaging Mr. Ewell’s pride. Maycomb attempts to rationalize this verdict with stigmas about black people, falling back on their ingrained prejudices.
Atticus Finch Racism Quotes
845 Words | 4 PagesTherefore, some people pissed to Atticus. The people, who live in Maycomb, say such ugly things about Atticus Finch, a white man, for defending Tom Robinson in court, because Atticus believe Tom and he tried to defend Tom seriously. Long time ago, many people believed that black men is not good, polite, and NOT believable, so they were treated like slaves. Now in real life, people who believe idea of racism by skin color are less than before. However, some people
Tom Robinson Discrimination Quotes
817 Words | 4 PagesThings such as the Jim Crow law and segregation, racism, and all-white juries in the past caused extreme prejudice against people of color. Tom Robinson is an African American character from To Kill A Mockingbird with a crippled left arm, is a helpful person and a good worker. Tom Robinson from To Kill A Mockingbird is affected by racism because he was not respected by the people of the court and was convicted regardless of the evidence. His mistreatment is historically accurate as people of color were discriminated against in the past. Tom Robinson was not given the respect that he deserved.
Plessy Vs. Ferguson And The Separate But Equal Laws
1402 Words | 6 PagesA critical event in the book is when Atticus accepts to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping Mayella Ewell; however, he is disfavored against by the town due to his race. In the book, Atticus says, “...The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells’. The evidence boils down to you did--I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells’...” (Lee 117).
To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Quotes
559 Words | 3 PagesThis quote is a perfect example of Tom Robinson, a black man who the people of Maycomb inappropriately label as a criminal and therefore act prejudiced against. Tom can be likened to a mockingbird in the sense that he too is innocent. Furthermore, it is a criminal offense to kill a mockingbird because everyone knows they are harmless creatures that do no wrong. Unfortunately for Tom, this precedent does not apply to black men in Maycomb even once they are proven innocent. This is seen during Tom Robinson’s trial just before Judge Taylor announces if he is guilty of asssuluting and raping Mayella Ewell.
Social Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis
1108 Words | 5 PagesAtticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird famously said in his closing arguments: "You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some negro men are not to be trusted around women- black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and no particular race of men." (pg 232) What Atticus is trying to convey is a foreign concept to most people in Maycomb county. Atticus is trying to convey a point of equality and no prejudice in a world of social inequality which, as one can imagine, didn 't go over so well.
More about Tom Robinson Discrimination Quotes
To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Judgement Quotes
718 Words | 3 PagesWhy Is Tom Robinson A Typical Place For The Night Of Prejudice
690 Words | 3 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1312 Words | 6 PagesWhy Is Tom Robinson Unfair
865 Words | 4 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1637 Words | 7 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
758 Words | 4 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
934 Words | 4 PagesExamples Of Adversity In To Kill A Mockingbird
794 Words | 4 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
800 Words | 4 PagesTom Robinson's Innocence
1442 Words | 6 PagesAtticus Finch Racism Quotes
845 Words | 4 PagesTom Robinson Discrimination Quotes
817 Words | 4 PagesPlessy Vs. Ferguson And The Separate But Equal Laws
1402 Words | 6 PagesTo Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Quotes
559 Words | 3 PagesSocial Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis
1108 Words | 5 Pages