Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most popular fictions about racial inequality in America. Her portrayal of the Black community is amazingly positive and has therefore triggered discussion. In the fiction, while most of the white people treat the Black poorly and are evil-like, the blacks are generally genial and miserable. Atticus remarks that some Negroes do lie and act immorally. In this case, the rather one-sided Black community in the book seems to be idealized while the White community may be presented as too negative. Lee’s choice of an idealized Black community over a realistic one and a prejudicious White community can be elucidated by her intention to highlight how the black people are oppressed in the white-dominated society.
On the whole the Black community in To Kill a Mockingbird is depicted as kind-hearted and pitiful. As stated by KJ (2009), nearly every member in the group has commendable character and innocent nature. This is best reflected in the most prominent black characters, Tom and Calpurnia, who are both regular church attendees. Calpurnia is the cook in the Finch family and brings up the children. Cal is caring and treats the Finches like her own kids. Every Saturday night, Cal washes Scout’s hair; Every Sunday morning, she carefully checks Jem’s and Scout’s clothes. Not only does she take care of the household, but she also gives Jem and Scout moral and writing lessons. She cares about the growing up of both Jem and Scout: asks Scout to leave Jem alone when she senses that Jem is becoming an adult, teaches Jem to take care of his sister and Scout about hospitality. When the mad dog Tim Johnson is coming near to the house, Cal shows her kindness by informing the neighbourhood, she even ris...
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Macon (2010, July 11). Warmly embrace a racist novel (To Kill a Mockingbird). [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.hk /2010 /07 /warmly-embrace-racist-novel-to-kill.html
Nittle (2010, July 11). The blacklash against To Kill a Mockingbird. Retrieved from http://racerelations.about.com/b/2010/07/11/the-backlash-against-to-kill-a-mockingbird.htm
Smykowski (2000). Symbolism and racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. In O’Neill (Ed.), Readings on To Kill a Mockingbird (pp. 52-6). San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press.
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