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To kill a mockingbird historical culture
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Historical elements of killing a mockingbird
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In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the town of Maycomb assumes the worst in people and this keeps the reality hidden. Since Boo stays inside all the time, the town concludes that he must be dangerous and a criminal, when truly he just chooses to keep to himself. The fact that Dolphus Raymond prefers blacks, confuses people into thinking he is dangerous, even though in reality he is very nice. Additionally, the misunderstanding of Tom’s motives leads to the jury to believe that Tom raped Mayella when all he wanted to do was help her. The book To Kill A Mockingbird teaches the audience that a lack of understanding leads to misleading assumptions which in turn prevents people from learning the reality.
A lack of
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understanding between Boo and the town results in false assumptions made about him. In the following Scene, Jem describes Boo Radley to Dill, even though he has never seen him, Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained-if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had left were yellow and rotten: his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time (Lee 13). This shows that without ever seeing Boo, Jem is able to describe his appearance. Scout even says that his description is “reasonable”. Additionally, Jem depicts Boo as a savage, he states that his hands are “bloodstained” and that he eats “animals raw”. The town’s assumptions of Boo mislead Jem and Scout into thinking that Boo is a monster when in reality he is kind-hearted. The town makes these misleading assumptions because they do not understand why Boo decides to stay inside. Some of the townspeople even believe that “Any stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work”. This shows that just because Boo keeps to himself and stays inside, the town assumes that he is a criminal. The assumptions about Boo blindfold the townspeople and keep them from knowing the truth. Dolphus Raymond’s preference of blacks results in the town assuming he is dangerous and should be avoided.
In the following scene, Dolphus Raymond explains why he pretends to drink whiskey all the time, “‘I try to give ‘em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey- that's why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does.’” (Lee 200). This evidence proves how misleading assumptions can be and shows the reality that Dolphus is a nice person. The fact that Dolphus Raymond has mixed children and prefers blacks over white, scares people into thinking he is dangerous. They are easily reassured that the reason behind his preference is that he is in the “clutches of whiskey”. Either way, being a drunkard, or preferring blacks, makes him an unpredictable and avoided person. When Scout and Dill first approach Dolphus, Scout warns him by saying “‘Dill, you watch out now’” implying that Dill should be cautious around such a man. Scout also describes him as an evil man and being delighted at “corrupting a child”. Soon after meeting him, they realize that the things said about him were false and that he is a nice person. This just shows how deceptive such speculations can be and how they prohibit people from learning the …show more content…
reality. The reality of Tom Robinson's motives is misunderstood and lead to false accusations. The following shows the reaction of the town after Tom saying he feels bad for Mayella, ‘Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em-’ ‘You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?’ Mr.Gilmer seem ready to rise to the ceiling. The witness realized his mistake and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. But the damage was done. Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer. Mr. Gilmer paused a long time to let it sink in. (Lee 197). This scene shows that the town assumes that a black person can not empathize with a white person unless they have ulterior motives.
When Tom says he feels bad for Mayella, the courtroom goes silent and the “damage was done”. This shows how terrible it is for a black man to sympathize with a white woman. In reality, Tom genuinely pities Mayella and all he wants to do is help her. The stereotypes and assumptions of blacks cause the jury to see Tom as a monster instead of a kind and compassionate person. The white jury cannot understand why on earth a black man would feel bad for a white woman so they assume the worst about him. The people of Maycomb are unable to see the reality of Tom’s intentions due to prejudice within the
society. Perhaps if the townspeople tried to understand these characters, they would truly see the reality of their situation. The town assumes that Boo is a criminal based on the fact that he stays inside all the time. In addition, the town cannot understand why Dolphus would prefer blacks, so they assume he is crazy and should be avoided. Furthermore, the white jury takes Tom’s compassion and makes it seem as if he is a monster. The misunderstanding of Boo Radley, Dolphus Raymond, and Tom Robinson results in false assumptions prevents the town of Maycomb from seeing the reality.
...uth to fully understand that it is typical to act superior to those with colored skin. All Dill sees is a man being rude to another, just because of his skin color. While Atticus clearly shows everyone in the court that it was almost impossible for Tom Robinson to have beat Mayella, he still loses the case just because he was a black man against a white woman. Lee includes, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Lee 323) This enforces how it didn’t matter what Tom was really doing or why Mayella was screaming, but just by the way Tom looked they were able to essentially pin the rape and the beatings on Tom. Of course this was not true and he did not receive the justice he deserved, but that didn’t matter to Maycomb. All that mattered was the color of his skin and what the teenage white girl named Mayella Ewell said about him.
While the novel does take place post-Civil War, racism is still an ever-present factor in America. Slurs such as “nigger” or “negro” are apart of the common vocabulary, such as when Cecil Jacobs says, “That nigger ought to hang from the water tank!” (102). Since the black community is looked down upon, kissing Tom was one of the worst decisions she could make in the public eye. As Atticus explains, “She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man … No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards” (272). Even in the judicial system which, by definition, is supposed to serve justice, has the odds stacked against African-Americans. When Atticus expounds upon this unjust bias he says, “When it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins” (295), rendering Tom Robinson’s trial practically useless. Because of the southern biases against the African American community, Mayella would be ostracized and shunned by society had she revealed her true actions. Everyone strives for acceptance, and will go to many extremes to achieve it, even at the expense of another. Therefore, one must give Mayella sympathy as she was only following her instincts as a
There 's a point in everyone 's life when people are forced to wear a mask to hide their true selves. People want to fit into what they think is normal. Most of the time, the individual behind the mask is very different from what they are being perceived as. They can be evil and wicked, or they can be smart, loving, and caring. Characters in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee live through the Great Depression and Segregation. They all have qualities that make them unique in their own ways. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, citizens are put under stereotypes all throughout the novel. Characters get assigned labels that aren 't entirely correct. Dolphus Raymond, Mayella Ewell, and Boo Radley are all products of what it looks
Being an African-American and living in a generally prejudiced town like Maycomb, Tom was already licked from the start. Tom was allegedly accused of raping a white person and as Atticus says, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (295). During his trial, Tom could have lied about his reasoning for helping Mayella, to keep himself from getting into more trouble, but instead he showed real courage by revealing the real reason behind his actions: “I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em” (264). Since Jim Crow laws were active in Maycomb, Tom’s answer was seen as a terrible mistake: “Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer” (264). It showed that he, being a black person, thought he was better off than a white person.
This demonstrates to the reader that Maycomb was an area where prejudice against black people could be traced back to their ancestors, and this prejudice had been passed down from generation to generation. At that time, the people of Maycomb disapproved of Atticus attempting to win the case. They had expected him to take it on as a mere formality, not to try and secure Tom's acquittal. Despite their displeasure, the people of Maycomb were, in fact, allowing Atticus to do something that some of them secretly desired but lacked the courage to attempt. As Aunt Alexandra notes, "They're perfectly willing to let him do what they are too afraid to do themselves.
In the novel Tom was accused of raping Mayella Ewell daughter of Bob Ewell, Tom couldn't have committed this crime because of his injury on his left arm. Tom was later on found guilty and the incarcerated, during his time in prison he was shot down while trying to escape and killed. “ To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical. Typical for a nigger to cut and run. Typical of a niggers mentality to have no plan. Nigger always come= out of them, “(244) What this quote is saying is that when Tom died it didn't cause any kind of guilt because the people were basing his reason for trying to escape on pure stereotypes of black people. “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody,”(112) Atticus was one of the few white man who thought that Tom was more than just trash because of his skin. This shows my theme because most of the people in Maycomb thought that Tom was just like any other black stereotype and didn't think his life was worth saving, not because the evidence pointed to him being guilty but because he was
Hypocrisy is as much a part of Maycomb’s society as church and community spirit. For example, Mrs. Merriweather talks about saving the poor Mruans from Africa, but she thinks black people in her community are a disgrace (p.234). The hypocrisy of this teaching is shown as soon as she mentions the word ‘persecution’. This is due to the fact that she herself is persecuting the black people of Maycomb by not raising an eyebrow at the killing of innocent black men. Furthermore, it is obvious Bob Ewell is abusive to his daughter, Mayella, and that he is the one who violated her, not Tom Robinson (p.178). Since there is such hypocrisy in Maycomb, there are excuses made for whites. The jury probably thinks that if they pronounce Tom innocent the citizens will mock them as they do to Atticus. Harper Lee uses hypocrisy to show how the people of Maycomb are so engulfed in a variety of elements that they unknowingly complete acts of unjustified discrimination.
One of the values of Maycomb is racism. However, there are a few that does not believe in this value, including Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a white man married to a black woman and has mixed children. He does not believe in society’s ideology regarding racism and knows that some citizens of Maycomb antagonize him. However, he does not care, as he prefers the colored people over white. He knows how unfair society is, from the way he gets treated. Moreover, Jem realizes the falsities of society, due to the injustice he sensed. After Tom’s verdict, Jem’s first clear sense of injustice provided a new perception on the world. When he was young, he believed that the people of Maycomb are the best folks, but the outcome of the trial changed this thought. Furthermore, Scout’s realization of the falsehood in society is with the hypocrisy of Miss Gates. She was taught by Miss Gates how Americans do not believe in persecution. However, Scout saw Miss Gates talk about the African Americans in an adverse way. Learning about the falsehood in society is part of
Scout learns that by yielding to prejudice, we often hurt and cause strife unto others. For example, Scout is harassed and becomes the target of insults when her father decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. This is a plajurized essay. The hate felt towards black people by the majority of the Maycomb citizens causes them to bother and harass those who attempt to befriend the black people. Forgive me for stealing this essay. Scout realizes that the only reason she must undergo this torment is that her father is defending a black man, which has become taboo because of the corruption that racism has caused in many people. In addition, Scout watches Tom Robinson undergo unfair treatment and false accusations. Please dont tell my parents I stole this essay. Although Atticus provides the jury and the people of Maycomb with overwhelming evidence benefiting Tom, and ultimately proving him innocent, this is not enough to overcome the powers of hate and racism. Scout watches as the jury deliberates and convicts Tom Robinson of murder because he is a black man. This is a stolen essay. Although Scout witnesses a myriad of injustices occurring against black people, she also sees an exiguity of kind and compassionate movements towards black people.
...ne of his biggest secrets, he states, “I want to try to give [people] a reason… If I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey-that’s why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself that’s why he lives the way he lives” (Lee, 200). Dolphus Raymond knows prejudice, injustice, and racism are very well alive in the community. He doesn’t want to be judged by his community and he finds the only way to escape the torment of the society’s judgements is by pretending to be drunk. Scout learns about the judgemental society she lives in. Moreover, she learns not to judge others before knowing their stories. Clearly, the events of the Tom Robinson trial are very important to Scout. The trial causes Scout to mature before her time, but also enables her to learn the truth about the untold and dark secrets of life.
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
All the while I can only imagine what Tom must be thinking. It is an awful situation, yet Mayella is white and he is black, and there is nothing anyone can do about that. More people start to flood into the courthouse, trying to snatch up the best seats as if they were fighting over one hundred dollars. After a half hour passes, I spot Tom and Atticus making their way to his table. This has been the most anticipated moment and day in Maycomb ever since Atticus decided to take the case. When I saw Tom it sent chills down my stiff spine. I need to be here, I have to be here for the town, for the sake of me knowing what happened. For a second, I caught a meaningful glimpse of Tom’s sorrowful eyes and saw that he wasn't a monster and that those were the eyes of an innocent
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
When Tom said in the trial that he felt sorry for Mayella (a crime worse than rape in the jury´s eyes) - the lowest class showing superiority for a class above themselves. The white community was frightened for their own position in society; the only reason Tom was found guilty was to maintain the traditional hierarchies.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the novel explains greatly about a famous phrase that starts with “Don’t judge a book by its cover. People aren’t who they seem to be because most people have qualities that they hide/fake about. This theme is the most significant aspect in the novel. Boo Radley is a character that does a perfect example of hiding his lifestyle the people in Maycomb heard rumors about him being a monster. Atticus is also another great example. In the beginning of the book, Jem refuses to eat dinner until his dad, Atticus, promises him to play football. When Atticus does not tolerate to do that promise, Jem calls/consider him a boring dad. Mrs. Dubose is considered to be a cranky lady, but she is a whole different person. Out of all