How Does Aunt Alexandra Use Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

The events you hear about racism around the world has gotten to the point where the controversies have gone to a further extent. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, racism has show up upon the trial of Tom Robinson when he was convicted of an act of violence that never happened. Characters in the book like Aunt Alexandra followed the racism tradition in her town but soon believes that blacks are just as equal as whites. Even though Aunt Alexandra is initially a racist person, once she hears about the gruesome death of Tom Robinson, she begins to realize the graciousness of the blacks in Maycomb County, and becomes more benevolent towards those who are persecuted.

Initially Aunt Alexandra is a racist person because she follows the tradition

Calpurnia had been serving some coffee to Aunt Alexandra when Atticus walked in and how he said Braxton Underwood despised Negroes right in front of her. “Anything fit to say at the table’s fit to say in front of Calpurnia. She knows what she means to this family,”(209). Aunt Alexandra realizes how important Calpurnia is to the family and she realizes she is a good person and she doesn't need to keep anything secretive things from her because no one should keep secrets from someone even if it is about them. By having Aunt Alexandra wait until Calpurnia came into the kitchen shows that there is no need to tell everyone else but her or even at a different time. Aunt Alexandra wanted to wait for her because she now accepts that she is part of the family and how everyone treats her the ways she would want to be treated. The school year is going to start soon for the kids and Scout is already talking about how she and Walter were going to spend time together walking to and from school and just hanging out after school too. “But I want to play with Walter, Aunty, why can’t I?” She took off her glasses and stared at me. “I’ll tell you why,” she said, “Because- he – is – trash, that’s why you can’t play with him” (301) Aunt Alexandra is not only racist towards the blacks but even poor whites like the Cunningham’s. Walter Cunningham is one of Scout’s classmates

““Didn’t they try to stop him? Didn’t they give him any warning... Aunt Alexandra sat down in Calpurnia’s chair and put her hands to her face,”(315). After hearing the news about Tom’s death, Aunt Alexandra is now somber and doesn’t want to think about anything but Tom and his family. After all the hurtful things she has said about the blacks and their community, she is now sorrowful for what she has done and accepts to sit in Calpurnia’s chair and not her just her own or someone else’s in the family. This has also shown that she with going to be with the Robinson’s in their time of grieving to make them feel accepted in the community and to show how the whites are being appreciative of them being