To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

913 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of african american literature

To Kill a Mockingbird In the town of Maycomb people are racist. Even today people still have a prejudice side. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two races, the people of European decent, and the African American decent. The black characters in To Kill a Mockingbird contribute to the development of the white characters rather than appearing as individuals in their own right. The black characters are there in the novel but, the author doesn’t really expand on their personalities. Harper Lee shows us in the book, that back then in the south the communities saw all African American people as the same; but they do help to develop the white people. Overall the black community in Maycomb helps to shape the white community; as the whites are very rounded characters and the blacks are two dimensional (flat) characters. We have many different examples from the novel that helps us to understand how the blacks unfold the white characters. There is one in particular that stands out, it is the scene where Tom Robinson is in courts and is questioned by Gilmer. “You’re a mighty good fellow, it seems – did all this for not one penny…“Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her; she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em” (lee 197). This quote stands out from the entire book because here was have a black person feeling sorry for a white person. Back in the 1920’s that was an unwritten rule to be sorry for a person of European decent. You might question how this shows how a black person develops a white person but it subsequently does. When Tom says that he felt sorry for her everyone is shocked, because a black person can never feel sorry for a white person. So Tom saying that shapes the white community because it shows that t... ... middle of paper ... ...fending a black person is a huge deal. Atticus does not care that Tom is black, he knows that he is not guilty and wants to help him. This brings out caring and compassionate side of Atticus. Therefore Tom Robinson a black character helps to shape Atticus Finch a white character; rather than appearing as an individual in his own right, To sum it all up, we have three very good points on how the black characters in To Kill a Mockingbird contribute to the development of the white characters rather than appearing as individuals in their own right. We have the black community shaping the white community overall. Then there is Calpurnia expanding Scouts character. Last but not least, we have Tom Robinson developing Atticus finch’s character. The people of Maycomb are very diverse; we have the African American decent who helps to develop the European decent.

Show More
Related

  • To Kill A Mocking Bird

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maycomb's racist attitude in To Kill a Mocking Bird is fueled by the events which occurred soon after World War I. After a devastating stock market crash, many employers lost a substantial amount of money and therefore could hardly afford to hire staff. Many resorted to buying slaves; it was cheap and required little responsibility on their part. This event led to the employment of Negroes. The Industrial revolution did not occur in South America since it was only logical to simply buy slaves rather than expensive machinery. The civil war soon followed, and declared that Negroes were no longer considered slaves and if they were unhappy with work conditions they could leave. Few did, since jobs were already dangerously scarce and by about 1930 racism toward blacks was obvious. Negroes were accused of stealing the jobs of white people and this led to a system of separate public transport, schools and even drinking fountains.

    Read More

  • How Does Atticus Show Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior, to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, and the struggle between blacks and whites. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and single parent in a small southern town in the 1930's, is appointed by the local judge to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping a white woman. Friends and neighbors object when Atticus puts up a strong and spirited defense on behalf of the accused black man. Atticus renounces violence but stands up for what he believes in. He decides to defend Tom Robinson because if he did not, he would not only lose the respect of his children and the townspeople, but himself as well.

    Read More

  • A Change in Society in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    595 Words  | 2 Pages

    Atticus changes the view on society by defending a black man named Tom Robinson. By defending Tom, Atticus is standing up for blacks. Atticus had no decision but to take this case because “If [he] didn’t then… [He] wouldn’t be able to tell anyone what do to, not even ...

    Read More

  • Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream

    3095 Words  | 7 Pages

    This unfair prejudice was widespread throughout the south. " Maycomb" didn't actually exist but was meant to be the embodiment of a typical town in the south at that time. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, she has created characters who seem a little different and thus, isolated from the rest of Maycomb's. mainstream society. Prime examples of this isolation are Atticus and the Ewells; particularly Bob Ewell.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis Essay

    2045 Words  | 5 Pages

    Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place during the 1930’s in the fictional and quiet town of Maycomb, located in Maycomb County, Alabama. The town of Maycomb is described as a tired old town that moves very slowly and its residents have nothing to fear but fear itself. Being in set in the South during the 1930’s the story does tackle racism and inequality for African Americans as racism was becoming more and more prominent in the 1930’s. The fact that the story takes place in a backwater county in Alabama makes the the injustice even more prevalent. The story goes through the early years of the main characters Jem and Scout so the exact time is always changing, however, the more important and intense parts of the story takes place

    Read More

  • Essay To Kill A Mockingbird Letter To The Editor

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird has allowed me as a reader to look back and realize how history really was. For example, many Maycomb citizens were racist towards colored people and many readers should feel how to live in a segregated neighborhood. The scene was when Scout was describing the courthouse and all the African Americans had to sit on top: “ The colored balcony ran along 3 walls..” (219) Also this scene impacted my feeling towards colored people when Scout became aware that all the courthouse members were white. Like many high school students who are reader this book, many of them think the word racism is a joke and don’t use it as it’s

    Read More

  • How Is Atticus Finch A Good Role Model

    663 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... that complete the story of the children and the Tom Robinson trial. Although he was a flat character, he helped some of the other characters come alive. A large fragment of the meaning of this novel was growing up and maturing. Atticus nurtured the children and overall created a perfect example for them to grow up watching. In the time of this book, segregation was a big part of life in Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus, being a lawyer was in the middle of the fight between blacks and whites. Although the controversy was intense, Atticus understood the perspective of the Negroes and understood the struggle of living in Alabama at that time. When Atticus is appointed to defend Tom, he was blind as to what events would occur. Overall he was calm when people condemned him. The character of Atticus was an essential part of the novel and the lives of the people in the novel.

    Read More

  • Tom Robinson Racism Quotes

    431 Words  | 1 Pages

    Tom Robinson was negatively affected by racism because it lead to his death after an unfair trial. Atticus says “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewells opened her mouth and screamed”(Lee 323). Since Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella, a white woman, Tom wasn’t going to win the court case because he was a black man against a white woman. Tom Robinson said ”Mr. Finch, if you was a n…. like me, you’d be scared too.”(Lee 261). This quote proves that Tom believed that he didn't think that he wasn’t going to win the trial, and that's why he tried to run from jail so he had somewhat of a chance. Tom Robinson’s life was ruined by racism was.

    Read More

  • How Is Racism Shown In To Kill A Mockingbird

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major theme. Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, defends a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law against a white man, Bob Ewell. Robinson had reportedly raped a young white girl, Mayella Ewell. But according to Robinson he had gone to help Mayella, as he often did, with work around the house. As he starts helping Mayella, she tries to get Tom to kiss her and will not let him out of the house. Bob Ewell sees this and chases Tom out of the house and accuses him of raping his daughter. Atticus goes against almost everyone in Maycomb County’s opinion in defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the course of the novel, racism effects many characters such as Tom and Helen Robinson, Scout and Jem Finch, and Mayella and Bob Ewell. All these characters had there lives

    Read More

  • Judicial Evaluation In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    Firstly, In the town of Maycomb racism is extremely prominent in everyday life but, especially in the judicial system, which cheats black citizens, and is unfairly biased against the black community. “As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something

    Read More

  • Dehumanization In To Kill A Mockingbird

    710 Words  | 2 Pages

    The racism within Maycomb is so strong that Tom Robinson is marginalized from the treasonous people within the jail and viewed as beneath them, even subhuman. Various characters in the novel believe other races are animalistic, in that way a caste system revealed. In an interracial environment, one will belittle a human that stands out to be different. African Americans are placed beneath everyone as if being put in a cage. This results into many inequality debates,

    Read More

  • To Kill a Mockingbird - Equality

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Essays: Discrimination and Prejudice

    1388 Words  | 3 Pages

    The novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee has numerous accounts of racism and prejudice throughout the entire piece. The novel is set in the 1930's, a time when racism was very prevalent. Although bigotry and segregation were pointed in majority towards blacks, other accounts towards whites were also heard of, though not as commonly. There are acts that are so discreet that you almost don't catch them, but along with those, there are blatant acts of bigotry that would never occur in our time. Lee addresses many of these feelings in her novel.

    Read More

  • Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sum up, the social relationship between these people here, this old town Maycomb is complicated and pretty tense. This novel has taught us so much, thanks to Harper Lee – one of the greatest writers of all time. It has opened our eyes wider about racism at that time and compared it to nowadays it has become so much better. People are equally, no matter what skin color you are, what religion you have, or where you’re from, what you’re appearance looks like, we are all equal, and we are all the same – human. So instead of treating badly to one another we should all united and make the world a better place.

    Read More

  • Hypocrisy and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

    461 Words  | 1 Pages

    Racism is wrought within the whole story. For example, even though Calpernia is a female, Aunt Alexandra overlooks her good work because of her race (p. 129). Blacks, because they are considered inferior, are expected to do everything for whites. People are so biased it doesn’t matter how well a job a black person does they are still frowned upon. Furthermore, the jury declares Tom Robinson guilty even though the evidence is clearly in his favor (p.211). A human being has more color pigment in their skin so it is assumed they are guilty without question; truth is never a factor. It is easy to associate the mockingbird symbol to Tom Robinson, a harmless man who becomes a victim of racial prejudice. The Maycomb community are trying to make a fool of them selves by believing they are model citizens and good Christians, even though a small number amongst them know that they are wrong to persecute and hate due to color.

    Read More

More about To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

Open Document