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Short term effects of racism in education
The racism in killing a mockingbird
How does harper lee present racism
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Joshua Bell was not born playing a million dollar Stradivarius violin whilst leading the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; he had to learn from people that he looked up to in order to reach that point of expertize. In the same way, not a single child is born with a racist agenda. The reality of life is quite simple, children are like sponges; they will take in any and all words and apply them to their own life even if they have no knowledge of what it means. This metaphor is especially prevalent in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird where it is displayed that racism is something that is learned, not something natural through the use of setting and contrasting opinions. Lee stresses racism’s reliance on being taught through the use of contradicting …show more content…
He then explains that he personifies a drunk so that the public could have a real reason to hate him besides the fact that he was married to a black woman. He explained that he let the children know his secret “Because you’re children and you can understand it,” (Lee 205) The children were not yet tarnished and spoon-fed distorted realities by the world around them. They still believed in love and compassion in their truest forms, in consequence racism had no hold on them. Children provide the purest sense of honesty that can see color but chooses to look beyond it to discover truth. No child is born believing that they are entitled to more than another; however every child is born with a tuned moral compass. Ultimately the trial ended in an unsurprising yet sickening verdict. After grasping what had just happened, Atticus consoles Jem with the possibility of “If you had been on that jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man. So far nothing in your life has interfered with your reasoning process.” (224) This quote shows the blatant difference between the thinking …show more content…
Family gatherings are a source of political talks and arguments and the Finch family is no different. When Uncle Jack questioned how hard the trail could possibly be, Atticus counters with “It couldn’t be worse. The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells’… the jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells’” (91). The significance of this response is embedded in “the jury couldn’t possibly be expected”, after years of living in the Three Fifths Compromise along with learning all the doctrines that racism provided there is no possible way that a jury of 12 white men could forsake the teachings of their childhoods. It simply could not be expected that they would choose turn towards truth over acknowledging the wrongs. Unlearning how to ride a bicycle is nearly impossible, so unlearning how to not be racist is nearly impossible. It’s a hard feat and the reason why slavery and segregation still exist. Where and when one grows up forms one in a way that cannot be fathomed. Lee reiterates this idea again with providing Francis the thought that “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He’s ruinin‘ the family, that’s what he’s doin’.” (85) While it is disheartening that a mother would say such a thing about her
Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, is an ace lawyer who was asked to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. Tom was accused of raping a young white girl named Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson ties into the symbolism of “killing a mockingbird” because his innocence resembles that of a mockingbird, and finding a victim like Tom guilty would compare to killing a mockingbird. Tom makes himself very suspicious, though, after he makes a remark during trial saying “looked like she didn’t have nobody to help her. Like I says… I felt right sorry for her” (264). Even though he truly did “feel sorry” for Mayella, no one believed him becaus...
Atticus says in his speech, “She had committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time honored code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with.” Atticus tells the courtroom that he feels sorry for Mayella because in a moment of weakness she changed her life forever. He uses his own sympathy for her to get the people of Maycomb to understand why Mayella Ewell would bring Tom Robinson to court after he had done nothing to her. Atticus helps them understand that the only reason they were in that courtroom was because of the traditional ways of Maycomb. He also uses pathos when saying, “I am confident that you, gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family.” Everyone knows what it feels like to have a family or at least have imagined what a great family would have been like. By bringing the idea up of family it makes the audience Atticus is addressing feel some sort of remorse for Tom Robinson. Every person in that court room knows what it is like to lose a family member. Tom Robinson has a wife and three kids. Atticus wants the jury and the people in the courtroom to understand the weight of their decision. If they say that he is guilty than he will be sentenced to death and his children will grow up without a father. No matter how much someone might hate another they
Since the beginning, Atticus was pictured as an adequate father figure who treated "[his children] with courteous detachment" (6). He never was very emotional, always collected and patient. Though his children believe he acted accordingly simply because he was old and feeble, the further you read into his character you find that he has always had this sense of justice and honor. While most of the novel revolves around Tom’s trial, Atticus faced challenges within himself before he took the case. Despite the fact that he was aware that he would not win “simply because [they] were licked a hundred years before [they] started” (76), he proceeded to defend Tom. Though many people found this act questionable and even infuriating, it was simple to decide when it came down to Atticus ' values. He humbly did not see why the color of someone 's skin should be able to convict them. As a lawyer, he fought against truth and lie and immediately knew that his soon to be client, Tom Robinson, was indeed telling the truth. By taking the case, Atticus held true to his former beliefs. He simply was not willing to give away any part of himself in order to please his community. Additionally, Atticus decides to invest himself in the case because of the example he wanted to make for his young children. Atticus reasoned with Scout that he couldn’t face them, or “couldn’t even tell [her] or Jem not to do something again” (75), if he weren 't to go to trial with Tom. Atticus addresses this idea because he understands that him not taking this case, and going against everything he’s ever stood for, could not make a good example for his kids. If he expects them to have value and structure in their life, he must be their coach. Evident throughout the novel, he teaches honesty and equality to both Jem and Scout. Granted that he would later face hatred
Imagine being a white lawyer in the 1930s who has to choose whether or not to defend a Black man who has been accused of raping a white woman. This is exactly what happens in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch is a white lawyer in the 1930s who chooses to defend Tom Robinson, an African American man, who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Some people believe Atticus was wrong to defend Tom because it put his life and his childrens’ lives at risk. However, Atticus was right to have defended Tom because he wouldn’t be able to face Jem and Scout if he hadn’t taken the case, and he cared about doing the right thing so he would have to live with regret if he didn’t attempt to defend Tom.
Towards the end of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus decides to represent a colored man by the man of Tom Robinson, who is being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Bob Ewell’s daughter. Atticus believes that Tom is innocent, but he does not think that Tom will be found not guilty because of they way the townsfolk treat colored people. They treat them like dirt; like they are worth nothing. Atticus went ahead and represented Tom despite the fact that he knew the townsfolk would call himself and his children names and treat them disrespectfully. Even Scout’s relative Francis said rude things about them. “‘I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family-...’ ‘Just what I said. Grandma says it's bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he's turned out a nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'.’” Atticus set a good example for Scout and Jem. He had a difficult decision to make, but he chose what he thought was
Tom is confident, stellar, and he seems believable. After a few hours, the jury finally comes to a conclusion that: (drumroll please) Tom is guilty. This doesn’t come as a surprise to Atticus, but Jem and Scout are scarred. They are shocked at how a man could be convicted with puny evidence like what the Ewells gave. When Jem asks how they could do it Atticus says at the beginning of chapter 22, “I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before, they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it- seems that only children weep. Good
Racism was a huge issue during the plot and events through the entire book. Many characters were either slightly or majorly affected by racist actions or being verbally attacked. Racism puts people in uncomfortable situations all being citizens in the society and part of the nation but were still discriminated against because the color of skin. This shouldn 't define your future, decisions, or future. The people in the world’s history have made skin color and race such a huge issue when it really wasn’t and shouldn’t be to this day but sadly is. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird there were three main people affected by racism that was in a way life changing or ruined the opportunities in their lives. These three characters that faced racism were Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, and Helen Robinson.
While in court, Atticus tries to convince the jury to stray away from their usual habits. He wants them to listen to the evidence and not Maycomb’s opinion. This unjust treatment happens countless times, so people already can predict the verdict. Atticus is urging them to change history, and the way we perceive African Americans. In his closing argument he states, “‘in cynical confidence...that you gentlemen would go along with them on the evil assumption that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings’” (232). The citizens of Maycomb assume it was Tom because of his race; they view his race as definitive proof that he is guilty. Their minds were decided, so they ignored the evidence. Racism is a common prejudice, so people
When Atticus is supporting Tom Robinson and is speaking to everyone in the courtroom, his final words are used to convince them that Tom Robinson is innocent and that all people are created equally. Atticus says, “In the name of God, do your duty”(275). Atticus believes that the jury will make Tom Robinson guilty despite the evidence at hand but wants to get in the hearts of the people and fights the case because he believes in equality. Atticus stuck to his morals and a fair trial for Tom Robinson which connects with equality one of the themes of the book. Many of the white people in the courtroom didn’t realize how immoral the system was till Atticus opened their eyes. Atticus wanted there to be equality for everyone no matter what they did and who they were.
“To Kill A Mockingbird” is marvelous and unforgettable novel. Not only show how dramatic, sad in and old town – Maycomb be like, but through her unique writings, some big conflicts about politics and critical is going on through this tired old Southern town. Not just in general like education, friendship, neighbors but also pacific in individuals like family and the people’s characteristics themselves. In one book yet can covered with such many problems, Harper Lee must have been experienced a lot and deeply understanding that time. That is why the book lives, becoming literature and get the love from the audiences a lot. One of the problem and mostly run along with the story and interest me is racism between white people and black people socially.
Tom Robinson’s trial, and in fact his entire life, was badly affected by racism. It is truly a testament to the corruption of society when a person who has earned a bad reputation is held in higher esteem than a person who was born with it, as is the case with Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson. Even though Tom was obviously honest in his testament, the jury sided with Bob Ewell because he was white. They made this decision despite the fact that the Ewell family was widely known to be a worthless part of society. Jem, not being racially prejudiced, could not understand this mentality. As Atticus pointed out, “If you (Jem) had been on the jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man.”
Racism is a problem that was not born yesterday, it has been around for what seems like eons and still affects colored peoples’ lives to this day. It has caused death in many ways, both physically and metaphorically. Racism is pervasive, negative, and deadly. There are plenty examples of death caused by racism in many different forms. Both To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry are great examples of literature that include physical and character death provoked by racism. Racism also appears in documentaries such as American Denial, which mentions several black on white riots that happened throughout America and killed dozens of people. Deaths are still caused by racism today, even though slavery and
Harper Lee grew up in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama where she lived with her parents Amasa Coleman and Frances Finch Lee. After graduating high school Lee attended Huntingdon College and The University of Alabama before she eventually quit school to pursue a writing career in New York City (Altman n.p.). The time frame in Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is very important in helping the reader full understand racism and discrimination. “Racism permeates every idea and inch of this book from the loss of the Robinson trial, the discrimination against Atticus, and the contempt of Jem and Scout” (Satyasi n.p.). Throughout the whole novel you will find themes of prejudice and guilt-innocence involving Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is guilty of living in a prejudice society and even though he tries to escape from prison the novel states that prejudice will overcome with hope. In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee reveals the destructive nature of racism and discrimination.
Since the first time race was applied humans in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, there has been a common pattern that sees people not having a western European background as different (Steckley, 2014). Steckley (2014) defines discrimination as the action of treating individuals differently because of their race. Stereotyping are overstated generalized descriptions made about a race or group. Prejudice and stereotypes are closely related in the sense that prejudice involves having a pre-judge perception about a race. Racism on the other hand is formed when a certain group creates a stereotype about a race, which leads to the construction of prejudice regarding that race, and inevitably discrimination towards the race (Steckley, 2014). Racism is institutionalized when racism becomes ingrained into the system, in terms of laws and practices (Steckley, 2014).
Learning for the better In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, there is a lot of racism because it took place during the early 1900’s. Specifically, it will deal with the thesis: To Kill a Mockingbird suggests that racism is learned, so it can be unlearned. Racism is one of the main topics in the novel and also relates to the main morals from the book such as equality and human rights.