The 1930s proves to be a fatal time of racism in the southern states of the US. Harper Lee knows first hand the discrimination and prejudice that the white society imposes on the African Americans as she lived in Alabama. In her novel, she documents how growing up in this type of environment can affect a person. Lee’s character, Scout Finch, begins her journey in blissful innocence. Over a two year span she encounters many circumstances that conclusively lead to her maturation. A few critics claim that the children in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, do not show any development; however, the conflicting viewpoints of racism in Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s, send Scout Finch on a transformative journey.
The novel begins with Scout’s ordinary
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Her fantasy of meeting Boo finally comes true and she does not want to jeopardize that. Boo is innocent of any wrongdoing and Scout compares him to a mockingbird: “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (Lee 318). She is referring to Atticus’ mentioning of mockingbirds’ symbolism of innocence. Scout’s innocence is seen again; even in her final stages of maturation, she preserves the childlike innocence that makes her Scout Finch. Boo asks her to take him home and once she turns around to begin her walk back home, she pictures herself as Arthur, peering down the street at her, Jem, and Dill playing in the yard: “I turned to go home...I had never seen our neighborhood from this angle” (Lee 321). Lee uses this sentence figuratively and literally. Scout always talks about Boo and what he might think or do under certain circumstances but she never really thought about how he might feel. Once she steps onto his porch and takes a look at the neighborhood, the pictures she imagines at each of their neighbor’s yards gives her brief insight as to what he sees. This single instance marks Scout’s complete journey, preparing her for anything else that may challenge
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
“It was times like these when my father, who hated guns and has never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived,” Scout expresses when she finds her dad defending a black man in front of an all white jury (115-116). Issues with racial disagreement was a common find in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The different viewpoints and discrimination towards the races is what caused a lot of terror for some.In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uncovers her views on racial tension in the 1930’s which proves to be more than partially accurate.
Set in a sleepy town of Maycomb the story, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a woman’s memory of her innocent childhood and her awareness of the deeply rooted racism that was present during that time in the South. Raised by their widowed father, a local lawyer, and Calpurnia, their African American housekeeper, Scout and Jem Finch are taught life lessons with anything but “normal” methods. In a close-knit town like Maycomb, where religion and opinions seem to be at the core of all reason their upbringing seems to have its fair share of challenges. When their father takes on a very controversial case, his role in the trial subjects Scout and Jem to insults and racial slurs which exposes the children to the evils of racism and stereotyping. Despite the
Is our society capable of overcoming racism? Sadly, no our society is not capable of overcoming racism. Race or racial ideology runs deep in our history and culture. Racism is at the core of our political culture. What is racism? Racism is a prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on their beliefs. It is the most important issue in Harper Lee famous book To Kill A Mockingbird.Racism cannot be destroyed,but it can be taught to be controlled.
“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.
In our world today, racism is still a big issue in our everyday lives. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it is proven that racism in Macomb County influenced how the townsfolk acted and did things because of injustice, the discrediting of people who associated with colored people, and those who were trying to help them were discriminated.
Racism presents itself in many ways in the town of Maycomb. Some are blatant and open, but others are more insidious. One obvious way that racism presents itself is in the result of Tom Robinson’s trial. Another apparent example is the bullying Jem and Scout had to endure as a result of Atticus’s appointment as Tom Robinson’s defense attorney. A less easily discernible case is the persecution of Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who chose to live his life in close relation with the colored community.
In the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, there were many people, both children and adults, who were affected by racism in the 1930’s. As shown throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, racism has affected the way people treat others, leading to false accusations and death. Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell were both victims. It was expected to hear unkind things being said, however, it took more than strength to overcome the damaging words. With Tom being accused of rape, there had to be a trial, however, there was no need, since Tom was African American. On Page 316, Mrs. Maudie says, “The handful of people in this town who say fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say fair trial is for everybody, not just us…” This proves
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Maycomb to represent how communities are disjointed when separated by race, gender, and class.
Various studies claim that racism still exists today. Throughout history, racism has corrupted the minds of leaders. Adolf Hitler represents a great example of one of the most frightening racist minds within history as he killed over six million Jews. Likewise, racism taints the minds of average people. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the residents of Maycomb, Alabama act with prejudice towards the black community. Under the influence of intolerance, a person can become blind to the truth. The theme racism presents itself as a theme in the novel through Atticus defending a black man, Calpurnia working for the Finch family, and the unjust conviction of Tom Robinson.
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.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, racism among society isone of the key issue that was highlighted to the readers. While reading this novel, I have began to gain an idea of life among colored and white people in the early 1920s of South America. In Maycomb, there were strict social classes practiced. White people had their own social classes and, only, at the very bottom were black people. Majority of the whites did not mingle with the black people, this was a result of white people were brought up to be prejudiced against the black people. Racism was clearly shown from the plot of Tom Robinson’s trial. Tom Robinson was an innocent coloured man who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl. He was proven not guilty although
Race is an issue that plays a major role in today’s society. The past few decades are a proof of this. However, the law and how we perceive the law is something that is ultimately affected by race. We can witness this through personal experience, the media, and past legal cases. What is it about racial issues and the law that make it such a hot topic?
Racism is simply not just towards black but also can be towards other races , blacks can be racist towards white people as well as white are racist to every other race there is. Everyone no matter how much money ,who you're with or who your parents are is capable of being either racist or being discriminated themselves . Many people think that racism is only towards black people. That isn't true white people are constantly also being discriminated as well as the black. Jem and scout are get called out because they are white . “Lula stopped, but she said ‘You ain't got no business bringin’ white chillun here — they got their church, we got our’n. it is our church ain't it Miss cal?’ calpurnia said ‘ It's the same God , ain't it ?’ Jem said,
Nelson Mandela wrote. ¨No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite ¨ As racism changed over time in America and in the justice system for all races, could change mean increased or decreased prejudice? In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee writes about the dark side of Maycomb County, the people of the south and growing up in small town during the depression.