To Kill A Mockingbird: How Racism Affects Different People?

Racism impacts different people in different ways. For some, it is a motivator while for others it acts as a deterrence. In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Scout, a young tomboy, finds her way in her small home town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. All the while her brother, Jem, matures before her eyes and her father, a lawyer, works a controversial case. However, to complicate matters further, Scout and Jem’s mother passed away when they were young and all they have for a caretaker is their African American cook, Calpurnia. In their father’s case, Tom Robinson, a colored man, is accused of raping a poor white girl named Mayella Ewell. Atticus, Scout’s father, is tasked with defending Tom. When Atticus’ sister, Alexandra, learns of the case he is working, she decides it’s time for the children to have a mother figure in the house, and comes to live with Scout, Jem, and Atticus. To Kill A Mockingbird is filled with controversy and heart break, love and loss, and lessons for people of all ages. Although racism challenges and discourages some characters throughout To Kill A Mockingbird, it actually empowers others to step up and take action.

To begin with, Aunt Alexandra, upon arriving in Maycomb, puts on a brave face and tries to return to normalcy when racism affects her personally. Atticus informs Aunt Alexandra, Scout, Miss Maudie and

For one person it may encourage them to speak up or face the problem, on the other hand, it may cause another person to break down mentally or emotionally. Of course, how someone does or does not respond can reflect the many influences in their lives. For example, in the south, during the Great Depression, with a father who isn’t racist, but going to school with kids whose parents are, results in Scouts often stepping up to when faced with racism. The text shows that people with varying circumstances and lives will respond to racism