Racist people do not accept that people of color are equal to them; even if they are innocent, they can still be judged by the color of their skin. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119). This quote, and the racist belief of judging good people by the color of their skin, run counter to each other. Where racism supports judging people by the color of their skin, the quote lets us know that mockingbirds are like people of color. Much like mockingbirds, innocent people of color don’t steal others food, they don’t live in barns, and they make our …show more content…
Scout, while on the steps of Boo Radley’s house finally understood what her dad had been telling her, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough” (Lee 374). Similarly, you shouldn’t judge and make fun of a black man before you know what is going on in their life, and what it is like to be them. Scout previously thought Boo Radley was a mean and scary man. After he saved Jem and Scout’s lives, she made an effort to know him better, and understood his anxiety of being outside alone. Once she got to know him, she realized he was an innocent and nice man, that she’d misunderstood. In another passage of the book, Scout asks Atticus what a “nigger-lover” is because Mrs. Dubose said Atticus was one. As an illustration, ‘“Atticus,’I said one evening, ‘what exactly is a nigger-lover?”’...’”Scout, ’said Atticus, “nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything-like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain-ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes above themselves” (Lee 144). Through Scout’s point of view, we get a feel for her innocence; she doesn’t understand how most of the world acts, and how many people are …show more content…
White men treat colored men unfairly every single day and Atticus knows this is wrong. On page 295, Harper Lee writes, “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is,how rich he is, or how fine of a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Lee 295). This quote is showing how strongly Atticus believes in racial equality, and that it is wrong to treat a man unfairly because of his ethnicity. Another instance where you can see this is on page 273, where Harper Lee writes Atticus’ final speech of the Tom Robinson trial. The text states, “Which, gentleman, we know is in itself a lie as a black as Tom Robinson’s skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women-black or white. But this is a truth that applied to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never who has ever looked upon a woman without desire” (Lee 273). This quote goes into depth about how Atticus believes that white people and people of color are
“As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash” (Atticus) chapter 23.
"There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life” (Lee ,223). Atticus told the jury thus quote. In tough situations Atticus always has great judgement. No matter the color, Harper Lee shows Atticus's character to be the most responsible out of most, he's also one of the most important characters in the book and is greatly talked about throughout the
Atticus wants his children to ignore what everybody thinks of him when defending a negro. During a conversation between Jem and Atticus, tells Jem,” As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, whenever a white man does that to a black man, that white man is trash.” (223). At the court Atticus is sure that he will lose but wants to make a statement to this racist society. He wants this county to treat black people just how they treat white people....
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee, 33) What Atticus means in this quote, is a lot like the quote “don’t judge a book by its cover”. It means you shouldn’t judge anyone by the way they look. You have to get to know them first. * “Imagine you’re playing a game of monopoly. The money is handed out. The player on your right gets double your a mount and the player to your left gets triple your amount. There is also a change of rules. Instead of collecting two hundred dollars when you pass go like the other players, you
Throughout the time approaching the trial, Atticus is commonly called a, “N****r Lover.” Mrs. Dubose even says, “Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I'll tell you! Your father's no better than the n****rs and trash he works for” (Lee 135). This quote shows the strong hatred that the citizens have toward the Negroes and anyone who supports them. They have this strong hatred for the Negroes for no real reason other than their skin color. Scout realizes what is going on with the racist remarks and cruel comments, but can not understand how one human could be so mean to another. However, the evils related to race are not the only evils that Scout experiences during the
This type of discrimination made African American victims of jails and crimes that they did not even consider doing but were thought of doing because of racial segregation enforcement (popularity?) within the Southern society of the US. However, Atticus was different and believed that Tom robinson is innocent since he understood (understands?) how people discriminate others and was aware (is aware) of different types of prejudice (in that time period). So, due to Atticus’ good morals and values, he was willing to try his best to support the truth (who was
When Scout said this she was referring to Boo Radley who is described as a crazy, mad, hateful person by the other characters. Atticus replies “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (376). Atticus is much more compassionate than the average adult. Atticus is raising his children to know that they are loved. This becomes noticeable when Scout says “Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment.”
””Pg.99. Atticus doesn’t see the need to divide Negroes from white people. In his eyes they are to be treated equally. In chapter 9, Atticus says something that is major to the theme of the book, and on how people should be treated equal. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.”Pg.101.
Atticus is trustworthy and this is shown when Atticus accepts the Tom Robinson case the town told him not try, but Atticus did his best to win the case. For instance during the case Atticus says, "I simply defend a negro" also in the passage "If should"t be to defend him then why are doing it... For a number of reasons"(Lee,100). Atticus exampling to his children why he defending Tom Robinson in this case and he tells them that it the right thing to do even if the town say not to Atticus does it anywhere. Lee is showing how court system was unfair by your skin
In the passage, Atticus shows fairness by saying “Some Negroes do lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are are not to be trusted around women---black or white.” (273, Chapter 20; Lee) Atticus is giving his closing statement in the trial of Tom Robinson’s case. This proves that Atticus is all about equality for all and freedom for all. Atticus is fair when it comes to everybody because that’s what he stands for.
Atticus who is Scout’s father and an attorney takes the case, and when they are in court, the whole court is white, which is undoubtedly unfair in this circumstance. “Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson's skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women—black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without
Everything has two sides. Nothing is wholly good, and nothing is wholly bad. It is always a mixture of the two that is found in reality. In To Kill a Mockingbird, it is apparent that the children are not showing racist qualities; that is, they’re not racist. On the contrary, Mrs. Dubose, a lady in the children’s neighborhood, blatantly shows racist qualities. Even Scout and Jem’s aunt, Aunt Alexandra, displays racist tendencies. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, it is shown that a town consists of both good and bad.
This is the “evil assumption” Atticus mentions. The “evil assumption” is the idea that all colored people are immoral and untrustworthy. This is what led Tom Robinson to attempt his escape. The court’s decision on the final verdict was unfair by siding with Mayella and Bob only because white people are typically favored over the colored, which led Tom to take matters into his own hands. Atticus says, “‘...the evil assumption—that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption that one associates with minds of their calibre.
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.
Similarly, when Atticus got to defend Tom Robinson, the black Negro who was in a trial by the false charge, Atticus shows the equality toward all people. Scout, who had been teased by friends who are prejudiced, asked Atticus, “‘You aren’t really a nigger-lover, then, are you’ ‘I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody” (p. 144). Atticus does his best to love everybody, no matter what race or color he or she has. Which means, he is being equal and treating people all the same.