Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
Harper Lee involves the theme of prejudice by illustrating many different examples of where society is judgmental.
Mrs. Luttrell-Anderson
Tuvraen Kaur
Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird
Prejudice cannot perceive the things that are because it is always looking for things that are not. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, prejudice is accentuated as one of the main themes and is illustrated in many different examples of where society is judgemental. Set in the South during the 1930’s in a small town known as Maycomb County, one of the most important morals, the one that states that all humans, no matter colour, or gender are equal, is justified. Due to the Great Depression during the early twentieth …show more content…
The community’s narrow-mindedness is formed because the society has remained unchanged for many decades with the same families occupying the town. This causes prejudice towards anything that is different from the “norm”. Though times have changed since slavery, Maycomb is not able to look past their differences and treat each other equally. Racial discrimination cost Tom Robinson his life. Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. In the court hearing, it seems that Tom was innocent because the person who beat Mayella had led primarily with his left hand, and Tom’s left hand was crippled. Even though there was no sufficient evidence that Tom tried to rape Mayella, the jury convicted him. The jury sentenced Tom simply because it was his word against a white woman’s word. Mayella broke a time-honored code, she tempted a black man, and to restore her dignity she lied to the jury. "When it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins." (220) During the hearing, Jem, Scout and Dill learn that Dolphus Raymond, who is the supposed town drunkard, hardly drinks alcohol at all. “He’s got a colored woman and all sorts of mixed chillun.” (163) Dolphus tells the children that he pretends to be drunk so the people of Maycomb can blame his living conditions on the effects of alcohol. He explains that the people could never understand that he lives with colored folks because he wants to live with them. ““Wh—oh yes, you mean why do I pretend? Well, it’s very simple,” he said. “Some folks don’t—like the way I live.” (204) The society goes to such an extent with their prejudice that the coloured people are segregated not only from church, but also in the court room. Racial prejudice is a controversial issue throughout the book that adds suspense and drives the
Harper Lee involves the theme of prejudice by illustrating many different examples of where society is judgmental.
Mrs. Luttrell-Anderson
Tuvraen Kaur
Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird
Prejudice cannot perceive the things that are because it is always looking for things that are not. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, prejudice is accentuated as one of the main themes and is illustrated in many different examples of where society is judgemental. Set in the South during the 1930’s in a small town known as Maycomb County, one of the most important morals, the one that states that all humans, no matter colour, or gender are equal, is justified. Due to the Great Depression during the early twentieth …show more content…
The community’s narrow-mindedness is formed because the society has remained unchanged for many decades with the same families occupying the town. This causes prejudice towards anything that is different from the “norm”. Though times have changed since slavery, Maycomb is not able to look past their differences and treat each other equally. Racial discrimination cost Tom Robinson his life. Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. In the court hearing, it seems that Tom was innocent because the person who beat Mayella had led primarily with his left hand, and Tom’s left hand was crippled. Even though there was no sufficient evidence that Tom tried to rape Mayella, the jury convicted him. The jury sentenced Tom simply because it was his word against a white woman’s word. Mayella broke a time-honored code, she tempted a black man, and to restore her dignity she lied to the jury. "When it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins." (220) During the hearing, Jem, Scout and Dill learn that Dolphus Raymond, who is the supposed town drunkard, hardly drinks alcohol at all. “He’s got a colored woman and all sorts of mixed chillun.” (163) Dolphus tells the children that he pretends to be drunk so the people of Maycomb can blame his living conditions on the effects of alcohol. He explains that the people could never understand that he lives with colored folks because he wants to live with them. ““Wh—oh yes, you mean why do I pretend? Well, it’s very simple,” he said. “Some folks don’t—like the way I live.” (204) The society goes to such an extent with their prejudice that the coloured people are segregated not only from church, but also in the court room. Racial prejudice is a controversial issue throughout the book that adds suspense and drives the