Examples Of Racial Tension In To Kill A Mockingbird

Because of Scout’s innocence, she doesn’t understand the true definition of racism. Scout hasn’t experienced racism and is confused by it, because she is very young and hasn’t matured in knowing the true definition of racism. In the novel, Scout asks Atticus if she can go back to Calpurnia’s church on Sunday, Aunt Alexandra responds for Atticus and tells Scout she may not go. Aunt Alexandra tells her this because she thinks that the Finches’ are in a “higher” ranking than the African Americans. Scout didn’t see why Aunt Alexandra said no, as to why she didn’t want her to go back to Calpurnia’s church. Scout doesn't necessarily get the fact that it is unusual for white people to be around African Americans. In other words, Scout doesn’t apprehend racial tension.
Because of this, it creates worry and suspense in the book, as well as the movie. While reading To Kill a Mockingbird, you experience the scenes in which the events that Scout gets into are bigger than she thought. For instance, Scout, Jem, and Dill followed Atticus to the jail house because they were curious as to where he was going and also because he drove the car, in which he never does. When following Atticus, they eventually found him sitting in front of the jailhouse, as if he were protecting someone or something. Later on while, he was still waiting, a mob of cars pulled up and a herd of men walked suspiciously towards Atticus. Without knowing what was going on, Scout unknowingly sprinted out and interrupted the conversation between Atticus and the men. At these cliff-hanging times, we readers, get a feel for uncertainty caused by