Calpurnia Equal Ignorance
At the beginning of the book, when Aunt Alexandra was first introduced, she was seen and told to be very racist and malevolent against colored people. And it didn't help that the Finches maid, Calpurnia, was colored. Immediately when she arrived at the Finches, she would tell Calpurnia to, “put my bags in the front bedroom,”
Disrespect is also shown when Lula doesn’t want Calpurnia to bring Jem and Scout into the church because it is the black church. Finally, when Mrs. Dubose calls Atticus names in front of Jem and Scout, because he is defending a black man in court. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, in all these cases disrespect occurs when people don’t understand eachothers values. Disrespect can occur when someone judges another person without even meeting them. Lula disrespects Jem and scout by prejudging then based on the color of their skin and not the context of their character.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows the prejudice creates distrust within community with how Bob Ewell treated the Finch family after Tom Robinson’s trial. This is shown throughout the book, like after the trials Bob Ewell came up to Atticus Finch and spit in his face because he did not agree with Atticus, “Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (290). Bob did this because Atticus stood up for Tom Robinson and Bob did not agree with Atticus for doing so. This proves that Atticus, who was a trustworthy lawyer, had become distrusted by members of the community because he stood up against prejudice.
Racism and discrimination were very real things that Calpurnia had to deal with daily. Calpurnia has been treated like she is “lesser” than others for a long time. For example, she is forced to go to a segregated church. Calpurnia is mentoring Scout by teaching her to treat all people equal and never act like she is better than anyone. This goes for any reason, not just the color of her skin.
Calpurnia is one of the lucky ones that doesn't deal with all of the hate, but Atticus a white man gets a lot of hate for doing the right thing. The case has caused Atticus and his children
The main metaphor of the book is that African Americans are similar to mockingbirds, but the way that Miss Maudie, Scout’s neighbor, describes mockingbirds paints African American people into something they’re not: “‘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 103). By saying that mockingbirds don’t do anything, Lee is implying that African American people were just bystanders.
In the 1930s, it was typical for whites and blacks to not interact. Many people in Maycomb consider those who intermingle with blacks and whites as outcasts. Calpurnia lives something similar to a “double life.” Even though society expects the two races to be separate, Calpurnia spends time with the Finch family, who are white, and her own family, which is black. When Calpurnia spends time with both groups of people, Scout referrers to her as “having command of two languages” (167).
All people are the same inside; they have no reason to be separated. An example of disunification is when Atticus’s children go to church with Calpurnia (their black cook and nanny), and when they get there, some people are bothered, especially Lula (a church member). She talks to Calpurnia about it. "You ain’t got no business bringin‘ white chillun here —they got their church, we got our n" (Lee 158). Lula is not happy that white children are at the black church.
The novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” was written in 1960 by Harper Lee in the point of view of a young innocent girl named Scout. One of the main messages that Lee has (need a new word than – indicated or set out) is racism, it plays an important role which strongly impacts many character’s lives unfairly and changes the relationship between two. Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” shows that it is wrong to hurt someone who does no harm to you, for example, black people are innocent but no way did they have as many rights as white people did. Black people lived hard lives because society was judgemental, irrational and most importantly, racist. As Scout and Jem grow older they learn to cope, take responsibility and are introduced to new aspects of life, one of which is racism.
“You ain’t got no business bringin white chillun here they got their church we got our’n (Lee 158). This is just one of the many examples of this in To Kill a Mockingbird. Racial discrimination was also shown when Scout wants to go visit Calpurnia but Aunt Alexandra quickly tells her no and that she has no business going over there. “Atticus. I’ll go next Sunday if it’s all right can I Cal said she’d come get me if you were off in the car You may not Aunt Alexandra said it.
As the camera zooms out slowly and we hear crickets chirping, we are introduced to the charming world of “What’s eating Gilbert Grape”. The film that many have come to love, along with its extremely famous actors, was released in 1993 in the United States and directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Endora, Iowa is the home of the Grape family, it’s a small, unchanging town where the main character Gilbert (Johnny Depp) feels trapped and death seems to be the only way out. Gilbert provides for his mother, sisters, and his autistic brother, Arnie (Leonardo Di Caprio). “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” is in many ways an unrealistic and demeaning view of autism.
An example of racism can be found in chapter 12 is when Lula is making fun of Jem and scout because they are white people in a black church. “‘I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to a nigger church.’” (Lee 158). Lula doesn’t like white people an obviously doesn’t want them at the black church. Lula is racist and doesn’t white people and is racist to them just like they are to blacks.
Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird famously said in his closing arguments: "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 no particular race of men." (pg 232) What Atticus is trying to convey is a foreign concept to most people in Maycomb county. Atticus is trying to convey a point of equality and no prejudice in a world of social inequality which, as one can imagine, didn 't go over so well.
“You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here-they got their church, we got our’n” (p. 119) Lula, a colored woman is a prime example of the two way road of racism. When Scout and Jem hear this they are completely astonished by the fact that the white race is looked down upon by other races. Racism is a problem that affects everyone; even the “master” race. “Now don’t you be so confident Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a
Harper Lee’s purpose was to show that race doesn’t define anything. In the novel, Miss Maudie says, “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.” (90).
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