Effects Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

Racism. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, racism and its effects are the main conflict in the story. Racism is the central theme, because killing a mockingbird is a sin, and disliking someone for their color is also a sin. Different races were separated, black people are often accused of white people’s actions, and people who approved of different races were negatively judged. First, the most important idea is different races are separated. White people look down on African Americans because of their color. Atticus was fighting against racism by taking up for Tom Robinson. “The Colored balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom like a second-story veranda, and from it we could see everything”...(Lee)... which means they could not sit with white people. Even though they were separated, they were also accused of white people’s actions.

Tom Robinson is an example, because he was obviously innocent. “His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his arm” (Lee). In the text, Tom’s left arm makes it impossible for him to have committed the crime, because Mayella’s bruises indicated that the man who hit her had two strong hands. Even though black people were often accused of crimes they did not commit, people who did approve of blacks were judged. Finally, white people were negatively judged for admiring black people. Most of the community made rude comments about Atticus defending Tom, because he was black. Mr. Raymond fakes his alcoholic lifestyle, because he needed to give the community a fake explanation. “‘Some folks don’t— like the way I live. I try to give them a reason. When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of the sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey..’”