In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird it shows the problems and occurrences of how human inequality and diversity is brought up in the world. Racial comments, prejudice remarks, and judgement are all mentioned in the book. Although, the book is fiction, it brings up real life events that are still happening in the present time. The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s in that time anyone and everyone were judged by their life choices, skin color, social class, appearance, etc. Human society then was diverse into large groups of stereotypes.
Racial Injustices Racism in the 1930’s served as an injustice to blacks that were convicted of crimes. In the time periods of the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and The Scottsboro Boys trial, discrimination in Alabama was atrocious, and racial injustice was seen throughout this time period. The Scottsboro trial shows how discrimination played a large role in Alabama during the 1930’s. This influenced Harper Lee’s to write about the Tom Robinson case. In many ways, the Scottsboro trials were more similar to the Tom Robinson case, but at some points had differences.
Have you ever witnessed a case of racial and social inequality? In a perfect world, there would be true racial, social equality, where everyone would be respected as a person, no matter their gender, race, or social class. However, this perfect world does not exist. America, or any other country in this world, will never truly achieve racial and social equality. There is too much hate and too vast of a difference, for people to accept each other.
These same events happening in the novel are unfortunately events that happen in today’s society. When Tom is wrongfully convicted in the novel based on the color of his skin, I compare this to the rising number of black males that are proven innocent and getting released from prison after their original guilty verdict. With advances in the DNA system, the number of murderers being proven innocent has risen, many black males have been able to walk free because of this fact. This statement means one thing, racially biased convictions. These black men, much like Tom, were wrongfully convicted, and I feel that race had something to do with this.
Alexandra Stern Mr. Mead Honors World Studies 15 April 2024 Challenging Institutional Inequality Bias, unfortunately, plays a huge factor in the fairness of society and often stands in the way of justice. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tries to combat racial inequality by writing a story where a defense attorney gives a black man a chance even though the odds are against them. The novel works to teach the reader that inequality in court is a real issue and that everyone deserves a fair chance in the eyes of the law. Lee uses the theme of inequality in the justice system to show that flaws and prejudice are deeply embedded in society.
One of To Kill a Mockingbird’s main themes is discrimination towards race, and there are many examples and forms of racism in the novel. However, Atticus was not a racist person and he raised his children to be the same way and to treat everyone fairly. The biggest example of discrimination is when Tom was accused of a crime that he did not commit, then he was found guilty even though Atticus had made it very clear that he has innocent. Another examples of discrimination is when Aunt Alexandra doesn’t want Calpurnia to be in the house because of her race. Discrimination does not necessarily have to involve race, but it can also involve gender.
The quote “to kill a mockingbird” means more than simply killing a bird. The book To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in the 1930’s, during the great depression. The book is mainly about a family who deals with social inequalities and sees how others live in many ways. The main inequalities that go on are gender roles, race, age, and wealth. There are many different social inequalities that occur in the novel, as well as in our society.
Over the years many people have been prejudice to biracial children and adults. Many people believe that they are an outcast and don’t belong seeing as they aren 't necessarily one color. I believe as a biracial person myself that we are just as good and should be seen in the same light as every other person in the world. Many biracial kids and adults have been prejudiced against in different forms including being called only one color, not being able to marry the person they want, and being an outcast among other people.
Fifty-five percent of Americans believe that discrimination and inequality is still prevalent today, as of the 2017 national survey done by AMS. Ashley Petlis, 14, of Baltimore State wraps this thought up nicely by saying, “Just because you’re a minority doesn’t mean you are less of a life.” Nevertheless, we find many citizens of the United States do not find this so. The American culture has always had discriminatory units, as proved by reoccurrences and situations day to day. For the reason of the thoughts of the people of modern times, the country of American will never reach a truly equal state.
Not too long ago, May 25 of 2020 marked the unlawful death of the well-known black man, George Floyd. He was arrested, and soon after, murdered, by a racist white police officer, who pinned Floyd to the floor while kneeling, causing Floyd to plead 20 times he could not breathe. While George Floyd had been committing a small crime, it was not acceptable for a police officer to unlawfully punish him for his crime. That’s not his job, but the court’s. However, this tragedy occurred due to one common fact in every racial-based situation to take place in society.
We have been told multiple times that we are all equal, despite our differences. However, not everyone can process the concept the same way. The concept takes the reader back to a dark time of injustice and racial discrimination. Where an African American man can not go outside without being looked down upon, or when a caucasian man will win every dispute against an African American man due to color. These times were very judgemental, hypocritical, and prejudice.
In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s book called Strength to Love, he explains how society should combat hate with not hate itself, but instead, with love and nonviolence. He writes, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” With the various forms of discrimination shown in her novel, Harper Lee is suggesting how we live in a society where most people face discrimination.
What if you were discriminated just because of your skin color? In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, it was a very racist time black people were hated and discriminated. White people would always say the word “nigger” which was a racist term for black people. Even children would say “nigger” as if it was a common word and was no big deal. To Kill A Mockingbird evils of racisms because African American were hated was not treated fairly.
Malcolm X has the showing of a hero because of him fighting for freedom, education, and equality. What would it be like to live in a place where the color of your skin determined if you could get a cheeseburger at your favorite restaurant, or where you have to go to school, and even be able to drink out of a drinking fountain or have to use the dog fountain. Well life isn 't like that since Malcolm X fought for freedom, education, and equality. He lived in a very racist community which burned down their house and killed his father. He was in foster homes for the rest of his childhood, then went to prison for 10 years after he turned into a street “juggie” after that he became a minister and an activist and spent the rest of his life persisting in America to achieve freedom, education, and freedom.
Racism, family background, and wealth are the three main forms of social inequality that appear multiple times in To Kill a Mockingbird. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee proves that the Negroes are not respected at all simply because of their skin color. They are so disrespected and looked down on to the point they have their own little community out of the town away from the white people. Although, the colored are racists towards the white people in Maycomb.
