Examples Of Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

“Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand” (Lee 117). The residents of the beat-up town face many hardships in To Kill a Mockingbird. Some of these hardships include being stuck in poverty, domestic violence, and racism. Racism is the most prevalent hardship in Maycomb. The author vividly writes Maycomb’s grim disease. Harper Lee paints a vivid picture of life in this humid Alabama town where tempers and bigotry explode into conflict.

The Great Depression hit everyone in Maycomb hard. The town of Maycomb is in an economic decline, and majority of the people are in a state of poverty. “There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go,

The Finches are being tyrannized because Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a black man. The Finches are called "nigger lovers" and are discriminated by many towns folk. “ ‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers’ " (Lee 135). This affects the whole Finch family. Scout and Jem are constantly being bullied or talked about among children and parents. Tom Robinson is another victim of racism. He is accused by white folks of raping a white woman. “ ‘Old Mr. Ewell accused him of rapin’ his girl an’ had him arrested an’ put in jail---’ ” (Lee 164). Tom is symbolic to racism because he is a colored man living in a white man’s world. Racism is so prevalent in Maycomb that the town was ready to convict an innocent man based on his skin color. Mr. Ewell accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter and beating her. Although the Ewells are the lowest class in Maycomb, that was not even an issue next to a black man supposedly committing a crime against a white girl. If a white man raped his daughter it wouldn’t have been made as public but because it involved a colored man it is unforgivable. Without even seeing or hearing the evidence, the townspeople believe that Tom Robinson is guilty, all based off the accusations of one man and his daughter. Mr. Ewell's pointed the finger to Tom because he knew that little to no evidence is needed to convict him, and that would take the focus off the

The evidence is all on the table that her father beat her, which he had been known to do in the past. All of her injuries she sustained were all on the right side, which could only be done by a left handed man. Tom Robinson has no mobility in his left arm due to an injury from a cotton machine, but Mr. Ewell has full function of his left arm. “ ‘You’re left-handed, Mr. Ewell,’ said Judge Taylor. Mr. Ewell turned angrily to the judge and said he didn’t see what his being left-handed had to do with it, that he was a Christ fearing man and Atticus Finch was taking advantage of him” (Lee 237). He was tricked into writing his name down showing everyone in the court that he was left handed. Mayella is symbolic to domestic violence because she is the victim. She was beat and choked. If it is true that Tom Robinson did not beat her than her father did, but that would mean that he would have rapped