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How Does Lee Present Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In the coming-of-age novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the author conveys themes of prejudice and racism. The story follows Scout, a young girl in a small town, with her older brother, Jem, and father, Atticus, who is a lawyer. Scout’s father signs on to defend a Black man, which, to many, is seen as a losing case. Scout begins to learn about the racial bias in her town, seeing how many people treat African Americans differently than whites. Lee displays themes of prejudice through Atticus and his experience defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, the author uses Atticus and Tom Robinsons’ case to display the theme of prejudice. One instance of prejudice during the trial appears when Scout’s cousin, Francis, speaks rudely about …show more content…

Even though the Finches are not racists, Scout’s cousin, Francis Hancock, displays prejudiced behavior with his inappropriate comments. Francis uses a racial slur to insult Atticus’ decision to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man accused of the rape of a white woman. Prejudice is demonstrated in this scenario by the use of Francis’ slur and the ill-mannered nature of his comment. The fact that he sees Atticus’ decision as a bad thing proves his racial bias towards black people. The text states, “‘He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’’” (110). Francis continues to slander Atticus’ choice to defend Tom Robinson by suggesting that he is “ruining the family.” Unfortunately, Atticus’ racial impartiality is a stance not taken by other members of his family. Since Francis views the defense of an African American man as an act of insult, he demonstrates the theme of prejudice. Furthermore, certain members of the town often voice opinions about Tom Robinson’s trial and Atticus’ participation in prejudicial proceedings. The book reads, “‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for n*****s!’”

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The main character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus Finch, a middle aged man living in Maycomb Alabama. Even though he is a southerner he isn’t racist and he believes that everyone should be treated equal, Atticus teaches his children empathy and not to discriminate against other people, he does his by telling them “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Even though Atticus treats everyone as equals he gets affected by the town and their prejudice way of thinking. Because Atticus accepts Tom Robinsons case he gets called a “nigger lover” and him and his children get treated differently by the town.

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Scout learns about the prejudice the black community faces during Tom Robinson’s case. Tom is a black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell and is ultimately given a guilty verdict. After news spread of Atticus being Tom’s lawyer, people around town began calling the Finch family derogatory names. This led to Scout understanding that society doesn’t respect the black community or even treat them as equals. They believed that Tom was guilty even before the trial just because he was black.

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Even though taking the Tom Robinson case means that it will split the Finch family based on their views, Atticus takes the case because he doesn't want his kids to be known as racist. On page 112, Francis calls Atticus a '"Nigger-lover'". This shows that Francis's views are different than Atticus's views. On page 100 Atticus replies to Scout saying, "'I'm simply defending a Negro-his name is Tom Robinson. He lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump.'

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A novel by Harper Lee, the novel is told through the perspective of Scout Finch, white and 6 years old little girl. Scout, Jem, her brother, and Dill, a boy who spends the summer at his aunt house that was in the same neighborhood as Scout’s, are particularly obsessed with Boo Radley, a man who was famous for stabbing his father’s leg with a pair of scissors. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer and he’s defending an African American man, Tom Robinson, on trial for raping a young woman, Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch shows integrity by defending Tom Robinson and not wanting to cover up the fact that Jem Finch was involved in the death of BoB Ewell. Scout Finch also shows that standing up for what she believes will gain more courage rather than fear of being judged by others.

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has been read by thousands, and it teaches lessons that can be applied to everyone. Perhaps one of the most obvious themes in this novel is the importance of not being judgmental. Lee’s novel follows main characters Jem, Scout, and Atticus. Lee’s novel takes place during a time when black people were not so much loved. In her novel Atticus, the father, is defending a black man named Tom Robinson for raping a white women in the racially prejudice Southern rural Alabama during the Great Depression.

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a timeless classic cherished by millions around the world, and it is a story of unjust prejudice and hypocrisy set in the 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. We view this story through the blurred lens of Scout Finch, the narrator of the book and the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer tasked with defending Tom Robinson, a black man wrongfully accused of sexual violence against a white woman. Through Atticus’s virtuous example, we also see many people in Maycomb who are antithetical to him, and it is those people who account for the hypocrisy and prejudice in Maycomb. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee depicts Atticus Finch as a man of integrity and moral virtues, contrasting with other characters in Maycomb

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Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is one of the most successful American novels in history. Set in the 1930s, it is the story of a fictional white lawyer, Atticus Finch, who represents a falsely accused black man, Tom Robinson. Told through the eyes of Atticus’ Finch daughter, Scout, the book introduced readers to race relations and justice in the south. Atticus was looking to lynch him. As a result, Atticus has been held up as a role model for young lawyers.

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells a story of racial prejudice during the Depression and how it is combated. The main development in the novel is that a Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, has been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a young white woman named Mayella. Many people in the town of Maycomb, particularly people involved with the case of Tom, have a negative attitude towards African Americans. Prejudice was a terrible issue in the South during the Depression, but Atticus Finch shows that racial injustice can be combated in two main ways, each having different levels of effectiveness.

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Within this community, numerous individuals face extreme racial preconceptions. Tom Robinson- an african american husband and father to three children- faces severe racial prejudice when he is accused of raping a young, white girl, Mayella Ewell. He and Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, face racial prejudice as the jury refuses to "decide in favor of a colored man over a white man” (279), notwithstanding evidence of Tom's obvious innocence in the matter. Harper Lee portrays the appalling racist community as Atticus states that racism is “Maycomb’s usual disease” (117); everyone in the society has succumbed to the ubiquitous racism while Atticus desperately attempts to raise Jem and Scout with the hope of protecting them from this societal disease.

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Francis offends Scout and tells her that her father has “‘...turned out a n-lover’” and “‘he´s ruinin´ the family’”(Lee 83) when Scout contends with the fact that Atticus is a lover of the African race because he is defending Tom Robinson in the trial. This offends Scout because she is not used to her father being verbally attacked and she is used to him being respected by the majority of people. There is significance to this scene because it demonstrates how Atticus was looked at throughout the novel after he was admitted to defend Tom Robinson. The fact that people are questioning why Atticus is defending Tom contributes to the theme of Social Inequality because Tom is unequal to the white population and is not worth it to most people in Maycomb to defend him. The passage is important to society because the sooner we all the human race begin to quit with our prejudice mindsets, the sooner we will be able to thrive and unite together.

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1440 Words | 6 Pages

Even though Tom Robinson was not guilty and Atticus had strongly proven him as an innocent who was falsely accused of rape, but because discrimination was a factor in the final judgement, the consequences in society’s prejudice consequently led to the suffering of innocent individuals like Tom Robinson who received discriminatory treatment and trial due to their race. Descriptions of southern beliefs during the time period throughout the book develop and clarify the major theme of the

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541 Words | 3 Pages

Tom Robinson, an African American man, is who Atticus is supporting in a case who is accused of raping a white girl. Not only the ones connected, but all whites in the community, even children know Atticus has a great chance of losing this case. Even a child stating that Scout and Jem’s dad (Atticus’s Children) “defends negroes” (Lee, 99).this is said because he is supporting African Americans in the case.

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses memorable characters to explore civil rights and racism in the segregated south during the Great Depression. Told through the eyes of Scout Finch, the reader learns about her father Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man unjustly accused of rape. Through events leading up to the trial, along with the unfair trial itself, prejudice is significantly emphasized throughout the scene. In the novel, Lee makes the argument that racial prejudices are detrimental to society, through the treatment of multiple characters.

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892 Words | 4 Pages

Lee uses Atticus's speech to show racism that creates biased judgment. For example, in the novel, Lee shows Atticus describing the racial discrimination in their town that often leads to unfair judgment. Specifically, while in court, Atticus defended Tom Robinson, a black man wrongfully accused of rape who later fell guilty. Atticus says, “the evil assumption—that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber” (Lee 233). When Lee has Atticus comment on the evil assumptions of men, she conveys how racial prejudice creates unfair judgment.

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Harper Lee artfully wove together a coming-of-age story and a legal thriller in a way that tackles many of the important issues of growing up in the American South during the 1930s. Of the many themes encompassed in To Kill a Mockingbird, the most prevalent is prejudice. Prejudice manifested itself in the novel among races, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, religions, and values. Racism, sexism, and socioeconomic elitism are the most significant examples of the theme of prejudice, which is the driving force and central message of the entire novel. Prejudice in the form of racism is demonstrated in the discrimination against black people that takes place in the novel.

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