ipl-logo

The Theme Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

570 Words3 Pages

A white man's word against a black man's word, a white man's word will always win—the unfortunate reality of black people in the 1930s. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an ideal example that demonstrates and illustrates the racism and prejudice of black people back then. The book consists of a white girl named Scout Finch who grows up in Maycomb a place where racism is normalized and taught throughout generations. We see how the black community is treated unequally and where the recurring theme of white privilege comes up one being when the case of Tom Robinson comes to light. We see a black man with no rights, no voice, and no hope being persecuted by an all-white jury. Tom Robinson was accused of raping a white woman and even despite the lack of evidence he was sentenced to death. I will explore the common themes of race which consist of racism, white privilege, and unequal treatment throughout the novel. …show more content…

Even with inconsistencies in Ewell's testimony and lack of evidence. The justice system in Maycomb was deeply flawed. It didn’t matter if Robinson had a better attorney or a better law team Robinson would be found guilty strictly just because he was a black man. In the 1930s who would believe a black man over a white woman? “Tom Robinson was a dead man the moment Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.”-Atticus Finch. This quote said by Atticus, furthermore perpetuates the sense that simply because of the race of Robinson he was at risk of his liberty being revoked. The racism and racial prejudice from the community of Maycomb made it nearly impossible for Robinson to receive a fair trial everyone was quick to be biased merely because of his race. Resulting in Tom Robinson trying to escape to freedom but rather than liberty he was faced with

Show More
Related
458 Words | 2 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys that prejudice divides communities and that persecution of innocent people is evil; furthermore; these two minor themes reinforce the major thematic idea that a simple assumption can divide people. When Tom Robinson is put on trial for supposedly raped Mayella Ewell, the racism in Maycomb surfaces and creates conflict. In the novel, a stranger says, “You know what we want,” ‘another man said.’ “Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.”(172). Some drunken men want to harm Tom Robinson for the wrong that he did.

Read More
1492 Words | 6 Pages

This image shows how the people in Maycomb based their beliefs, about Thomas Robinson, by his skin color. Most whites who were at the trial, didn’t want to hear anything that Mr. Robinson has to say, because he was black. Since he was black, the whites automatically assumed Mr. Robinson was guilty. Mr. Robinson says he didn’t mean any harm toward Miss. Mayella. “Mr. Finch, I tried.

Read More
202 Words | 1 Pages

Tom Robinson had no chance of freedom just because his skin was of a different color than what the jury preferred even though he was innocent, as Atticus Finch proved. Tom Robinson ended up getting killed in prison, leaving his wife and children to

Read More
698 Words | 3 Pages

What separates Tom Robinson’s case from other cases of black men accused of crimes they didn't commit, is that Tom couldn't have possibly done it. The woman that Tom was accused of raping and beating was attacked on her right side, and Tom has a disabled right arm. This means that the case should have been opened and shut very quickly, with the jury assuming him not guilty. However, despite these facts, the court still finds him guilty. Almost the entire community of Maycomb turns a blind eye to these facts and assumes Tom Robinson is guilty, except for Tom’s lawyer Atticus.

Read More
871 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is already considered guilty because he is black. When Mr. Ewell comes up for his testimony, he was already showing his prejudice feelings about black people in Maycomb. Bob Ewell says, “-I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella” (173). This quote shows the anger Bob Ewell feels and how his racism contributes to that. When Mayella Ewell gives her testimony she is really angry because Atticus is questioning her about the assault.

Read More
1458 Words | 6 Pages

Atticus takes Robinson’s case on ethical grounds based on the stereotypes of Macomb already labeling him as guilty. "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box" (220). The folks of Maycomb, the white population that is, are quick to judge Tom, not taking the time or decensy to understand him, but merely labeling him as a criminal. However, the black folks of Maycomb are not the only people to be discriminated

Read More
1131 Words | 5 Pages

As Tom Robinson an African American man, The Ewell family goes against him in trial. Tom Robinson was accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell on the night of November 21’st . With a Jury and Judge who are all white folks, Tom already knew there was no chance of him winning. While having a conversation with Jim, Atticus mention the injustice in the courts by saying “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins”. (Pg.251-252).

Read More
559 Words | 3 Pages

This quote is a perfect example of Tom Robinson, a black man who the people of Maycomb inappropriately label as a criminal and therefore act prejudiced against. Tom can be likened to a mockingbird in the sense that he too is innocent. Furthermore, it is a criminal offense to kill a mockingbird because everyone knows they are harmless creatures that do no wrong. Unfortunately for Tom, this precedent does not apply to black men in Maycomb even once they are proven innocent. This is seen during Tom Robinson’s trial just before Judge Taylor announces if he is guilty of asssuluting and raping Mayella Ewell.

Read More
1355 Words | 6 Pages

Furthermore, Tom Robinson is mistreated due to his skin color, as a result, he is falsely accused of raping a white girl. No one in town is willing to help him in any way because of the racist mentality of the town, except Atticus. As a lawyer, Atticus supports Tom Robinson and states an important statement that describes the racist minds of the residents of Maycomb, “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is”(Lee 271).

Read More
1146 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More
529 Words | 3 Pages

I think black people have to be in control of their own image because film is a powerful medium. We can’t just sit back and let other people define our existence’’~ Spike Lee ~. Although many people may argue that Atticus received prejudice throughout the novel, it was Tom Robinson who experiences the most prejudice. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom experiences the most prejudice in this novel because he got accused of rape, a mob full of farmers tried to kill him, got shot 17 times.

Read More
1743 Words | 7 Pages

All due to the fact that the people in Maycomb, the fictional town in which the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird live, are so used to discriminating against Black people that none of them think to question their beliefs, choosing to stay ignorant. A prime example of this is before Tom Robinson’s trial all of Maycomb was rooting against him, hoping that he would be ruled guilty, but no one even considered that he may be innocent. Everyone assumed that since he was Black he must have committed the crime, not taking a minute to learn the facts, or lack thereof, and decide without prejudice whether or not he deserves to be in jail. Even during the trial when all the information was released and every testimony was given, the jury still decided to rule Tom guilty simply because to them, even if it was clear as day that Tom Robinson was innocent, there was no way a Black man had done nothing wrong. Despite Atticus’s attempt to defend Tom in the best possible way he could by stating, “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.

Read More
1103 Words | 5 Pages

Racism has been a prominent piece of Southern culture in the past. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by author Harper Lee, addresses this culture head-on. The story follows the young narrator, Scout, a girl who lives in Maycomb County, Alabama with her father who is a lawyer, and her older brother. The story is about Scout growing up in a deeply racist town and the hardships involved with defending a black man as a white family. Throughout the book, many valuable lessons are taught about empathy, courage, and racism, and it gives many good examples of racism and prejudice.

Read More
970 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates a story surrounding the prejudice of the time and its impact on the innocence of the children in the town. The narrative takes place in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. An old, suffocating town, home to aimlessly fueled hatred and bias. “Maycombs Disease” describes the behaviors portrayed by the residents, which embrace the racist and classist behaviors of the time. 1930, a period of depression, was infested with discrimination among many minorities.

Read More
830 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Racial discrimination is hinted throughout Tom’s trial as Atticus Finch explains to Jem that a white man’s word will always win over that of a black man’s - "... In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life" (220). Atticus explains to Jem that in the courts of Maycomb, a black man’s state of innocence or guilt is truly determined by a white man’s testimony.

Read More

More about The Theme Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Related Topics

Open Document