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

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Racism, a hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Based on this core foundation, is the book To Kill a Mockingbird. The story of Scout and her exploration of racism in her life is what makes the book a show of what racism is in its purest form. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the theme that racism is a negatively influential factor in everyday life is shown through Scout and the events that take place in Maycomb. We first see Scout experiencing racism in the street when Lafayette Dubose rudely teases her and Jem because her father is a “nigger-lover” for taking the case on the side of Tom Robinson. Jem destroys her flowers, and they both go home, but Atticus knows what they did and tells them the meaning of the phrase. Atticus tells them that it means someone who puts himself or herself above Negros, and that he is indeed a “nigger-lover” because he tries his best to love everybody. He goes on to explain that everybody will be saying that because no one wants the Negro to win in the trial, as the townspeople believe that will lead to worse crimes from Negroes. Therefore, Scout realizes this may happen many more …show more content…

Scout faces racism in the street with Mrs.Dubose who insults Atticus, which makes Scout learn everybody is against them. She also faces racism at home where Aunt Alexandra wants Calpurnia, Scout’s friend and mentor, fired which causes Scout to downgrade her relationship with Aunt Alexandra. In addition to that, she sees unbelievable racism in the courthouse when Tom Robinson was ruled guilty by the court even after the perfect evidence given by Atticus, which showed Scout the world is not the wonderful happy place she expected it to be. Because of Scout’s accounts with racism, in shock she realizes the world is not fair, but people like her father are people who make it

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Scout says, “He’s just a negro.” when she’s talking about Tom Robinson. At the very end of the book, Scout finally understands. She is standing on Arthur

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Idhaant Bhosle Ms.Morgan EN 100 (H) 8 March 2023 The Role of Language, Power, and Societal Status in Confronting Racism and Inequality in To Kill a Mockingbird Race has always been a defining factor in American society, shaping the way people interact with each other and the world around them. Similarly, In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores how race structures relationships in terms of power, language, and social status. To Kill A Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, the novel is told from the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in a world where society is divided by the prejudices of others. Scout is the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer, defending an African

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Even though Tom Robinson was innocent, Bob Ewell, who was white, still won the case. This hit the Finch’s hard because even though they hated the racial discrimination occurring, there was nothing more that Atticus could do to change the ways of Maycomb. While all of this was going on, Scout’s perspective shifted more to her father's beliefs instead of joining the mainstream cowardness of her

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People of the town including children refer to black people as “Niggers”, and raised to think of black people as lower class individuals. “To Kill A Mockingbird” has a strong message towards racism, this is learned from Scout & Jem as they mature throughout the novel and are constantly being exposed to demeaning segregation in Maycomb County. In giving Scout a lesson about racism, Atticus also does the same for the readers of the novel. This happens when Scout asks Atticus what the term ‘Nigger-lover” meant, after being insulted several of times and not knowing if it is an offensive word or not, but had a slight feeling it was when Atticus was being called at. A quote from the novel: "nigger-lover is

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For instance, Scout announces how a boy made fun of her dad when she explains, “He announced in the school yard the day before that Scout’s daddy defended niggers. I denied it, but told Jem,”(85). Atticus is defending an African American named Tom Robinson. Atticus is sensing hostility from others because it was looked down upon for a white man to protect a black man at the time. Atticus is even getting criticized by children.

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Q: Discuss how and why Atticus challenges the dominant attitudes and values of the time. Back in the 1930s, racism was not abnormal in the society. In fact, racism often happened in America in the 1930s. The white people would always rule over the people of colour, known as African Americans.

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Racists aren't born racist, racists are made... in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the main character Jean Louise "Scout Finch tries to understand how society works. At a young age, her innocence is put to the test when the rest of the town talked bad about a black person. Scout shows how adolescence can be seen as unfair, cruel and confusing. Shaping the meaning of the work by demonstrating two sides of a world through childhood and adulthood. How some may view things differently for the fear of judgment.

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The story of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a classic part of American Literature that explores the different aspects of prejudice and integration. There are multiple scenes in both the novel and movie that show this separation between races, because these actions were common at this time in the 1930’s. Some examples of segregation in the story include the separated courtroom, the housekeeper Calpurnia in the back of the car, and the outcome of Tom Robinson’s case. One example of segregation is the separation in the courtroom. During Tom Robinson’s trial, the courtroom was very clearly divided between whites and blacks.

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Throughout the novel, Scout and Jem are shown how they believe that everyone should be respected no matter the color of their skin. Their innocence makes them question the idea of racism to have a discussion with their father who explains his opinions. In addition to that, Atticus talks to Scout about the events happening in their community/her school, and he told her to consider that people never know a person until they get to

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Religious Discriminations and Racism Racism was very harsh and commonly used back then. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, racism is the most obvious form of discrimination. However, there are also other types of prejudice and discrimination that affected people from the past. Religious discriminations and racism left a huge impact to Black people from the past. Religious discriminations and racism are two great examples that were used back in the day against people of different races, except white people, especially to the black people.

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(Lee 273). Even though Scout and Jem were not supposed to be there, they learn how racism could kill an innocent man, and through that learn why Atticus had constantly reminded them of why equality is so important. With them learning about equality, they also learn about the town’s racism and how it should not be included in their definition of a person, another mini-lesson taught by Atticus to instruct his kids about

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the motif of racism to convey the theme that African Americans were dehumanized and not given equitable treatment during the 1930s in Alabama through Tom running away from the Ewells at the time of the alleged assault, the jury convicting Tom, and talk of Tom’s death being expected of him.

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One of the main themes of the novel is Racism. During the time of depression, racism and poverty were a common issue. People with a dark skin tone, i.e the African- Americans were seen as derogatory and treated like dirt. Harper Lee depicts it in a very realistic way.

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It tells of how Scout was sometimes ostracized by her brother and Dill for being more feminine since her personality is described as more masculine at the beginning. Moreover, she gets into school fights when someone from her class calls her father “a negro-lover”. Her teacher criticizes her for being able to read and write. The children soon find out exactly why people around them are talking about their father behind his back (even his own family). Arthur Radley was tasked by the judge to

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Synthesis Essay Discrimination is a persistent problem that many face throughout their lifetime. Many don’t know the difference between colorism and racial discrimination. Colorism is the process of discrimination that light skinned people are more privileged than dark skinned people. Racial discrimination is that regardless of the physical appearance, the African Americans of all skin tones are discriminated in some way. These two systems of discrimination are not the same but are connected in some ways.

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