Racial Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird
Problems that plagued the American society decades ago still plague it today. People face discrimination because of their race or social status. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see Alabama in the 1930’s through the eyes of a child named Scout, and the audience’s perception of the events that take place throughout the book are greatly affected by the resulting naiveté and ignorance. The theme of the existence of racial inequality in the novel is extremely important, and Tom Robinson embodies this theme better than any other character due to his race, the time in which the novel is set, and the prejudice of a small town community. For a long time, African Americans have been considered inferior to Caucasian men or women. During
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Tom’s trial, it is essentially a black man’s word versus a white man’s word. Inevitably, the white man won, despite the fact that there was absolutely no evidence to support Bob Ewell’s accusation. Since there was no evidence, the only thing the jury could use to convict Tom was the words of Bob Ewell. When the jury unanimously convicts Tom, the reader can see an example of racial inequality because the words of a white man outweighed those of a black man’s. Lee perfectly demonstrates this concept in the novel when she writes “Tom Robinson was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed,” (323). This quote is saying that as soon as Mayella made up her mind to accuse Tom, he was dead because the court in that time period would never take a black man’s word over a white woman’s word.
Not only was Tom Robinson a black man, but he was also a black man in 1930’s Alabama. Segregation was still huge at this time and it would not end for another three decades. During this time, the depression had just ended and there were still separate buildings for blacks and whites. The time in which the novel is set greatly impacted the outcome of Tom’s trial. Slavery just ended, and segregation still separated the two races. Tom could not possibly win because he is not white. Lee shows the effect that the time period had on Tom’s trial when she writes “The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us… The handful of people in this town with background, that's who they are," (236). While the few people who believe in racial equality are unable to influence the trial, they still believe that Tom deserves a fair trial and they are paving the way to racial equality. The times are changing, and this quote demonstrates both the racist and prejudiced side of Maycomb as well as the kind and open minded side.
Moreover, Maycomb is a prejudiced and stubborn town.
There are many times when the townsfolk use racial slurs directed at Tom, demonstrating the prejudice shown to African Americans. Lee shows her audience the prejudice of Maycomb when she writes “How this could be so, I wondered, as I read Mr. Underwood's editorial. Senseless killing—Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him all the way. Then Mr. Underwood's meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case,” (323). This quote means Atticus did everything in his power to save Tom, but he could do nothing to change the hearts of men. The men who were on the jury were either racist or afraid of the ridicule that would ensue if they stood up for Tom.
All things considered, Tom is an important symbol of racial inequality in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird due to his race, the time in which he is wrongfully convicted, and the prejudices that the town of Maycomb faces him with. Lee wants her audience to learn that skin color does not denote a person’s character nor does it indicate a person’s value or worth, that everyone is entitled to fair treatment regardless of his or her race or social standing. It is the responsibility of all people to prevent the problems of the past from becoming the problems of the
future.
Tom’s trial, it is essentially a black man’s word versus a white man’s word. Inevitably, the white man won, despite the fact that there was absolutely no evidence to support Bob Ewell’s accusation. Since there was no evidence, the only thing the jury could use to convict Tom was the words of Bob Ewell. When the jury unanimously convicts Tom, the reader can see an example of racial inequality because the words of a white man outweighed those of a black man’s. Lee perfectly demonstrates this concept in the novel when she writes “Tom Robinson was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed,” (323). This quote is saying that as soon as Mayella made up her mind to accuse Tom, he was dead because the court in that time period would never take a black man’s word over a white woman’s word.
Not only was Tom Robinson a black man, but he was also a black man in 1930’s Alabama. Segregation was still huge at this time and it would not end for another three decades. During this time, the depression had just ended and there were still separate buildings for blacks and whites. The time in which the novel is set greatly impacted the outcome of Tom’s trial. Slavery just ended, and segregation still separated the two races. Tom could not possibly win because he is not white. Lee shows the effect that the time period had on Tom’s trial when she writes “The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us… The handful of people in this town with background, that's who they are," (236). While the few people who believe in racial equality are unable to influence the trial, they still believe that Tom deserves a fair trial and they are paving the way to racial equality. The times are changing, and this quote demonstrates both the racist and prejudiced side of Maycomb as well as the kind and open minded side.
Moreover, Maycomb is a prejudiced and stubborn town.
There are many times when the townsfolk use racial slurs directed at Tom, demonstrating the prejudice shown to African Americans. Lee shows her audience the prejudice of Maycomb when she writes “How this could be so, I wondered, as I read Mr. Underwood's editorial. Senseless killing—Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him all the way. Then Mr. Underwood's meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case,” (323). This quote means Atticus did everything in his power to save Tom, but he could do nothing to change the hearts of men. The men who were on the jury were either racist or afraid of the ridicule that would ensue if they stood up for Tom.
All things considered, Tom is an important symbol of racial inequality in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird due to his race, the time in which he is wrongfully convicted, and the prejudices that the town of Maycomb faces him with. Lee wants her audience to learn that skin color does not denote a person’s character nor does it indicate a person’s value or worth, that everyone is entitled to fair treatment regardless of his or her race or social standing. It is the responsibility of all people to prevent the problems of the past from becoming the problems of the
future.