Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Merchant of Venice
The common topic I chose between both, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Merchant of Venice is racism. In Harper Lee’s novel, the time setting was in the early 1930’s, and at this time, African Americans were discriminated against by white people.
Tom Robinson, a black man, is a victim of racism in the novel, because he is falsely charged with raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Atticus Finch, knows that Tom is innocent, and therefore tries to defend him, but no one in the jury sides with him. Atticus tells Jem: “In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's word, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Lee 85). This quote shows the injustice going on during Maycomb at the time between the white and black community. Shortly after, Tom Robinson was sentenced to death, but tried to escape the prison and had "Seventeen bullet holes in him…” (Lee 315). The court guards could have shot Tom once instead of 17 times if they truly cared about capturing him. Instead, they took the life of an innocent man. I feel as if they did it because of the hatred they had towards him and his skin colour.
Bob Ewell is a white man, the father of Mayella Ewell, is someone whose life is ruined by racism. He accuses Tom Robinson of raping Mayella. In fact, Bob says, “I seen that black n***** yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!” (Lee 190). In this quote Mr.Ewell does not say Tom’s name or even call him “He”; he chooses to refer to Tom by his race. In fact he treats Mayella as his property, by using the words “my Mayella”. Tom holds a grudge against Atticus and Judge Taylor, because of the way they made him look foolish in the trial. As arrogant as he is, he plots his revenge on Atticus by attacking his children, Jem and Scout, but Boo Radley, an Outcast in Maycomb, comes to their rescue and saves them. Bob Ewell is killed during this time. Some people say that he got what he deserved in the end, because it was because of his racist beliefs
Tom Robinson, a black man, is a victim of racism in the novel, because he is falsely charged with raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Atticus Finch, knows that Tom is innocent, and therefore tries to defend him, but no one in the jury sides with him. Atticus tells Jem: “In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's word, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Lee 85). This quote shows the injustice going on during Maycomb at the time between the white and black community. Shortly after, Tom Robinson was sentenced to death, but tried to escape the prison and had "Seventeen bullet holes in him…” (Lee 315). The court guards could have shot Tom once instead of 17 times if they truly cared about capturing him. Instead, they took the life of an innocent man. I feel as if they did it because of the hatred they had towards him and his skin colour.
Bob Ewell is a white man, the father of Mayella Ewell, is someone whose life is ruined by racism. He accuses Tom Robinson of raping Mayella. In fact, Bob says, “I seen that black n***** yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!” (Lee 190). In this quote Mr.Ewell does not say Tom’s name or even call him “He”; he chooses to refer to Tom by his race. In fact he treats Mayella as his property, by using the words “my Mayella”. Tom holds a grudge against Atticus and Judge Taylor, because of the way they made him look foolish in the trial. As arrogant as he is, he plots his revenge on Atticus by attacking his children, Jem and Scout, but Boo Radley, an Outcast in Maycomb, comes to their rescue and saves them. Bob Ewell is killed during this time. Some people say that he got what he deserved in the end, because it was because of his racist beliefs