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TKAM Essay
Is Maycomb totally racist? To what extent?

The human race may come and go, but racism will always remain. Racism in Maycomb is part of society, within their daily lives.
In the movie “To Kill A Mockingbird” people in the town of Maycomb call Atticus Finch and his two children Jem and Scout ‘negro lovers’. The town’s people call them this because Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a black man. This shows pure racism in the town. People look down on black people so much that they frown upon a white man defending them. In their society it is wrong for a white man to interact with a black man. This racism doesn’t only affect Atticus but it also affects his daughter Scout. At school Scout is called a ‘negro lover’ by a boy in her class and her first thought was to act out violently. Scout doesn’t full understand why she is called that name. This part of the story shows that racism isn’t only going on with adults but children as well.
Although most people in the town of Maycomb are racist towards colored people, not everyone is. For example, even though Tom Robinson is a black man who allegedly committed a crime, Atticus still believes it is the right thing to defend him in court. This identifies that not everyone in Maycomb is racist. Atticus teaches the idea that it’s not a horrible thing if you help a colored man in need. Atticus defending a black man isn’t only teaching society that it’s not wrong but also his children. Jem and Scout watch their father as he defends a black man and learn along the way that there is nothing wrong with being friends with colored people.
In “To Kill A Mockingbird” Tom is kept in a jail cell in the center of the town. One night while Atticus is keeping look out outside the cell a mob of town’s men surround Atticus. The town wants to beat and kill Tom for allegedly raping a white woman. Atticus stands his ground, along with Jem and Scout who join him on the stairs in front of the cell. The family continues to defend Tom, but the

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