What Are The Effects Of Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird
In a small, run-down town in Alabama, everyone knows everyone. News travels fast, no one has a secret, and rumors are spread quite often. Innocent people are looked down upon simply because they are different. These quick judgements are enough to split the town and turn good people against each other. Many of these judgements are made from a background of prejudice which resonates in the town. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, prejudice is demonstrated through racism, social status, and sexism to show the negative effects of stereotyping. Prejudice is greatly expressed through racism in many instances throughout the book. In the town of Maycomb, there is an indirect sense of discrimination. While no one outrightly says it, everyone looks down upon black people and wants nothing to do with them. Scout and Jem, being young, innocent kids, do not understand that
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everyone is not accepted equally. People are people to them, regardless of their skin color. Atticus tries to explain to them that “white men cheat black men every day of your life” (Lee 252). White men think they can do whatever they want to black men. This goes back to the idea of people in Maycomb wanting nothing to do with black people. Scout also receives many hateful comments throughout the story on behalf of her father. Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a colored man, in an upcoming case, and the town is completely appalled. Her own cousins says to her, “I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family” (Lee 94). People of Maycomb act as though there should be no interaction with black people, whatsoever. Because of everyone’s fervent opinions, Atticus and his family are threatened, and Scout and Jem are violently attacked. Racism is such a big issue that it almost tears the town apart. Social status also plays a big part in the prejudice conveyed throughout the story. People in the town of Maycomb are quick to judge others. One example of this would be the Radley family. Considered kooky and strange, there are many rumors and stories passed throughout the town. Scout tells of the monstrous Boo Radley who “drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities” (Lee 12). Because they are different than most people, the town automatically judges them and spreads rumors about them. Another instance of prejudice based on social status would be the Cunningham family. They are unwealthy and cannot afford much, to the extent that they sometimes have to trade items rather than paying for something with money. As Scout asks Aunt Alexandra if she can play with Walter Cunningham, her aunt responds by saying, “Jean Louise, there is no doubt in my mind that they’re good folks. But they’re not our kind of folks” (255). In the town of Maycomb, people do not associate with people outside of their own social class, and they are not able to set aside their differences. Throughout the story, prejudice is also shown through sexism.
All of Scout’s life, she has grown up being a tomboy. This may be because she was raised mostly by her father, Atticus, and was highly impacted by her brother, Jem. She’s always grown up with the idea that being a girl was a bad thing. This concept is mostly brought on by her brother when making comments to her such as “I swear, Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl it’s mortifyin’” (Lee 42). When playing with the boys, Scout also tells the readers, “Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with” (Lee 45). While she is encouraged to act this way by her brother, she is also exposed to the stereotype of women in the town. In the book, there is an underlying sense of how women are supposed to act and behave. They are to dress and act like a lady, and stay home taking care of the house. Women do not have jobs, or participate in politics. Women are considered more as property rather than
people. As seen throughout the story, people have a hard time setting aside their differences. Innocent people are judged just for being different. These pessimistic examples of prejudice expressed through racism, social class, and sexism have an enormous negative effect on the town, tearing people apart and turning them against each other.
everyone is not accepted equally. People are people to them, regardless of their skin color. Atticus tries to explain to them that “white men cheat black men every day of your life” (Lee 252). White men think they can do whatever they want to black men. This goes back to the idea of people in Maycomb wanting nothing to do with black people. Scout also receives many hateful comments throughout the story on behalf of her father. Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a colored man, in an upcoming case, and the town is completely appalled. Her own cousins says to her, “I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family” (Lee 94). People of Maycomb act as though there should be no interaction with black people, whatsoever. Because of everyone’s fervent opinions, Atticus and his family are threatened, and Scout and Jem are violently attacked. Racism is such a big issue that it almost tears the town apart. Social status also plays a big part in the prejudice conveyed throughout the story. People in the town of Maycomb are quick to judge others. One example of this would be the Radley family. Considered kooky and strange, there are many rumors and stories passed throughout the town. Scout tells of the monstrous Boo Radley who “drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities” (Lee 12). Because they are different than most people, the town automatically judges them and spreads rumors about them. Another instance of prejudice based on social status would be the Cunningham family. They are unwealthy and cannot afford much, to the extent that they sometimes have to trade items rather than paying for something with money. As Scout asks Aunt Alexandra if she can play with Walter Cunningham, her aunt responds by saying, “Jean Louise, there is no doubt in my mind that they’re good folks. But they’re not our kind of folks” (255). In the town of Maycomb, people do not associate with people outside of their own social class, and they are not able to set aside their differences. Throughout the story, prejudice is also shown through sexism.
All of Scout’s life, she has grown up being a tomboy. This may be because she was raised mostly by her father, Atticus, and was highly impacted by her brother, Jem. She’s always grown up with the idea that being a girl was a bad thing. This concept is mostly brought on by her brother when making comments to her such as “I swear, Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl it’s mortifyin’” (Lee 42). When playing with the boys, Scout also tells the readers, “Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with” (Lee 45). While she is encouraged to act this way by her brother, she is also exposed to the stereotype of women in the town. In the book, there is an underlying sense of how women are supposed to act and behave. They are to dress and act like a lady, and stay home taking care of the house. Women do not have jobs, or participate in politics. Women are considered more as property rather than
people. As seen throughout the story, people have a hard time setting aside their differences. Innocent people are judged just for being different. These pessimistic examples of prejudice expressed through racism, social class, and sexism have an enormous negative effect on the town, tearing people apart and turning them against each other.