"Racism isn't born, folks. It's taught. I have a two-year-old son. Know what he hates? Naps. End of list." Denis Leary said this to create a picture of racism. Harper Lee does the same thing in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird where one of the major themes underlining the book is racism. This book is narrated by Scout Finch, the daughter of a white lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the course of the trial, Scout, her brother Jem, and their friend Dill are all enlightened about how serious racism really is. The following examples will unfold racism and how Scout grows to understand that racism is a more serious topic than she had realized.
In chapter eight, Scout and Jem attempted to make a snowman. Since …show more content…
Scout might not be a racist but because she lives in an area where the word nigger is used commonly she also says it. This example also relates to the beginning quote. If Scout was raised in an environment where nobody was racist, she would probably not be so prone to saying nigger.
Another example of racism in the book is in chapter 12, when Calpurnia, the Finches maid, brought Scout and Jem to the first purchase church. The first purchase church was an all black church that was paid for by freed slaves. When Calpurnia, Scout, an Jem walked into the church, a tall african american women named Lula stopped Calpurnia and said "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here---they got their church, we got our'n. Its is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?" (Lee 136). Calpurnia replied "It's the same God, ain't it?" (Lee …show more content…
Dubose's lawn. Jem and Scout were walking to town on Saturday when Mrs. Dubose started shouting from her porch. They started a heated conversation and Mrs. Dubose said "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Lee 117). Jem and Scout left the area, but scout could tell that Jem was angry. When scout and Jem were coming back from town Mrs. Dubose was not there, so Jem angrily grabbed a baton Scout was holding and cut off the top of every camellia bush she had.
This shows how Jem was defending his dad, but it also shows how Jem was trying to defend the black race. Jem was enraged at how Mrs. Dubose was trying to insult his him by saying that his dad and then black person he is defending are equal to trash. Jem was so mad at this that he did not follow his dad's instructions to leave Mrs. Dubose alone, and he ruined the bushes in her lawn.
In To Kill a Mockingbird racism plays a dominant role through out the book. Even the main characters were racist, but that was because they were raised with racism in their lives. When they understood how racism affects african americans they changed their views on it. I personally think that this books message on racism is to form you own opinion and that you cannot judge someone until you step into their
In chapter eight, Scout and Jem attempted to make a snowman. Since …show more content…
Scout might not be a racist but because she lives in an area where the word nigger is used commonly she also says it. This example also relates to the beginning quote. If Scout was raised in an environment where nobody was racist, she would probably not be so prone to saying nigger.
Another example of racism in the book is in chapter 12, when Calpurnia, the Finches maid, brought Scout and Jem to the first purchase church. The first purchase church was an all black church that was paid for by freed slaves. When Calpurnia, Scout, an Jem walked into the church, a tall african american women named Lula stopped Calpurnia and said "You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here---they got their church, we got our'n. Its is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?" (Lee 136). Calpurnia replied "It's the same God, ain't it?" (Lee …show more content…
Dubose's lawn. Jem and Scout were walking to town on Saturday when Mrs. Dubose started shouting from her porch. They started a heated conversation and Mrs. Dubose said "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Lee 117). Jem and Scout left the area, but scout could tell that Jem was angry. When scout and Jem were coming back from town Mrs. Dubose was not there, so Jem angrily grabbed a baton Scout was holding and cut off the top of every camellia bush she had.
This shows how Jem was defending his dad, but it also shows how Jem was trying to defend the black race. Jem was enraged at how Mrs. Dubose was trying to insult his him by saying that his dad and then black person he is defending are equal to trash. Jem was so mad at this that he did not follow his dad's instructions to leave Mrs. Dubose alone, and he ruined the bushes in her lawn.
In To Kill a Mockingbird racism plays a dominant role through out the book. Even the main characters were racist, but that was because they were raised with racism in their lives. When they understood how racism affects african americans they changed their views on it. I personally think that this books message on racism is to form you own opinion and that you cannot judge someone until you step into their