‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee is a story of the prejudice, inequality and racism that occurred during the early 1930’s. This is exemplified through the charges brought by Bob Ewell against Tom Robinson and the animosity towards Atticus and his family for defending Tom. It is manifested through the anti-African-American feeling in Maycomb which led to Dolphus Raymond’s fabricated drinking problem, and also becomes evident through the hypocritical attitudes of Miss Gates. Through the eyes of eight year old Scout, we witness endless examples of injustice carried out upon the African-American race within Maycomb County.
Scout’s third grade teacher, Miss Gates, proves to have very hypocritical views on the issue of racism. When the topic …show more content…
On the day of Tom’s trial, the courthouse is full of people and as much as they refuse to believe it these people all know that Tom is an innocent man whom has never done anything to harm Mayella. The evidence also proved to be in favour of Tom, but regardless of this information, Tom is still convicted guilty, for one simple reason, the colour of his skin. “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man will always win” (page 243). In the end, it isn’t about the supposed crime committed, the decision is as simple as black and white. Tom’s loss is inevitable, but a complete injustice. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (page 266). The Ewells are essentially ‘white trash’. Bob has never worked a day in his life, the only money he earn comes from the dole and nearly all of that money is spent on alcohol, he doesn’t even bother to buy his children food. “All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbours was that, if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white” (page 189). To think that a respectable man, such as Tom Robinson, who never did anything but help the Ewells, could lose to such disgusting a person is
Scout’s third grade teacher, Miss Gates, proves to have very hypocritical views on the issue of racism. When the topic …show more content…
On the day of Tom’s trial, the courthouse is full of people and as much as they refuse to believe it these people all know that Tom is an innocent man whom has never done anything to harm Mayella. The evidence also proved to be in favour of Tom, but regardless of this information, Tom is still convicted guilty, for one simple reason, the colour of his skin. “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man will always win” (page 243). In the end, it isn’t about the supposed crime committed, the decision is as simple as black and white. Tom’s loss is inevitable, but a complete injustice. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (page 266). The Ewells are essentially ‘white trash’. Bob has never worked a day in his life, the only money he earn comes from the dole and nearly all of that money is spent on alcohol, he doesn’t even bother to buy his children food. “All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbours was that, if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white” (page 189). To think that a respectable man, such as Tom Robinson, who never did anything but help the Ewells, could lose to such disgusting a person is