The book To Kill a Mocking Bird written by Harper Lee was published in 1960 but set in the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama¬. Jim Crow Law was controlling Alabama in the 1930s, which restricted black people’s rights. There were racial segregations happening due to this law. There were different doors for black people, they weren’t able to eat in the same room. When black people tried to ride the bus or train, they needed to use the back part. Moreover, due to the Great Depression, in this period, black and white people were fighting to get jobs which made colored people’s life even more difficult. This environment surrounded by racial discrimination was the background of Lee as she was born in Alabama. In addition, this was the place where the black
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However, the major event that occurred and was most effective to convey in the book was the trial of Tom Robinson. The mockingbird of the story, Tom Robinson had a false accusation that he sexually harassed Mayella. Throughout the Trial, Bob Ewell states that “I seen that black n***** yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella” (pg. 231). This is an insult towards Tom Robinson arguing that he is a lower-class human. As this stereotype was stuck during the trial in people’s perspectives, at the end of the trial, even though Atticus provided a sufficient amount of proof that was able to make Tom Robinson innocent, he was convicted. About this tragic trial, Atticus says that “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (pg. 220). This is what most of the people believed in the novel and was the reality of America at the time. As Lee herself is Scout in the story, she already experienced this kind of incident before. Her dad who was also a lawyer defended black people who were suspected of murdering a white person. The feeling of Scout as a child who was not influenced by the racist society was the emotions of the author herself when she was young. Based on her experience, she illustrates an image of racism in this trial and clearly mentions the theme
However, the major event that occurred and was most effective to convey in the book was the trial of Tom Robinson. The mockingbird of the story, Tom Robinson had a false accusation that he sexually harassed Mayella. Throughout the Trial, Bob Ewell states that “I seen that black n***** yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella” (pg. 231). This is an insult towards Tom Robinson arguing that he is a lower-class human. As this stereotype was stuck during the trial in people’s perspectives, at the end of the trial, even though Atticus provided a sufficient amount of proof that was able to make Tom Robinson innocent, he was convicted. About this tragic trial, Atticus says that “in our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (pg. 220). This is what most of the people believed in the novel and was the reality of America at the time. As Lee herself is Scout in the story, she already experienced this kind of incident before. Her dad who was also a lawyer defended black people who were suspected of murdering a white person. The feeling of Scout as a child who was not influenced by the racist society was the emotions of the author herself when she was young. Based on her experience, she illustrates an image of racism in this trial and clearly mentions the theme