Theme Of Racial Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird

It is a harsh truth to believe that humans have created a reality where people think that being black or white matters, but in the real reality around us it doesn’t because we are all still human. Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, expresses the ideas of race and racial segregation and its prominence to the society of the 1930s. She explores the ideas of critical race theory through racial inequalities, which improves the ability understand the racial hierarchy and how race is socially constructed.

The churches in Lee’s novel expose the ideas of racial segregation and inequality to the young minds of Jem and Scout. Lee’s dialogue in “… You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here - they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?” symbolizes the attitude Maycomb County had towards racial segregation. While at the separated ‘black’ persons church, Jem and Scout become aware of the racial segregation surrounding them as they grow up. The racial segregation and inequality is further experienced when the children enter the church to find “… none of the familiar ecclesiastical impedimenta …” they saw at their ‘white’ persons church. This inequality teaches the children, making them realize that there are two defiant sides to their society, and one will always be better off than the other.
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Lee shapes Scouts experiences to reinforce the racist lessons that normalise racial segregation. While the reality that is doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, because we are all human has been recognised by Scout, it has not been regarded by the townsfolk of Maycomb County. By engaging with this text and applying critical race theory readers become aware of the racial inequalities, and this awareness is the ideal way to combat the ignorance that fosters