Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist, once stated, “All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about.” Although it is a fundamental American idea that people are created equal, this often is not the case due to personal bias. The similar sentiment, unnecessary racism, is mirrored in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Many characters in the fictional town of Maycomb experience prejudice based on their race, both through obvious and subtle examples. In addition, many characters dislike racism and do not understand why people treat others unfairly. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee reveals that racism is pervasive; whether one chooses to abolish it or ignore it that shows
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"Of course I do. Don 't say nigger, Scout. That 's common."
" 's what everybody at school says." (Lee )
Young Scout being juvenile, had no clue that the racial slur was an extremely impolite word. Scout assumed if everyone else used the word it was okay for her to use it, too. The people around her did not believe this word was inappropriate, so they used it around everyone teaching the young children that the word can be used. Atticus attempts to abolish racism, by telling his daughter not to use words resulting in prejudice. Atticus knew that using foul language resulted in a racist human being. In addition, racist human beings result in the world being filled with …show more content…
Reverend Sykes, speaking to Jem during Tom Robinson’s trial, explains how the trial is not fair and that he should not to get his hopes up. Reverend Sykes explains, “I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…” (Lee 270). The Reverend has never seen the courts believe a black individual. The all-white jury is eager to convict African Americans, even if the facts show they are innocent. From entering the courtrooms, racism has already taken place. Everyone files into the courtroom, but whites proceed in first, and blacks then go in last. Reverend Sykes recommends that Scout, Jem, and Dill should go upstairs with them. Once the children proceed upstairs, Scout notices, “The colored balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom like a second story veranda...” (Lee 219). The African Americans had their own section and the whites had theirs. Nobody was messing with each other, but that also meant they were not having friendly conversations with the other race either. The blacks have grown up in a racist society and they do not complain about the courts, but when Tom’s life is in the court’s hands they are praying that the jury is not racist. The fact the blacks go in after the whites shows the racism, but having the jury be prejudice is plain wrong. Therefore, racial prejudice occurs in Maycomb’s
"Of course I do. Don 't say nigger, Scout. That 's common."
" 's what everybody at school says." (Lee )
Young Scout being juvenile, had no clue that the racial slur was an extremely impolite word. Scout assumed if everyone else used the word it was okay for her to use it, too. The people around her did not believe this word was inappropriate, so they used it around everyone teaching the young children that the word can be used. Atticus attempts to abolish racism, by telling his daughter not to use words resulting in prejudice. Atticus knew that using foul language resulted in a racist human being. In addition, racist human beings result in the world being filled with …show more content…
Reverend Sykes, speaking to Jem during Tom Robinson’s trial, explains how the trial is not fair and that he should not to get his hopes up. Reverend Sykes explains, “I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…” (Lee 270). The Reverend has never seen the courts believe a black individual. The all-white jury is eager to convict African Americans, even if the facts show they are innocent. From entering the courtrooms, racism has already taken place. Everyone files into the courtroom, but whites proceed in first, and blacks then go in last. Reverend Sykes recommends that Scout, Jem, and Dill should go upstairs with them. Once the children proceed upstairs, Scout notices, “The colored balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom like a second story veranda...” (Lee 219). The African Americans had their own section and the whites had theirs. Nobody was messing with each other, but that also meant they were not having friendly conversations with the other race either. The blacks have grown up in a racist society and they do not complain about the courts, but when Tom’s life is in the court’s hands they are praying that the jury is not racist. The fact the blacks go in after the whites shows the racism, but having the jury be prejudice is plain wrong. Therefore, racial prejudice occurs in Maycomb’s