Unit 2: How Racial Discrimination Defines The American Society In today’s society, racism is not common like it was in the early 20th century. Minority group like black individuals are the subject to this hate crime in America. People’s personal view of humanity has taken shape over the course of the American society. Harper Lee’s story, To Kill a Mockingbird, centralizes the plot around the Southern life in 1930s. The narrative is told through Scout, who surrounds herself in a prejudice community in Alabama. Harper Lee, influenced by the civil rights conflict going on in the Depression era, had modeled her personal experience through the voice of a little girl. Throughout the story, racism is defined through the case of a black man, who
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Tom Robinson faces his death after being falsely accused by a Caucasian woman, and was convicted guilty by a biased decision from the jury. As Mayella Ewells claims to be force in an involuntary sexual intercourse with Tom Robinson at the trial, the jury chooses to side with her despite of numerous evidences proving that he is innocent. Scout realizes that Tom “had been [...] convicted by twelve good men [...] Mr Underwood’s meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool [...] to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts [...] Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (323). The conviction of Tom Robinson is purely subjective to the color of his skin. Atticus Finch evidently implied that Tom Robinson is incapable of taking advantage of Mayella Ewell, but “in the secret courts of men’s hearts”, they had decided to confide the guilty charge base off a white person’s word. No matter what the accusation white men have for Tom Robinson, a person of African descendant, will still be tried as a “dead man” no matter what. Through a fictional story, injustice for the minority has its influence from in non-fictional …show more content…
To Kill a Mockingbird sends an undeniable truth of the American prejudice justice system practiced mainly in the South of 1930s. Harper Lee paints a picture that not only racial bias leads to unjustified violence, but how it takes away many innocent lives due to the way racism is embedded in people’s minds. Her central purpose highlights the injustice of racial discrimination that existed during 1930s in places such as Maycomb. Not only does racial discrimination being expressed in literature, but it also has carved its way into the American society. Groups like the lynch mob from Lee’s story and the KKK are the examples of fueling violence to the conflict. During the late 1870s, where Jim Crow laws were practiced, the justice system was composed of all-white juries, prosecutors, and judges. Racial bias had led to countless convictions of death penalty upon innocent African-Americans. Tom Robinson, he was convicted of rape, despite his incapability to physically executing out the crime. Just similar to the Scottsboro boys as a real life example of a victim of racial discrimination. No matter how many innocent African-Americans have been falsely convicted, the American society has been immune to the racial discrimination since the dawn of
Tom Robinson faces his death after being falsely accused by a Caucasian woman, and was convicted guilty by a biased decision from the jury. As Mayella Ewells claims to be force in an involuntary sexual intercourse with Tom Robinson at the trial, the jury chooses to side with her despite of numerous evidences proving that he is innocent. Scout realizes that Tom “had been [...] convicted by twelve good men [...] Mr Underwood’s meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool [...] to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts [...] Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (323). The conviction of Tom Robinson is purely subjective to the color of his skin. Atticus Finch evidently implied that Tom Robinson is incapable of taking advantage of Mayella Ewell, but “in the secret courts of men’s hearts”, they had decided to confide the guilty charge base off a white person’s word. No matter what the accusation white men have for Tom Robinson, a person of African descendant, will still be tried as a “dead man” no matter what. Through a fictional story, injustice for the minority has its influence from in non-fictional …show more content…
To Kill a Mockingbird sends an undeniable truth of the American prejudice justice system practiced mainly in the South of 1930s. Harper Lee paints a picture that not only racial bias leads to unjustified violence, but how it takes away many innocent lives due to the way racism is embedded in people’s minds. Her central purpose highlights the injustice of racial discrimination that existed during 1930s in places such as Maycomb. Not only does racial discrimination being expressed in literature, but it also has carved its way into the American society. Groups like the lynch mob from Lee’s story and the KKK are the examples of fueling violence to the conflict. During the late 1870s, where Jim Crow laws were practiced, the justice system was composed of all-white juries, prosecutors, and judges. Racial bias had led to countless convictions of death penalty upon innocent African-Americans. Tom Robinson, he was convicted of rape, despite his incapability to physically executing out the crime. Just similar to the Scottsboro boys as a real life example of a victim of racial discrimination. No matter how many innocent African-Americans have been falsely convicted, the American society has been immune to the racial discrimination since the dawn of