Social Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Superior Essays
Various Injustices Epitomized in To Kill a Mockingbird
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel showing a crucial court case that sets the tone of the novel. The novel consists of a segregation of African Americans and white. The African Americans are not as worthy as the white. Tom Robinson is a quintessence of how he is not as worthy as the white people in Maycomb County. In addition, the Cunninghams are an economically unstable family. Their daily work consists of labor throughout the day due to this fact the Cunninghams are held down by social injustice. The novel also shows Judge John Taylor is not in favor of the African Americans in the court case. The novel has a court case charged upon Tom Robinson and is defended by a white lawyer Atticus. Atticus having a younger daughter named Scout and an older son named Jem. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee exemplifies racial, social, and criminal injustices in the 1930s through major events and characters. Firstly, Tom Robinson is a black male, which makes others think he is the only one accusable for doing immoral acts demonstrating racial injustice. When he is accused of rape his lawyer knows immediately he has no way of winning the case. Atticus admits, “The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word” (Lee 91). Judge John Taylor will not agree to any of Tom Robinson’s refutations because he is African American. Atticus being a skill in his profession knows even he cannot win this case. Atticus confirms, “Atticus, are we going to win it? No, honey.”(Lee 78) Not only is Tom Robinson assures himself that he will not win the case, but also his lawyer, Atticus, implies they will not because he is African American. According to Atticus “Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience” (Lee 108). This case is so unique because there is a brave lawyer, Atticus, who is willing to support a black male even though nobody is in favor of him. Typically no one will defend a black male, but even though this court case will have racial injustice Atticus defends Tom Robinson. Racial injustice is symbolized throughout this court case. Secondly, the Great Depression is a vital part in the history of America and possesses racial injustice. Don Nardo admits “Yet in every New Deal program instituted so far, black workers have suffered blatant discrimination, humiliation, and unwarranted firings, while white workers have received clear preferential treatment”(79). During the Great Depression, the New Deal program by the Roosevelt administration meant to be beneficial for all the black, although the white are still treated better than the black. There is another reason the New Deal is not successful Nardo reasons “The problem is that most black farmers, especially in the South, are tenants working land owns by whites.” (80). Many of these blacks are not able to get freedom because from the beginning African Americans are owned by whites. The whites always have superiority over the African Americans. The Civilian Conservation Corps gives African Americans jobs,
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Farmers are believed to be not as important, even though farmers play a vital role for everyone. Hidyat believes, “After working very hard to grow their crops and having made it to harvest, farmers are forced to sell their crops at prices that the farmers themselves have never had a voice in determining” (3). Since this is laborious work and the pay may not be very high, but it does not mean farmers do not have a voice in determining the price. Farmers have to go through tons of labor while there is no profit for them to work harder. These farmers are treated really unfairly and this is an injustice basing them off their social …show more content…
These injustices include social, racial and criminal injustice. These injustices are shown through real world examples. For example, the Great Depression or the court case of Brown versus the Board of Education all exemplify an examples of injustice. These injustices are also shown in To Kill a Mockingbird when Tom Robinson has to go to court or when the Cunninghams are not significant in Maycomb County because they are so impoverished. Injustice is now taking part in many daily activities and now injustice is represented through this novel in the

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