Prejudice is a
common problem during the early quarter of the twentieth century. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird this
problem is evident in Maycomb. Boo
Radley, Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson are all victims of prejudice, and all
three characters are plagued by this. It
affects them all differently; crippling them and disabling them from acting as
they wish.
In the novel, Boo
Radley is a victim of prejudice. Boo
Radley is not accepted nor does he fit into Maycomb society because he is
different from others. He is not normal
so he is punished by a society that is very judgmental. Boo does not act like a normal person. In society, his actions are mysterious and
abnormal. One day Boo was cutting the
newspaper with scissors, and when his father passed "Boo drove the
scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and
resumed his activity"(Lee, 11). Boo
just sat there after stabbing his father.
He did not apologize or feel remorse for his actions.
Boo Radley
isolates himself from the people of Maycomb.
Boo stays inside his home all day and nobody ever sees him. After some trouble with the law, "Mr.
Radley's boy was not seen again for fifteen years"(10). If Boo chooses to go outside, he will be
unfairly viewed as a visitor from abroad because of his mysterious ways. Boo stays inside his home because he knows
that his society will ridicule him.
After being isolated for so many years, Boo is developmentally challenged.
Boo has lost his basic social skills and will not survive outside of his
home.
Boo is the object
of rumors and is viewed as the towns erratic figure. The town speculates what he does inside his
home. People believe that Boo "went
out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows... any stealthy
small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work"(9). The town would blame or accuse Boo for any
little crime or unexplained phenomenon.
Children speculate as well as the adults. Jem speculates to Dill "Boo was about
six and a half feet tall, ... there was a long jagged scar that ran across his
face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled
most of the time"(13). This is an example of prejudice in the novel
because the children speculate and fabricate ideas of what this human
does. The town portrays Boo Radley as a
monstrosity in their society when he is just an individual who made mistakes
and is a little bit diversified. This is
an example of the crippling affect that prejudice has on a person.
Atticus Finch is
another victim of prejudice in the novel.
After the appointment to defend Tom Robinson, a black person, the town
exhibits prejudice towards him. The
townspeople believe that Atticus should not present a proper defense for a
black person, but Atticus fully intends to do so because he believes in equal
rights and does not believe in prejudice or racism.
Atticus Finch is
the object of vicious comments by the townspeople. Many do not believe that Atticus should
defend a black person in court because, in their biased opinion, a black person
is guilty before the case is brought to trial.
Mr. Bob Ewell confronts Atticus after the trial at the post office
corner, spits in his face and says 'Too proud to fight, you nigger-lovin'
bastard?'... 'No, too old'(217). This
does not bother Atticus because he knows that he is doing the right thing
defending Tom properly.
Atticus's
children have to confront comments by family and people in their neighborhood
throughout the novel. In an incident at
a family gathering Francis Finch tells Scout 'Grandma says it's bad enough he
lets you all run wild, but now he is turning out to be a nigger-lover... he's
ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'"(83). Scout is confused about these comments and is
not sure what they mean. One evening
Scout asks Atticus "What exactly is a nigger-lover?"(108). Atticus responds to Scout and explains the
term to her so that her ignorance will no longer bother her. Jem is also faced with a similar situation
with Mrs. Dubose. She tells Jem,
"Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works
for"(102). Jem understands what
Mrs. Dubose says and lashes back at her destroying her flowers. Jem and Scout also hear Aunt Alexandra and
Atticus arguing one night "she won't let him alone about Tom
Robinson. She almost said Atticus was
disgracin' the family"(147). These
comments are hard for the children and Atticus.
Tom Robinson is a
victim of prejudice in Maycomb because of his race. Tom is black and accused of raping a white
woman. Being a Negro in Maycomb during
the nineteen thirties is difficult.
During the trial Mr. Gilmer insinuates that Tom is guilty of raping
Mayella Ewell because he has a previous conviction. Mr. Gilmer posed the question, 'What did the
nigger look like when you got through with him?'... Atticus raised his head 'it
was a misdemeanor and it's in the record'(196).
By reason of Tom's inferior skin color he is judged to be a hurtful
person in society.
Tom Robinson
fleas the Ewell's home after Mr. Ewell sees Mayella kiss him. At this point Tom has no other
alternative. Mr. Gilmer questions Tom,
'Why did you run so fast?'... 'It weren't safe for any nigger to be in a-fix
like that.'... 'you weren't in a fix... were you scared she was going to hurt
you?'... "No suh, I's scared I'd be in court...scared I'd hafta face up to
what I didn't do"(198) In the
thirties a white person's word is superior to that of a black person's. Mr. Gilmer demonstrates this as he cross
examines Tom on the witness stand. Mr. Gilmer
questions Tom's word, 'you say she's lying, boy?'(197). This proves that even if Mayella is lying,
the White community will believe her before the believe any honest or dishonest
Black.
Tom Robinson is
unfairly treated on the witness stand by Mr. Gilmer. Mr. Gilmer, the prosecuting attorney is
disrespectful towards Tom. He treats Tom
as if he is a child and refers to him as "boy"(197) when he is in
fact a grown man with a family. Dill
realizes 'that old Mr. Gilmer doin' him thataway, talking so hateful to
him'(198). Mr. Gilmer is also disrespectful to the Black race
referring to them as "niggers"(196) throughout out the trial.
The town of
Maycomb displays prejudice against Boo Radley, Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson
in different ways. They are all
indefensible in society and there is nothing they can say or do to prevent
discrimination against themselves. By
the end of the novel, Maycomb seems to begin a positive change from prejudice. Society is now beginning to understand that
Boo, Atticus and Tom's differences are what give them character and without
their differences, life in Maycomb would be monotonous.
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