To Kill A Mockingbird Racism

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Racism plays a big factor in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Characters affected by racism include Tom Robinson, Dill and Mayella Ewell.The setting is in Maycomb, Alabama from 1933-1935. Slavery has already been abolished, but town members still believe in white supremacy. Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, is affected greatly by racism. Tom happens to be black and won’t receive a fair trial from a all white jury. Tom also has a big target on his back from the people who want him dead. Another character affected by racism is Dill who can’t understand why blacks aren’t treated as equal as whites. Lastly, Mayella Ewell is affected by racism because she is raised in a house with an abusive father who hates blacks, so she is forced to tell a lie to get Tom Robinson executed. Racism cost Tom Robinson his freedom and finally, his life. In Maycomb, Alabama, white supremacy. Tom Robinson is a black man who is very respected in the black community, but will not receive a fair trial because of the racism in the community. “Simply because we were …show more content…
The definition of racism is “ the belief that some races of people are better than others”(Racism). The fact that people are judging others because of their characteristics is very dark. Even Atticus says “There's nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who'll take advantage of a Negro's ignorance”(Lee 296). Racism and white supremacy have a lot in common. For one thing they both are terrible things, but also that they sicken characters like Dill and Atticus. Racism made Tom Robinson lose his trial, which progressed on to Tom Trying to escape and being shot. Racism affects young kids like Dill to be scared now, and also can pressure people like Mayella to lie just to execute an innocent black man. The theme of To Kill a Mockingbird, is that everyone should be treated equal, no man should be looked at as if he is higher than another