Intolerance based upon race and upon a person’s age have been an enduring element of society since the beginning of the 20th century. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, the community of Maycomb demonstrates racial and age based intolerance throughout the novel. The most prevalent form of discrimination in Maycomb is white intolerance against blacks. Interestingly, blacks discriminating against whites is another form of intolerance demonstrated throughout the novel. In Maycomb, children as seen very much as subordinates to their parents, which in turn manufactures an intolerance from adults to children if they do not conform to social standards.
In Maycomb, whites are superior to blacks. They have nicer homes, better education and more money, and because of this the whites are intolerant of the blacks. Tom Robinson, who was only trying to help Mayella Ewell out with her chores is convicted with raping her, without any of the powerful black people White Family Community">white community stepping in to protest. This demonstrates how the honest Maycomb citizens fear being targeted if they help out a Negro. The way in which the jury passes a verdict with only hearing circumstantial evidence, shows their intolerance and hate towards blacks, they are pleased convicted a black man without reason. Atticus, who stands up against all the racial intolerance when he does not refuse the Tom Robinson case, is quickly called a nigger lover.
The Essay on Telephone Conversation Black People White
Unwritten Rules "Just five decades ago, most black Americans could not work, live, shop, eat, seek entertainment or travel as they chose (Jaynes and Williams 3)." This statement reflects the plight of African Americans during the time period described in " Incident" by Countee Cullen and "Telephone Conversation" by Wole Soyinka. These two poems show how black people were treated during a ...
He is doing his duty as a lawyer to represent Robinson as an equal human being, but he is called a nigger lover because no one is able to see Robinson as an equal because of the intolerance they grew up with. The night when Jem, Scout and Dill try to sneak around on the Radley porch, and then Mr. Radley comes out with the shotgun shows another instance of intolerance from the Caucasian population of Maycomb. When Mr.Radley relays the story of what occurred in his collard patch, no one debates the fact that it’s a black man when Radley states that there was “a nigger” in his collard patch. This is because the white citizens of Maycomb have been so accustomed to hearing un-truthful stories which present Negroes in an unfavourable way. Maycomb is a family oriented community and the children listen to their parents. If their parents tell them that black people are evil, they will believe them.
The black population in Maycomb also shows intolerance frequently in the novel, slightly less noticeably, but it is represented. When Atticus is appointed to be lawyer for Tom Robinson, some of Robinson’s friends and family in the black community are against the idea. They feel that Atticus, being white, will be unable to see Robinson as a man, and they think Atticus will not treat the trial seriously, just because they have an prejudice against whites. When the Finch children accompany Calpurnia to her church, intolerance in the black community is once again present. The children and Cal are confronted by a large black woman who is disgusted with the notion that there are white people coming to church with her, and she also references Atticus as being an unfit lawyer for Robinson.
After Robinson is convicted and has a chance at getting out of jail, or simply having a stay of execution, Robinson tries to run away, because he feels that hes going to die anyway and might as well try his luck with escape. Robinson has no faith left in the white system, and does not see that Atticus is a great lawyer with a good heart who would go to any length in effort of helping Robinson get out of jail. In the eyes of Tom Robinson, however, Atticus is white and thus the enemy. It is simply enough to see why the intolerance would exist between different races and even different social classes, but when intolerance within a family oppresses one or more of its members, intolerance can be the worst.
The Essay on Tom Robinson Mockingbird People Scout
1. ) As the book continues you can see the maturity level of Jem, Scout, and Dill rise. They mature just like other boys and girls do, but the trial of Tom Robinson helped all three of the kids to learn a little more about life. The most important thing that the children learned was that, in life everyone is not treated fair. Their father Atticus showed them that it takes courage and self pride ...
Children of Maycomb dutifully look up to their parents, and this allows there parents, in most cases to have amplified control over them. The children in Maycomb are forced to fit into models of how a boy should act and dress and how a girl should act and dress. For instance, Aunt Alexandra forces Scout to wear dresses and other garments which Scout finds uncomfortable, this is intolerant to Scout’s point of view, and being a human, Scout has the right to choose what she wishes to wear. The adults of Maycomb feel that all children are of lower intelligence then them. When Scout displays highly over average reading skills in school, she is punished by her teacher, just because her teacher has become accustomed to the fact that all kids are at the same level of learning and she does not understand how to handle the situation. Atticus, the most honest and caring man in Maycomb is even responsible for intolerance towards his children. He forces them to listen to all adults and respect adults, even those who do not deserve it, simply to save face. He forces his children to be attentive with Mrs. Dubose, their horrid neighbour who is constantly insulting and berating the children. Also, he leaves Scout in Aunt Alexandra’s care, who forces Scout to participate in activities which are not in her best interest. Every person is intolerant of another at least once, and intolerance towards children is often over looked.
Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” is a exceptional representation of the many ways in which people can be intolerant, and how misplaced intolerance can be. The novel represents the fact that blacks and whites will never truly understand one another, but they are truly equal in what they value and enjoy. It shows that children can, in fact, be wise above their years and that sometimes kids know a lot more than you think they do, so you should not always look down upon them. Harper Lee sees the possibility of eliminating intolerance, and uses “To Kill A Mockingbird” as in tool in fighting racism and demonstrating the true equality of man.
The Essay on Radley House Children Scout Chapter
Chapter 1 Summary In this chapter, brief introduction of the Finch family is given by Scout. Simon Finch established a homestead, 'Finch's Landing', on the banks of the Alabama River. He died a rich and prosperous man. One of his sons, Atticus, studied law; the other had studied medicine. Although both sons left Finch's Landing, Alexandra, their sister, remained. Atticus practiced law in Maycomb, ...
