Tom Robinson exemplifies how racism prohibits justice and fairness in the town of Maycomb. Tom Robinson is a black man that is not treated fairly because of his race. In the town maycomb no one is ever going to believe a black man over a white man. The people in the town are prepared to accept the word of the ignorant Bob Ewell over a decent black man. How the town perceives Tom has a lot to do with how he is treated.
Whether Mayella knew it or not, her accusations against Mr. Robinson were like picking a fight with a man who is not capable of fighting back. His skin color and lack of education kept him from a fair trial. The Ewells knowingly took advantage of Tom’s innocence and this is why Atticus Finch refers to them as white trash. He says”there are folks like us, then the Cunningham’s, and absolute trash
This alienation stems from untrue stereotypes and the disturbing moral values exhibited by the inhabitants of Maycomb. Tom’s skin color leads to unfair assumptions about his trustworthiness and code of ethics. “The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. "(110) Tom was unable to receive a fair trial because of the color of his skin.
Not only was his skin color dark brown, but his arm was disable. Robinson was falsely accused for raping Mayella. This is because the father of Mayella (Bob Ewell) was trying to cover up the fact that he beats his daughter. Although Robinson was an important character of the novel, he did not have any control to say what was on his mind, his view of
Jem was furious to hear the verdict because he knew that it wasn’t made according to the law , but by Tom’s color. ‘It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.’(284) Racial prejudice was again emphasized when Calpurnia brought Jem and Scout to First Purchase and was confronted by Lula. ‘I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to nigger church’(158). There was racism that was directed towards the whites when Jem and Scout were brought to First Purchase and were not welcomed by Lula.
Lee includes Dolphus Raymond in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ to explore the issues of racial prejudice surrounding the time in which the novel is set and in the novel itself. Lee uses this extract to show us the challenges that mixed children faced at the time as a result of segregation. During the trial, the events of it cause Dill to become overwhelmed to the point of which he starts to cry, so Jem and Scout take him to the square outside the courthouse. This is where the children first encounter Dolphus Raymond. Dolphus Raymond sees that Dill is crying and responds with ‘cry about the simple hell people give other people – without thinking.
But this did not matter to Atticus; he went against everyone, and what everyone said just to prove that Tom was innocent. We are shown Tom Robinson’s humanity and point of view through Atticus’s actions, while the majority of the white population see Tom as just as inferior with no rights. Atticus was scorned by many of his fellow citizens because of his attitude that a black man should have the same rights as a white man. Atticus’s rejection of authority was felt by everyone in his town. His determination to defend Tom causes his own family grief from others in town.
They are discriminated for what they believe, stand for, and everything that they represent. It shows that Atticus Finch was hated for defending Niggers (Lee 79). Many people hated him for his tricking ways (Lee 180). His children were made fun of and picked at about the person that their father was defending. Scout Finch knew that she was different because of her father.
Before she thought that Atticus was different from the other fathers in Maycomb because he was too old and couldn’t do anything fun with them. After he killed the mad dog in one shot, Scout was proud of her father and got more influenced in him. Scout is forced to understand that Tom Robinson was being treated differently because he had colored skin. Because of that, Scout realized that people can be prejudice because her father took a case of an African American man who was innocent. It shows that Scout can actually think seriously about things when she says, “Who in this town did anything to help Tom Robinson, just who?”(215).
Scout points out that the teacher’s own actions speak louder than her words and mentions that the teacher is being hypocritical because she herself is prejudice gainst the black people of their very own community, “How can you hate Hitler an’ turn around an’ be ugly about folks right at home” Hypocrisy is shown when people of Maycomb believe that they should treat everyone equally but really they are going through a very prejudiced trial in their town, “We American people don’t believe in persecuting anyone” 245 is said during the tea party scene by one of the ladies. This comment coming from a group who is supportive of persecuting an innocent black man at the time. The missionary ladies are not really sincere about helping black people because in their own town there are black people who they disregard as being people at all. They talk about how they need to be supportive of black people in another country but they are anything but supportive to those in their own