Tom Robinson A Black Man example essay topic

Novelists use characters as tools in their writing to enhance comments made about society. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee racism was the cause of much agony to the blacks of a segregated south. The book is about a lawyer's advice to his children as he defends Tom Robinson a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Throughout the 1930's along with blacks, other groups of people were also judged unfairly because of their differences from others. Individuals such as Aunt Alexandra, Atticus, Dolphus Raymond, Boo Radely and Scout are used, as tools by Lee to make comments about society such as prejudice and racism still existed in the deep south of America in the 1930's. Aunt Alexandra is used by Lee to comment on the racism in this small town of South America.

She is seen as a bigot to society, she is racist and she treats Calpurina very unfairly just because she's black. You are able to see this when she tried to get Atticus to fire Calpurina, because in her eyes, Calpurina wasn't a good enough female role model. You " ve got to face it sooner or later and it might as well be tonight. We don't need her now.

This is a prejudice action, because Calpurina is as good as a role model as Aunt Alexandra, if not better. Aunt Alexandra is a hypocrite and doesn't see the character of Calpurina, just the colour of her skin. Aunt Alexandra being implemented to see Calpurina in such a way strongly shows that racism still existed in South America during the 1930's. Calpurina was as well mannered and polite as any other citizen in the town, the colour of her skin was the only thing weighing her down. Lee doesn't only use individuals to comment on society, but she uses society itself. When they gather in court for Tom's trial they all find him guilty from the minute they walked in.

He's black and Mayella is white. In spite of their doubts concerning the accusations which Mayella lodges against the hard-working, good-looking black man whose one arm is withered, the whites of Maycomb are bound to say that they believe Mayella simply because she is white. 'He blacked your left eye with his right fist?' 'I ducked and it-it glanced, that's what it did. I ducked and it glanced off. ' Mayella had finally seen the light.

'You " re becoming suddenly clear on this point. A while ago you couldn't remember too well, could you?' It looks to be Mayella's father who bashed her as Tom has a bad arm and couldn't have punched her while holding her around the neck at the same time. Despite this and their personal beliefs about Tom's character, the people of Maycomb cannot allow the white woman's accusation to go unanswered. To do so would make the white element less secure in its assumed superiority. It is for this reason that the mob gathers, first on Atticus' lawn, then at the jail, in order to attempt to persuade Atticus to drop his defense of Tom Robinson. However they might personally feel about the Ewells, there is still the overriding solidarity which they feel must be shown against the Negro.

The blacks live in their section of the town, apart from the whites, and they have their own societal institutions. Racism is shown very strongly when Tom is sentenced to death for raping Mayella. Atticus proves that Tom could not have raped and, most likely did not rape and beat, Mayella, but the jury brings in a verdict of guilty, and Tom is sentenced to death. This shows the existing racism in the 1930's. Another group that is treated poorly in the society based on bigotry, are the people who have chosen to be different. Lee has chosen Dolphus Raymond who she enlightens us to be much different to the rest of Maycomb, because he has a black wife.

He pretended to be drunk so no one gave him any trouble on the way that he lived his life. 'Here,' he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it. 'Take a good sip, it " ll quieten you. '. .. 'Dill, you watch out, now,' I warned.

Dill released the straws and grinned. 'Scout, it's nothing but coca-cola. ' The way Dolphus lives should be his own business, and he shouldn't have to face people talking about him because the way he lives his life. He chooses to live with Negro's so people shouldn't discriminate him because he is one of the few that see blacks equally unlike the majority of society. He has the right to live differently than others if he feels that is the way he wants to live. Dolphus was seen as inferior just because he had a black wife.

Commenting on the lifestyle of Dolphus in this way the reader is able to see that racism and prejudice still existed in the 1930's throughout the deep south of America. The next group that was made to feel different was the group that defended and protected the minorities and wrongfully treated people. Lee has used Atticus to show us how he is treated poorly because he has chosen to defend the black man, Tom Robinson in his case. Atticus had integrity that gave him the strength to endure the ridicule that arose from his decision to defend a black man in a segregated area. Atticus was threatened and his children were treated poorly by their peers, because he had the courage to stand up for the oppressed.

'You know what we want,' another man said. 'Get aside from the door, Mr Finch. ' Even though Atticus proves that Tom could not have raped and, most likely did not rape and beat, Mayella, the jury brings in a verdict of guilty, and Tom is sentenced to death. All because in a case of a white man's word against that of a black man, the white man will always win.

This remains the ugly fact of life in Maycomb, as well as in the larger world of that time. Even in the courtroom where, in theory atleast, everyone should get a fair trial, colour enters into decisions. Sadly enough Atticus is able to communicate to the reader that racism still existed in the south during the 1930's. Just because he had the courage to defend a Negro he was hassled and threatened by members of the community. Boo Radley is a character that Lee has included so that you can see how he was classed as inferior just because he lives differently and doesn't want to associate with the rest of society.

No one knew anything about Boo and why he stayed inside, but rumors were spread around that he was a miserable man who only come out at night. People said he went out at night when the moon was high, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them. Boo stayed in his house for a number of years without ever coming out to interact with others, to avoid the attention that would come from the rumors that were spread about him. Stories were made up about him and he felt it was best for him to stay inside.

People like Boo who chose to be different took the risk of being made outcasts by the majority of the society. Boo was used to comment on the prejudice views of people during the 1930's in the segregated south. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses several different characters to make comments on society in the segregated south of America in the 1930's. We don't need her now.