The social issue that is prominent
in the book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” is racism. The time period this book was
created was around the year 1933, when racism was at its peak. In the book there
are separate churches for each type of race, white and black. This revolves
around racism because when Scout, the main character, and Jem go to the church
with Calpurnia, their black cook, a lady insults her for bringing white into a neighborhood
for blacks. Additionally, in the story Atticus Finch, Scouts dad, is assigned the case of a black man, Tom Robinson, who was accused of
raping a white girl. Throughout the story Atticus and his family are looked
down upon because they are aiding a colored person, which at that time was
considered humiliation. For example, at one point in the story,
during a family gathering, Scout was talking to her cousin, Francis, and he informs Scout, ”now he’s turned into a nigger-lover we’ll never
be able to walk the streets… He’s ruinin’ the family.” This shows that Atticus,
no matter how sincere he is to every person, his family would never be able to
attain feelings for the blacks other than the ones that look down upon them. Thus,
instead of trying to understand Atticus and his family, they feel ashamed that
a Finch is voluntarily helping a black.
The video below relates to the book
because in the video the two boys, black and white, are testing society and its ability to
except all races. In the start of the video a black guy asks the girl for fifty
cents but is refused. The girl explains how she has no change causing the guy
to leave. Then a few minutes after, a guy, who is white, goes to the same girl
and asks for money. This time the girl gives him the fifty cents. This proves
that racism, no matter how advanced society is, has not changed. Blacks are
still being looked at differently.
This relates back to the story because if Atticus was to help a white man who was accused of rape everyone would have felt he was doing great deeds for society, that he was a true hero. Instead, Atticus is defending a black, with the same case, but the idea of a black man changes society’s view on Atticus and accuses him of committing horrible sins. There is no evident difference between either person, they are both living breathing organisms that were accused of something sinful. Yet, people have the audacity to say there is a difference. If someone was to take a guy and just paint him white, people would think he is superior, but if one takes the same person and paints them black, society would see them as disgusting. Which is complete nonsense because both are the exact same, it is brainless to discriminate someone based on a color because their color does not define them as a person.
This relates back to the story because if Atticus was to help a white man who was accused of rape everyone would have felt he was doing great deeds for society, that he was a true hero. Instead, Atticus is defending a black, with the same case, but the idea of a black man changes society’s view on Atticus and accuses him of committing horrible sins. There is no evident difference between either person, they are both living breathing organisms that were accused of something sinful. Yet, people have the audacity to say there is a difference. If someone was to take a guy and just paint him white, people would think he is superior, but if one takes the same person and paints them black, society would see them as disgusting. Which is complete nonsense because both are the exact same, it is brainless to discriminate someone based on a color because their color does not define them as a person.
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