Examples Of Racial Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Americans have always engaged in the quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Men and women of every race and ethnicity have sought freedom. At times, the struggle was mighty, for just as Americans claim freedom, all too often this country’s history has included grave injustice. American literature has often exposed this struggle, illuminating the plight of those groups who had to wait patiently for full acceptance. Author Harper Lee ranks highly among those authors whose work has served a greater social purpose. Her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, confirms the injustices of the male-dominated, racist culture of the pre-Civil Rights American South. Lee presents her protagonist, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, as a tomboy who is confused …show more content…
By the time Tom has reached the stand, the prosecution has painted him as a monster, an aggressive man with a violent sexual drive. This stereotype was common in early 20th century America, and scholars refer to it as the “brute” stereotype: “Black brutes are depicted as hideous, terrifying predators who target helpless victims, especially White women. [They are] innately savage, animalistic, destructive, and criminal, deserving punishment” (Pilgrim). During the trial, Bob Ewell’s testimony includes a description of Tom “ruttin’” on Mayella, describing the sexual act in animalistic terms (Lee 231). He goes on to point out that African Americans are “dangerous to live around” (234). He lays out the Brute stereotype, and the white jury is all too willing to buy into the …show more content…
Most whites believed that interracial relationships were unnatural, and that it was nearly impossible for a white women to possess sexual desire for a black man. If intercourse occurred, therefore, it must be the result of sexual aggression on the part of the black male (“To Kill,” Literature 391). Knowing this, Atticus explicitly points it out in his closing arguments: “She [Mayella] tempted a negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man” (Lee 272). He confronts the sexual taboo in an effort to force the jurists to acknowledge that they have been manipulated into ignoring the obvious evidence. Harper Lee, by writing this into her plot, likewise forces the reader to recognize the racial injustice embedded in dominant beliefs about

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Examples Of Racial Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird