Racism Kills Thoughts in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

As a society, we should not believe in everything we hear or see because there are always two sides to every story. One of the most impactful events in history arose around the 1960s, and was known as the Civil Rights Movement. Most southern states, including Alabama, were struck by the disease of racism and other acts of racial prejudice. In the time of these events, citizens of the United States had an important decision to make. Were they for slavery, or against it? This challenging question split every city in half. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the people of Maycomb, Alabama were terrorized if their opinions did not match those of everyone else; and that is a dreadful way to live. People such as Braxton Underwood, Dolphus Raymond and Heck Tate felt as if they were forced to hide their opinions toward racial prejudice because of the rest of the town’s overwhelming public opinion. Braxton Underwood was the publisher of the town newspaper in Maycomb, Alabama. On the outside, he seemed just like every other citizen of the town; intolerant and racist. But on the inside, a whole new Mr. Underwood was discovered. Whether he was willing to admit it or not, he truly did feel sorry for his actions toward the black people of Maycomb. It all began after Atticus realized he was being covered by Underwood. Atticus thought it was a weird thing to do because, â€Å"he despises Negroes, (and) won’t have one near him† (Lee, p. 209). The children, as well as Atticus, were puzzled by theShow MoreRelatedTo Kill a Mockingbird vs a Raisin in the Sun1396 Words   |  6 PagesHarper Lee and Lorraine Hansberry are two very different authors, who wrote two very different works. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel about how prejudice and discrimination can lead to an innocent man being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit just because of his skin color. A Raisin in the Sun is a play about how the value of a family can overcome racism in a new town and allow a family to prosper, even in the worst conditions. However, both of these works deal with racism and discrimination inRead MoreEssay on How Harper Lee Was Influenced by The Times 1473 Words   |  6 Pagesliterature. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a classical work that reflects the Civil Rights and Women’s Movement of the 1950’s-1960’s through her depiction of the relationship between blacks and whites and her portrayal of female characters. The 1950’s and the 1960’s was a time of change and evolution. It brought on the Civil Rights Movement. This was a very influential time period were these new ideas were incorporated into everyday life and they became a part of American society. â€Å"[Harper Lee]Read MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee873 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates that â€Å"it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird† throughout the novel by writing innocent characters that have been harmed by evil. Tom Robinson’s persecution is a symbol for the death of a mockingbird. The hunters shooting the bird would in this case be the Maycomb County folk. Lee sets the time in the story in the early 1950s, when the Great Depression was going on and there was poverty everywhere. The mindset of people back then was that blackRead MoreSimilarities Between To Kill a Mocking Birds and the Scottsboro and Tom Robinson Trial1045 Words   |  5 Pagesof racism and prejudice shown and the the actual trial and the trials outcome. The racism and prejudice is clear and is a key factor throughout both cases, which took place in the same time period. Both trials are very common when it came to the time period, the time the trials have taken place in, those who were persecuted and lastly, why they were persecuted in the first place. â€Å"All blacks were liars, and always was not to be trusted was a major part of all of these trails† was the thought duringRead MoreHarper Lee Was Born In 1926 In Monroe, Alabama, A Village1071 Words   |  5 PagesHarper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroe, Alabama, a village that is still her home. She attended local schools and the University of Alabama. Before she started writing she lived in New York. In New York she worked in the reservations department of an international airline. She is a winner of Pulitzer Prize, two honoray degree and other literaray awards. Other than writings Lee s chief inte rest are nineteenth century literature, eighteenth Century music, politics, travelling and spending time withRead MoreThere Are Many Themes That Are Woven Throughout To Kill959 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many themes that are woven throughout To Kill a Mockingbird that apply in modern day. For example, To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, is set during the 1930s in a racially prejudice town called Maycomb County. A kind, misunderstood, black man is accused of raping an abused white girl. Although it’s obvious that he did not do it, the white jury refuses to take a black man’s side over a white girl’s word. Through the innocent eyes of a girl named Scout, the theme of racialRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Theme Analysis1398 Words   |  6 PagesScout, the protagonist in To Kill A Mockingbird, is one of those characters. Scout and several other characters in the novel lose their innocence as they begin to see the prejudice and racism of the 19 30’s South. All of these characters were innocent and unaware of what Maycomb was, and their innocence was taken away from them because of that. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee relates the theme of growing up and loss of innocence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the ways Harper Lee relates to the   theme is throughRead MoreA Time to Kill and to Kill a Mockingbird1314 Words   |  6 PagesThe movie based on John Grishams A Time to Kill is a Hollywoodized, modern-day version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both movies employ many of the same themes and plot elements; but the former movie is one-dimensional and predictable while the latter is innovative and purposeful. The movie version of Harper Lees novel To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic film, whereas John Grishams adapted novel is merely another example of the money making efforts of Hollywood. Some of the movies moreRead More Comparing the Movies A Time to Kill, by John Grisham and To Kill a Mockingbird1285 Words   |  6 Pages The movie based on John Grishams A Time to Kill is a Hollywoodized, modern-day version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Both movies employ many of the same themes and plot elements; but the former movie is one-dimensional and predictable while the latter is innovative and purposeful. The movie version of Harper Lees novel To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic film, whereas John Grisham?s adapted novel is merely another example of the money making efforts of Hollywood. Some of the moviesRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1592 Words   |  7 PagesWe all need a little change in our lives. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee wants just that. Lee wants to change some political and social norms and she projects this change in a fictional southern town in Maycomb, Alabama circa 1930s. This tiny town is like it’s own little world; no one really comes in and no one really leaves. The one issue that Lee points out about this town is racism and judgement. Maycomb is a racially divided town. Atticus Finch, our main character’s