The Illness of Hue
The spread of racism is a result of subtle thoughts in man’s heads to genocide. As society moved from being a group to one based on chemical skin chemicals, racism spread around the globe. Soon, there was genocide and lynching. Harper Lee details these events in To Kill a Mockingbird. Ms. Lee deals with racism in Maycomb by using three distinct characters Tom Robinson and Calpurnia. Scout is one example of this.
Tom Robinson’s struggle to survive is a case of culturally accepted racism. Tom was simply a person that society saw as a result of his race. Atticus concludes his statement to the jury by explaining why Tom Robinson is not doing anything. He uses society’s incorrect view on black’s to his advantage. Truth is, you know it. This truth is applicable to all human races and not just one race. This courtroom is filled with people who have never told a libel or looked upon a woman in a sexual way. The slow and gradual segregation between races has made racism acceptable in society and the justice system. Although the government and the justice systems are often viewed as the absolute power, both the officials and the justice department are also human beings and have the same social perception of the world as the rest of society. Inequality and corruption are a result of the belief that the higher power is just as stereotypically divided by gender and race than society. This makes it possible for people of white skin and ethnicity to exploit the black community. Atticus refers to Tom Robinson’s skin as a “black lies”, which signifies that the incorrect view that skin color can alter the personality and morals is an ineffective statement. Atticus sees skin color as lying. Atticus goes above and beyond to show that all people lie and display immoral behaviour. Atticus states that, although society is expected truthfulness, humans can be amoral. Atticus’s statement that no courtroom member has looked up to a woman with no desire suggests that all people in the room are male. This allows Atticus to speak to his audience and explain and justify his argument. Atticus tries breaking down the barriers between Black and White skin, but Tom Robinson’s murder sentence fails. Atticus addresses Jem to explain why Tom Robinson was convicted. The white man always wins when it comes to the word of a woman against the word of a man. They’re ugly but that is the reality of life.” (295). Atticus admits the fact that law is not independent from society’s prejudices and frequently supports racism by making incorrect decisions based on skin colour. Tom Robinson’s innocence and the fact that he was not accused of being white is a great example. Mayella is a woman and Mayella is a white man. However, Mayella’s skin color makes it so powerful that it defeats the cultural hegemony of women. Tom’s case summarizes simply “the White Man Always Wins” Modern society’s “ugly facts of life” are the final result. Maycomb, the justice process, can be biased in hateful ways, so even the most powerful people in Maycomb have their limitations. Tom Robinson is a strong character of black in Ms. Lee’s story, but there are many others who represent the brutality of race. Mrs. Dubose’s aggressive acts show that racism is also evident. Mrs. Dubose – an old lady who sits in her porch and yells “Your father has no better than all the niggers, trash and people he works.” (135) Scout and Jem were hurt by Mrs. Dubose’s harsh and inaccurate view of reality. Atticus being a Scout’s helper in Tom Robinson’s case during his childhood would have been a “disgrace” for the black community. Mrs. Dubose has a different way of expressing hate. She uses phrases like “niggers”, to make Atticus look bad. Even though it causes indirect suffering for the children, this racism can help them understand Maycomb’s reality and racism. Mrs. Dubose suffering serves to distribute hate and racist ideas, but ultimately it’s the people who receive them.
Scout’s struggle against racism creates an contrast between dark and light. Scout’s innocence and her light skin stand in contrast to Maycomb’s evil racism. Scout is presented as a child who has not been influenced by racism or evil and continues to learn from new experiences. Atticus, her dad, tries hard to make Scout as open-minded. Atticus once asked, “What exactly is an nigger–lover ??” Atticus replied, ‘Scout’. ‘Niger-lover is not a term that means anything other than snot–nose. It’s hard for people to understand. Some people use it when they need a common, unflattering term to describe someone. Scout encounters more racism because of Atticus’ willingness to openly listen to her. Atticus is not a racist, but he simply explains to Scout why they use the terms. Scout is able to respect his brother’s views, while still being open to hearing them. Scout’s open-mindedness and understanding of the impact racism has on people is evident in Scout’s perspective. Scout and Jem often discuss how society works. They have serious but playful discussions about the effects of racism in Maycomb. Jem shares his thoughts on how race divides society and explains how just a drop can overwhelm gallons after discussing how it happens. The symbolism and analogy of blood symbolizes the strength and spreadability of racism in Maycomb. Maycomb residents don’t claim superiority because they are white, but because there isn’t enough black blood. Scout uses Jem’s and Atticus’ interactions to combat the racism she encounters.
Racism, as seen in To Kill a Mockingbird’s story, is often viewed negatively in Maycomb society. Ms. Lee is struggling with racism due to the inclusion of three characters, Calpurnia and Scout, as well as the different characters Maycomb has. Maycomb was infected with racism and black skin. Racism was a condition that caused whites to become insane. It was the same as rabies for blacks. Racism can also be found in Maycomb books and in modern times. Racism is a force that changes people’s experiences and lives. It has been seen in Maycomb as well as in books of fiction.
