Racism in To Kill A Mockingbird Essay Sample

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” - Atticus Finch. This book was based in the 1920s-1930s, one of the worst times for the colored community. In this period, we still see white superiority and the punishment of death for colored people. Readers see this repeatedly throughout the book with Tom Robinson, Mr. Dolphus Raymond, and the black church. Racism is a reoccurring theme in To Kill A Mockingbird.

The first appearance of racism we see in this book is when Calpurnia's church. Atticus is out on business during this chapter so she takes the kids to her church. (Chapter 12, TKAM) We see racism go both ways in this chapter. The kids meet Lula, who happens to be black she wants the kids to leave and just doesn't like them. This is the only part in the book with like opposite kind of racism. During the service, the kids don't understand what is happening. This is what starts the kids on their sympathy and believing that black and white and equal.

Tom Robinson and his trial held one of the most important parts of the book. In the book, Mayella Ewell and her father Bob claim that Tom raped Mayella when we know in reality that Mayella pursued him. At the end of the trial, he is tried as guilty and sent to jail, later to be killed trying to escape. During the trial, there are many signs and points that Atticus made showing that he did not rape her. Some examples include his limp arm and the hint Mayella made that showed that her father probably abuses her. Even with these points, the main reason that they want to send him to jail is a cause of his skin color. In a few days, he is shot way too many times, 18 times after trying to escape. 

Finally, we see racism in the way people view Mr. Dolphus Raymond and his lifestyle. Dolphus Raymond is a white man who is married and has kids with black women. HE is believed to be a drunk because he carries a bottle with a brown paper bag over it. People think that he is so drunk that he doesn't understand or care that he is married to a black woman. We find out during the trial when the kids are standing outside that it is not alcohol in the bottle but coca-cola. He said he carried it around so that he would not be judged for his lifestyle and so he is treated the same. It's so sad to see that someone has to pretend to be drunk to be accepted into society. 

Racism is a huge theme in To Kill A Mockingbird, with little situations and big situations in the book. Tom Robinson is the main proof of the reality of racism, but the little things like Mr. Dolphus Raymond and Calpurnia’s church show us the divide between people. We should learn from this book that skin color should have zero effect on how we see and treat others.