Pre Judice to Kill a Mockingbird
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PREJUDICE
Characters:
Mr. Dolphus Raymond – A white man who pretends to be a drunk and sits with black people so that the citizens of Maycomb will have an explanation for his behavior. In reality, he simply dislikes the hypocrisy of white society and prefers living among blacks. Dolphus Raymond is persecuted for what the town thinks he is doing, he chooses to sit with the blacks as he likes their company more. He understands that society needs a reason to explain why he sits with the black people so he gives them one of that he is an alcoholic when in reality he drinks coke. He demonstrates prejudice in the novel through the way he sets the townsfolk up to believe he is a drunk who sits with the blacks, when really, he is just proving how hypocritical the townsfolk are.
Arthur “Boo” Radley – He is a powerful symbol of goodness that is overshadowed as he is seen as a “strange” man by the town because he doesnt do what everyone does, he doesnt conform in what society sees as a “normal” person and in this town, normal is seen as persecuting blacks. Boo provides an example of the threat that evil poses to innocence and goodness. He is one of the novels “mockingbirds,” a good person injured by the evil of mankind. He shows us prejudice because he knows that the townsfolk will persecute him because of his differences, so he chooses to stay inside to avoid this.
Tom Robinson – The black field hand accused of rape. Tom is one of the novels “mockingbirds,” an important symbol of innocence destroyed by evil. Because Tom is black the townsfolk instantly persecute him and convict him of the crime even though he did not commit it. Tom shows prejudice because he shows how people make assumptions based on skin color.
Events:
Tom Robinsons trial- where the towns prejudice towards a black man over rules whats right and what they should do is treat Tom equal instead they give him a trial with a jury full of white men where the odds of Tom being found guilty are impossible due to the fact that prejudice towards Tom because of his skin color is “normal” in towns such as Maycomb and people choose not to do anything about it.
Toms death- Tom Robinsons death is also seen as the death of the mockingbird a innocent gentle character who did nothing wrong as was prejudice against because of his skin color, Toms death was compared to the”senseless slaughter of songbirds” which shows how the towns prejudice and inequal treating of blacks ending up in the death of a mockingbird who did nothing wrong and where his fate could have been changed but because of the racism and persecution in the town he died a “senseless” death. Both the mockingbird and tom are defenceless. The mockingbird is