KidLit Forum

The theme of racism in the novel
Obviously, racism is a major theme of the novel.
Throughout it, Scout explores the differences between black people and white people. She and Jem attend church with Calpurnia and Scout truly enjoys the experience. Afterwards, she asks Calpurnia if she might be able to visit her house sometime because she has never seen it. Calpurnia agrees, but the visit is never made, because Aunt Alexandra prevents that from happening. Jem, Scout and Dill also sit with the black citizens of the town in the balcony of the court house to observe the trial. There, Scout and Dill have a long conversation conversation with Mr. Raymond, a white man who married a black woman and has mixed children. Mr. Raymond tels the children that he pretends to be an alcoholic by carrying around a paper bag with a bottle of Coca-Cola inside in order to let the town excuse his choice to marry a black woman.
Tom Robinson is convicted purely because he is a black man and his accuser is white. The evidence is so powerfully in his favor, that race is clearly the single defining factor in the jury's decision. Atticus fights against racism, and a few other townspeople are on his side, including Miss Maudie and Judge Taylor. Jem and Scout also believe in racial equality, but are obviously in the minority. When Atticus loses the trial, he tries to make his children understand that although he lost, he did help move along the cause of ending racism as evidenced by the jury's lengthy deliberation period. Usually, such a trial would be decided immediately.

What I really love about this book is Atticus' attitude towards life. He fights for the things he believes in even if no people around him share his certainties. He deserves his kids' respect and also our respect. He is honest with his kids and tells them without hesitation about the unfair things that happen around them. He hopes his children would understand and would not be indifferent and careless like other people. This is one of the quotes I couldn't help posting for the others to get an ideea of how Atticus' teachings sound like: "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." His children were smart enough to see the things their father was speaking about even before he had the chance to explain everything.