Prejudice

What we learn –

Maycomb is a town centred around tradition. It is a god-fearing town. They respect these things. However, when it comes to prejudice, they do judge people based on speculation rather than knowledge.It is a sign of the time (1930s) and also small town living.

·         The town has prejudice against blacks.

e.g. When Atticus takes on the case of Tom Robinson some of the town turn against him. Even his own family doubt his actions. Scout and Jem receive abuse because of it.

“Nigger lover”

The height of this racial prejudice is shown at the trial when, despite a wide range of evidence to the contrary, Tom Robinson is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. This leaves both Scout and Jem in shock, but comes as no surprise to others, like Atticus, who knew the outcome before it began.

"The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you did, I didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'"

"We know all men are not created equal in the sense some peope would have us believe."

"In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life"

However, Atticus does achieve the impossible by making them think about their prejudices. This is why his closing speech and the remarks he makes to Jem and Scout are so important. Miss Maudie realises that the tides are turning slightly:

"As I waited I thought, Atticus Finch won't win, he can't win, but he's the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. And I thought to myself, well, we're making a step - it's just a baby-step, but it's a step"

When Scout reads Mr Underwood's editorial, she begins to understand: "Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed".

Atticus also comments: "There's nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who'll take advantage of a Negro's ignorance. Don't fool yourselves - it's all adding up, and one of these days we're going to pay the bill for it. I hope it's not in you children's time"

·         The town is prejudiced against Boo Radley.

e.g. No one bothers to find out about the real Arthur Radley.  He may seem a little scary but the town ridicules him and shuns him from society.  All the children have been raised to fear him as the town freak.  If they took the time to see the world from his eyes they might not be so prejudiced to his situation.

Miss Maudie tries to open Scout’s eyes about the prejudice when Scout asks if Miss Maudie thinks the stories are true.  Miss Maudie replies:

“He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did”

“The things that happen behind closed doors, what secrets –"

• People are prejudiced towards lower class people like the Cunninghams. Originally Scout feels the same way but later we learn that she has learnt from Atticus and can accept them as kind people who do the very best they can and live an honest life. Jem comes to see the difference later in the novel. He is not prejudice but he does understand social boundaries:
   
  After the trial Scout asks if Walter Cunningham could come and play with her at their house. Aunt Alexandra replies " Because - he - is - trash, that's why you can't play with him
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         "There are four kind of folks in this world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbours, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Scout replies later: "Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks."
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Jem disagrees and says "If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike why do they go out of their way to despise each other?
  This shows us that Jem is starting to accept that prejudice does exist and as long as it does, things will never change in Maycomb.