CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.

uk
Provided by TED Ankara College IB Thesis

EXTENDED ESSAY

ENGLISH B

“How is the issue of Southern racism in the 1920’s and 1930’s implemented in

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird”

TED ANKARA COLLEGE FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL

ZEYNEP SEVİN ÜSTÜN

WORD COUNT:3586
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Contents:

I. Title Page 1

II. Contents Page 2

III. Abstract 3

IV. Introduction 4

V.1.1Analysis of Scout Finch's understanding of racism 6

VI.1.2Analysis of Atticus Finch's understanding of racism 9

VII.1.3Analysis of the society's understanding of racism 12

VIII. Conclusion 17

IX. Bibliography 19

2
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Abstract:

The purpose of this essay is to analyse how Harper Lee has portreyed “black racism” in

the late 1920s and 1930s in the southern part of America. This essay reflects how racism is

depicted in the social environment of Maycomb County, Alabama and the effects of being dark

skinned in an era filled with segregation. It also examines how Harper Lee has portreyed each

characters perspectives towards racism to create awareness of human behavior in both kindness

and in cruelty. Harper Lee explores the situation in which the defender of a black man is , in a

society filled with racial prejudiced views from the perspective of Scout, the young daughter of

Atticus Finch, the defender. Lee lets the reader ponder upon the issue of racism and how Scout

and Jem grow throughout the process of the trial of Tom Robinson and how they gain perspective

of the world around them in matters of racial segregation.

With courage , pride and belief in himself Atticus Finch defends the truth with his heart

by going against the racist perspectives of the time.An idea that one ponders upon while reading

“To Kill A Mockingbird” is if justice will overcome the discrimination in the case of the trial.The

penetrating theme of racism clearly shows the impacts of which racial segregation had in

Southern USA.

After the civil war, the situation of African Americans in the South have exacerbated.

Racism has gotten into its peak and the white society has had many prejudices about their former

slaves.Harper Lee portrays these prejudices in each character and illustrates the seclusion of the

African Americans throughout the plot of the novel.

Word Count:273

3
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Introduction:

If democracy stands for equality, it should be color blind in the means of racism, however

in the 1930’s and 1920’s of Southern America one struggles to see the tranquil atmosphere of

integration. Harper Lee compationantly describes this environment from the eyes of Scout, a

young adolescent, in an innocent matter. To Kill a Mockingbird is a revolutionary novel at the

point of which it is “a poignant depiction of the slow and painful emergence of the New South

from the ashes of it’s slave-holding past” 1.This particular quote meticulously defines the core

points of the novel which will be discussed in this essay. To depict the environment that the

segregation has caused in a very unbiased matter, Harper Lee has chosen to portray it from the

eyes of Scout Finch .From a child’s point of view can we clearly see what is truly in front of us in

an un prejudiced way.

Living in Maycomb, in the midst of a conservative society of the 1930’s and 20’s

Southern America Scout Finch is an extra ordinary child. She is in fact extraordinary from

various perspectives .She differs from the rest of the children with her brother because of the way

that they are being brought up. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus Finch is a modern viewed broad

perspectived lawyer who believes in integration and equality. It can defiantly be said that the

standpoint which Scout has towards the issue of racism is affected by the education that she

receives from her own household. Another point that is needed to be stressed is how the society,

including the children of each family is prejudiced on the matter of ‘Negros’. Atticus Finch

1
Goldwin Phelps,Teresa “The Margins of Maycomb:A Rereading of To Kill a Mockingbird” (Article).[TED
ANKARA COLLEGE], [ANKARA],[TR].6 December 2010.
<http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/bamalr45&div=35&id=&page=
>

4
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

describes the individuals views for African American’s which is pinpointed as “Maycomb’s

disease” (Lee, 117) with

“Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a

Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand…I just hope

that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the

town. I hope they trust me enough” (Lee, 117)

With the quote above, Atticus Finch indubitably states the towns’ animosity against

integration and against all matters involving African American’s. This essay will firstly be

discussing how Scout Finch and the Finch family perceive the African American’s and the

Maycomb “folk”, then discuss how the society in Maycomb regard the African American’s and

their attitudes towards racism as well of their discern of the Finch family.

5
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

1.1Analysis of Scout Finch's Understanding of Racism:

Childhood surroundings and environments are the building blocks of our future

perception of the world. While creating this foundation the human being apprehends from family,

friends and society. The child, early in life, faces multiple situations which forms his/her

individuality. Disputes and conflicts that pursue in the eyes of the child helps him/her to gain a

conscience and make his/her own decision and face the consequences of the decision that he/she

has made .Social status ,culture and family play key roles as well ,in the gaining of one’s own

identity.

“To Kill A Mockingbird” examines the development of Scout Finch from a naïve and

innocent child of three, to a conscious individual in-depth in the means of how the word “racism”

and “social prejudice” is formed with the concurrent events ongoing in the society. Each human

being conceives the outer world in a distinguishable matter, since the story is told from the eyes

of Scout; the reader comprehends Scout’s views of Maycomb society in an enhanced way.

Scout’s encounters are the basis which creates the foundation of her views.

In Maycomb society, the usage of expressions which carry an underlying meaning of

assaulting African American’s is very conventional. Therefore, Scout Finch, at early age is

acclimatized to expressions such as “nigger talk” and “nigger lover”. Aside from the orthodox

usage of expressions, Scout’s first acquaintance with the society’s prejudice is derived from her

scholarly experiences. Her preliminary acquaintance occurs when Cecil offends Scout, by stating

that her father is “runnin ‘a still” (Lee,100).This expression evokes Scout that her father is

affiliated with illegal activities and that defending an African American is such an activity. There

6
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

is an inflexible attitude in the society towards Atticus’s choice. This judgment is seen to be

inevitably probable in the late 1920’s and 1930’s of Alabama and the southern states of America.

The situation is reinforced when Francis articulates that Atticus “mortifies the rest of the

family” and that the family, because of Atticus’s behavior will “never be able to walk the streets

of Maycomb again.” These precise protents expose the seclusions that the Finch family has to

face during the trial of Tom Robinson.

Another incident which Scout confronts is when the trial of Tom Robinson actually

commences. As Scout depicts it, the courthouse is divided; there is a ruptured balcony in which

the “colored” people sit. In the 1920s and 1930s Southern states this form of segregation is very

orthodox. However, in the eyes of Scout Finch this “segregating act” of having a separate

balcony is nonchalant. “The colored balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom like a

second-story veranda, and from it we could see everything” (Lee, 219) With the usage of the

words “we could see everything” Scout even attributes a positive definition to the discriminative

act of the society.

In the novel, Jem has extensive influence on Scout and on her character development.

Scout often reaches out for the hand of Jem while trying to elucidate her quotidian

problems.”Perhaps Jem could provide the answer .Jem understood school things better than

Atticus” (Lee, 330) That is why Scout approaches Jem when she has a question about “Mr.

Walter” .With the pursuing dialogue between Jem and Scout the reader has a clear understanding

on Scouts perceivence of the world and her escape from the prejudices created by the society

regarding racial discrimination and all forms of discrimination.“Naw, Jem, I think there’s just

one kind of folks. Folks. ” (Lee, 304)

7
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

With the above quote of a simply structured sentence, the author conveys Scout’s way of

apprehending her environment. This sentence reinforces Scout’s differences from the society and

the prejudice created by the other members of the society.

Scout’s interpretation of events is very objective and the subtleties in her acts clearly

represent her self-identity. The incidents that she faces ,the seclusions that are made against Scout

during the trial process of Tom Robinson all form Scout Finch’s being as an individual .The child

of three that has been portrayed in the beginning of the novel, with the trial of Tom Robinson

gains perspective of the world and believes in the integration of all “folks”.

8
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

1.2Analysis of Atticus Finch's Understanding of Racism:

Our surroundings shape the answer we give to the question who we are. The society in

which we live in have deep effects in the formation of our personality .The buttressed idea of

racial prejudice is dominantly seen in the people of Maycomb. The average person delineated in

Maycomb County such as the Cunninghams, the Ewells and Miss Rachel are prejudiced in racist

matters. However, Atticus Finch differs from the rest of the society in his own being. He refuses

to be a part of the discrimination. Harper Lee portrays Atticus to be the backbone of the

understanding of justice and morality in the novel.

Human beings seize to do what they believe is right, and defend what they truly believe.

For some, morality and ethics play key roles in life, the acts of Atticus Finch throughout the

novel display his personality and point of view towards morality and ethics .Atticus believes that

every man has the right to be defended and that there shouldn’t be any racial prejudice in

legislature, in the quote below, Atticus justifies why he believes that he needs to defend Tom

Robinson, an African American citizen of Maycomb County.

“The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I

couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or

Jem not to do something again”(Lee,100)

In Atticus’s point of view the legislations apply for everyone of every sex, of every color

of every citizen. However the society of Maycomb, assert that Atticus has “turned out to be a

nigger-lover”(Lee,110) .Atticus is a very prominent character in the society because of his

varying views from the rest of Maycomb.

9
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Atticus does not abide the towns’ conventional thoughts and is able to interperet events in

an objective form of understanding. In the novel he clearly states what is known by the town but

in fact not often asserted, that the country they live in then, the 1920s and 1930s USA is created

equal for everyone and is a democracy , reflecting the equality of each citizen.

“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created

equal…(…)Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but

in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men

are created equal”(Lee,274)

Atticus Finch displays great morality and unbiased views despite the general orthodoxy of

the town. Even though he and his family are in some matters secluded and scorned by the society

because of the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus retains his judgment. For Atticus, the reasoning

process in one’s mind needs to be very objective and without any interference. If a person has

clear judgment then, they will have no prejudiced views on any race.

“When that crew went away, they didn’t go as reasonable men…There’s

something in our world that makes men lose their heads…In our courts,

when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s the white man always

wins.”(Lee, 295)

Despite the fact that Atticus himself is a white person grown in Maycomb society, he

shows very unprejudiced views and acts very ethical and morally correct .In a country where

equality is seen in the constitution, Atticus questions why “white men cheat black men

everyday”(Lee,295) and struggles a fight for democracy and for what he believes is right in a

very closed society filled with racist viewed people. Atticus, himself, is aware that the fight he

10
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

gives by defending an African American and by these means he’s not abiding the conventional

ways of Maycomb.

Another point that Atticus makes, further reinforces his role as the backbone of morality

in the novel. Atticus states the fact that African American’s are seemingly ignorant on judicial

matters than the white men who seek opportunities to take advantage of the ignorance of the

African Amiercan’s.“There’s nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who’ll

take advantage of a Negro’s ignorance.”(Lee, 296) Atticus, as a character is portrayed by Harper

Lee to profess what is morally correct. Atticus teaches his children, Jem and Scout to criticize the

world in their own perception. With Atticus as a parent, Scout is taught to “criticize the

persuasive social attitudes she witnesses” In the novel, overall, Atticus Finch has helped the

growth of the townspeople of Maycomb County in the means of commitment to social justice

after the trial of Tom Robinson.

11
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

1.3Analysis of the Society's Understanding of Racism:

The society that each individual lives in shapes their view on the way they apprehend the

world around them. The society that each individual lives in shows correlations within

itself.Maycomb County, if generalized, has a prejudiced view on the matter of black and white

segregation, racism is dominant to the society’s views.

Even though the United States of America, is regarded as a democracy and that in it’s

constitution it is stated that “all men are created equal ,that they are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of

Happiness.”2

However, in the 1920’s and 1930’s,among many others, in Maycomb society, all men

were not treated equal and were not seen equal ,as it is depicted in the novel by Harper Lee.Even

when it came to judicial matters, the “white men” were found to be innocent against the word of a

“black man”.“There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads…In our courts,

when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s the white man always wins.”(Lee, 295)These

are the words of Atticus Finch, an educated man, who has a clear against view on racism; Atticus

Finch with his words illustrates the conventional views of the society in just a sentence.

The same view is given by an African American citizen in the society ,Reverend Sykes,

during the trial of Tom Robinson, states the same views as Atticus Finch to Jem.“I aint’t ever

seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…” (Lee,279)

2
“In Congress,July 4,1776 The unanimous Decleration of the thirteen united States of America”(Decleration).[TED
ANKARA COLLEGE],[ANKARA],[TR].6 December 2010.< http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/>

12
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

The people of Maycomb, have strict views on the issue of racism .A common way of segregation,

seen in Maycomb society as well as many other societies of the time, is the segregation in courts.

There are separate seatings for each “color” of persons. There is a separate balcony in which the

“colored “people are seated. Also, the segregation in seatings doesn’t end here, there also is a

separate church for “black people “ and “white people” .If all men are created in equal in the

constitution, then shouldn’t it be applied for all?

However, even the entrance of “white people” into “nigger church” causes disruption in

the society. “I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillum to nigger church.”(Lee, 158)

Another point that needs to be made is the common understanding of “nigger”. When the

“white people” in the society think of the word “nigger” and the African American citizens living

in the society, they have given African American’s synonyms as well. They believe that an

African American, even if he/she is married, lives a decent life, regularly goes to church can

never be classified as a good person because “the nigger always comes out in them” (Lee, 322)

On the contrary, if a man has not done anything decent throughout his whole life, but is a white

man, he does not have to do anything in order to prove that he is innocent against a black man.

Maycomb County is blind to the truth when it comes to racial cases, and this is also what Atticus

Finch ponders about in the novel as well as stated below.

“Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a

Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand...”(Lee,117)

In the society, everyone repeats the phrase “equal rights for everyone”, even in the

schools the teachers teach these principals without believing or questioning what they mean. Miss

Gates, Scout Finch’s teacher, during her lesson time is shown to support “democracy” and

13
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

“equality” however, as soon as Tom Robinson’s trial had ended she is shown to have no

understanding of the concepts that she teaches during school hours. Outside the school hours, she

is seen to have orthodox view on racism.

“I heard her say it’s time somebody taught ‘em a lesson, they we’re getting’

way above themselves, an’ the next thing they think they can do is marry us”

(Lee,331)

Even the school teachers, who are supposedly teaching the principals of the constitution

and the country, have no understanding of what they teach in the schools, and the schools are

where the education begins, and where we get our first glance into the society. Therefore, the

scholarly education that one receives plays a key role in their understanding .If Miss Gates,

teaches something that she does not believe and if she herself has racist views, then the children

are taught to have racist views as well.

Another factor that affects and shapes the views of children are, their parents and their

families. In the society of Maycomb, the elderly have a tendancy of combusting their views to

their children .What the parents of the child speaks of ,is what forms the children’s knowledge

.Scout and Jem therefore are bound to be scorned by the society and the children.

“The adults of Maycomb never discussed the case with Jem and me; it

seemed that they discussed it with their children, and their attitude must

have been that neither of us could help having Atticus for a parent ,so their

children must be nice to us inspite of him.”(Lee, 326)

The children of Maycomb also posess the same racist views that their parents posess as it

is described in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

14
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

On the contrary, apart from the vast majority of the Maycomb County, there is also one

part of the society which does not believe in the segregation of white and black. Some citizens of

Maycomb possess views correlated with Atticus Finch’s. One of which is Miss Maudie, who

enlightens Scout Finch on the matter that, the people in the town with background do not feel the

same about racism as though the conventional thoughts of the society.

“The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked

White Only…the handful of people in this town with background, that’s who

they are”(Lee,316)

Taking the general views of the society into consideration, it can be added that the African

American were not given any political recognition and the white race was in an advantegous

position in all aspects of the society.Leslie G. Carr, portrays this understanding with the quote

“Calling a people a race is a way of defining the people in question as

beneath political recognition. Race was the term of choice for White

nationalists because it defined the contradiction between White and African

American in the way that was most advantegous to White. Thus, there was a

nation, understood to be White, that had a race problem.”3

The society of Maycomb also portrays the same understandings pointed out by Leslie G. Carr in

the ways of which the African American citizens of the society are not given any recognition in

any aspects of the society, Tom Robinson’s trial displays a first in the recognition of the African

American race in the society of Maycomb. Another point that needs to be recognized is the

3
P. 23 Carr,Leslie G. “Color Blind Racism”,1997.(Online Book).[TED ANKARA COLLEGE],[ANKARA],[TR].6 December
2010.
<http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gbquQlq5D6QC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=racism+in+the+1920s&ots
=fRG5Zmu0yI&sig=pb‐qWrVmDy8gZQdG5MZcJsorvxM#v=onepage&q=racism%20in%20the%201920s&f=false>

15
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

geographical importance of Maycomb County. Maycomb County is set in Alabama, one of the

Southern states of the United States of America. The formerly recognized slaves, the African

American people of that time, with a label of “Negro”, were discriminated especially in the

South, after the civil war. The racist views were most commonly seen and were idealized.

“After the civil war, various class forces contended in the South an between

the South and the rest of the country to determine the status of former

slaves… During this time, at the peak of Western colonialism, evolutionary

“racist” ideology became dominant ideology on the subject of race

throughout the capitalist world”4

The conventional views of the town of Maycomb as it is being depicted in Harper Lee’s novel To

Kill a Mockingbird, show correlation to that of the rest of the societies in Southern States of

America. The masses in the town portray a prejudiced racist views against the African American

citizens of their County.

4
P.31 Richard,Grahams.” ‘Race’, Racism and Psychology”.Routledge,1997.

16
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Conclusion:

The implementations of racism are dominantly depicted in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a

Mockingbird. Through the words and the point of view of Scout Finch, Lee has portrayed a

conventional society to be seen at the 1920’s and 1930’s southern states of America. The author

actualizes the imagery of the society and it’s understanding of racism with all its prejudices in

many factors, of three which have been analyzed in this essay. The concept and understanding of

racism has been portrayed by the views of Scout Finch, Atticus Finch and the generalized

understanding of the society of Maycomb County.

The views of Scout Finch depict an un-orthodox view upon the issue of racism. The

novel, being told by Scout, is an in depth analysis of her perception of the world. Lee, while

analyzing Scout’s perception also details Scout’s understanding of the concept “racism”.

Throughout the novel we get the understanding that for Scout, there is only one kind of folks.

The second point is how Atticus perceives the issue and how he shapes the views of

others as well overall one understands the conclusion that Atticus is depicted as the “ethical

backbone” of the society and the novel itself.

The third point which has been analyzed is the perceiving of the society regarding the

concept of racism. The society’s views are seen to be generalized by Harper Lee to depict the fact

that they are a conventional state, of their time and portray the orthodox behavior and

understanding as of the rest of the southern states in America that could be further analyzed.

17
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

All in all, while reading and analyzing the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee,

one sees many implementations to racism and the book itself can be perceived as a criticism to

the prejudiced and biased views towards racism in the 1920’s and 1930’s southern states of

America. As stated by Thomas Russel Garth “ racial differences are skin deep only and are due

entirely to environment and opportunity and not heredity” .

18
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

Bibliography:

Primary Sources:

1. Carr, Leslie G. “Color Blind Racism”,1997.(Book).[TED ANKARA

COLLEGE],[ANKARA],[TR].6 December 2010.

<http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gbquQlq5D6QC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=racis

m+in+the+1920s&ots=fRG5Zmu0yI&sig=pb-

qWrVmDy8gZQdG5MZcJsorvxM#v=onepage&q=racism%20in%20the%201920s&f=false>

2. Goldwin Phelps, Teresa “The Margins of Maycomb: A Rereading of To Kill a

Mockingbird” (Article).[TED ANKARA COLLEGE], [ANKARA],[TR].6 December

2010.

<http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/bam

alr45&div=35&id=&page=>

3. “In Congress, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Decleration of the thirteen united States of

America” (Declaration). [TED ANKARA COLLEGE],[ANKARA],[TR].6 December

2010.< http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/>

4. Lee, Harper. “To Kill A Mockingbird”. New York. Grand Central Publishing, 1999.

5. Richard,Grahams. “ ‘Race’, Racism and Psychology:Towards A Reflexive

History”.Routledge,1997.

19
 Zeynep Sevin Üstün
D1129094

20