I am going to write about the two main problems in Maycomb society which are racism and prejudice. Racism is an unjustified negative attitude towards people of a different race.

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To Kill A Mockingbird

The novel is set in the 1930’s in a small community in Maycomb County, located in the South of America. Although slavery has been legally abolished for many years, the Southerners in Maycomb continued to believe in white supremacy, and the novel projects the social snobbery and the prejudice attached to these southern values.

The residents of Maycomb are narrow-minded, by this we mean they keep themselves to themselves and have a strict set of opinions. People in Alabama in the 1930’s were suffering from economic depression. This is when there is a high percentage of unemployment therefore very few people have money to spare. Maycomb is a hierarchical society. By this we mean that people are divided into levels by other people. In an hierarchy there will be a highest level, which have the most power, control and respect than the other groups, in Maycomb this group of people is the white people. Then there is a middle level who have power, control and respect but not as much as the highest level, in Maycomb this is the poor whites who don’t have a lot of money, sometimes referred to as ‘white trash‘. Then there is a lowest level. This group, if any, has little power, control and respect. In Maycomb, this group is the black people, referred to as ‘Niggers’ by the white people.

Maycomb is also a religious community meaning almost everyone is religious. With Maycomb being such a small county with a small population everybody knows everyone else’s business. This is how problems occur. The first problem is hypocrisy. This is when people turn around and do what they criticize in others.

The second larger problem is racism. This is belief that people of different races have different qualities and abilities, and that some races are inherently superior or inferior.

The third and final larger problem is prejudice. Which means a preformed opinion, usually an unfavourable one, based on insufficient knowledge, irrational feelings, or inaccurate stereotypes.

I am going to write about the two main problems in Maycomb society which are racism and prejudice.

 Racism is an unjustified negative attitude towards people of a different race.

In Maycomb society racism is shown in many forms. One of the most prevalent forms is psychological racism. This is when people have racist thoughts.

 In the novel ’to kill a mockingbird’ there are many examples of psychological racism.

A good example occurs during Tom Robinson’s testimony. Mr Gilmer is cross examining Tom and he is asked whether Mayella Ewell was a liar.’ I don’t say she’s lyin’, Mr Gilmer, I say she’s mistaken in her mind’. Tom didn’t dare say that Mayella was a liar but that she was mistaken. If Tom would have said that Mayella was a liar he would have got himself into deeper trouble. This is because Black people were not allowed to call White people liars because it was thought that only Black people lied. In today’s world everybody knows that anybody can lie, whatever their colour. This is psychological racism because White people are thinking in their minds that all Black people are liars.

Another example of psychological racism is when scout asked to go to Calpurnia’s house and aunt Alexandra quickly replies with a stern, ‘you may not’. With aunt Alexandra saying not so quickly and sternly gives me the impression that White people are not allowed to Black peoples houses, even those who have been by your side for years. With this determination of aunt Alexandra it seems as though Calpurnia and her home have a contagious disease and that’s why she doesn’t want scout going. But the truth is that aunt Alexandra doesn’t want scout to go because Calpurnia is black therefore her family is not trusted with scout in their care.

When Tom is being asked question during his testimony by Mr Gilmer he finishes them with ‘boy’. ‘ Had your eye on her a long time hadn’t you boy?’ Mr Gilmer would embrace. Mr Gilmer is making Tom feel small and belittled. Tom is a 25 year old man so is not classed as a ‘boy’. This is psychological racism because White people think that they are bigger, better and superior than Black people.  

Another type of racism is isolated racism. Isolation means you are on your own, separated in two groups. In this case one race are on their own, the Black peoples race. They are in a group of their own with the other group consisting of White people.  

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In the book an example of isolation is when Black people have to enter a White persons house by the back door. The evidence  occurs when the mad dog is coming towards the finch lot. Calpurnia runs to warn the Radley’s, she storms in their yard and bangs on the front door. Scout says ‘ she’s supposed to go round in back’. This shows that White people expected Black people to enter their homes through the back door. White people must have thought that Black people were ‘not good enough‘, and inferior to go through the front door. This is ...

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