There are also characters such as Mrs Dubose and Aunt Alexandra who are straight minded in their ways and refuse to change their opinions on black people. Mrs Dubose treated Jem and Scout differently because their father was working to defend black people; she shows this by shouting “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!” which shows that the racist views have been embedded into the Maycomb community. Aunt Alexandra shows her racist view about black people by talking to Atticus about sacking Calpurnia. “you’ve got to do something about her. You’ve let things go on for too long, Atticus, too long”. She says this because she feels that because Calpurnia is black, Calpurnia is untrustworthy and a bad influence at looking after the children.
In addition, the court decision about what would happen to Tom Robinson had already been made before the trial had happened. This is shown when Atticus says to Uncle Jack “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s work, the white always wins. They’re ugly but these are the facts of life.” This shows how Atticus disapproves of this but because the racism had been embedded into the community, the decision had already been made and however hard Atticus would try and defend Tom Robinson, he knew that he had already lost the case.
However, there is also racism from the black community about white people. Lulu, one of the black people at First Purchase African M.E. Church, was unhappy that Calpurnia because she had brought Jem and Scout to the church. She showed this by saying: “I wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to nigger church”. Lulu even called someone of her own race “nigger” by saying “Stop right there, nigger”. This shows how the racism has been embedded into the black community as well. The black community use the pejorative term to trying and make the word more positive. She also disapproves of Jem and Scout being there because they are white people and considered much higher on the class system.
Likewise, Calpurnia changes the way she speaks to the white people to a thicker accent when talking to the black community. “Suppose you and Scout talked coloured-folks’ talk at home – it’d be out of place, wouldn’t it? How what if I talked white-folks’ talk at church, and with my neighbours? They’d think I was puttin’ on airs to beat Moses.” This shows how Calpurnia feels that she has to change the way she talks when talking to black people and white people because she would not be accepted in the community otherwise.
In addition, during school, Miss Gates was talking about Adolf Hitler and his actions during the Second World War. “Over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced.” Miss Gates, Jem and the rest of the white community do not understand they are being prejudiced to the black community and persecuting Tom Robinson because he is black. Scout however, is able to compare the persecution that took place during the Second World War to the Jews and the persecution that is taking place in Maycomb and feels that it is wrong.
Harper Lee conveys her emotions about racism in the way that it is embedded in society and it is going to take a long time before this prejudice ends.
