Prejudice in Maycomb

In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, prejudice has changed the people of Maycomb. Prejudice is like saying the strong will always destroy the weak. Prejudice has made discrimination to the black people and to the poor people. Also, conflicts happen to certain people in this novel. Some people would try to eliminate others who do not have the same skin color with them. Prejudice doesn't affect everyone because sometimes they are nice and pleasant.

Discrimination has been a "disease" to Maycomb. An example is that a character named Boo Radley who almost shot a black person in his yard at nighttime while he runs away. Another example is that a group of racist people wants to kill Tom Robinson; Atticus Finch stops them from killing him. As Atticus says to Scout, "I rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird"(90). This shows how a white person would shoot an innocent black man for the cause of being black. This creates discrimination a bigger problem for them in the 1930s in Maycomb. As Aunt Alexandra replies to Scout about Walter Cunningham, "Because-he-is-trash, that's why you can't play with him."(225) This is a discrimination about the poor people in the book that which that person should not say.

There had been conflicts between Tom Robinson and The Ewells. An example would be about the case in which Tom Robinson is being accused of rape to Mayella Ewell. As Mr. Bob Ewell testifies,"-I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!"(173) This is an example of discrimination of calling a black person a black nigger. At this time, many people do care about the rights to the black people and separate the property. One time before the trial, Bob Ewell sneak around the Robinson's yard just to spy on what Atticus is doing. In this conflict, Mayella and the Ewells are prejudice about the black person named Tom Robinson. In the case of Tom Robinson, the jury of the trial do not like the black people and that is racist during that time.

Prejudice has not affected everyone in Maycomb. One of them is Calpurnia, a maid for the Finch's. She only cares for the kids from the dangers in Maycomb. One time she protects the children from a wild dog. "Mr. Finch!" she shouts. "This is Cal. I smear to god there's a mad dog down the street a piece-he's comin' this way, yes sir, he's-Mr. Finch, I declare he is -old Tim Johnson, yes sir yes sir yes-"(93) At that time she protects the children from the dog. She is not as much prejudice as to the Ewells and Walter Cunningham Sr.

Prejudice is similar to have the strong destroys the weak at any time. To explain this statement, white people would rule over minorities because they do not have many rights. During the time in the book, blacks would not have equal rights as whites do. In the book, any person who has a skin color other than white in the town of Maycomb, would be treated unfairly. All people of any color should be given a chance to live life in an equal society.