Though slavery has been around for decades, racism actually began with the enslavement of Africans during the sixteenth century. Slave trade was one of the main promoters of racism during that time. Prior, however, skin color did not define racial attitudes. This extending type of trade gave birth to the idea of races being regarded by their skin color. In To Kill a Mockingbird, racism is noticeable in both the text and globally.
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, racist acts and events occur many times throughout the story. It is evident in this novel when Scout and Jem pass Mrs. Dubose’s house. Mrs. Dubose explains “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!”(Lee ch. 11). This quote shows the hatred toward the Finch’s because of Atticus defending a black man. Mrs. Dubose clearly thinks of black people as “trash”. Bob Ewell shows how racist through many events in the story. One example is when he is on the witness stand and says “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella” (17. 231). Bob obviously doesn’t care what he says about others at all, even standing in front of a huge audience and the judge. He represents a definite bias towards white people and would do anything to hurt a black man. The Ewell family is pretty intolerant when it comes to the general public and especially the black community. Cecil Jacobs had his part in the prejudice events when he tells Scout “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that nigger oughta hang from the water tank” (9. 102). The racism is not just between the adults anymore and is spreading to even the kids in Maycomb. Before the accusation occurred on Tom Robinson, everyone was, for the most part, minding their own business. Then all these racist comments and bias action take place and Maycomb turns into an anti-Semitic county.
Not only is the theme racism evident in Harper