Racial themes in the film To Kill A Mockingbird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Racial themes in the drive To Kill A flouter Racial categories ar created in the film To Kill A jeerer through a complex societal hierarchy founded in difference. Although completely of Macon county lives in poverty, the town does not unite on the nates of this shared experience, but instead focuses on their differences, two real and imagined, to discriminate themselves. The town operates under a general assumption that wealthier lily- whiteneds hold the or so power and prestige, followed by poorer whites, while all glums, regardless of financial station, are considered to be the lowest citizens.General depictions of black custody and women in the film are of household servants and ignorant, docile farm workers. The only slight characteristic that there were any educated blacks in Macon comes from the appearance of the sermoniser at Tom Robinsons trial. Held on charges of raping and beating a poor, white woman, Mr. Robinson is portrayed as a meek and nearly helple ss man. The fact that he can barely speak in his own defense, relays both the cerebration that black men were uneducated, as well as the idea that blacks were afraid to step over the boundaries of their society. Attics Finch, a kind and fair white lawyer, is the only person to speak up for Mr. Robinson. This demonstrates the idea that the lowly black man needs a benevolent white man to save him and direct his life along the right path. Black men and women in the film are unable to make their own decisions. Clearly, there were axiomatic lines drawn in Macon, delegating specific roles to the various groups of citizens. The dark blusher of Mr. Robinsons skin placed him on the bottom rung of society, forcing him into a subservient position. It is difficult to discern whether the film is attempting to garner sympathy for the ladened black community, or reinforce stereotypes of ignorant and complacent black men and women. While the initial depictions of the black communi ty center around the Finchs maid, Calpurnia, the respect with which the family treats her is far from the norm. Ranging from the callous indifference of several of the white law-enforcement officers, to the vociferous racial discrimination of the group of country farmers, much meaning is assumed from difference. The racism of Macon seems to stem from the Southern history of slavery.