Kelsey Triptow
Ms. Allen
Fifth Period
October 27, 2009
Prejudice has been a problem in our society that has never quite been eliminated.
Although is some ways it has been improved, it is still an issue in our daily lives. While it may
not come in the same form as it did when it was people being prejudice at things such as race, it
shows itself in places such as high schools. In high school there are a bunch of different groups
of people that are labeled things such as preps, jocks, skaters, druggies, and even nerds. These
different cliques stick mainly with each other and if some had their way, they wouldn’t even talk
to people that are in different groups than them. In Maycomb, you see the same sort of issue in
the form of racism. In the Novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee juxtaposes Tom Robinson’s
goodness with Bob Ewell’s degredation in order to emphasize the extent to which prejudice
affected the verdict in the Tom Robinson trial.
Bob Ewell is a very bad man. After Atticus defends Tom Robinson, Bob is embarrassed
and angry because he realizes that Atticus exposed his lies. Because of this, he “…stopped
Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him” (Lee 217). Bob is
disrespectful and vindictive. A good man would understand Atticus was doing his job, but Bob
only cares about himself. This selfishness leads to others realizing he’s worthless to the
community. While he’s trying to fulfill his threat to Atticus and murder Jem and Scout Boo
Radley kills him. Rather than be upset, Mr. Tate, the sheriff, tells Atticus, “there’s a black boy
dead for no reason and the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead” (276). Mr.
Tate, like the rest of Maycomb, not only doesn’t care, but he’s glad Bob’s dead. He feels that by
getting rid of a horrible man like Mr. Ewell, that boo has helped the town. The image of Bob is
in direct contrast to what we learn about Tom.
Unlike Bob Ewell, Tom Robinson is a very honest and good man. As Scout listens to
Atticus question Tom Robinson at the trial she realizes Tom is just a very kind man and that he
simply got caught up with the wrong people. When she hears that he was just trying to help
Mayella she says, “Tom Robinson was probably the only person who was ever decent to her”
(Lee 257). Tom Robinson is an all around good person. Although he knew the reputation the
Ewells had in the community and he chose to look past it and help Mayella. This kindness was
easily portrayed by the things he said in the court room. It shows that if Tom had been white or if
Maycomb hadn’t been such a racist community, he never would have been convicted of this
crime. Scout points out the fact that Tom is a very well mannered man when she says, “It
occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson’s manners were as good as Atticus’s”
(260). Atticus is a very respected man in Maycomb and this comparison shows how alike Tom
and Atticus are on the inside. Although Tom is black, he is still a respectable man with good
morals and values. It also shows that these traits are being made very clear in the court room if I
child is noticing them. The issue of racism is brought up again when the jury finds Tom guilty
even though all of these traits were obvious in the court room. It also hints at the changes that
need that to be made in some of Maycomb’s residents’ ways of life.
By the end of the book you see a change is some of the town’s people. They begin to
realize that their racist beliefs cost an innocent man his life. Although racism isn’t as big of an
issue here, prejudice in other forms still is. People need to learn to be more accepting of others
and other peoples’ beliefs and ways of life. It is important to understand and see the effect your
prejudices have on people and although it may not cost them their life, it can still be very hurtful.