Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Are there any character interactions in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, that strongly reveals or demonstrates racial discrimination?

There are several scenes throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird where characters racially discriminate against one another. One such scene takes place at First Purchase African M.E. Church. When Calpurnia decides to take Jem and Scout to her African American church, the first person they interact with is a church member named Lula. Lula is ornery and views Calpurnia with contempt for bringing the Finch children to their church. Lula says to Calpurnia,


"You...

There are several scenes throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird where characters racially discriminate against one another. One such scene takes place at First Purchase African M.E. Church. When Calpurnia decides to take Jem and Scout to her African American church, the first person they interact with is a church member named Lula. Lula is ornery and views Calpurnia with contempt for bringing the Finch children to their church. Lula says to Calpurnia,



"You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here---they got their church, we got our'n. It is our church, ain't it, Miss Cal?" (Lee 158)



Jem tells Calpurnia that they should leave because they don't want them at their church, but Calpurnia insists they stay. Lula is racially discriminating against Jem and Scout because they are white children in a black church. During the 1930's, Jim Crow laws prevented African Americans and white people from occupying and using the same public facilities. Segregation was commonplace, and Lula noticed that white children were in the "wrong" place. Her attitude toward the Finch children expresses her displeasure with the white community and the system of segregation. Typically, it is white people who complain about African Americans occupying their facilities, but in this case, it is white children who trespass into the black community's church. Lula is quick to chastise Calpurnia for bringing Jem and Scout and makes the children feel awkward and unwelcome in doing so.

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