There are examples of religious and class prejudices during the trial as well as sexism.
We learn a lot about Maycomb from the trial. Maycomb clearly has racial prejudice abundant, but we also learn that there are other types of prejudice in Maycomb. These relate to religion, class, and gender.
The first example is the “foot-washing Baptists” and Miss Maudie. They have a little Bible quote-off.
The driver of the wagon slowed down his...
There are examples of religious and class prejudices during the trial as well as sexism.
We learn a lot about Maycomb from the trial. Maycomb clearly has racial prejudice abundant, but we also learn that there are other types of prejudice in Maycomb. These relate to religion, class, and gender.
The first example is the “foot-washing Baptists” and Miss Maudie. They have a little Bible quote-off.
The driver of the wagon slowed down his mules, and a shrill-voiced woman called out: “He that cometh in vanity departeth in darkness!” Miss Maudie answered: “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance!” (Ch. 16)
Miss Maudie mentioned the foot washers’ intolerance to Scout earlier, when she asked what foot washing Baptists were. Maudie does not mind being the victim of their negative attention. She is a cheerful soul and very self-assured.
Another example of discrimination is class consciousness. When Dill is impressed by Atticus’s holding off the mob of Cunninghams, Alexandra dismisses the entire Cunningham clan.
Aunt Alexandra stared him to silence. “It was not a hundred folks,” she said, “and nobody held anybody off. It was just a nest of those Cunninghams, drunk and disorderly.” (Ch. 16)
We already know that the Cunninghams are poor. However, they are also proud and try to be good people for the most part. Atticus acknowledges this. For Alexandra to act dismissive of the entire Cunningham clan is prejudicial. They are poor, so they are all drunkards in her eyes.
A final example of Maycomb prejudice occurs during the actual trial. When the concept of race comes up, the suggestion is made to clear the courthouse—not just of children, but of women too.
“There has been a request,” Judge Taylor said, “that this courtroom be cleared of spectators, or at least of women and children, a request that will be denied for the time being. (Ch. 17)
The idea is that women are delicate and cannot stand to hear something as sordid as rape. To group the women in with the children is sexist. This is pretty much why Judge Taylor refuses the request. The women who are there have come of their own will, and people can make the choice for their children.
It is clear that life in Maycomb involves a lot of judgement. It is a small Southern town, and everybody knows everybody. For this reason, people tend to paint everyone of a group with the same brush, and harbor stereotypes and prejudices of just about every kind.
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