4.3 Racial Injustice
In the slavery era, the black people in America had been victims of racial injustice. The actions of white people as the owners over the slaves were
incompatible with human being. Thirty years after the civil war ended the slavery era, the Southern of America include Maycomb, where the story of “To kill A
Mockingbird” took place, most relied on farming especially Cotton. The people existed social segregation between white and black people and supported racial
injustice agains the black people. The white people of Southern challenged the Reconstruction by using
their position in the central government in Washington. They found the ways, controlling the nations in order to keep the white people domination. Then, social
segregation widely spread through all areas of Southern life aspects such as restaurant, hotel, hospital, school and others. This started the racial injustice
existed. The example case of this was the black people should give his seat to the white people in bus.
Racial Injustice deals with the situation there was a deadly racial attitude towards the people who were different then the general public, which in this novel
belongs to the black people. Harper Lee, in her novel showed the racial injustice happened in Maycomb, Alabama. This novel is a classic novel to teach and
discuss racial injustice
.
Racial injustice appears when Tom Robinson, a sweet negro was accused of raping woman, Mayella Ewell, Mr.Ewell’s daurghter. Atticus Finch becomes
his lawyer, though he knows that in doing so he is in for the fight of his life. He
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lost his case and got sentenced to life in prison, because he was black. Mr.Ewell told that he was really seeing Tom Robinson raped her daughter. But in fact, he
just told a lie. Mr.Ewell look confusedly at the judge. “Well, Mayella was raisin’
this holy racket so I dropped m’load and run as fast as I could but I run into th’ fence, but when I got distangled I run up o the window
and I seen-“ Mr.Ewell’s face grew scarlet. He stood up and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson. “-I seen that black Nigger yonder ruttin’
on my Mayella” Lee, 1960 : 172- 173
While, the town believes that Mayella Ewell, in all of her wrongness is the victim, and Tom Robinson, who did nothing but help Mayella in the past, is a
rapist. Mayella also gave a wrong explaining to the Judge in the court. Mr.Gilmer waited for Mayella to collect herself: she had twisted her
handkerchief into a sweaty rope : when she opened it to wipe her face it was a mass of creases from her hot hands. She waited for
Mr.Gilmer to ask another question, but when he didn’t, she sid “-he chunked me on the floor an’ choked me’n took advantage of me.
Lee, 1960 : 180
In the end of the court session, Judge read the decision paper made by Jury. That decision told that Tom Robinson was guilty. Despite Atticus Finchs
defense and all of the evidence that make it clear to the reader that Tom is innocent, a white jury finds him guilty and he is sent to prison. This case showed
us that racial injustice of Maycomb was able to finds innocent person to be guilty just because of different skin color only.
A jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson. The
foreman handed a piece of paper to Mr. Tate who handed it to the
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clerk who handed it to the judge.. I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury : “Guilty.. guity..guilty…guilty..” Lee, 1960 : 211
Racial injustice happened in Maycomb had already been existed since long time ago. This deals with Reverend Sykes explaining to Jem when they talked
about assuming the court decision in the court. He said that he never seen the black people won over the white. It explains that racial injustice in society of
Maycomb which represented the whole America was affected by slavery era. The white people still assumed that they were in the higher position than the black
people. Jem smilled. “He’s not supposed to lean, Reverend, but don’t
fret, we’ve won it.” He said wisely. “Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard-“ “Now don’t you be so confident,
Mr.Jem I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of colored man over a white man…” Lee, 1960 : 208
Another proof that explains that racial injustice had been existed since long time ago in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird is when Atticus
who already defended Tom Robinson and became his lawyer told his son Jem, that it was never happened black people testimony won over the white
people’s, and that was the fact. There’s something in our world that makes men lose their
heads- They couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins.
They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life. Lee, 1960 : 220
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In fact, the racial injustice was could be able to make the white people in trouble also, if they’re known as the defenders of black people. This was occurred
to Atticus, he who’s already the defender of Tom Robinson in the court. He was called Nigger lover. First, the name was told by Cecil Jacob to Scout in the
beginning of chapter nine of the novel. He said that her father was Nigger lover. From this statement, it could be concluded that Nigger lover contained the
negative meaning given to the white people who defended the black people, and the towns didn’t like it especially the white one.
Cecil Jacobs made me forget. He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy is Nigger lover. I
denied it, but told Jem. “What’d he man sayin’ that?” I asked. “Nothing,” Jem said. “Ask Atticus, he’ll tell you.” Do you defend
niggers, Atticus?” I asked him that evening. “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger Scout. That’s common. Lee, 1960 : 75
In another momen, Scout’s grandma said that Atticus was Nigger lover. In their social life, it was a disgrace if there’s a white people defended the black
people, moreover he came from Finch family. It’s explained that it was equal between defending black people with destroying family. It was better neglecting
son grow unauthorized than defending black people. At least it was the condition of society in Maycomb.
“Francis, what the do you mean?” “Just what I said. Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you run wild, but now he’s
turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’.”
Lee, 1060 : 83
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Finally readers know that racial injustice existed in the midst of society in Maycomb could result conflict among the member of society. The racial injustice
does not result conflict between black and white people only, but it could make conflict in white people circle also if there’s among them known as black people
defender. It is clear that racial injustice appeared because the white people still
claimed that they were in the higher prestige than the black people.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
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