The Power of Prejudice: An Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird
In To Kill a Mockingbird, a white attorney/single father of two in rural Alabama is tasked with defending a young black man who is wrongly convicted of a crime, while also dealing with the challenges of raising his children upright in the challenging times of the southern United States during the Great Depression. Throughout the 1962 film adapted by Horton Foote from the 1960 novel by the same name written by Harper Lee, the plot portrays the racial struggles in the South during the Jim Crow era, while also recognizing different prejudices and the complexity of relationships in small, powerful manners. The film, directed by Robert Mulligan, addresses the different identities of prejudice that are present in humans through the trial of Tom Robinson, black man, the ongoing gender struggles present in the 1930s through the 1960s, and the separation by social class that was made more apparent by the Great Depression.
First and foremost, this film is a powerful initiative at highlighting the magnitude of racism that was present in the South after the Reconstruction all the way through the Civil Rights Movement. The prejudice is addressed through the central plot of the film, the trial of Tom Robinson for a rape he was wrongfully accused of committing. Most importantly, the idea that Tom Robinson was so assuredly accused as having raped Mayella Ewell is a prime example of racism, as Tom was not falsely accused because of his actions but rather the color of his skin. Even after being accused, however, there is ongoing racism through and after his trial. In one scene, Atticus Finch—the attorney and father—is seen sitting outside of the jail where Tom Robinson is held. Atticus was outside of the jail to protect his client from many of the townspeople, who are seen pulling up in packed cars with guns, expectedly with the intention to do harm to the “black criminal”. The crowd that was drawn to do harm and circumvent justice is evidence of the racism that existed, as the same outcome would not have happened if Tom Robinson happened to be a white man. The view that Tom was guilty and deserved punishment prior to the legal system determining his guilt is an undeniable truth for those times, with groups like the KKK often taking matters into their own hands by lynching blacks and instilling fear in their lives. In a small town like Maycomb, it is especially interesting and important that the directors properly portrayed just how large this crowd of angry men was and that it wasn’t just a few racist pariahs but, rather, everyday citizens who were important to the town. Similarly, the turnout for the trial itself is representative of a high-profile case with a great amount of tension, as this case would have, because of the frequency and prevalence of racial tensions in the town. The sheer number of people present to watch the trial, many of whom are strong in their opinions on the matter, appropriately exemplifies the ongoing struggle between the prejudice of whites and the effects on blacks during this time. Most importantly, though, the film manages to address the opposite of racial prejudice—racial empathy— know “black” without weakening a racial ideology” (Watson 420). The film calls attention to racial prejudice while also exemplifying the proper behavior that should replace prejudice, which is empathy. Racial prejudice in some and the lack thereof in others is an essential and major argument made in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Another type of discrimination that is addressed in the film is that of stereotypes and expectations from gender. Most of the significant main characters are men—which could be a potential example of intentional sexism by the writer—so Scout is the main victim of this form of prejudice. Scout, a young girl who doesn’t necessarily behave in the manner that society wishes for her to behave, is often influenced by her brother and male neighbor, Dill Harris, so is often engaging in activities and acting in ways of which the other women are disapproving. In one scene, Scout is beginning her first day of school, but she is not excited as she is forced to wear a dress which makes her feel uncomfortable and thus insecure. Girls in the 1960s, when the movie was released, were still fighting for equality like the women of the 1930s; this issue would have been just as influential then as it still is today, during the third wave of feminism. The narration of the film, to be assumed as Scout when she is a grown woman, “reinforces the male-centered society which Atticus represents” (Shackelford 106). Scout is one of the only major female characters in the entire movie, and unlike Mayella Ewell, is shown in a positive, independent manner. The use of the female narration is the film’s method of exemplifying empowered women, so that the gender prejudice can be put into perspective. The appearance of a lack of major female characters in a film that was adapted from a novel written by a woman was a powerful argument, because the more female characters that were present then the more diluted are the role of these characters. By mainly using Scout, older and younger, the director is able to manipulate the prejudice to make it more clear and concise to the viewer, making way for more effective, frequent arguments.
The third identity of prejudice that is exemplified in To Kill a Mockingbird is the prejudice held between social classes, but most frequently from a higher social class to a lower one. Most of the examples of prejudice within social class take place in the school, which is not shown but described through reference and narration. For example, on the first day of school for Scout, she is explained to have butt heads with the teacher, Miss Caroline, because of a misunderstanding over Walter Cunningham’s financial situation. Scout explains that Miss Caroline offers to give Walter money in order to eat lunch, to which Scout interjects that the Cunninghams do not take money from anybody. This is paired with a story and a callback to earlier in the movie, about how Atticus performed some legal services for Mr. Cunningham for no charge, but now Mr. Cunningham brings Atticus hickory nuts to pay him back. This prejudice from Miss Caroline that because Walter did not have money for lunch he would automatically accept the gift is an example of class prejudice that Scout was actually attempting to prevent from occurring; however, when people are called out for their prejudices and told the truth, it tends to make them uncomfortable, as it did with Miss Caroline and Scout. Another example of class prejudice involving Walter Cunningham happens later when he is invited to the Finch’s house for lunch. Walter asks for the maple syrup and proceeds to pour it over all of his food. This catches Scout off guard and exclaims, questioning the boys actions. Scout, young and unknowing, appeared to have offended Walter as he slumped his head in shame. This behavior shows another distinction between social classes, as Walter does not understand the social norms of the less impoverished class and Scout’s prejudice against the lower class is drawn out by the actions. Much of the social class prejudice is unspoken, with only the children’s bemusement about the situation is what draws the conflict to the forefront for the viewer. While this was during the Great Depression, it is safe to assume that not many people in Maycomb were financially well off, but this social class prejudice can also be defined by the amount of education that was received, as Atticus is a successful attorney and Mr. Cunningham is a lowly farmer. This social class struggle, obviously present in the 1930s when the film was taking place, was still relevant and pressing at the time of the release in the 1960s. Because of the Civil Rights Movement and the other movements of the decade, there was an increasing divide between the social classes and by ideology. Many young, college students were the face of the movement while less educated, older people tended to be against the movement, so this film was discussing issues that were equally important as time passes.
Race, gender, and class—three of the most frequently seen forms of prejudice all throughout history—were the three main tensions that were examined in the 1962 film, To Kill a Mockingbird. The film addresses these three types of prejudice, both positively and negatively, using elements of characters, plot, and film techniques. The director of the film, as well as the adapter of the novel, uses film techniques and the story in a compelling, argumentative manner to outline the examples of prejudice, but also the examples of when prejudice was not present in order to appeal to the ethos of the viewer; as the times were changing and becoming more liberal in the 1960s when the film was released compared to the 1930s when it took place, the attitudes of the viewers create an environment for these arguments to resonate more deeply.