Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird Although the novel To Kill a Mockingbird raises many important issues, Harper Lee bravely addresses the issue of racism in Maycomb society. The issue of racism surfaces in the novel when Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Even though no evidence is discovered to convict Tom, the jury, which was made up of twelve white men, finds him guilty. This decision …showed first 75 words of 542 total…

…showed last 75 words of 542 total…father, then the jury would let an honest man go free. Clearly, Jem was mistaken. In conclusion, racism impacts the people of Maycomb in many ways. It affects their thoughts, beliefs, values, and the way they live their lives. Even though the evidence was insufficient, the jury still found Tom guilty. The jury accepted Mayella's word over Tom's. They did this because in their minds a white woman's word takes precedence over a black man's.