Summary:
The use of the derogatory word "nigger" by characters in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" reveals the underlying racism of the community. This undercurrent links the first half of the novel with the second half.
Although the two halves of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee concern two very different stories, prejudice is probably the most significant theme throughout. In the first half of the novel we see how village hearsay and gossip have led two intelligent children into believing that an innocent man, who in fact bestows gifts upon them, is in fact entirely wicked, whereas the second half tells of the power the unjust law system so cruelly abused against the black community. The same characters are used in both parts of the novel, however this is not the only similarity. On close observation it is easy to see the many references to racism subtly woven into the first half, and how they set the scene for the events of the second by helping the reader to understand.....
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