either eccentric like Mr. Dolphus Raymond or too low in status to be of any concern.These racial prejudices, of course, have disastrous consequences for Tom Robinson. Even though Atticus proves that Tom could not have raped Mayella, the jury convicts Tom, and he is sentenced to death. When Atticus tries to explain the biased verdict to his children he says that in a case of a white man’s word against that of a black man, the white man always wins. An almost equally important prejudice in creating the caste system in Maycomb is that of class. The divisions by this prejudice are also clear. People like the Finches are at the top of the social hierarchy, and far below them are people like the Cunninghams, who are respectable, but poor. Jem explains to Scout that even further below the Cunninghams are the Ewells, and further below the Ewells are the “colored folks” whom the Ewells despise. Jem assess that everyone but the blacks have someone to look down upon.Within this caste system is behavioral standards for individuals in their specific social caste. People like the Finches have a “postion” to uphold, while a Cunningham may be poor, but refuses charity or pity. Lee notes that the every town has families like the Ewells, who are an eyesore to the community. The Ewells are avoided by the more decent people of Maycomb, and the Ewells know it. The Ewells, however, think themselves to be above the blacks. Yet, Scout observes that the only difference between Bob Ewell and the worst of the blacks is that, if he were scrubbed hard enough, Bob’s skin would be stark white.Another area of prejudice in the novel is that of sex. The novel is set in the 1930’s, which is before the women’s movement was in full force. Underlying the entire trial is the premium that the southern male places on the virtue of white southern womanhood. The white men must “protect their women” from ...
