Question

There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb, but to my mind it worked this way: the older citizens, the present generation of people who had lived side by side for years and years, were utterly predictable to one another: they took for granted attitudes, character shadings, even gestures, as having been repeated in each generation and refined by time” (Lee 132).

"Occasionally someone would return from Montgomery or Mobile with an outsider, but the result caused only a ripple in the quiet stream of family resemblance. Things were more or less the same during my early years" (Lee 132).
how do these quotes show the theme of racial injustice?

Answer 1

The quotes from Lee depict a rigid social structure in Maycomb that mirrors the actual racial caste system, where persistent divisions and unscripted discrimination incidents underscore the prevailing racial injustice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The quotes demonstrate the theme of racial injustice by illustrating the persistent social divisions within Maycomb, which parallel the real-world systemic segregation of the Jim Crow era. The entrenched caste system in Maycomb, much like the actual American racial caste system, ensures that racial and social hierarchies are maintained over generations, with little change or mobility possible. This reflects the unspoken rules that governed racial relations, as highlighted in the works of Langston Hughes and the observations by Allison Davis, Burleigh Gardner, and Mary Gardner. Moreover, personal accounts reveal that while African Americans could navigate this caste system with a certain detached calm, instances of unexpected discrimination delivered personal wounds. These unscripted encounters of humiliation and disrespect highlight the pervasive climate of injustice, which often seemed immutable and dictated by tradition and local custom.

These quotes from Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' show the theme of racial injustice by highlighting the presence of a caste system in Maycomb. The first quote suggests that the older citizens in the town have ingrained attitudes towards race that have been passed down through generations. This implies a predetermined hierarchy and discrimination based on race. The second quote reinforces this idea by stating that even when an outsider is introduced to the community, the impact is minimal and does not disrupt the existing racial divisions.