Innocence is one of the important themes To Kill a Mockingbird considering the second half of the book is about Tim Robinson's trial and his guilty conviction despite his innocence. Atticus Finch is considered such a virtuous literary figure because he rejects the inequality around him and treats people based on their character and does things just because he believes them to be right. The entire society is affected by issues of equality including based on how long people have lived in the town as well as how much money a family has. Race, social class, and sex are not the only ways equality and inequality are a theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. Through Scout and Jem's coming-of-age storyline the book explores the idea of judging people based on how they are rather than what their family background is. Dolphus Raymond, who married a black woman automatically lost his social status and preferred to be thought of as a drunk. The Ewell family is considered lower class as well and this kind of family-based social status is prevalent in the town. Aunt Alexandra doesn't want the children to spend time with him because their family is considered trash.
Miss Caroline Fisher, the new first-grade teacher, does not understand that Walter Cunningham’s family is poor and therefore looked down upon. Maycomb has a strict social structure hidden behind concepts of family backgrounds. An interesting comparison made in the book is when Scout observes that the townspeople found the Nazi’s treatment of jewish people horrible but continue to persecute the African Americans in their society. The book does a great job of showing how deeply racism is embedded in society with the newspaper making overtly racist comments about the trial and Aunt Alexandra telling the children not to encourage the black people. When Scout and Jem visit Calpurnia’s black church, though they are treated well, they still feel prejudice against them. Even before the trial, a mob appears in front of the jail to kill Tim Robinson. Just the idea of a black man being with a white woman enrages most of the locals. Even though Atticus Finch builds a strong case for Tim Robinson the jury still finds him guilty.
Tim Robinson as a black man is vilified from the beginning of the trial. Race is one of the main themes of To Kill a Mockingbird.
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