At the end of chapter 19, Dill cries because he is discussed and enraged by the way Mr. Gilmer was treating Tom Robinson. Scout, Dill, and Jem were all in the courtroom watching the case, but when Mr. Gilmer went to cross-examine Tom Robinson it was to much for Dill to handle. He burst into tears and ran out of the courtroom. Dill told Scout, when they were sitting under an oak tree, "The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered," (Lee 266). Mr. Gilmer believed that Tom must be lying, must be violent, and must take advantage of white women simply because he is black.
This relates back to Atticus's comment about having a police force of children because when the mob was going to attack Atticus and Tom Robinson, the children brought Mr. Cunningham to his senses. Mr. Gilmer needs Dill to bring him to his senses. Atticus suggested that they have a police force of children because children can see past people's color and judge the situations based on what is happening. Adults can't always do this, and they are quick to make assumptions. Dill was able to look past the fact that Tom Robinson was black and he said, "It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do em' that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that - it makes me sick," (Lee 266).
What is it that makes adults racists and assume things about people, as apposed to when they were kids?
The reason that adults are racist is becuase of exposure and experience around other people. While kids turn into adults they start to form their own opinions. These new thoughts and opinions can easily be influenced by others around them. 100 years ago, when the South was racist and negative towards black people so this would cause kids in the South to form opinions based on their racist peers. But a young kid hasn't had enough exposure to their peers to create their own opinions. Therefore, kids are prone to not understand thoughts such as when Dill was sad when Mr. Gilmer took a racist approach towards Tom Robinson. This resulted in Dill being struck by his innocent thoughts and opinions.
ReplyDeleteAdults have a better understanding of racism and it's causes, so they are better able to decide what to think than kids. Kids grow to be racist because the people around them are racist and so they see it as acceptable. Dill cries in this chapter because he has not yet been influenced into racism, rather taught to be a kind and fair person. Adults try to pretend that "negros" aren't fully "human" in order to justify their racism, however dill sees them as people to be treated fairly, just like any others.
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