“Many people these days have faced racism in one way or another. Perhaps a person of a different race has been treated unfairly simply because they are a different color. Or someone might have been given special privileges because of their race. Dictionary.com defines racism as “[1] “A belief or doctrine that the inherent differences between various human races determine cultural or individual success, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to govern others. » Although racism may not seem to have the same effect today as it did in the past, it remains an important factor in our world today. This is evident with the scandal over Donald Sterling's remarks about African Americans. The main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is racism and it was written at a time when racism and prejudice were still a norm in the South. Harper Lee grew up in Alabama, so she knew firsthand what people thought of African Americans. This book was written in the hope that people would stop seeing the differences between people and come together to see the similarities. Harper Lee's story allows the reader to connect with the characters on a personal level like few books can. The first half of the novel focuses primarily on the shenanigans and problems of Scout and Jem's childhood. They play games with friends and dread going to school like any other kid. The reader will see themselves in these children and be drawn to the book. The reader is connected and now this is where Lee used the children to send his message. In the second half of the book, we see Scout and Jem affected by the beliefs and social hierarchies of their community. Differences in social status are discussed throughout much of the book, which constantly confuses middle of paper... throughout the book. These children are the perfect vehicle to get his message across and demonstrate to the reader that if they can look beyond skin color, adults can too and perhaps they will see the similarities between whites and black people. This book was one of my favorites from my high school career because of its likable characters and powerful message. Works Cited 1. “Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.” 123HelpMe.com. May 21, 2014.2.SparkNotes. SparkNotes and Web. May 20, 2014.3. “To Kill a Mockingbird Themes.” Study guides and essay editing. Np, and Web. May 20, 2014.[1] https://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=15190[2] http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/themes.html[3] https://www.123helpme.com/ view.asp?id=15190[4] http://www.gradesaver.com/to-kill-a-mockingbird/study-guide/major-themes/