There are many themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. The most obvious is that of racism. This can be seen in the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom is a black man accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the development of this story line, we see the many layers of racism in Maycomb, Alabama.
Tom is a hardworking, honest man who would do anything for anyone. He often helps Mayella Ewell with chores as he passes her house on his way home. One fateful night as Tom is passing by, Mayella asks him to chop up a chiffarobe. This simple act of kindness shown by Tom Robinson, an act that he had practiced many times, was the one that led to his untimely death. The people of Mayomb were not prepared to believe Tom Robinson. Instead, they believed their own selfish reasons and those of the prosecution. Because of this racism, a man was killed.
Racism can also be seen in the way the people of Maycomb County react to the trial. For the most part, they go to be entertained. They cannot wait to see Tom convicted. They even hold a picnic ahead of time. These feelings of hatred are perhaps the most evident when the mob arrives to lynch Tom Robinson outside of the jail. Many more examples exist during the trail, and all of them revolve around a learned hatred- not facts.
We see racism in many more places throughout the novel, but most significantly in the trial of Tom Robinson. His conviction was the ultimate proof that racism rules over reason in Maycomb County. .