Suppressing Beliefs

Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the overwhelming racism of the average Maycomb citizen creates an unsafe environment for people who oppose these views. Therefore, conflicting with the majority, and sticking up for the rights of Negroes, is exceptionally difficult. Mayella Ewell is considerate towards Negroes until she is beaten up and threatened by her father to depart from these beliefs. Unlike Mayella Ewell, some people willingly chose to disregard their views on racism because society pressures into doing so. Mr. Dolphus Raymond thinks African Americans should be treated equally but behaves drunk to avert confrontation of his beliefs. He knows how unaccepted these beliefs are but desires to retain his way of life. Mayella Ewell and Dolphus Raymond are just two examples of how the racist Maycomb County pressures individuals to suppress their personal antiracist beliefs.
Mayell Ewell is a young woman who is caring towards all until her racist father, Bob Ewell, forces her to testify against Tom Robinson, against her own will. Before Mr. Ewell imposed his racist views upon Mayella was not racist towards African Americans. This is shown when Tom Robinson tells the jury, 'She reached up an' kissed me 'side of th' face. She says she never kissed a grown man before an' she might as well kiss a nigger. She says what her papa do to her don't count. She says, 'Kiss me back, nigger.' I say Miss Mayella lemme outa here an' tried to run but she got her back to the door an' I'da had to push her. I didn't wanta harm her, Mr. Finch, an' I say lemme pass, but just I say it Mr. Ewell yonder hollered through th' window' (Lee 194.
Mayella acts sincerely towards Tom and she even gives him a kiss. If Mayella is racist towards African Americans she would not desire a relationship with one. Instead, she would set a distance between Tom Robinson and themselves for he could potentially pose a danger. When her father catches sight of Mayella showing affection towards Tom he panics and beats her. Later, her father coerces her to testify against Tom Robinson. Atticus finds this information out when he questions Mayella in court. He confronts Mayella, "Did you scream until you saw your father in the window? You didn't think to scream until then, did you? No Answer. Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father? No answer" (Lee 187). Atticus finds out that Mr. Ewell forced Mayella into helping the prosecution Tom Robinson, knowing that the jury would convict a Negro no matter how apparent Tom Robinson's innocence is. Therefore, allowing Mr. Ewell to walk away as a free man after abusing his daughter. Mr. Ewells intimidation forces Mayella into obeying his demands even though it is against her own wishes. Dolphus Raymond is originally thought to be as an abnormal, antiracist man who excessively drinks. It is later revealed that the influence of southern society pressures Mr. Raymond to behave drunk to cover up his antiracist beliefs. Mr. Raymond witnesses and hates how everyday white people belittle innocent black people daily. He explains to Scout, and Dill the cruelty of humanity, "Cry about the simple hell people give other people—without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks without even stopping to think that they are people too" (Lee 201). Mr. Raymond passionately believes that Negroes deserve equal treatment. He believes that the racist white people should stop systematically mortifying innocent people and realize how they are truly affecting other people.
Even though Mr. Raymond is personally antiracist, he attempts to avoid suspicion about these beliefs by behaving drunk. He does not help benefit the lives of Negroes by contributing to their cause. Instead, he hides his inner beliefs acting drunk. Mr. Raymond believes that the racist population would threaten him and terrorize him to believe differently if they found out that these were truly his beliefs. He explains to Scout, "Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live" (Lee 200-201). Mr. Raymond would stick up for the rights of African Americans but he is pressured into pretending that he is drunk. Since he behaves this way, the average, racist white citizen of Alabama continues to believe that Mr. Raymond is just out of his mind because he is under the influence of alcohol. The influence of the racist southern society suppresses Mr. Raymond's beliefs that Negroes should be treated equally.
Society in the south causes many antiracist people to withhold their inner beliefs. Threats and intimidation terrorizes several of the antiracist individuals throughout the novel and prevents them from creating an enhanced world for African Americans. Mayella Ewell is threatened to disregard her antiracist views and act racist to cover up her father's crime. On the contrary, some people willingly chose to not act upon their beliefs. Mr. Dolphus Raymond feels that Negroes are treated despicably but behaves drunk to prevent racist people from intimidating him out of his way of life. Unfortunately, self-preservation causes these characters with a conscious towards African American to hold back their beliefs. Mr. Raymond and Mayella Ewell are forced to not act to make America how Thomas Jefferson intended, that all men should be created equal.