In the novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” the Finch children do not go through life looking at the content of one’s character through their race. In fact, race seems to have little to no value to the children at all, yet they are surrounded by people who constantly express racist views. From this, the reader can see that children are not born with the innate concept of racism and that it is an idea that grows over time.

This had me asking the question, why does racism perpetuate?

Racism is just one of many ideas learned by children. Children are remarkably observational and pick up on many “nonverbal cues like facial expressions, tone of voice and body language.” Another way children are affected by their parents are through the small actions that their parents take. From locking doors in certain neighborhoods and fearing the police, “children feel these experiences and hold on to them.” These small details can leave great impressions on a child and affect how they view the world for years to come.

Although children are influenced by the actions and people around them, that does not mean that they do not notice what they do not see. It may seem obvious, but when a person is more accustomed to seeing certain people they naturally become more comfortable and relaxed with those individuals. Whether or not a child is exposed to other racial groups at a young age can affect how they view others later in life. When it comes to children’s television characters “just 6 percent are black.” That may seem as though it is inconsequential, but a lack of racial diversity in a child’s life may lead them to be uncomfortable and prejudice as they grow older.