In the 1940's, Malcolm Little (also known as Malcolm X) stood up against racism towards all Black people. This courageous act becomes even more courageous when it is considered that he was following in his Fathers footsteps, even though his father was murdered because of his philosophies about equality. It often takes great courage for one to stand up for their individual beliefs. It is courage that offers hope for equality in the generations to come.
             Society in general tends to oppose anything they don't understand or anything they may be ignorant about. A lot of this has to do with conformity. People don't like to center themselves out, or be seen as different, so they modify their behavior to fit in with society around them. Young children absorb the views of the older people and adapt them as their own. This Prejudice and its destruction, along with demonstrations of courage is shown in the books, Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Gutterson, and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
             Society today, is still somewhat like society was in the early 1940's. People still believe all of the stereotypes about other people, and even develop their own stereotypes. Just like Athletes and Cheerleaders are stereotyped as being somewhat unintelligent, and black people, as being natural Athletes, and even teenagers as being rebels, the Japanese people, around the time of World War Two, were stereotyped as being peasants and lower in class than the white Americans. The Japanese American Citizens in Snow Falling on Cedars also experience the prejudice aspect of stereotypes.
             : Fujiko saw Ilse Severson there, leaning against the railing with her hands clasped in front of her, she waved at the Imadas as they passed by. Ilse, a Seattle transplant, had for ten years purchased strawberries from Fujiko and spoke to her as if she were a peasant whose role in life was to make island life pleasantly exotic for Ilse&apo...