--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me…" description: "\"“Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too.”\" — Harper Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png" --- # Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared… ![“Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too.” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png) > ““Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too.”” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character expresses fear that would arise if they shared a marginalized identity, highlighting empathy and shared vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Fear would be felt if you were in the same oppressed group. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity across differences. Themes empathy race fear Mood serious challenging Type literary social commentary When to use this quote - civil rights discussions - personal reflection - teaching about bias Key Concepts social injustice identity perspective taking Questions to Reflect On - How can we discuss racism without perpetuating harmful language? - What does this reveal about the character's perspective? A Different Perspective The quote uses a racial slur, which can be offensive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“There’s a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it’s dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/there-s-a-black-boy-dead-for-no-reason-and-the-man-responsible-for-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I may not be much, Mr. Finch, but I'm still sheriff of Maycomb County, and Bob Ewell fell on his knife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheriff-heck-tate-to-kill-a-mockingbird-1962/i-may-not-be-much-mr-finch-but-i-m-still-sheriff-of-maycomb-county/) Sheriff Heck Tate To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 > [“Jem, I ain't ever heard of a nigger snowman," I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/jem-i-ain-t-ever-heard-of-a-nigger-snowman-i-said/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/don-t-say-nigger-scout-that-s-common/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Im single because I can't handle relationships and as soon as people start to really like me I get scared and up hurting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-single-because-i-can-t-handle-relationships-and-as-soon-as-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do you know what it's like when You're scared to see yourself? Do you know what it's like when You wish you were someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/do-you-know-what-it-s-like-when-you-re-scared-to-see-yourself-do-you/) [Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/) > [Wanting to tell that one person you like them but scared of finding out what they think of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shennon-fabiano/wanting-to-tell-that-one-person-you-like-them-but-scared-of-finding/) [Shennon Fabiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shennon-fabiano/) > [I kind of like being scared. As unprofessional and unprepared as that sounds, knowing that you can just turn up on set and respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-monaghan/i-kind-of-like-being-scared-as-unprofessional-and-unprepared-as-that/) [Michelle Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-monaghan/) > [I mean, I don't like horror movies. I just don't like being scared for the sake of being scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-mean-i-don-t-like-horror-movies-i-just-don-t-like-being-scared-for/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [“So you like her and you're scared. Now what?" "Nothing. It just sucks that I finally found the girl worth having and she's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/so-you-like-her-and-you-re-scared-now-what-nothing-it-just-sucks-that/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [Its like were scared to lose what we dont even really have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-like-were-scared-to-lose-what-we-dont-even-really-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm just like you. I'm scared and I'm angry and I'm confused and I don't know what the hell I'm going to do, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/i-m-just-like-you-i-m-scared-and-i-m-angry-and-i-m-confused-and-i-don/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [I just really am trying, trying, all the time. But I like to be scared. I love to suddenly feel out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-just-really-am-trying-trying-all-the-time-but-i-like-to-be-scared-i/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [Let me tell ya something Coach, this is the thing. I don't usually admit stuff like this, but I'm scared of Kane tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/triple-h/let-me-tell-ya-something-coach-this-is-the-thing-i-don-t-usually/) [Triple H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/triple-h/) > [“But I am scared. Everybody's scared." "You know what I mean, like scared scared. Like coward scared, like if you never went to begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/but-i-am-scared-everybody-s-scared-you-know-what-i-mean-like-scared/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Nigger quotes > [Nigger Money talks trust me I know what I'm saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/nigger-money-talks-trust-me-i-know-what-i-m-saying/) Trunxbeats > [“Brian darling, I’m really not such an idiot that I don’t realize that if a man calls me a nigger it’s his fault the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nella-larsen/brian-darling-i-m-really-not-such-an-idiot-that-i-don-t-realize-that/) [Nella Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nella-larsen/) > [“He never denied it. He never did anything. He never acted like either a nigger or a white man. That was it. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/he-never-denied-it-he-never-did-anything-he-never-acted-like-either-a/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Why was "nigger" bleeped out? I mean, "nigger" is a word that exists. People use it. It is part of America. It has caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/why-was-nigger-bleeped-out-i-mean-nigger-is-a-word-that-exists-people/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“Dear Momma―Wherever you are, if ever you hear the word "nigger" again, remember they are advertising my book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/dear-momma-wherever-you-are-if-ever-you-hear-the-word-nigger-again/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [“Both Richard and I sat silent and watched Jennifer Lee . She came across the room and over to us and swept our chess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-brown/both-richard-and-i-sat-silent-and-watched-jennifer-lee-she-came/) Cecil Brown > [“Stagolee was, undoubtedly and without question, the baddest nigger that ever lived. Stagolee was so bad that the flies wouldn't even fly around his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-lester/stagolee-was-undoubtedly-and-without-question-the-baddest-nigger-that/) [Julius Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-lester/) > [“Nigger-eye Berries cast dark Hooks -- Black sweet blood mouthfuls, Shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/nigger-eye-berries-cast-dark-hooks-black-sweet-blood-mouthfuls-shadows/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Beloved, there is something black folk fear, whether you can see it or not, whether some of us black folk will say it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/beloved-there-is-something-black-folk-fear-whether-you-can-see-it-or/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [“I Ain't Got No Quarrel With The VietCong...No VietCong Ever Called Me Nigger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ain-t-got-no-quarrel-with-the-vietcong-no-vietcong-ever-called-me/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [“it was worth half-cent to kill a "nigger", and a half-cent to bury one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/it-was-worth-half-cent-to-kill-a-nigger-and-a-half-cent-to-bury-one/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see? You couldn't remember it anyways. I seen it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/this-is-just-a-nigger-talkin-an-a-busted-back-nigger-so-it-don-t-mean/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [MINSTREL, adj. Formerly a poet, singer or musician; now a nigger with a color less than skin deep and a humor more than flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/minstrel-adj-formerly-a-poet-singer-or-musician-now-a-nigger-with-a/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“The art of rap is deceptive. It seems so straightforward and personal and real that people read it completely literally, as raw testimony or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/the-art-of-rap-is-deceptive-it-seems-so-straightforward-and-personal/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Wait a minute motherfucker! You gotta twerk a little It didn't work to me, Now turn back and make a try Now pick it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wait-a-minute-motherfucker-you-gotta-twerk-a-little-it-didn-t-work-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 87 Nigger quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harper Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you-d-be-scared-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nigger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you-d-be-scared-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/harper-lee-451_nigger_mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you_2422470.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Mr. Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you'd be scared, too.” — Harper Lee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harper Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Mr. Finch, if you was a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you-d-be-scared-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/mr-finch-if-you-was-a-nigger-like-me-you-d-be-scared-too/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```