Historical Influences On To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Historical Influences on To Kill a Mockingbird

The Great Depression affected thousands of people in many different ways. During The Great Depression “people lost their jobs, didn’t pay their rent, and had to give up their property” (McCabe 12). The Great Depression plays a big role in the novel. The Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and Scottsboro trials are the historical influences in To Kill a Mockingbird.

The Jim Crow laws are the first influence of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. “Jim Crow was more than a series of anti-black laws. It was a way of life” (Pilgrim). Jim Crow laws segregated blacks and whites. “Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended Whites” (Pilgrim). This is just one of the many examples of the Jim Crow laws. Why were these laws created? Well,

Mob mentality is a group of angry people doing things they normally wouldn’t do (Smith). The mob has a common goal, but it's the mindset of you can do more when you are in a group, instead of alone. Mob mentality can be seen in the article when a group of people come together because they’re frustrated about an issue (Edmonds). Examples of what people might do in mobs are vandalism, violence and riots (Edmonds). They would commit these actions because they’re in a group. Mob mentality can be exposed in To Kill a Mockingbird in numerous ways. The first example is when people normally wouldn't do things outside of the mob, however, in the mob they can do more actions (Edmonds). This is shown when Scout tries to speak with Mr. Cunningham but he ignores her (Lee 205-206). The second example, when the mob has a common goal. This is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird when the men show up to the jail to get Tom Robinson (Lee 202). Along with mob mentality the Scottsboro trials were also an influence in Harper Lee’s To Kill a