The Literary Context Of To Kill A Mockingbird

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird made by Harper Lee , many different people are discriminated against, for their color or gender like Tom Robison and even Scout.. But one character is discriminated against very early in the book, Walter Cunningham, who was discriminated by class. To start with, Walter Cunningham is from a family of farmers. This means he is a class below the citizens of Maycomb. But this also means that he(and all other farmers) got hit hard by the depression and are very poor.We first see the importance of this difference when Scout goes to school on her first day.

In the courtroom, he states that, “There is one way in this country in which all men are created equal…” (274). Atticus knew race was the main reason this case was brought to trial. At the time the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, took place, blacks were not treated equally. Atticus also knew that if a white man went to trial against a black man, or vice versa, the black man would be guilty no

His classmates know the first day of school is also his last and he is not required to go back because of the pity his family receives. His father spends the little money they do have on whiskey and the family is permitted to hunt off season because they would have no way of surviving if it was any different. African Americans in the novel are seen as the bottom of the totem pole and the Ewells are right above them. Prejudice and racism are transparent and perceptible because when skin tone is left aside, the Ewells life the same lifestyle as the African Americans by the homes they live in which are considered “dumps”. As a matter of fact, Bob Ewell and family live in an old black cabin directly behind the landfill.

Atticus challenges the theme of racism by defending Tom Robinson in court to the absolute best of his ability, despite his community’s disapproval. This positions the audience to believe in Atticus’ morally right beliefs. Lee has also explored the segregation of the black community from the white through the construction of key events that in that time would be seen as

Atticus Finch’s views on racism are bespoke in Part I, to foreshadow what will happen at the Tom Robinson case. Atticus says, “I’m simply defending a Negro—his name’s Tom Robinson” (Lee 75). Atticus believes that he should be able to defend any man, regardless of his color. Even though, almost all of the white citizens in Maycomb do not think it is right for a white man to defend a black man, Atticus does not conform with society’s beliefs of racism. Lee’s foreshadowing, helps for the upcoming event in Part II because now the reader knows how Atticus feels about racism and steps away from the towns

White supremacists trusted the issue was clear and took the perspective point that African Americans were a subordinate race and ought to, in this way, be held subordinate under the law. Social equality activists trusted that all men were made equivalent and hence ought to be equivalent under the law. Lord utilizes numerous quotes from knowledgeable chronicled figures to fortify his contention. He recognizes his concurrence with St. Thomas Aquinas who said "a treacherous law is a human law that is not established in everlasting law and regular law. "vii This can be connected to the predicament of African Americans as common law would direct that all men are made equivalent.

Tom Robinson was a black man who got accused of raping a white girl. The only reason he got accused no white man did because he was a different color than everyone who was against him. Also, the whole jurors were white while he was the only black man in the courtroom. “...The evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral, that all Negroes men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associate with minds of their caliber.” Every negro did not have the same rights as a white man. The whites had a higher advantage, and everyone always took the side of the white man no matter what the situation is.

Scout describes Burris as, “The filthiest human I had ever seen” (Lee, 29) and describes him by saying, “His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick.” (Lee, 29). He is clearly not the most popular kid in class. He disgusts the teacher so much that sends him home stating, “Please bathe yourself before you come back tomorrow.” (Lee, 30). The dialogue between Burris and Miss Caroline causes Burris to get upset and tell Miss Caroline, “You ain’t sendin’ me home, missus. I was on the

To begin, the first illustration that shows how proving one's innocence may be costly is the protagonist Scout Finch's first day of school. At school, a schoolmate from Scouts class has not brought a lunch so Miss. Caroline offers him to buy lunch with a quatre with one problem, he has to pay her back. This story takes place after the great depression that left many families poor or in terrible conditions including the Cunninghams. Walters family is very large as well as poor and Walter will never to have money to pay the teacher back.

In this Allusion Atticus uses three comparisons saying that in court a pauper is equal to a Rockefeller and the stupid man is equivalent to an Einstein; The court is the great equalizer. Atticus also uses many varying styles of syntax which creates strong logos and pathos appeals, and persuades his court. A fitting example of this is when Atticus explains, “And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to ‘feel sorry’ for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people. Finch uses the asyndeton to display the characteristics of Tom Robinson and to make him seem as a quiet, respectable, and humble person. This asyndeton creates pathos and is used to sway the court