The Role Of Social Class In To Kill A Mockingbird

“ ‘… the evil assumption- that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not trusted around our women, an assumption that one associates with minds of their calibre.’ ” (Lee 232).

The book To Kill a Mockingbird is based out of the town of Maycomb, Alabama. The residents in Maycomb are extremely racist and see minor inequalities as major differences and reasons to segregate. The families of Maycomb have their own hereditary social classes and are pretty much stuck in their class based on occupation and race`. People in Maycomb are born into significance or are born into less fortunate situations. Many of the characters use these social classes to boost their self esteem. Due to the social classes and stigmas surrounding these classes the citizens have limited their ability to develop fully as humans.

The poorest white families in Maycomb County were the Cunninghams and the Ewells, who were living behind the town 's garage dump. “ ' '...The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them the hardest. ' '”18 For example, Walter Cunningham and Burris Ewells ' characters are both bullied at school, since they do not have the money for lunch or clean clothes. “...Walter Cunningham was sitting there lying his head off. He didn’t forget his lunch, he didn’t have any. He had none today nor would he have any tomorrow or the next day. He had probably never seen three quarters together at the same time in his life.”19 For the African-American people, things seem to be even worse as they are rejected in Maycomb like cancer. The heart of their community, the church, where Calpurnia takes the kids into, is in poor condition with no electricity or

In Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, we can see there is a clear disparity the between classes, especially between the blacks and the whites in Maycomb county. Throughout the book, it is implied that (as far as class is concerned) the richest black person is far lower than that of the poorest white person. Due to the class disparity between the two races, the whites of Maycomb would be considered to be "better off " than the blacks and are also considered above them. When Scout, Jem, and Dill see Tom empathizes with Mayella, their idea of class is flipped upside down. This would teach our main characters that empathy transcends race and

So·cial jus·tice, noun, 1. justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. 2."individuality gives way to the struggle for social justice.” (Google Search). Social Justice is a term used to justify the equality in the world; equality of race, equality of gender, equality of religion, of age, of background; equality of all people not dependent on any outside factor, but of the people themselves. One of the most recognizable forms of social justice is the character of Atticus Finch in the 1930’s setting of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In To KIll a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee’s ideas on social justice are revealed through detailed representations of wisdom, loyalty, and selflessness

“Don't trade your authenticity for approval” stated an unknown author. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird Scout is a young girl who breaks the social norm of wearing proper clothes such as dresses. In the town called Maycomb, the social norms are for whites to separate from African Americans along with women dressing a certain way and men dressing another. Those social norms don’t just exist in Maycom they are also in the real world. Ellen DeGeneres is a woman in the real world who breaks those social norms. Ellen has decided to make her own style and wear what she likes and some accept it and others don’t. Instead of wearing gowns and dresses she wearing suit and blazers. Ellen has become very successful being herself she now has her own T.V

In To Kill A Mockingbird, there are many chapters that involve racism, poverty, and or violence. This book takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The Finches, Jem, Scout, and Atticus which are the rich white people, the Cunninghams, the poor humble people, the Ewells, the dirt poor white trash people, and the colored folks all are involved in either racism, poverty, and or violence.

How does Harper Lee vividly capture the effects of racism and social inequality on the citizens of Maycomb county in ‘To kill a mockingbird’?

Race has always been a part of history, from slavery to MLK, to Barack Obama. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee defines race in the south during the 1930’s. Jean “Scout” Finch, is the narrator of the story. Her brother Jeremy “Jem” and her dad, Atticus, are both main characters. Calpurnia is their house cook and helper, she is also black. Tom Robinson is a black man who is wrongfully convicted of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. This novel goes through Scout's life from when she was 6, till she is 9. She lives in the town of Maycomb Alabama, and lives an innocent life until about halfway through the story, where she begins to ask questions. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout shows the readers that racial inequality creates an unjust society through the African American community, through the people surrounding colored folks, and through Tom Robinson’s Case.

¨Inequality is the root of social evil¨ (Pope Francis). In the book To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee shows that social inequality affects everyone. As the book goes on, Lee proves that racial inequality was one of the greater stresses in the 1930’s. Social inequality does not just exist only with race; it interferes with wealth, family backgrounds, age, and even your beliefs. Racism, family background, and wealth are the three main forms of social inequality that appear multiple times in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Thesis Statement/opening paragraph: In the story To Kill A Mockingbird, discrimination and the act of being prejudice is common among the main characters, on both the receiving and serving end. Certain characters, like Scout and Jeremy Finch, Bob Ewell, and the town folk truly create the main problem and set the theme of the story. For example, when Bob Ewell accuses Atticus Finch of being an african-american lover, because he is defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, according to Bob. Boo Radley is accused of being dead by Scout, Jem and Dill. In this essay, I will tell you the biggest people affected by discrimination and the act of prejudice.

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird famously said in his closing arguments: "You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some negro men are not to be trusted around women- black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and no particular race of men." (pg 232) What Atticus is trying to convey is a foreign concept to most people in Maycomb county. Atticus is trying to convey a point of equality and no prejudice in a world of social inequality which, as one can imagine, didn 't go over so well. To kill a mockingbird tells a story of a county whose morals are masked by the great depression, a county whose judgment is masked by racism and social stigma. In to kill a mockingbird,

Given the time period is during the 1930’s, and that Maycomb County is located in the deep south, it is no wonder of why prejudice appears as a cultural norm. The Great Depression was going on at the time, and so, everyone is taking the chance in trying to look better off, in the terms of finance and living standards. In looking at the main family of the book, the Finches, they are part of the high standing class. And, as according to Aunt Alexandra, they, as a family, are above everyone. To prove this point, Aunt Alexandra even goes as to tell her niece, Scout Finch, that her friend, Walter, “is trash,” based upon that of his family being dirty and poor (Lee 301). Aunt Alexandra, is deeply set upon saying that Walter and his family are below hers, as a result of the classism, caused by the Great Depression. In fact, if it was

The quality of society is very much determined by how it treats its lowest of individuals. This tenet is seen throughout American history and is still seen today. This story has undertones of political wrongdoings in almost the whole book. George and Lennie are considered some of the lowliest people during the depression. They were migrant farm hands that had no place to go. The society of the people they worked for were not treating them very nice. That is seen through the way they have to move around all the time. The government didn’t even help them out of it. They actually made it harder by forcing them to get work cards.

The the national bestseller How to Kill a Mockingbird is known as a novel that brings to light the racism as well as the social justice in America during the 1930s. Social Justice is portrayed through a character, that character’s actions as well as how the character handles situations. In to Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch portrays social justice multiple times throughout the novel with how he presents himself in society. Social Justice is the overall promoting of a just society by challenging injustice and valuing community. In the historical fiction novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee exposes her views on social justice through Atticus Finch, who in many cases is fair and wise when handling difficult situations.