Essay 3

Nelle Harper Lee has left her mark on today’s society by writing one of the most influential books, To Kill a Mockingbird. However, many have wondered what the purpose Harper Lee had in mind. There can be many reasons, the extent of racism in the 1930’s seems to be a perfect fit. Especially, for when this book was published, which was in the early 1960’s; during the time of the civil rights movement. Harper Lee, seems to show that she is trying to prove that black people aren't all that bad. She shows this through many characters like Calpurnia, Tom Robinson, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond.

Harper Lee writes about Calpurina, a black woman who cooks and mostly cares for the Finch children. She is somewhat like a mother figure to Jem and Scout Finch. Calpurnia even takes them to her church, a black church, when their father, Atticus is out of town on a Sunday. She protects the children, which shows she cares. “When Lula came up the pathway toward us Calpurnia said, “Stop right there, nigger.” Lula stopped, but she said, “You ain’t got no business bringin‘ white chillun here—they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?” Calpurnia said, “It’s the same God, ain’t it?””(pg. 63). She sticks up for the children, even when its against her own people. She also taught Scout how to write at a young age. Atticus even tells Scout to mind Calpurnia. “I’ve no intention of getting rid of her, now or ever. We couldn’t operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think about how much Cal does for you, and you mind her, you hear?” (pg. 13). Calpurnia seems to be a lady of respect and kindness, and yet just because she’s a different color she is treated terribly.

Tom Robinson also has the same diffi...

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...d Lula questions Calpurnia about bringing the children to a “nigger” church. “ I felt Calpurnia’s hand dig into my shoulder. “What you want, Lula?” she asked, in tones I had never heard her use. She spoke quietly, contemptuously. “I wants to know why you bringin‘ white chillun to nigger church.”” (pg. 63) However, all society has someone racist and not racist. Atticus isn't against black people, in fact he treats them like family.

Harper Lee wrote this book in the 1930’s and was later published during the Civil Right Movements. A reason she could have written this book is to prove how unequal society was at the time. Society was so unequal that they shunned their own kind if they treated black people as humans. Luckily, society has made huge improvements toward inequality, and this book has helped with it. This is why Nelle Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird.