“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow” (Lee 7). Thus begins Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the timeless story of Scout Finch growing up in a 1930s, southern, small town where she deals with issues of racism and prejudice. Lee’s story is fiction, but it has some basis in elements true to the time period of the 1930s. Though Scout Finch and Maycomb never existed, there were many historical influences that shaped Harper Lee’s novel. These included, but were not limited to, the Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the Scottsboro Trials of the early 1930s. The Jim Crow laws were one historical element that was prevalent in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The Jim Crow laws enforced strict racial segregation …show more content…
in the South. The laws “operated primarily, but not exclusively, in southern and border states, between 1877 and the mid-1960s” (Pilgrim). More than a series of laws, the Jim Crow laws were a “way of life” for people in the southern United States (Pilgrim). According to Pilgrim’s article, these laws restricted black rights in order to keep them “at the bottom of the racial hierarchy”. There was a varied rationale behind these laws, but in the end it boiled down to a general belief in White superiority. Pilgrim writes that the Jim Crow laws were rationalized by the ideas that Whites were “superior to Blacks in all ways” and that any relations between the two races could not be allowed. The Jim Crow laws were enforced primarily through violence. As Pilgrim writes, “the Jim Crow laws… were undergirded by violence, real and threatened... The Jim Crow hierarchy could not work without violence.” This use of what essentially boils down to fear tactics was the backbone of the system. Lynchings, “public, often sadistic, murders carried out by mobs”, were the “most extreme forms of Jim Crow violence” (Pilgrim). Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, one can find examples of the Jim Crow laws. According to Stetson Kennedy, the author of Jim Crow Guide, a black person should “never assert or even intimate that a White person is lying” (Pilgrim). In the novel, Tom Robinson never claims that Mayella lied, repeatedly stating that she is “mistaken in her mind” (Lee 200). The Jim Crow laws influenced To Kill a Mockingbird; the concept of mob mentality did so as well. Another historical element found in Harper Lee’s novel was the idea of mob mentality.
The term ‘mob mentality’ could be loosely defined as the often abnormal thoughts and traits that can manifest when a large group of similar people are united under one goal (Smith; Edmonds). Although this phenomenon tends to carry negative or violent connotations, it can apply to anything from animal herds to social trends (Smith). As for why this phenomenon occurs, there can be a variety of reasons. Sometimes alcohol is involved. It can also be more pronounced in situations where people feel a sense of strong unity. There is also the idea that under the veil of a mob, individuals lose some of their own morals (Edmonds). There is a sense of invisibility and security in a mob, the belief that the consequences for a group will not be the same as they would have been for an individual (Smith). There also may be a sort of ‘follow the leader’ effect, where one person begins to do something and thus others believe it must be all right, or even good, and thus do it themselves. The passion of a mob can be gripping, and it can distort the truth (Edmonds). Unfortunately, due to this passion, these instances of such crowd hysteria can often lead to violence or destruction, as seen in prison riots, stampedes, or, perhaps most infamously, lynchings (Smith; Edmonds; “Strange Fruit: Anniversary of a Lynching”). Mob mentality and its more negative connotations can be observed in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Shortly after Tom Robinson is moved to the Maycomb County jail, a mob, made up of ordinary Maycomb people united in anger against Tom, gathers outside of his jail cell (Lee 153-154). One can infer that they intend violence. Scout unintentionally dissipates what could have become a dangerous situation. She talks to Walter Cunningham, about his son, about his entailment, and about his bringing them gifts when he could not pay them (Lee 155-156). This reminds Cunningham of his individuality
and separates him from the group mentality. Cunningham orders the mob to leave, and they all go (Lee 156-157). Mob mentality was an influence throughout To Kill a Mockingbird; the novel was also influenced by the Scottsboro Trials of the 1930s. The ideas of racism and prejudice, in particular the Scottsboro Trials of the early 1930s, had a heavy influence To Kill a Mockingbird. March 25, 1931 found a group of people, white and black, crossing into Alabama from Tennessee in the cars of a freight train. Among these rail-riders were Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, two white women. Somewhere along the journey, a fight broke out, resulting in most of the white men being removed from the train; it is unclear who started the fight (Johnson). Regardless, what was to happen next would be the beginning of something huge. Ruby Bates and Victoria Price accused the nine boys, ranging in age from twelve to seventeen of rape, all of whom were promptly arrested. Despite being on trial for their lives, the nine accused men were given a one-day trial (Anderson).This was not the only problem with the trial. Aside from the women, there were two other witnesses, one of whom did not agree with the testimonies given by the other three (Johnson). Furthermore, the doctor who had examined the women insisted that there was no evidence that a rape had occurred; the man never actually testified, but he did make his knowledge very clear (Anderson). On top of that, the defendants testified that they “had not even been in the same car with the women” (Johnson). It was also revealed that Bates and Price, the two women who were accusing the men of rape, were prostitutes, who had violated the Mann Act by crossing state lines for “immoral purposes” (Anderson). Despite all of the obvious holes in the evidence, all but the youngest of the defendants were sentenced to death (Anderson). However, this was not the end. The executions were stayed and the case appealed. Finally, this appeal reached the U.S. Supreme Court (Johnson). More evidence was brought to light, in support of the defendants’ innocence, including revaluation of medical evidence and a testimony from Ruby Bates that actually denied a rape had ever occurred (Johnson). Despite this, the boys were convicted again (Anderson). However, none of the nine boys were actually executed (Anderson). Their lives, though, were not easy. It took nineteen years for the last boy to be released from prison. Some of the boys escaped, living in the shadows until they were at long last pardoned. The final Scottsboro boy was not pardoned until the 1980s (Anderson). A clear parallel can be seen between the Scottsboro Trials and Tom Robinson’s case in To Kill a Mockingbird. Tom Robinson’s trial was also relatively short, taking place over the course of one day, and it also dealt with the major issue of white word versus black word (Lee). In both cases, the prosecutor had something to hide. Bates and Price were using the rape charges to cover up their own breaking of the Mann act, and Mayella Ewell was lying to hide the fact that she had made advances towards a black man (Anderson; Lee 206). In both cases, there were pieces of evidence that just did not add up. For instance, the Ewell’s both agreed that Mayella was beaten heavily on the right side of her face, but they insisted that Tom Robinson, a man with a crippled left arm, had been the one to beat her (Lee 178-179, 187-189). In the Scottsboro Trials, it was eventually discovered that many of the boys had not been in the same train cars as the women they had ‘raped’ (Anderson). Despite blatant evidence supporting the contrary, the defendants were convicted in both cases, and both Tom Robinson and the Scottsboro boys were on trial for an executable sentence (Lee 214; Anderson). Clear parallels can be seen between the Scottsboro Trials and the Tom Robinson case in To Kill a Mockingbird, demonstrating that this event was perhaps one of the strongest historical influences on the novel. The Jim Crow laws, the idea of mob mentality, and the Scottsboro Trials all influenced Harper Lee’s novel. The addition of these elements into the novel take a simple story of a young girl and fabricate an authentic, rich setting that make it feel almost real. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the Depression Era of the 1930s, but its memorable characters and heartfelt morals make it a truly timeless tale.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee seems like a complete replica of the lives of people living in a small Southern U.S. town. The themes expressed in this novel are as relevant today as when this novel was written, and also the most significant literary devices used by Lee. The novel brings forward many important themes, such as the importance of education, recognition of inner courage, and the misfortunes of prejudice. This novel was written in the 1930s. This was the period of the “Great Depression” when it was very common to see people without jobs, homes and food. In those days, the rivalry between the whites and the blacks deepened even more due to the competition for the few available jobs. A very famous court case at that time was the Scottsboro trials. These trials were based on the accusation against nine black men for raping two white women. These trials began on March 25, 1931. The Scottsboro trials were very similar to Tom Robinson’s trial. The similarities include the time factor and also the fact that in both cases, white women accused black men.
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
Throughout the book there are many historical references, including the Jim Crow Laws. After reading the Jim Crow pieces, I conclude that Jim Crow was a variety of laws that were against blacks, trying to keep blacks away from whites. Blacks had different places to drink, eat, and go to the bathroom. Some people thought the laws were needed because they thought blacks were socially below them. Examples of the laws
Even though To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960’s the powerful symbolism this book contributes to our society is tremendous. This attribute is racism (Smykowski). To Kill a Mockingbird reveals a story about Scout’s childhood growing up with her father and brother, in an accustomed southern town that believed heavily in ethnological morals (Shackelford).
The first influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws are laws that took place in between 1877 to the mid 1960s (Pilgrim). These laws are of segregation between blacks and whites to give blacks fewer rights. Christians and Ministers believed that Whites were the chosen people; Blacks were lesser people and only suppose to be servants, and that God Supported Ra
A distinct conscience is formed by the values and desires of one’s unique identity. However, common beliefs of societal standards can influence conscientious desires. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces a young girl named Scout, who learns about the difference between social conformity and human conscience. Through this, she notices the conflict it brings: choosing to conform or stand with your desire. Through Maycomb’s discriminatory principles, Atticus’ actions against common beliefs, and Scout’s comprehension of Boo, Lee reveals how society’s standards and conformity hinders personal desires for righteousness.
Growing up in Maycomb, Southern Alabama in the 1930s was not an easy thing. Amid a town of prejudice and racism, stood a lone house where equality and respect for all gleamed like a shining star amid an empty space. The house of Atticus Finch was that shining star. Jean Louise Finch, also known as “Scout”, is given the opportunity of being raised in this house by her father, Atticus. I stole this essay from the net. As she grows, Atticus passes down his values of equality and righteousness to Scout and her brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, also known as “Jem”. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee, we see Scout learns many lessons about dealing with prejudice by observing the behavior of other characters in the story.
Jim Crow laws severely limited the way that African Americans could participate in society, which was an idea present often in To Kill a Mockingbird. The Jim Crow laws were created for practicing racial segregation, which if enforced, would reinforce the inequality of blacks. In To Kill a Mockingbird, these laws greatly contributed to determining the verdict of Tom Robinson’s case. Atticus Finch was helping Tom Robinson, a black man, win a case in court, which was frowned upon by the citizens of Maycomb. While the majority of Maycomb, in the novel by Harper Lee, were happy with the laws, Atticus Finch was not.
and disgusting (V.E.). In Lee’s fictional book, the citizens she created followed or respIn Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird she was inspired from events throughout American history. Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the Scottsboro trials are all connections during this time period.The Jim Crow laws were a huge part in American history back in the 1930’s, in the book occurrences would happen when the laws were needed; especially during a trial. This was one of the first connections.The Jim Crow laws were laws that were put in place after slavery was over. Some reasons why southerners thought that the Jim Crow laws should be needed are that multiple Christians thought the white community was the superior race and believed that slavery
Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves of classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for its execution of style and the importance of its content.
The Jim Crow laws were the first American history influences in Harper Lee’s book To Kill A Mockingbird. The Jim Crow laws were laws that legalized the hate and discrimination against Africans Americans (Pilgrim). The people believed that the Jim Crow laws were necessary because of many wrong reasons. They believed that Blacks were intellectually and culturally inferior to Whites (Pilgrim).
The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a simplistic view of life in the Deep South of America in the 1930s. An innocent but humorous stance in the story is through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch. Scout is a young adolescent who is growing up with the controversy that surrounds her fathers lawsuit. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer who is defending a black man, Tom Robinson, with the charge of raping a white girl. The lives of the characters are changed by racism and this is the force that develops during the course of the narrative.
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and oppressive events that actually took place in the south during the time period in which the novel is based. In addition to actual historical events, events and examples from the book that clearly illustrate the overpoweringly high levels of prejudice that were intertwined in the everyday thinking of the majority of the characters in the book supports the fact that Tom Robinson never stood a chance of getting a fair trial.
In to Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses characters to explore the different stereotypes in the Southern United States of the 1930s. Told through the eyes of Scout Finch you learn how these stereotypes are so absurd and fabricated they really were. The novel also portrays numerous examples of racism, sexism, in creative ways. The stereotypes and themes portrayed in this novel are exactly what makes it so relevant to today’s society.
In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police.