To Kill a Mockingbird is an exceptional novel by Harper Lee. Harper Lee shows the reader what it is like to grow up in the 1930’s. The novel tells a story of a young brother and sister, Jem and Scout, growing up faster than most kids. Their childhood innocence robs them of many valuable childhood years. The children learn about the many types of prejudice amongst the town. Out of the many types of prejudice in the novel, the three most significant are racism, ageism and sexism.
The first significant type of prejudice is sexism. Sexism is one of the most common type of prejudice found in the novel. In the novel Jem, Scout and Atticus are discussing about court, when Jem asks Atticus why people like them and Miss Maudie never sit on juries. Atticus answers “For one thing, Miss Maudie can’t serve on a jury because she’s a woman.”(Lee, 221). The quote shows that because Miss Maudie is a woman she can’t serve on a jury. During the 1930’s in Maycomb County, the men think that the women are fragile and that they need protection. The men think that if the women serve on a jury, they will interrupt by asking too De Fazio 2
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Another example of sexism in the novel is when Scout explains that her Aunt Alexandra wants her to wear dresses and not overalls. Aunt Alexandra told Scout that she “could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.”(81). This quote shows the role of women during the 1930’s. The women are supposed to not do anything but look pretty. Scout has no interest of acting like a lady because she does not feel comfortable wearing dresses and having tea parties. Sexism is a very authoritative type of
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a remarkable novel following the childhood of Jem and Scout, the son and daughter of Atticus Finch. Living in a small and drama filled town of Maycomb County they encounter a great deal of people who do not stand by their word. Hypocrisy occurs throughout this novel first by a man named Dolphus Raymond, then by two women Mrs. Merriweather and Miss Gates.
Most girls that grew up in the time that Scout did would be wearing dresses and acting in a more feminine manner. Some of this can be credited to Atticus’s hands-off parenting style, which doesn’t push Scout towards stereotypical gender roles. Scout seems to represent a very early and mild form of feminism in the south. When problems arise in the book, she often questions or examines them as a personal responsibility and seeks a resolution. This is a key difference because in feminist ethics, men often view something right or wrong instead of seeking a resolution.
Few have very strict and narrow definitions of what it means to be a lady, however; those who do appear extremely attached to the ideals and strive to maintain their image.There are many examples of this, although the most notable and influential to Scout has been Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra completely adheres to and advertises the highly ideal standard of a woman in the 1930’s. In the 1930’s the ‘ideal’ woman or the standard for it was extremely close minded as demonstrated by Aunt Alexandra’s very presence, Scout views her in a strict manner and says, “ Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove, but never into the world of Jem and me”(Lee 150). In the early stages of their living together, Scout resist the idea of giving up her masculine activities for a life like her Aunts. While Scout aims to reject her Aunt’s ideals Aunt Alexandra is the type of woman who understands that a woman’s image is always fragile because it is always in the hands of a man. Another woman in the novel that Scout resists for most of her early years is Calpurnia. Following Scout going to Calpurnia’s church, Scout begins to respect Calpurnia’s ways. Scout states “That Calpurnia had led a modest double life never dawned on me. The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one”
Despite cultures and conflicts, the fundamental bonds remain: We all belong to a common family. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a timeless classic about coming of age in a small southern town in the 1930’s. The book follows Jem and Scout, two siblings, who must face the harsh realities of life. Hypocrisy and racism together make the two most important themes.
In the story, Scout describes how Aunt Alexandra exhibits dominance over Scout’s wardrobe, and even berating her for wearing clothes that Alexandra sees fit. In the novel, Lee writes: “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life.” (Lee, 81). This piece of evidence shows how Scout feels she should be able to wear whatever she sees fit, but Aunt Alexandra insists that she is not a proper lady if she doesn’t act and wear whatever defines the characteristics of a “lady” in her perception, serving as an insult to her, which implies that she doesn’t act as her gender stereotypically should. This piece of evidence is only one of the plentiful examples of prejudice and discrimination in To Kill A
One way Harper Lee develops gender inequity through stereotypes is through Scout’s experiences with the women in Maycomb. Scout is laughed at for wearing pants under her dress. Scout prefers pants over dresses because she’s a tomboy and can be more active in “britches.” On Sunday, Scout dressed up, but still had pants under her dress. When Scout is at the gathering with the women, Miss Maudie says, “‘You’re mighty dressed up, Miss Jean Louise,’ she said. ‘Where are your britches today?’ ‘Under my dress.’ I hadn’t meant to be funny, but the ladies laughed. My cheeks grew hot as I realized my mistake” (Lee 307). Because Scout is laughed at for wearing pants and not for something she thought was funny, she feels singled out and degraded. The ladies of Maycomb laughed at her because she had done something “wrong” in their eyes. She wore pants
The Southern women were told and obligated, by some code of southern conduct, to mature into fair-smelling, perfect "ladies." By "ladies" they meant women who were well mannered, good at embroidery, and wore frilly, lacy dresses. One example of this southern tradition occurs when Aunt Alexandra comes to the Finch residence to help Atticus raise his children during the trial. When first arriving she says to Scout, "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys." This comment implies that the only subjects girls are expected to understand are boys and clothes. Aunt Alexandra makes no mention of Jean Louise's intelligence, education, or personality. Her diction suggests that the only thing Jean Louise is capable of pursuing is her attire and a man. Scout discovers what a "southern lady" is as she notices how Aunt Alexandra "chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out her rear, and managed to suggest that Aunt Alexandra's was once an hour-glass figure." Scout was considered to be very improper, wearing overalls and pants, but Aunt Alexandra would still try and introduce her to other ladies. I assume that she did this to try and influence Scout. She hoped Scout would form lady-like habits by watching others. Another example takes place after the trial, when Jem is appalled at the decision the court makes in response to Tom Robinson's case.
Prior to the feminist movement of the 1960s, women had to follow strict gender roles. Scout is a prime example of a female child struggling to fit these roles placed upon her by not only males in society, but women too. The moment Aunt Alexandra enters Maycomb, she places it upon herself to mould young Scout and Jem into their societal roles. Scout especially suffers a great deal of criticism and pressure from her Aunt to be the stereotypical girl;
The novel also portrays numerous examples of racism, sexism, in creative ways. The stereotypes and themes portrayed in this novel have taught its readers not only very valuable lessons but ways to keep from placing stereotypes on people that are different from you before you get to know that person.
In most countries, women only earn between 60 and 75% of men’s wages, for the same work. Sexism is still a problem in today’s society, but it has improved since Scout’s generation in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Scout believes from an early age that girls aren’t good, and that she can avoid the judgement that comes with being a girl by not acting like one. Being a girl for Scout is less a matter of what she's born with and more a matter of what she does. Scout’s elders influence her perception of womanhood by putting preconceived sexist views in her head. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” Harper Lee shows the reader how all women are expected to act lady like and be proper through the actions of Mrs. Dubose, Jem, and Atticus.
The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel. It is set in the 1930s, a time when racism was very prominent. Harper Lee emphasizes the themes of prejudice and tolerance in her novel through the use of her characters and their interactions within the Maycomb community. The narrator of the story, Scout, comes across many people and situations with prejudice and tolerance, as her father defends a black man.
Gender roles in society have greatly changed throughout the years of America. From puritan women who thought that showing skin was undoubtedly a sin, to the flapper era in American history that welcomed the idea of women showing more of their sexuality. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which depicts the events that occur when a white man defends an African American man during the era of the Great Depression and what results from the story. Gender roles are a prevalent theme in the story. Through the characters dialogue and Scout's narration, Miss Maudie is characterized as a modern women while aunt Alexandra is characterized by her adherence to tradition.
Sexism is not as common a topic in comparison to racism, but does play a role in the development of the novel. This type of discrimination is expressed towards women from men and women alike. Men feel compelled to protect women from unsightly things, (Lee 221), and the women in Maycomb have the mind set that, to be a lady, they must conform to society's expectations of them. They believe they must dress, act, and speak a certain way to appease the community. Aunt Alexandra is a big believer in acting the way society expects her to and attempts to impose these values on her niece, Scout, who becomes mortified, as she has always been a tomboy and prefers spending time in the dirt. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my [Scout's] attire. She said I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed ...
Even though many social forces impact Scout in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, gender impacts Scout the greatest. It affects her in how other people treat her. Unexpectedly, Aunt Alexandra shows up at the Finch household, and Scout asks why she had just shown up. Aunt Alexandra replies, “We decided that it would be good for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys” (127). After Alexandra says this, Scout becomes puzzled because she does not think she needs a “feminine influence”. But, as she becomes older she is expected to act more lady like. Since she is a girl, she is expected to act prim and proper. Her being raised around men is acting against these stereotypes. Certainly, it is obvious that boys are more daring than girls. So while Jem and Dill want to get a sneak peak inside of Boo Radley’s house, Scout gets a little apprehensive. Jem shouts out, “Scout I’m telling you for the last time shut your trap or go home. I declare to the lord you’re getting more like a girl every day,” (51-52). After Jem said this, she decides she has no option but to join them. She does...
...she describes the pompous women. The author uses the women's conversations to emphasize the reasons Scout remains a tomboy and refuses the traits of Maycomb females.