Jim Crow Laws In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes the childhood of Jean Louise Finch, otherwise known as Scout. Lee explores many ideas, behaviors, and laws that people must adopt in order to live as humanly as possible. Through the character of Atticus Finch, Lee shows the importance of understanding people’s circumstances before judging them and their actions. She illustrates the negativity in society through the forced laws of the past during the Great Depression and Jim Crow Era. Illuminating the importance of laws, she reveals that people must break some laws in order to keep individuals safe. After reading the novel, many may ponder whether people should always follow the law. A system of rules that a country or community recognizes

In the past, Jim Crow Laws upheld segregation between white societies and people of color between 1874 and 1975. Though Congress passed the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) in 1865, nearly all Southerners still despised African Americans and did not see them as equals. Though most laws did not physically hurt people of color, they bruised them emotionally as much as slavery did physically; the circumstances and their anger forced them to break laws and begin a fight. Rosa Parks, a famous social activist, broke the Jim Crow Law which stated that black people had to “sit in the rear of the bus” and “[were] forced to stand in the back if all seats were taken” (Hansan). She even told the bus driver, “...go on and have me arrested” (Raines), proving that she meant to break this unjust law. Her arrest helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement and brought many people to their senses. Thanks to her efforts, Northerners began supporting the African Americans and protested against the segregation, prejudice, and the unjust Jim Crow Laws. Since African Americans held no worth in the eyes of much of the white community, most people would continue their harsh behavior towards them without caring about the consequences. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community also experienced problems in the past from laws that prohibited them. In order to overcome these small-minded laws,

One can assume that those in the Southern State Governments did not do so in the past, for they have passed the Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws for the betterment of white society; they did not care for African Americans and would behave anyhow in order to obtain the superiority. Without fighting these laws, people of color would not have received the justice, freedom, and equality that they have, and still strive for, today. Thus, To Kill A Mockingbird helps bring to light the idea that people should not always follow the law because some laws do not protect or benefit everyone in society. People cannot blindly accept laws, but should understand them and the implications they have on society. In the modern world, most people notice the flaws in past societies, governments, and laws. To overcome these flaws, people must not discriminate toward any races, religions, cultures, ethnicities, or people with disabilities when passing laws. Those following the laws must not break them if they hurt other people; however, people should not feel entitled to breaking just laws. People should break laws when they feel that some people do not receive equal benefits and protection as citizens, but under few additional circumstances; when a law does not protect a person of different color, religion, or nation, an