Historical Elements of To Kill a Mockingbird
“If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do we go out of our way to despise each other?” (Lee, 259) This qoute relates to many main topics touched upon in Harper Lees’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee used real-life events as inspiration for her novel To Kill A Mockingbird. In the novel there are connections to the Jim Crow laws, and mob mentality.
The first influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws are fictional laws, prepetuating segregation of white folk, from black folk. Jim Crow laws consisted of seven rules that all people of color were forced to follow. An example of a Jim
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Crow law is; No person of color could serve as a barber to white girls, or white women (Pilgrim). One reason people thought these laws were needed was “Many Christian ministers and theologians taught that whites were the Chosen people, blacks were cursed to be servants, and God supported racial segregation” (Pilgrim). People believed that this was the proper way of life, and that it was a White Man’s World. Jim Crow laws were a method of social control. If any person(s) were to violate these rules, violence was the most common punishment. “The most extreme form of Jim Crow laws, were lynchings” (Pilgrim). Lynching was very repugnant and distasteful, but for some reason the most common discipline. The Jim Crow Laws can be seen in To Kill a Mockingbird in many ways. Examples of these laws are revealed when Tom Robinson uses courtesy titles during the trial (Lee, 218). He refers to everyone as m’am, and sir. Jim Crow laws state that a black person may only reference a white person as Sir, or M’am. The second influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is mob mentality.
Mob mentality is used to refer to the unique characteristics that emerge when people are in large groups (Smith). One reason mob mentality often arises is people often do what others around them are doing. Mob mentality is often used as a security blanket for everyone in the group, so that no specific person is or feels responsible for the groups doing. Groups that show mob mentality often have a very invincible behavior. Usually in situations when mob mentality erupts, the situation turns violent. Mob mentality can be seen in To Kill A Mockingbird in many different ways. Mob mentality not only occured in the South, but in other places that are not as expected. Such as in the North in the case of the Indiana lynching. The Indiana lynching was shown in the photograph as a crowd of happy, easy-going people crowded around a maple tree, of which had to black men hanging from it (Beitler). Mob mentality can also be seen in To Kill A Mockingbird on page 261 when Scout starts acting like the older women (Lee). These two situations are alike, because the characters in each event all shared the same mentality. Mob mentality is clearly noticable in To Kill A
Mockingbird. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird examples of mob mentality and Jim Crow laws are apparent. Harper Lee used realistic events to help demonstrate these events to the main events in the story. Throughout this novel Lee has laced many valuable life lessons and advice. The examples of Jim Crow laws and mob mentlity throughout the noveldemonstrated the need for all people to treat each other equitably. Works Cited Pilgrim, David. “What Was Jim Crow?” Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Ferris State University. September 2000. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. Beitler, Lawrence. Lawrence Beiter Photograph. 1930. NPRWeb. 7 Feb 2013. Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird: Harper Lee. Harperperennial, 2006. Smith, S.E. "What is Mob Mentality?" WiseGeek. Conjecture Corporation, 07/06/2012. Web. 1 Aug 2012.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
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.
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee sheds light upon the controversy of racism and justice in his classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The notion of equality in accordance with the law and the pursuit of justice are hindered by racial discrimination. The essence of human nature is pondered. Are we inclined to be good or in the wrath of evil? The novel reflects on the contrasting nature of appearance versus reality.
Everyone essentially lives in their own little fishbowl, surrounded by friends, family, co-workers, etc. All these people influence the way we are judged and perceived. One action and your reputation can go from shining gold to rusty brown. The two novels, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie put this idea into context. Both novels have characters that break the social norms by using courage to overcome racial obstacles.
To Kill A Mockingbird is a heroic tale of leadership and courage during racial times. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus, To, Jem and Scout are unfortunately exposed to a really racist and prejudiced society and town. Which ends up causing them to lose a case and really confuse Jem and Scout when they are young. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, it uses characterization to help show a theme of loss of innocence when people are exposed to surprising and unfair situations.
There is no doubt that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a famous novel known for its themes, most of them containing wise life lessons, racial inequality being an obvious and important one. Firstly, racism illustrates the lack of justice and people’s views on prejudice in Tom Robinson’s case. Secondly, the novel touches base on diction notably the racial slurs used. Finally, with racism being a theme of the novel, it affects the characters’ personalities. Harper Lee uses life lessons, diction and characters throughout the novel because it develops the main theme of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
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
Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the racism, prejudice, and the innocence that occurs throughout the book. She shows these themes through her strong use of symbolism throughout the story. Even though To Kill a Mockingbird was written in the 1960’s, the powerful symbolism this book contributes to our society is tremendous. This attribute is racist (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.
The novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee has numerous accounts of racism and prejudice throughout the entire piece. The novel is set in the 1930's, a time when racism was very prevalent. Although bigotry and segregation were pointed in majority towards blacks, other accounts towards whites were also heard of, though not as commonly. There are acts that are so discreet that you almost don't catch them, but along with those, there are blatant acts of bigotry that would never occur in our time. Lee addresses many of these feelings in her novel.
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.
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 is primarily based on the problems associated with prejudice and cultural bias during the 30’s. These themes that are explored by Harper Lee allow’s a greater approach to referencing belonging and most of
Harper Lee has a number of characters that contribute to the novel and violent scenes in To Kill a Mockingbird, some that have meaning and some that do not. Some characters that appear often and some that have a minimal role in being seen in the novel, but the characters that do not appear often seem to have the biggest impact on the novel. There are three characters that are looked down on by society around them, one because of race and two because of their morals. Society disregarded these people simply because they were afraid that they could be like them and the unknown. Lee uses violence and alienation to help depict the things that are wrong within the small society.