Cooper Hall Mrs Ellis English 10C 5/22/24. In today's world, people are using high class to control other people and forget about others. To Kill A Mockingbird, “Anthem”, and the Hunger Games have some connections that collaborate together in the lens of the social class. In literature and today's worlds, being in a high social class gives people the power to avoid the suffering around them. In history, the social classes of people were determined by the color of their skin. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the social class uses skin color to establish power within Maycomb. For example, the Finch family, who were white and in the upper class, were treated with high respect. This allowed Atticus to challenge the town’s racial prejudices. …show more content…
When asked to defend Tom Robinson, Atticus said he would. When he is asked by his daughter, Scout, about why he is defending an African American, Atticus responds, “there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man.” (Lee 100). This shows how the social classes between Atticus and the Ewell family demonstrate how high social class can give power to individuals and the ability to control the lower class. During the trial Atticus concludes, “This state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place” (Lee 271). At the end of the book, Tom Robinson is proven not guilty, but the jury still finds Tom guilty. In the novel “Anthem” the ruling class in the society of "Anthem" is composed of various councils, the top one including the World Council, the Council of Scholars, and the Council of Vocations. These councils hold all the power and make all decisions for the society. They dictate laws and control the school system, and also life-long jobs for individuals. Members of these councils are the highest authority and live …show more content…
“We are one in all and all in one, there are no man but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever.” (Rand 12) In the beginning of the novel anthem they are given a job that would benefit their society, one that would make them weak and tired. “The Council of Vocations came to give us our life mandates which tell those who reach their fifteenth year what their work is to be for the rest of their days.” (Rand 27) joking tate rightAll right oh no we’re just joking tate. Oh you’re up do you have it it’s you, job assignments play a big role in shaping and limiting individuals. For example, Equality 7-2521 is assigned the job of a street sweeper despite his smartness, which suppresses his potential and the impact he could have on the society. In Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, there is a difference in social class between the wealthy Capitol and the common people of the districts. The Capital representing the top dawgs enjoys luxury and resources the districts do not get, and advanced technology. When Katniss Everdeen says “District 12”. Where you can starve to death in poverty”(Lionsgate) The districts suffer from poverty, depression, and hunger. districts like Katniss Everdeen's District 12
To Kill A Mockingbird displays an environment where one must be inhumane to another in order to become socially compatible. Maycomb has established a hierarchy where social compartmentalisation is the way of life. Men with a profession and a career are superior, while the farmers are near the bottom of the social strata and are considered inferior. No matter which remarkable qualities Negroes possess, they are always s...
Harper Lee uses the characters of the Finches, Dolphus Raymond, and Bob Ewell to show this, since they are victimized by the townsfolk of Maycomb. The Finches are persecuted by their race and values, although white people held all power and they are a respected family; Dolphus Raymond is a good father to his mixed-race children, but he is viewed as trash and a drunk; Bob Ewell is a poor and immoral man, yet he receives as much persecution as the others. Hierarchies have existed in the past and present, and persecution among its ladders comes along with it. Yet no matter what position a person is, rich or poor, high or low, good or bad, he or she can still be a victim
The world is an unfair place, high social standing is longed for by most. America in the 1930’s was not the place you wanted to be if you were not born a white, rich, man. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee illustrates the inescapability of social class and the heartbreaking reality of cultural barriers. In the summer of her fifth year, Jean Louise Finch, or “Scout” for short, discovers the true colors of the world’s injustices for the first time accompanied by her ten year old brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, or “Jem,” and her neighbor’s seven year old nephew, Charles Baker Harris, or “Dill.” Together the three children come to see there are many deep layers to the residents in every town, even a small, quiet one like
The movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a good example of how socio-economic class differences clash into non reality. There are a variety of different economic classes throughout this movie that relates to life as it was in the south during the 1930s. The major aspects that disperse the people in the movie into different social classes are race, gender, and profession. For example, Atticus and his kids are a part of the highest social class because Atticus is a well respected lawyer which makes him part of the the highest profession in the community. Being the highest social class in the community, Atticus and his kids must treat others of lower class with integrity. A good example of this is when Walter Cunningham is invited to dinner by Jem, assuming the Cunningham’s were of a lower class based on the fact that Mr. Cunningham paid Atticus with a sack of goods instead of money. When Walter was eating and soaked his food in syrup, scout was rude to Walter and was punished because for being disrespectful to people of a lower class. Mrs. Dubose would be an example of a middle class citizen. The main reason she is not of a highest class is because of the way she treats the people around her .If she were in the same social class as Atticus then she would respect the people in her community. The Cunningham family would represent the lower social class because they borrow money and recompense it back with farm substances instead of cash. The Ewell’s would classify as the lowest social class because they are poor, rude, and have no aspiration to work. Even though Calpurnia has all good aspects of a decent lady and is well respected throughout the community, she is still considered to be part of this class as well because she is African American. Calpurnia would most likely be considered part of Atticus’s social class if she were
different social class were crucial. Class structure exist in the novel during the 1930s from the Finches who are in the highest class in the black community who are at the bottom. Atticus Finch, a character from To kill a Mockingbird defends Tom Robinson, an African American, who is
Imagine living in a society where the color of your skin defines who you are. In Harper Lee’s Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb County is surrounded in ignorance because people believe that people of a certain color are not as important as everyone else. An individual, Tom Robinson is attacked, and judged by Maycomb’s society because of false rape accusations and the color of his skin. The power of Atticus’s words show society that they were wrong about Tom because the color of his skin does not define who he is and being black does not make him a rapist. The three most important themes in To Kill a Mockingbird are knowledge versus ignorance, individual versus society, and power of words.
Tom Robinson’s trial, and in fact his entire life, was badly affected by racism. It is truly a testament to the corruption of society when a person who has earned a bad reputation is held in higher esteem than a person who was born with it, as is the case with Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson. Even though Tom was obviously honest in his testament, the jury sided with Bob Ewell because he was white. They made this decision despite the fact that the Ewell family was widely known to be a worthless part of society. Jem, not being racially prejudiced, could not understand this mentality. As Atticus pointed out, “If you (Jem) had been on the jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man.”
Throughout, an importance is placed on the fact that ‘it's a sin to kill a mockingbird’ as they only ‘sing their hearts out for us’ and ‘don't eat up people's gardens’. This is a comment on the fact that Maycomb society victimises Tom Robinson, despite the fact that he is harmless and only does good, just like the mockingbird. This symbolic meaning resulted in the title ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ rather than the initial name ‘Atticus’ as the publishers felt the book was not solely based on Atticus as a person. On the contrary, they felt the values of Maycomb society such as social division and status, racial prejudice, double standards, integrity and courage were the focuses of the book.
Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.
There are a lot of different social classes in this story. The Finches are on the top of the social list in Maycomb. And then the farmers are underneath them. Then whom they call the white trash is underneath the farmers. Even though the blacks are much more gifted than some of those people they are still underneath those white trash people. This is the main topic of the whole story. A black man gets accused of attacking a white lady...but he probably wouldn't even be in the position that he was in if he was white. To Kill A Mockingbird shows the destructive attitude that whites have against blacks. Not so much the period we live in but it still exists.
How far do you think Harper Lee has effectively shown social class? family groups to be important at this time? The rigid class structure and social stratification of Maycomb County. had a profound effect on the events in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. by Harper Lee. The impact of this class structure was especially evident in the trial of Tom Robins, a Maycomb Negro.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book about how social inequality was different
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, takes place during the Great Depression in Southern Alabama. Throughout the story, Scout (narrator and main character) and her older brother Jem try to understand what social inequality means and what causes it. Since their father Atticus Finch was a lawyer, with high moral standards, they were higher up in the social class. Atticus taught his children that everyone should be treated the same and with respect, no matter where they came from. People should not judge people based on their abilities or appearance, because it does not define who they are.
Racism has affected the world in numerous ways back in the day resulting in racial inequality. One race is just suddenly better than another and so on. In To Kill A Mockingbird, racial inequality is stated everywhere and a lot of the population in Maycomb, Alabama back in the 1930’s have to do with racism. Towns people live up to keeping their race at the top and other in line. But, this is where Atticus Finch steps up and takes charge; he believes that everyone has a right and will teach his children the right way and make sure their minds are corrupt.
“Lula stopped, but she said, ‘ You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillum here---they got their church, we got our’n it is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’” (Lee 158). This question from Lula directed at Cal shows the large difference in way of life between the upper and lower class. She shows that the upper and lower class do not interact with each other and do not quite get along. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, equal creation is not often seen in social classes with the large gap between upper and lower class, but this division between the classes can be crossed. The upper and lower classes have a hard time understanding one another with their large differences in way of life, but the position of upper and lower class is not permanent to a person.