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To kill a mockingbird individual vs society
Social differences in to kill a mockingbird
To kill a mockingbird individual versus society
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Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird expresses the ideology that the social standard of a particular individual, classifies their status in the world. Individuals placed in social classes are labeled to create a sense of social identity. The socio-economic class an individual is born into should not be the determining factor of how the individual is regarded and treated, however, their character and personality should be a primary factor in determining how they are thought of in society. As a society, individuals often revert to the financial status of a person in order to judge their character and potential. However, looking solely at social class, the perception of the individual is primarily based on material possessions or lack thereof. …show more content…
According to Jem, ““There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumb, and the negroes”” (Lee 206). Scout responds, “‘Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks’” (Lee 227). Scout had a deeper appreciation for social equality. The ordinary kind Jem refers to are financially stable, well educated, and ultimately people of the upper class. People like Aunt Alexandra and Atticus would fit into this category of people. Individuals of lower classes often highly regard and idolize the people of a higher social class. Often times, the people of high class feel that they should be treated with the utmost respect they so rightfully deserve. Scout is able to see first hand how others view her and her family (Lee 118). She says, ““When they saw Jem and me with Calpurnia, the men stepped back and took off their hats; the women crossed their arms at their waists, weekday gestures …show more content…
However, their lack of money was a result to Mr. Cunningham not wanting to accept assistance from anyone out of fear of causing them an inconvenience (Lee 20). Walter Cunningham is referred to as having hookworms and not having shoes (Lee 19). He is discussed between Scout and Miss Caroline when she realizes that he did not have a lunch and offers to loan him money (Lee 19,20). Scout explains, “‘The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back-no church baskets no scrip stamps. They never took anything off of anybody, they get along on what they have. They don’t have much, but they get along on it’” (Lee 20). By this encounter, Scout hoped to educate Miss Caroline on the status of Walter’s family and states “‘That’s okay, ma’am, you’ll get to know all the country folks after a while” (Lee 20). Walter Cunningham, is also discussed between Scout and her Aunt Alexandra, later in the novel, after the encounter with him and Miss Caroline (Lee 223,224).Scout had hoped to defend Walter and is pleased with herself for the action she took (Lee 223). She thinks she should invite him to spend the night with them sometime, but quickly realizes that Aunt Alexandra has other views of the Cunninghams (Lee 223). Aunt Alexandra states, “‘But they’re not our kind of folks….you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he’ll never be like
To conclude, it is proven during numerous instances found in Harper Lee’s award-winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, that societal pressures and the rigid rules and boundaries that society sets can overwhelm anyone of any class, race or background. It is unjust to assume anyone’s character by their set status but unfortunately, negative after-effects immediately take place as soon as one tries to step out of their preordained place. As Mayella Ewell, Scout and Jem Finch and Atticus Finch were the examples of this bitter truth, there are many other characters affected by the societal impacts on everyday life in the novel.
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”
Atticus is a great leader of his family, teaching his children morals and life lessons. He makes them better people by showing them how to deal with the trial and people making fun of them. Atticus teaches Scout how to respect other people. First, Scout learns to respect Atticus, then to respect "Boo" Radley, and finally to respect a whole race of people, negroes. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This quote shows that Atticus wants his children to get along with people, and so other people will respect them for whom they are.
...es that despite all the differences humans have, we are really more alike than not. Scout is constantly educated by her Aunt on Maycomb's different folks. She realizes that “there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” (304). Scout has finally become enlightened, a role model that everyone, even Atticus, can aspire to be like.
Jem displays values like compassion and tolerance by believing that all men are created equal no matter which race, religion, or attitude they have. He shows this when he hears the verdict of Tom Robinson's trial. 'It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. 'It ain't right,' he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus'; (212). This is the first time he realizes that there was injustice in the world. He slowly matures and begins to understand that there are such thing as prejudice and racism.
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.
Jem and Scout are two siblings. They love to have fun, be with their father, and try to understand many things that are going in their lives. An example is Scout. She is a very unusual little girl, she is unusually smart and unusually worries about the goodness of evil and mankind. “I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” The quote illustrates that Scout thinks that, everyone in the world is the same. Even though their skin colors or their lifestyles are different, they are all the same. Jem is a boy who is not without hope. He is also like Scout, although he has some doubts over what Scout may think. “If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do they get out of their way to despise each other?” What Jem is trying to say in the quote is that, if people are all the same, why do they still discriminate each other? Jem and Scout are two siblings who just want t...
To Kill A Mockingbird is a dramatic story about human behavior- cruelty, love, compassion, and hatred. The sweet family of 3 lives in the Southern town of Maycomb County. Atticus, the father, Scout Finch, and Scout’s brother, Jem. The Finch family lives in the time period of the Great Depression. Atticus still has his job as a lawyer and that’s when he realizes one of the greater themes of the story- The Existence of Social Inequality.
“Indeed, bribery, favoritism, and corruption in a great variety of forms were rampant not only in politics, but in all levels of society” (David McCullough). In her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee enthralls us by demonstrating the racism, violence, and abuse evident in the American South during the era before World War II. She relates this through a semi-autobiographical narrative, recalling her coming of age amid the tension of social inequality. The protagonist, Scout, and her brother, Jem, realize the faults in their society for the first time, contrasting the ills of reality to what they wish to perceive. Through their innocence, they are able to perceive the existence of racism and gender inequality evident in their town, without being directly influenced by them yet.
Throughout the novel, Jem is able to recognize the existence of evil within his own community; He realizes that people are always far more complex than they appear to be; and, finally, he develops compassion towards both people and things that are less fortunate than him. Jem is forced to leave his childhood naïveté behind and is exposed to the cruelty power of systematic racism and the injustice in everyday life. Ultimately, Jem learns to challenge common perception and develops his own personal values and morals that make him the unique character that To Kill a Mockingbird is loved and remembered
Aunt Alexandra is a negative influence on Jem and Scout. She is a refined lady with great knowledge about good conduct, and tries to impose this especially on Scout in ways that are unsuccessful and even hazardous to her growth and self esteem. She is strongly opposed to Scout’s attire which consists of overalls and pants, and demands that she act lady-like by changing into a skirt or dress. She is making Scout conform to the ideal vision of a stereotypical girl in the Nineteen-Thirties, which gives Scout a message that her individuality is unacceptable.
Use of character interactions, Maycomb’s culture, and numerous conflicts reinforce the notion that racial prejudice is the cause of certain wrongdoings. Jem, Scout, and Dill interact with other people in the community which ultimately results in them finding out about the evils of racial segregation. The culture in Maycomb supported the theme in various manners. Numerous conflicts are encountered throughout the plot that point towards unnecessary segregation. Atticus taught his children not to interpret a person by his skin color but rather based on his actions and his viewpoint. Everyone is equal, and as Scout said: “I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” (304).
In To Kill a Mockingbird, after Scout Finch reflects upon Maycomb 's citizens and Aunt Alexandra 's class system, Scout states, “I think there 's just one kind of folks. Folks” (304). In a southern town still harboring racial tension, young Scout 's simple statement would not be anything short of shocking and alienating. The Radley and Finch family, Miss. Maudie, and the black community were all examples of the Southern Gothic concept of outsiders. Although the concept of outsiders seems to primarily have a negative connotation, their isolationism is what spares Scout and Jem from the prejudice their friends and neighbors espouse. Pursuing this topic further, Maycomb is representative of the American South and outsiders are representative
...fore reprimanding them, and treats his neighbors--even the seemingly odd ones like Boo Radley and Mrs. Dubose--and his clients, black folks included, in the same manner. Even though his own sister is preoccupied with distinguishing the Finch family from similar or slightly poorer people, Atticus remains stedfast in his convictions. He always tries to see the good in others, although he knows man’s tendency toward evil all too well. Atticus keeps hope throughout his life, always reminding his children to keep a positive attitude by not worrying when troubles come their way. By her father’s great influence, Scout finds, at the close of the story, that her father was right all along: the best way to interact with others is to treat all people with kindness and respect. Atticus serves as an accurate standard of good and evil indeed.
Differences in the social status are observed considerably large in the society of Maycomb. Scout and Jem are two little children who are growing up, observing all the complicated incidents and trying to understand them. In the Maycomb County, incidents get more and more complicated as the dilemma of racism becomes bigger and bigger and as wise Atticus starts loosing faith in the good in people.