To Kill a Mockingbird
Maycomb, a small town in Southern Alabama suffers considerably during the Great Depression. Poverty outstretches from prosperous families, like the Finches, to the Negroes and “white trash” the Ewells, who live adjacent to the town dump. Harper Lee, the author portrays a graphic image of everyday life in this southern town where tempers and discrimination erupt into quarrel. Racism, domestic violence, and poverty are all themes that are associated within To Kill a Mockingbird and are symbolized by many of the main characters to send a message. First of all racism is the main focus portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, it is symbolized by Tom Robinson and Atticus Finch.
Racism is expressed throughout the entire book, it is the main focus of the book. The
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characters that represent racism symbolically include, Tom Robinson and Atticus . “This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience…” (Lee 139). Tom Robinson is being accused of harming a white person. He didn’t do it, but since he is black mostly everybody don’t believe him. Atticus is Tom Robinson’s lawyer, he has seen how other races treat each other because of this case. “‘It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody.’” (Lee 144). Atticus explains in the previous quote how many people call others different names,by what color they are and use it against others. Racism influence the character's actions by making them stronger. Atticus, becomes more aware of how Maycomb’s society is characterized by what color skin a person has. Atticus becomes more aware of his surroundings and aware of the society he and his family live in where color defines a person. Tom Robinson,as the case deepens, becomes stronger and becomes a role model to other African American people that look up to him. Overall Atticus and Tom Robinson are two characters in the book, who are representing racism symbolically; Both of these characters has become stronger, because of racism. Not only is racism an important theme but also poverty as well. Poverty is well known throughout the book.
Many families such as the Cunninghams were poor during this time. “He didn’t forget his lunch, he didn’t have any.” (Lee 26). Walter Cunningham and his family don’t have an abundant amount of money, so Walter didn’t bring lunch to school because they can’t afford it. Poverty influenced their behavior, by making them into better people, they never accept anything that they can't pay back. “One morning Jem and I found a pile of stovewood in the backyard.” (Lee 26). The Cunninghams can’t pay in money so they pay back in supplies. Poverty makes the Cunninghams stronger and more friendly to others. Another character that symbolizes poverty is the Ewell family. “None of them had done an honest day’s of work in his recollection.” (Lee 40). The Ewells are poor, but they still didn’t work to earn money or trade. They lived on the town dump with varmints and trash. All the money they received went straight to alcohol. Poverty made the Ewells lazy and a disappointment to the community. Overall, poverty is throughout the book and is symbolized by the Ewell and Cunningham family. In addition, a particular Ewell, named Mayella is a symbol of domestic
violence. Domestic violence is the main focus of the Tom Robinson case and the book. Mayella Ewell the victim in the case is a symbol of domestic violence. She suffered a terrific trauma that was caused by her father. Allegedly many people respond that Tom Robinson hurt Mayella, but in my opinion Mr. Ewell beat her. “‘We don’t know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell has been beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.’” (Lee 272). Mayella Ewell was beaten in her home by her father who was angry, because he saw her kiss a black man. Since Mayella was beaten she is afraid of her father and won’t tell the truth in court because of this predicament. “Mayella looked at her father, who was sitting with his chair tipped against the railing. He sat up straight and waited for her to answer.” (Lee 245). Mayella is now afraid of her father and what he will do if she tells the jury that he beat her, and if she tells them that Tom Robinson is innocent. In conclusion, racism, poverty, and domestic violence are the three most important themes in To kill a Mockingbird; these themes are what the book revolves around. Racism is represented importantly by Tom Robinson and Atticus, because of the case racism follows them everywhere. Poverty is another theme, and it is represented by the Cunninghams, who are poor but make the best of their situation, and the Ewell family who are very poor and considered “white trash”. The final theme is domestic violence the most important theme that caused the case. Overall, Harper Lee sends a message through To Kill a Mockingbird, depicting how racism, poverty, and domestic violence still exist today.
In the town of Maycomb, a man who stands up against racism forever changes people’s views on racism. Scout, Jem and Atticus Finch all stand together against racism and prejudice in the tiny town of Maycomb. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, in the town of Maycomb, prejudice is a disease, but Jem, Scout, and Dill are immune to this illness because of the people who raise them. For example, when Cecil and Francis told Scout that Atticus was a disgrace to defend Tom Robinson, even though Francis is Scout’s cousin. When Scout and Jem hear the verdict of Tom’s case, they both cry and are angry about the sentence while the rest of the town is ecstatic.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is based during the era of racism and prejudice. This era is commonly referred to as The Great Depression and is during the mid-late 30’s. The novel is set in a small town and county called Maycomb, Alabama. The novel follows the story of the Finch’s and their struggle before, during, and after a rape trial that is set against an African American by a white woman and her father. To Kill A Mockingbird has many symbols that have a thematic significance. Flowers and “Mockingbird” type characters are the main types of symbols.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird three characters, Scout, Jem, and Atticus Finch, experience the many hardships and difficulties of human inequality in their community, Maycomb County. Scout, the narrator, gives insight to readers about the many different characters of Maycomb, yet two are alike in many ways. Mayella Ewell is a 19-year-old girl who is considered white trash and lacks education, love, and friends. Dolphus Raymond is a wealthy white man who is married to an African-American and has mixed children. Although these characters may seem different, they share many of the same advantages and disadvantages of human inequality.
The novel to kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, focuses on "Maycombs usual disease", but also shows the compassion and wisdom that can exist in the is most bleak areas. The prejudice throughout the novel comes from the fear to change what they have grown up with, and the lack of knowledge of Maycomb.
“Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of
“We see the town of Maycomb in its worst light, willing to execute an innocent man for a crime he did not commit rather than question their belief in black inferiority and their social taboos about interracial relationships” (Felty 299). This quote may seem extreme, but it is completely accurate in Scout’s hometown Maycomb, Alabama. In the town of Maycomb, prejudices and discriminations are a common idea in the life of its citizens. This is shown in various ways. For example, African Americans are treated as lower class citizens because they are discriminated by white people. Scout perceives these prejudices and discriminations in different ways throughout the book. Scout’s views on the prejudices and discriminations in her society evolve
No matter where or who a person is, they are always learning something, either about themselves or about the environment around them. In Harper Lee's heartwarming novel titled To Kill A Mockingbird, the main characters Jem and Scout grow and mature throughout the story as they learn both more about themselves and the world around them. As the story progresses, they learn many life lessons including those about prejudice, people and how they have been categorized and judged, and, last but not least, gender issues.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, many things occur to be simple and everyone’s happy, but it’s not always peachy in Maycomb Alabama. To Kill a Mockingbird tells of a little girl’s love for her family and life living in a racist community filled with judgmental people (Shackelford). This was the time where black people were treated unfairly in courts, especially in Alabama (Johnson). Alabama was the most racist part of the south, everything was separated and blacks were treated like dirt that the whites walked on. In the book, blacks did not have many rights and had to be servants and workers for the whites.
“ ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ ” This quote, by Nelson Mandela, is a very powerful line. It states that with education, you have the most potential to change the world. Education is something that is, sadly, denied to many people. Education, or lack of, can change the path you take in life. In To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many different people in it. Some with and some without education. Yet, even if you have education, the color of your skin might make that fact seemingly unimportant.
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.
The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, takes place during a racially intense time in history. Harper Lee’s novel was intended to bring a harsh sense of reality to the real world, and demonstrate how it really was during this time in history. This novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama, somewhere during the time period of 1925-1935. Times were hard for the citizens of Maycomb during this period, because of the depression. There are many fictional events in this novel related to non-fictional racial events in history.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…Until you climb his skin, and walk around in it.” (Lee 30) The story takes place in a small town called Maycomb, which is in Alabama. It happened and started in the late 1930s in “The Great Depression”. The main characters are Scout, Jem, and Atticus . Scout is the youngest and the most maturing one, the perspective was from her point of view. Jem is the eldest and cares a lot about everything that Scout faces. Atticus is the father of Jem and Scout, and he works as a lawyer in Maycomb, who helps black people. The trail in the novel “To Kill A MockingBird” affect Scout, Atticus and Jem because it taught them bravery, equality, and how to face injustice.
In every town there are people who stand out. Whether they have more money, less money, different beliefs or just like to be alone. In Maycomb, Alabama, a fictional town from the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, there are many outsiders. It is the midst of the Great Depression and in the heart of the South, so racism and discrimination is strong in the town. Yet the three biggest outcasts in the story, aren’t black.
The main theme in the book To Kill a Mockingbird is racism, touching on how, young children have been negatively affected, Maycomb County is in a potential position to change, and racism and prejudice is normalized, even in small communities. In Maycomb County, the
The novel takes place during the 1930s in the town of Maycomb, at a time of racial discrimination and inequality. Tom Robinson is a kind hearted African American who is wrongly accused and convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, who is a white woman. His lawyer Atticus Finch, although white, does not back down from representing Tom Robinson in court. He already knows to expect a negative reaction from society.