Why Is Small Town Life Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

771 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of moral education to kill a mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama when segregation was popular in the southern states. This is a time period where women were supposed to be proper and the men were supposed to be complete gentlemen; while the black folk were supposed to stay separated from the rest of society. When the Blacks were accused of anything by Whites they would immediately would be pressed with charges. With To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of the importance of moral education, the motif of small town life (everybody knowing each others business), and how a different time period or geographical location would affect the events within the novel; these few things have an important significance throughout Harper Lee's book. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the …show more content…

In this town everyone will know about any event with a person before they get to open their own mouths about it to explain. Like the Cunninghams, everyone knows how tight they are about money and how they are struggling to get by to take care of their kids. “' The Cunninghams never took anything they can't payback- no church baskets and no scrip stamps. They never took anything off of anybody, they get along with what they have'”(Lee 26). Even the younger kids in the community knew everything that was going on with people throughout their community. A lot of people in this small town were kind about some of the situations. Most people had the superficial kindness that some small towns tend to have. Few people had the genuine kindness that the Finches had towards people, especially of the less fortunate. “Jem suddenly grinned at him. 'Come on home to have dinner with us, Walter,' he said. 'We'd be glad to have you'”(Lee 30). The Finches always had great kindness and respect for everyone around

Show More
Related

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Calpurnia Quotes

    1650 Words  | 4 Pages

    The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, takes place in the 1930s in a small Alabama county called Maycomb. The novel is about the Finch family of three. Atticus, the father, Scout the older brother and Scout the younger sister, who acts like a tomboy. Scout may be a lady, but does not like to act like one, she likes to play and get dirty with her brother. Being young, both children learn lessons throughout the novel by many different residents, such as, Calpurnia, the maid, Miss Maudie, the neighbor, and their father, Atticus. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird various citizens in the town of Maycomb play an important role in the lives of Jem and Scout Finch

    Read More

  • Prejudice And Empathy In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • What Does The Flowers Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Should To Kill A Mockingbird Be Taught In Schools

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a rural southern town in the 1930s, when racism was commonly accepted. Blacks were

    Read More

  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    2185 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Atticus Finch Human Nature

    1429 Words  | 3 Pages

    The way in which humans come to be understanding, compassionate individuals is a process demonstrated constantly throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, a famous novel written by Harper Lee, taking place in the 1930’s during the Great Depression in Maycomb County, Alabama. The story is told from the young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s perspective, and tracks the development of her and her older brother Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch, from innocent to understanding. The negative influences which Jem and Scout experience, including the racially charged case of Tom Robinson, lead the children to have a new, more experienced perspective on human nature. People like Atticus Finch, Jem and Scout’s father, help the children to make sense of this part of human essence, teaching them important life lessons, such as to make judgments carefully: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” (39). Atticus continuously counsels Jem and Scout to consider another’s perspective before making assumptions, because that is the only genuine way in which you come to know an individual. Ultimately, because Jem and Scout learn to understand the sinful nature of Bob Ewell, to appreciate the wisdom of Atticus, and come to recognize the selfless actions of Arthur “Boo” Radley, the children mature into more caring, sympathetic young people.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird: Influences on Scout from Interactions w/ Others

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Conflict And Conflicts In To Kill A Mockingbird

    637 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book to kill a Mocking Bird the story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb County’s setting was different depending on the weather. During the rainy weather grass was growing on the sidewalks, and the streets turned to red slope. During the hot days there were flies under the shade. The setting is important because the time of the book was when the Southern states where still racist, and they were living a poor life style. Another way the setting is important to the time of the book because winter comes to early, and it snows, so the neighbors want there flowers protected and the kids want to make a snowman so it works out for everyone.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Southern Culture In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Southern culture is a combination of racism, traditional gender roles, and religion. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the racial element of southern culture to show how prejudice aids in the corruption of towns. The societal aspects of this town show the progression of the racial division through the use of religion and the characters themselves. The racial divide in Lee’s fictional small town, Maycomb County, increases after the case of Tom Robinson is brought to court. Throughout the novel, Lee is able to show the development of racism in the southern culture in the people of Maycomb County, Alabama with the use of characters in various age groups. This development

    Read More

  • Discuss how the historical, political and social setting of Harper Lee's

    2385 Words  | 5 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird is set in a small town in Maycomb County. Alabama, in the 1930s, which was a dark period in time for America. it had been hit by the Depression. Up until 1929, America had been. doing very well, becoming a much richer country.

    Read More

  • The Setting of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

    2328 Words  | 5 Pages

    How influential is the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird to the novel's plot characters and themes? 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the Southern states of America in the 1930s. The community of Maycomb is close knit, everybody knows everything about everybody else and most people have the same beliefs and values. A common belief in Maycomb is that the black community are not equal to the white. Racism was common in the Southern states at this time.

    Read More

  • Maycomb's Isolation

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    In To Kill A Mockingbird, Maycomb, Alabama, is a small, sleepy town that is depicted as being isolated from the outside world, and its inhabitants are deeply rooted in their traditions and beliefs. The town's racial tensions, economic struggles, and cultural values are all explored, making it feel like a real place. The setting is important because it provides the backdrop against which the events unfold. Finally, in many ways, the town is almost like a character in the story, with its personality and flaws. Its influence on the characters shapes the course of the narrative in significant ways.

    Read More

  • What Does Bob Ewell Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    “You never understand a man until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”(Lee 39) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in the 1930s during the Great Depression, in Maycomb, Alabama. It discusses important life lessons and perfectly shows what race relations in the South were like. The novel told from the perspective of a young girl named Jean Louise (Scout) Finch.

    Read More

  • Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    They have caring people all around them. Calpurnia is there mother figure after their mother's death. All have different personalities, views and beliefs. An old town with prejudice thoughts, and ways, but one mockingbird that never comes out. Morals shown in front of the town, the truth hidden from blind eyes, inconscients aren’t safe as the untrue still rule.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Growing Up In A Small Town

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    Small towns are looked down upon and criticized because they are small; however, they might be the best town of all. All of the people who reside there are thoughtful of one another, care for their neighbor, and their family. Small towns have good cultural values of what is considered good, desirable, and proper (Schaefer 2016:63). Residents feel like they are a part of something bigger than the town. People who grow up in small towns have better morals, give more athletic opportunities to children, and have a sense of community.

    Read More

More about Why Is Small Town Life Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document