Comparing Themes of To Kill a Mockingbird and A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird portray prejudicial parameters that properly represent the social issues of the early twentieth century. Both authors use issues of race, gender roles, and social status to connect their work to the nonfictional events occurring in their own lives. The characters in both novels experience personal judgement, as well as the ability to witness its effect on those around them. Racial inequality is presented throughout history by rulings of the court. Gender roles also negatively presented society with the problem of the inability of some to aspire to their greatest potential. Social status presents as another problem in the time period of the novel, being that those of the lower class were forced to adapt to a new lifestyle. In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, prejudice sets figurative lines that imprison some of the characters due to race, sex, and social status which reign true in the time period surrounding the settings of the novels.

Imagine a world where evil and unjust actions are based on the color of skin; a world where some don’t even realize that they are prejudicing. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, these themes are present. People and how they commit evil, hypocritical, and unjust acts. We see these themes and great issues through the point of view of a child; the vigorous, youthful, elementary-aged Scout. Through this character Harper Lee shows the innocence of children, and what they go through in our inequitable world.

Tom Robinson is the negro that Atticus was assigned to defend from Mr. Ewell. He was convicted of raping and beating Mayella Ewell. Dill grows up when he realizes that Tom Robinson is just like everyone else and that the way they treated him was not fair. When Tom gets on the stand Mr.Gilmer treats him completely different from his witnesses. Mr.Gilmer was talking rudely to him and asked him questions that he knew Tom couldn't answer without getting any disapproval. When Dill gets upset over the way Mr.Gilmer is treating Tom he goes

Mayella Ewell tries to seduce Tom Robinson, but Tom is a loyal married man and he refuses her, so as revenge, Mayella and Bob accuse him of rape, the case is taken to court and Tom Robinson is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, even though Atticus gave a very compelling argument.

Harper Lee and Lorraine Hansberry are two very different authors, who wrote two very different works. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel about how prejudice and discrimination can lead to an innocent man being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit just because of his skin color. A Raisin in the Sun is a play about how the value of a family can overcome racism in a new town and allow a family to prosper, even in the worst conditions. However, both of these works deal with racism and discrimination in similar ways. Conversely, Harper Lee, being a white author, cannot portray believable accounts of racism and black oppression as well as Lorraine Hansberry, who has personal experience and realism to make her work authentic.

During the trial Scout notices that Tom Robinsons arm is withered and that he couldn’t do the crime in the way Mayella Ewell said he did. Atticus calls only one witness which is Tom Robinson. Tom tells the true story, being careful to not come right out and say that Mayella is lying. Tom makes a mistake when he admits under cross-examination that he, a black man, felt sorry for Mayella

When the trial is over, Tom Robinson is guilty of raping Mayella even though all the evidence points toward Bob Ewell hitting her, Jem and Scout are taught that racism is unjust and is unequal,

After realizing that Boo Radley just wants to stay inside, it gives Scout the courage to hold his hand. Earlier, Scout had realized that he was only hiding because he wanted to stay inside. Soon after the assault of Bob Ewell, Jem is receiving medical care, as he is unconscious on his bed. Scout starts to understand Boo, and his place in society. No longer afraid of him, Scout, while filled with determination, leads him to Jem’s bed. Lee states, “I took him by the hand, a hand surprisingly warm for its whiteness. I tugged him a little, and he allowed me to lead him to Jem’s bed” (Lee 277). Clearly, her understanding of his

To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAMB), written by Harper Lee, is a conflicting novel that sheds light on the prejudice, racism, and inequalities that govern our nation’s past and present. Taking place in Maycomb County during the 1930’s and at the heart of the Great Depression, TKAMB reveals the systems of segregation that was enforced in Southern states, the disparities that existed in Maycomb County among the citizens, and the ways in which the status quo was maintained to marginalize Negros, normalize abuse and gender relations, and preserve whiteness. The novel poses Atticus Finch as one who embodies justice and his children, Jem and Scout, as characters who represent innocence and ignorance to the prejudice and racist society. Upon further analysis,

The novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, written by Harper Lee in 1960, explores the values and attitudes of America’s Deep South in the 1930's, a time of great intolerance, ignorance and racial inequity. The southern context and retrospective style of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is an ideal format for the exploration of the themes of prejudice, education/knowledge, and innocence. The novel’s mature and complex themes are explored as the story unfolds through the eyes of a young girl as an account of injustice to 2 benevolent yet unjustly accused citizens of the town of Maycomb.

The highly regarded book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee uses effective metaphors, symbolism and emotive language to represent the writers purpose which is to explore the race relations between African Americans and White Americans in the south of the US (Maycomb, Alabama) in the 1930s from the perspective of a young child. This influential piece of American literature will always have a place as one of the greatest representations of American culture and life in the 1930s.

Scout and Jem are powerless against the Tom Robinson case’s verdict. Jem believes that in court, justice will always prevail. He is positive that Tom Robinson would be found innocent because Atticus made it evident that Tom could not have beaten and raped Mayella Ewell because his left arm was of no use. However, it all comes crashing down when the prejudice and bigotry of the jury’s decision is read aloud, “‘Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…’ I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (282). Jem loses more of his innocence as he is unable to comprehend such a horror and realizes he could not do anything about the guilty verdict. Later, Scout hears Miss Gates tell Miss Stephanie Crawford that it was about time somebody taught the African Americans a lesson since they were overstepping their boundaries. Scout asks Jem how

The trial centers around the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, the daughter of Bob Ewell, and part of a poor family who lives near the dump. The accused is Tom Robinson, a black man which creates bias regarding the case in the community. The Finches become involved due to Atticus representing Tom in court. From the beginning the odds are against them, but it's not until Jem and Scout begin witnessing the changing attitudes regarding their family that they realise it may not matter whether he is innocent or not, and that racism plays a large part in the proceedings of the case. Tom is declared guilty and is sent to the local jail where he is shot and killed after an attempt to climb the fence. The novel discusses issues regarding race, courage, and what makes a person. The issues regarding Tom’s trial heavily relies on the fear of others to speak out, specifically Mayella and the repercussions that could come from speaking out against her father, who it is heavily implied abuses her. To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates how individuals’ fear can inhibit necessary change through the instances of racism, the prejudice on which

Eventually Jem and Scout begin to take the toll for their fathers decision on defending Tom. Atticus's sister, Aunt Alexandra comes to live with the family for the summer. Soon after Dill arrives and admits he ran away from his new family to return to Scout and Jem in Maycomb. The trial date arrives and Jem Scout and Dill secretly attend sitting in the colored balcony with Revrend Sykes whom they met at Calpurnia's church. The trial begins and Atticus reveals that Bob Ewell, Mayella's father had beat her (not Tom) being that he caught the two of them together. Likewise, Tom Robinson confessed that Mayella kissed him and that he would never intend on hurting a white women or any other woman. Despite the evidence Atticus presented in court the all- white jury convicts Tom of rape. Later on Tom attempts to escape prison but gets shot and killed to death. After the news spread about Tom's death Bob Ewell feels as if Judge Taylor and Atticus mad him look like a fool in court and sets of for revenge. Ewell taunts Tom's wife, attempts to break in Judge Taylor's house and attacks Jem and Scout while walking from a school play. Boo Radley intervenes, rescues the children and stabs Bob Ewell who eventually dies. Although Boo stabbed Bob Ewell the Sheriff insists that Ewell fell and tripped on the knife therefore killing himself. At last, Scout realizes that Boo killed Bob Ewell to save her life and finally sees the good in Boo

To Kill a Mockingbird is a well known book written by Harper Lee in 1960.It set in the Southern America. The prejudice, racism and justice of that time of America are the main themes that are seen in this book. This essay will be studied about the racism, feminity, prejudice, social inequality and ethics told through the little girl’s eyes, Scout’s.