Ewells Vs Cunninghams Essay

In To Kill A Mockingbird it’s very evident that the belief system of the parents has directly shaped the values and personal identity of their children. Throughout Mayella Ewell’s life her father, Bob Ewell negatively impacted her values and belief system by imposing racism and prejudice towards black people on her. Despite her attraction to Tom Robinson the father’s racist attitude makes it impossible for her to naturally express her interest. At one point during the trial against Tom Robinson, Bob Ewell states “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!” (Ch.17) This statement clearly indicates how racist he his towards black people as he dehumanizes him by not even saying his name or “him”. He also emphasizes Tom Robinson’s race by calling him a “black nigger” and compares him to an animal in a way by utilizing the word “rutting”. Bob Ewell’s racist values led

Because the Ewells are at the bottom of the class structure along with the African Americans, and are constantly sneered and despised by their higher-ranking white peers, Bob Ewell tries to seem better than his current situation of utter poverty by trying to appear as morally superior to Tom Robinson, an African American. In accusing Tom Robinson, he sees what he believes is a way for advancement in society. Not only does he i) clear his daughter of the ‘crime’ she has committed of tempting a black man, he also ii) elevates his societal status. In his mind, the town should think him a hero for saving Maycomb's white

Lastly, prejudice is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird by social or economic status. The Cunninghams cannot pay people back in money for services or things they have been given. They pay people back by goods that they already have. People know that it’s mean to make fun of them for paying people back that way, just because of their status. Another example is that Aunt Alexandra will not let Scout play with Walter Cunningham. She says to Scout, “Because-he-is-trash, that’s why you can’t play with him,” (Lee 256). This shows that even the kids are being taught to stay within their own class, even if it is something as simple as playing with another kid. Also, the Ewells are the trash of the town, and everybody knows it. The whole town just turns and eye to them and pretends like they are not there, because they live behind the dump and are the trash of their society. So, that shows that prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird is shown by social and economical status.

A characteristic that is strongly emphasised in the novel is pride, which Lee uses to show that poverty does not necessarily humble a family. The Cunninghams' pride is so strong they will not accept outside help, as shown when Scout tells her teacher, "the Cunninghams never took anything they can't pay back". In stark contrast to this, the Ewells "had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations", living off "regular weekly appearances at the welfare office for his [relief] check". Bob Ewell has no qualms about living like a parasite, and none of his family care that they are seen as the lowest level of society, apart from blacks. The Cunninghams have pride despite their poverty, in contrast to the Ewells' complete absence of self-respect

It is important to put yourself in one’s shoes. By doing so, you can understand that person’s situation better. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Aunt Alexandra is prejudiced towards social classes, and Bob Ewell is prejudiced towards people whose skin color is different than his.

There was an event in To Kill a Mockingbird that showed discrimination for a breed of man. As depicted in the book, Tom Robinson was being accused of raping a young lady by the name of Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson was a middle aged black man. Mayella Ewell is a white girl. This was very distraught because of the fact that this was the time that whites were superior over any other minority. Tom was being held in a cell waiting for the trial to commence. Atticus Finch, the lawyer of Tom Robinson, decided to take a trip to the jail in which he was being held in. As he arrived, a squadron of cars pulled up. A group of white men stepped out of the vehicles and walked up to the jail in a sort of formation. These men had showed up on this afternoon to lynch Tom Robinson. Luckily, Scout Finch started talking to one of the men, Mr. Cunningham. She said,” Tell him [Walter] hey for me, won’t you?”. His son’s name was Walter Cunningham. He ended up feeling bad for what he was going to do, and called the men back. They did not end up lynching Tom. This connects to what happened in

First of all, Tom Robinson’s family has been greatly affected by the case. After being convicted, in addition to being sent away to jail, his wife Helen also faces discrimination. Jem asks Calpurnia, “I know Tom Robinson’s in jail an’ he’s done somethin’ awful, but why won’t folks hire Helen?” She responds with “It’s because of what folks say Tom’s done,[...]Folks aren’t anxious to—to have anything to do with any of his family”(chap.12). Racism being the reason that Tom goes to jail, and also the reason that no one will hire Helen anymore, proving how despair to the community through racism. Because of this prejudice, an innocent family becomes social outcasts within the town, which would be detrimental because in a small town like Maycomb, people need to stick together to be able to live a good life. Another way in which racism victimizes someone, when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus. He was leaving the post office: “Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat

Although characters may not appear to be similar on the surface, some can be found by digging deep. Two unexpected characters in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, clearly have many similarities along with differences. To Kill a Mockingbird captivates a racist town through the eyes of six-year-old Scout. Tom Robinson has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, the daughter of Bob Ewell, an alcoholic living on welfare. Scout’s father Atticus, is attempting to prove the innocence of Robinson, a black man, who is accused of rape; an almost hopeless case in such a segregated city. Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell both have a reputation that precedes them, and both face discrimination. Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell have different personal

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the Ewells and the Cunninghams have one thing in common; they are poor. Their manners, reputation, and appearance are what make them different. First the Ewells have disrespectful manners. Miss Caroline asked Burris Ewell to leave the classroom. Instead of doing what he was asked, he called her hurtful names and stomped out of the room. In contrast, the Cunninghams have respectful manners. When Miss Caroline offered Walter Cunningham a quarter for lunch, he politely denied the money because he knew he couldn’t pay her back. Another difference is there reputation around Maycomb County. The Ewells are known as a “disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them had done an honest day’s work

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is about two children, Jem and Scout, and their relationships with their father, Atticus. The children raise themselves growing up, many people would say they were irresponsible, but they are both appear to be intelligent individuals. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird the novel demonstrates a rigid class structure and social stratification in the County of Maycomb. People should not be judged by their social class, they should be judged on their personality.

The citizens of Maycomb county believe that a white man such as Bob Ewell cannot commit a crime that Tom Robinson was apprehended with charges of rape (even though he did not commit it) and that only a black man can commit these crimes because they are beneath a white man. In chapter 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird it shows how Tom Robinson represents a mockingbird when a group of local Maycomb county citizens formed a mob and went to the jail to take Tom away and give to him what they think he deserves (to be hung). Atticus knew that this trial would upset the townsfolk, so he stayed with Tom Robinson within the jail and sat his chair right outside his cell to protect him from being lynched. Fortunately for Tom Robinson and Atticus, Scout, Jem, and Dill had followed Atticus to the jail interfering with what the mob was set to do. Scout spoke out into the angry mob to Mr. Cunningham when she states, "Hey Mr. Cunningham. How's your entailment gettin' along?... Don't you remember me, Mr. Cunningham? I'm Jean Louise Finch. You brought us some hickory nuts one time, remember?"(pg. 174). This is important because the lynch mob that showed up to harm Tom and anyone who got in their way, such as Atticus was set on their plan to obtain Tom, but a child made one group member come to his senses. Scout speaking out to Mr. Cunningham reminded him that he is also a father and that because children were involved, it

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a powerful novel that explores the widespread racial discrimination in 1930’s Alabama. Throughout the novel rarely is Alabama’s racism bridged, with the exception of three main protagonists Scout Finch, her brother Jem Finch and their Father Atticus. Lee’s use of symbolism, foreshadowing and irony present the consequences of the loss of innocence and the penalties that racial prejudice can have on a community.

Another presence of judgment in the novel is present in the character of Bob Ewell, an oblivious, grimy, abusive father, who looks down upon Negroes, believing he can take full advantage of them because he is of the white race. Scout declares that, “all [Bob Ewell] had that made him any better than his [Black] neighbors was, that if he scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white” (Lee 229). This indicates that the population of Maycomb judges primarily on race instead of morals, ethics, income, personality, or lifestyle, which further proves the segregation occurring within the South. This excerpt means that the community is more accepting of an unmannerly, poor, and often-drunk man rather than an honest, harmless black man, such as Tom Robinson. Skin color is the main eparation of the people for it determines who are neglected and who are treated like royalty. Furthermore, Mr. Ewell verifies his prejudiced nature, when, “[h]e stood up and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson. ‘I seen that black nigger yonder rutttin’ on my Mayella’” (Lee 231). This further reveals Mr. Ewell’s biased behavior because it presents him mistreating Tom Robinson. Lee uses words

“Even among the poor whites, there were social divisions: at the bottom of the social rung, even below the poorest whites, were those who only two generations before would have been slaves. In To Kill a Mockingbird, this poor white bigotry was personified through Bob Ewell”(Mancini, Candice 9). Tom Robinson was known for being and honest man in the black community. He would go to church often and he was a family man. In contrast, Bob Ewell was the town drunk and was by no means a model citizen. Clearly the better man was Tom but due to his race, many people believed Bob and Mayella Ewell when they said that Tom had raped Mayella. In reality, Mayella kissed Tom, “she was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in [their] society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man … a strong young Negro man”(Lee, Harper 204). At the time Lee was growing up, whites and blacks were still segregated and it was inconceivable that the two races consort.

Between Ewell’s country roots and horrible examples, and Atticus’ respectful attitude towards life is Walter Cunningham, a man that won’t take anything he cannot pay back (Lee 21). Even though he doesn’t have money, he makes sure that his children survive well enough and that they are respectful and honorable. Cunningham wants his children to grow up to be gentlewomen and ladies, as evidenced by his example of paying Atticus back for his services via food and goods deliveries over the course of a year (Lee 20). He shows his children what it means to be kind, good people, and he expects them to act this way. From what little we see of the Cunninghams in the novel, they do. Walter Cunningham, although he had similar roots as Bob Ewell, is much more like Atticus Finch than the man people expect him to be, namely Bob Ewell.