Maycomb's Social Hierarchy

“The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. They were people, but they lived like animals.” Although the Cunninghams were close to it, neither families were considered to be part of “the common folk”. Atticus says that Scout is part of the common people, whereas the Ewells are part of their own society, consisting only of themselves. They were allowed to do most of what they wanted and whenever they wanted because everyone has given up on trying to “force people like the Ewells into a new environment.” The Finches are part of the common folk so the Finches are above the Cunninghams and Ewells on the social class hierarchy. Atticus think the Ewells are like animals because he has seen the way they lived. They hunted out of season, which was illegal, skipped school, and wasted money. Mr. Ewell spent their relief checks on green whiskey while his children cried in pain from hunger. Atticus’ opinion of the Cunninghams is better because they are kind people. They always repay for services and never take anything they can’t give back. They are trustworthy. “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back.” When Mr. Cunningham was one of Atticus’ clients, he made sure he paid him plenty. He sent crops after each harvest until Atticus received more than enough. The finches have no reason to disrespect them only because of their

Being at the top of the social hierarchy has been a must for every American of past generations, but can lead to fatal damages for some trying to obtain that goal and a cause to ruin people’s lives. In a remarkably triumphant story on compassion, Harper Lee explored the horrors of racial prejudice in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Set in the 1930’s, the poor town of Maycomb, Alabama has been hit by the depression hard, which created a vast, complex social pyramid, with distinct families and lifestyles. At the Finch household, composed of a little nine year old girl, Scout, a twelve year old boy Jem, and their father Atticus, proceed through a whirlwind of events throughout the next few years. Atticus, a lawyer who is a hardworking, honest man at the top of the social hierarchy of Maycomb, has to defend a colored man by the name of Tom Robinson. This happened to be very unusual for the time period, as the family has to transcend through the struggles in a racial prejudice town and learn the raw nature of the worst in humans, thus trying to overcome these events through compassion. The author utilizes metaphor, characterization, and mood to describe the situation of Maycomb, it soon then becomes very clear that the dangers of ruining innocence can lead to a vast road of horrors and evils.

In Maycomb County, Atticus Finch is not protected from social and legal codes, the town of Maycomb and close family of Atticus treat him with poor respect because of his choice to defend a black man. Atticus is thought for bringing disgrace to his family by the other white residents of Maycomb for protecting and supporting Tom Robinson. Sheriff Tate warns Atticus that there were men who were angry about Atticus representing Tom. To extend, Scout experiences a lynch mob ( a band of people who want to

There are many different social classes in “To Kill A Mockingbird.” The factors that separate people into these social classes are their skin color and their occupation. For example, Atticus, Scout, and Jem are part of the highest social class. They are part of this social class because Atticus is a lawyer, which makes him a highly respected person in the community. He is also white, which, at that time was a very important factor that chose who belonged in what social class. Scout and Jem are his children and therefore are also part of this social class.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird introduces characters from different social statuses where some characters soon become victim of classism. In the book, Maycomb identifies social class by skin color and occupation. For example, Atticus Finch and his family belong in the higher class. Atticus is also one of Maycomb’s most well respected citizens. This is because he is both a lawyer and white. Having a valuable job along with being white are what place Atticus into the higher social class. On the other hand, there are poor, but appreciated white people. The people who belong in this social class are considered “appreciated” due to them being white. An example of a family that belongs in this social class are the Cunningham.The Cunninghams are poor, but hardworking farmers.

“Hush your mouth!” Don't matter who they are and don't you let me catch you remarkin on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo folks might be better’n the Cunninghams, but it don't count for nothing the way your disgrace in em.” (Lee,32-33) This shows how maycomb hasa social class and the cunninghams are below it in the lower class. Another example is Scouts interaction between her and her father Atticus, Atticus said the Ewells had been a disgrace of maycomb for three generations. No honest day's work was ever done in that family. They were people , but lived like animals “They can go to school anytime they want, “ said Atticus. “No one

This can be seen here “‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!’” (135). This passage shows how the people of Maycomb judged people by the color of their skin this was common in those times but the few people like Atticus show the reader that you don’t have to look at a person with a single story in mind. The townsfolk want to teach the young citizens of their society to believe in what they believe and that is why they use hateful words to show children that the words are okay to say at everyone. As Scout is only 6 she falls into the group of kids that question if thing are right and wrong, by hearing almost everybody in the town saying these words this makes the kids feel like it’s okay to say and they do not feel like they will be judged ar frowned upon. Another example of Maycomb's prejudice and hatred would have to be the separation of White folk and Black folk. An example of this is Jem is very confident that his father is going to win the case. Reverend Sykes tells Jem not to be so confident because he had never seen a jury favor a black man over a white man (Lee 279). This example shows that Jem doesn’t fully understand that the jury in the case will look at the race then they do to the evidence. This clearly shows how Maycomb is stuck in that time when one race thought they were gods among the other races, they fail to socialize and learn that they are the same like Atticus thinks. The town of Maycomb tries to enforce that being racist is okay by saying hate filled words and acting like they are the privileged class of the

He has had some incidents in his lifetime and his father made him stay inside for a punishment. People in the town commerce daily and are very social. They did not know why a weird man like Boo would stay inside and not come outside and join the town. They made up things about him because they did not know who he was. “Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time” (65). Since they did not know who he really was and looked like, they made up stories about him. These stories led to the children wanted to learn more about him, but also hearing these stories, kids would run by his house or walk a different route to not go by it. Really Boo Radley just wanted to stay inside. When he saw the kids being attacked, he wanted to help. Boo Radley is just a normal man who wants to just live his life like

Maycomb is based around a ¨wealthy¨ to poverty- stricken hierarchy that Harper Lee enjoys to aspire on. There are many families of Maycomb that represent different points of the Maycomb hierarchy. This would include To Kill a Mockingbird´s own main characters, Atticus, Scout, and Jem or the Finch family. Though the hierarchy does not stop at the Finch's, but still seems to traverse to the bottom or more commonly known as the Ewell family. The Ewells are of the utmost underprivileged and vile so-

This social hierarchy appears in the Finch, Cunningham, and Ewell families. The Finches are a respected family near the top of the social food chain in Maycomb. Despite the fact that they have many things compared to many other people in their hometown, Atticus considers them poor. “Are we poor, Atticus?”

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird portrays four different economic classes of people in a small town named Maycomb. Low economic classes similar to Lee’s fictional Ewell and Cunningham families affect the way other community members treat them along with the amount of sympathy they receive. Higher economic classes look down on the Ewell and Cunningham families based on their wealth and how they make a living. The Cunningham’s have little money however it was one of their biggest priorities to pay Atticus back.

While he's gone, Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to her church, a black church. They arrive at the church and meet Lula, a traditional black lady. She tells Calpurnia, “ You ain't got no business bringin white chillun here - they got their church, we got our’n” (136). Lila clearly believes in segregation. So not only is she prejudice, she goes along with the rest of her social class and lets others define what she acts like. Then, later on, Atticus represent Tom Robinson in court, who's supposedly sexually assaulted, Mayella Ewell. During the trial, Atticus slowly pulls information out of Mayella about her dad, Bob Ewell, and her family life. Scout then reiterates what she said to the reader, “... he sometimes went off into the swamp for days and came home sick; the weather was seldom cold enough to require shoes, but when it was, you could make dandy ones from strips of old tires…’’(208). So, Bob Ewell and family are definitely not the typical people in Maycomb. They act so different and odd that sometimes the people in Maycomb classify the family in their own social class. They do not even care if their social class defines their personality. In conclusion, Lula and the Ewells clearly use their social status to define who they

Some cultures solidify social classes much more than others, but in To Kill a Mockingbird Maycomb in particular has their classes very separate. Throughout the novel there are different types of classes from each characters perspective. Depending on where one travels the different types of social classes could be considered definite or abstract. Social class acquires many different factors; money, where one lives, how one lives, who they live with, job, etc. “Walter is one of the Cunningham’s, Miss Caroline.”

Have you ever been told something like “you can’t hang out with him, he’s not like us.” If so, social hierarchy plays a key role in your life. In To Kill a Mockingbird there are many examples of social hierarchy. The story is set in Maycomb County, Alabama in the 1930s. It is made clear in the book that social classes play a huge part in the lives of everyone in Macomb and affects what they say or do, how they treat others, and why they end up in certain situations.

Earlier in the novel, Scout relates that Atticus views the Ewell family as “the disgrace of Maycomb” (33). However, as the Ewells are a white family, they are having a higher social status. During the trial, it is declared that Mayella seduces Tom Robinson, and her father, Bob Ewell, thought that his daughter would shift her warm feelings for a black man. In addition, Bob Ewell’s reaction to his daughter kissing to Tom Robinson displays the fear of miscegenation. Atticus, however, strives for justice. Atticus explains the ugly truth to Jem and Scout: “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (251-252). Atticus shows disgust with white people taking advantage of a black person’s ignorance” (252). Tom Robinson is facing a trial and the death sentence because he is black. Furthermore, Atticus makes it clear to his children that racism exists and tells Scout and Jem: 'In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always