Social Inequalities And Social Class

From the novel to kill a mockingbird we are going to experience some of the economic inequality problems that they have faced and the tolerances that they were going through that time of history. Like the economic classes they face like weather they are poor ,middle class or rich or racist thing that people went through at that time of history.

A poor economy, outdated health care programs, and classism have propelled a majority of Americans into poverty. In a community, groups of people are often disenfranchised through the means of external factors; circumstances they cannot control. Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, conveys a powerful message demonstrating how people can become divided and deprived due to issues that affect a community. The message is appealing because the book is set in the 1930s; however, some of the very same issues are taking root in today 's society.

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.

Individuals within a society are grouped into certain rankings that is based on their wealth, income, race and education known as the social stratification. Sociologist use this to determine the social standings of individuals within a society. Social stratification can also appear in much smaller groups. These groups such as the work place, schools, and businesses can “take the form of a distribution of power and authority down the ranks”. (Cole, 2017) The Caste system is also another form of stratification that one does not get a choice in. They are born into it and regardless of their talents will hold positions that are given to them their whole life. Social mobility is the ability for individuals to move about their social standings.

Unspoken barriers divide people according to class, wealth, intelligence and background. This affected numerous people throughout history who were subsequently appointed inequitable places in society according to factors such as family ancestry, behaviour and more. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee argues that negative repercussions will arise when one attempts to step out of their preordained place in a small judgmental society. This is evidently proven through the characters of Mayella Ewell, the children Jem and Scout, and finally, Atticus Finch.

To Kill a Mockingbird is the perfect representation of how life was in the 1930’s. During that time, there was racism, classism, and sexism. In Maycomb County, they call these inequalities, a disease. This disease can not be cured. Since it can not be cured, racism, classism, and sexism are still present today. Even though To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930’s, the extreme inequalities from that time are still deeply rooted in today’s society.

In this novel, Jem learns he is part of the highest social class. Besides him, this class includes Miss Maudie, Judge Taylor, and Mr. Underwood who look down upon every other social class. An example of

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.

Social classes play a vital role in dynamic of families. The definition of social class is ambiguous and has no clearly outlined definition. However it is believed to be a combination of different aspects such as one’s life chances or resources, one’s status group, or those who share similar lifestyles and one’s education level make up an individuals social class. Therefore, in an ideal set up there would 4 social cases the upper, middle, working, and poor classes (Judge 2015) and these are the 4 that I will be using to distinguish the difference in how parents raise their children across social classes. One main influence that causes a polarization of social classes are parents economic resources and education level, thus influencing the jobs parents have and the availability they may have to invest in their child’s life. However the key characteristics that influence the ways parent raise their children are how they organize their child’s daily life, the use of language around their children, and through social interactions (Lareau 202). However the two main approaches across social class parents take in raising their child are natural growth and concerted cultivation.

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.

“‘...There’s four kinds of folks in the world. There’s the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there’s the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes,’” (Lee 302). In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem argues for the act that the poorer people in town were different because of how much money they had. Many people agreed and held a predetermined idea that people were different because of their social class. Class issues such as social prejudice occur in both To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. A person’s social class can largely affect how they are treated in society and what they can or cannot do.

Outside the town limits, across the old sawmill tracks, lies a building with old paint crumbling off the sides and a cemetery lying right beside it. The brick-hard clay covered the land underneath both the churchyard and the cemetery. There lied crumbling tombstones and some new ones as well. Each one having an assortment of shattered coca-cola bottles, colorful glass, and dozens upon dozens of burnt out candles surrounding them. This was a happy place. The sweet aroma of Negro blossomed in the air, curating a scent of peppermint, snuff, and sweet lilac. It felt welcoming and homely. During the mid-1920s, in the darling town of Maycomb, Alabama, not all people had such a humbleness to them. Many people were not treated with the same respect and kindness as others, as shown in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, shows concerns about social class and how it affects everyone around them. Being different during the mid-1930s was excruciating, even though they were factors that can’t be controlled, and Lee wanted to make a point about that.

One of the first major examples of how social class affects a society is how Atticus shares how the Ewells are very different in their society. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird Scout was talking about what Atticus said about the Ewells. Atticus said the Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them had done an honest day’s work in his recollection” (40). Here Atticus is talking about how the Ewells aren’t structured at all and have no work ethic. Atticus also said “they are people, but

Whether society likes it or not, inequality occurs in America. It is a matter that has been discussed in the past and present, yet not many measures have been taken to help take care of the problem. I closely read an article by a senior organizer and research associate at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington which touches upon the topic of a black and white split in our country. “Sociologists have long documented the fact that the class system is more rigid for African Americans than it is for members of other racial groups” (Schaefer 143). This issue dates all the way back to slavery in America and unequal treatment towards people of color. All this strain on our nation has lead us to believe that we are moving toward two

Social stratification exists in almost all societies. On a global scale, countries are arranges in a stratified hierarchy of positions, with some possessing economic prosperity and political dominance while others experience social crises and financial hardships. The dimensions of both social class and inequality offers insights as to why social stratification persists.