Social Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird

Social inequality is an uncivilized ranking scale which was created by simple minded people who held the fear being surpassed. The argument made by Harper Lee in her work To Kill a Mockingbird is that social inequality is a hierarchy that is complex and affects everyone. More specifically, the author argues that the racial boundaries put between the black and white during the 1930’s caused great stress. This is proven in the novel multiple times. The people of Maycomb judge one another based on the background and wealth of their families. Not only do they judge each other within the community, they discriminate against anyone different than them. Social inequality does not only exist in the form of racism, there are many forms; some of the major ones appear in this book. Social inequality based purely on family background, social inequality based on the wealth of the individual and family, and racism. These are three of the major forms of social inequality that appear numerous times in the book.

If you’re in high school, how many times do you hear the expression “Yo, what up nigga.” This is the word that travels through the hallways of many schools and on the streets in many cities. However, do people know what the word means? That’s the problem. They don’t know what it means yet they still say the word. What does it help them achieve? Does it help them be cool? Does it help them fit into a group of people? Now we all say this word to whites, Asians, Hispanics, and even blacks, but do we think how it makes them feel? Imagine if you were African American and had ancestors get whipped, have to use a separate bathroom, and much more, and still be called a nigger. This is a problem we had back then and that we still have today. We used one word to describe

Jeremy “Jem” Finch is a leading protagonist in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird” published in 1960. Jem matured greatly throughout the duration of the book, starting to resemble and idolize his father, achieves the status of a guardian to his sister and introduces a whole new set of ideals in his lifestyle. He embodies the themes of growth. Throughout the novel we see how perceptions of things such as courage, respect, tolerance, and cruelty changes Jem as he matures.

In the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, racism and social inequality are two central themes. Many different forms of social inequality coexist in the society depicted in the book, as the people of Maycomb are very rigid in their ways. This is because the book takes place in a time at which there was much racism and social inequality. In Maycomb, firstly there is discrimination between rich and poor white people, who do not often interact with each other. There is also racism against blacks by all white people in society, both rich and poor. Black people are denied basic rights and discriminated against in this town. Lastly, there is racism between the lowest classes of the community: poor white people and

In To Kill a Mockingbird, and in the world today there is racial and social inequality going on all around us. I am sure that there will never be true racial and social equality, but I think that it will get dramatically better. Just like it has gotten better since the 1930’s, which is the time that To Kill a Mockingbird is set in.

Social inequality based entirely on race affects people who don’t deserve it. To Kill a Mockingbird original publication was in 1960, it is a classic novel written by Harper Lee, the book is set in 1933 to 1935. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small town called Maycomb, Alabama and follows two years in the life of 7-year old Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man accused of rape. The book also talks about Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbour who saves Scout and her brother Jem from being killed. The definition of social and legal codes are social codes made up of rules and standards, and a legal system is a code of laws made by a state or nation. Throughout the book, social and legal codes are exploited by people to help maintain their social status. In Maycomb County, social and legal laws harm black people to protect white people, such as Atticus Finch, Bob Ewell, and Tom Robinson.

Inequality is a theme that runs throughout all of history. Harper Lee uses the theme of inequality in her book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Tom Robinson must deal with inequality when he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit because no one will trust a black man over a white man. The Cunningham family must face discrimination because of their lack of money. Scout even faces inequality when she tries to play with Jem and Dill. The theme of inequality is a strong one in Lee’s book, and her use of inequality doesn’t only define racism, but also discrimination based on wealth and gender.

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.

“We hold these truths to be self - evident that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This is a famous line that Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Yet, America has failed to show social equality to every race, religion, and gender since the known article was created. Throughout the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and in society today, social equality is not demonstrated in the novel nor in the present.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows a lot of racial or social issues, especially against the African-Americans, such as racial inequality and poor treatment of the poor or homeless; both of these are still at least partially seen today. Harper Lee uses the unfair trial of Tom Robinson and his cruel death to show racial inequality, especially towards the African-Americans. Towards the end of the trial, Lee describes how the jury acts when they come back in as: “A jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson…” (Lee 282). Then, Judge Taylor announces the verdict: “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” (Lee 282). Later on, Atticus comes home after finding out about Tom Robinson’s death: “Tom’s dead…. They got him just as he went over the fence…. Seventeen bullet holes in him” (Lee 315). Based on this evidence, it is clear that racial inequality was evident in the 1930’s because with prior knowledge from the novel, we know that Tom didn’t stand much of a chance against the jury because of his being African-American. Also, if a white man had done what Tom did, he probably would have been given a fairer trial than Tom was. Even though, the police obviously wanted him dead as he tried to escape prison, there was no reason to shoot him seventeen times. Racial inequality can still been seen in the country, and around the world, but doesn’t seem to be as bad as it had been; some statistics show it improved soon after, but some facts show it took longer. One statistic showing that racial inequality has gotten better states, “In 1980, over 50% of the Blacks aged 25 or more had completed high school, and, by 2012, 85%” (Coleman 183).One fact stating that racial inequality took a while before improving states, “Even after the slaves were freed, the African Americans continued to face legal discrimination and segregation until the victories of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s” (“Preface to ‘What…’” 1). This evidence shows that racial inequality didn’t really improve at first. After the civil rights movement, things improved for the African Americans. From the statistic, the reader knows that between 1980 and 2012, a little over 1% more of the

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most significant themes is race and social class cause inequalities. For example, when the jury was deciding Tom Robinson’s verdict, Jem was convinced that Atticus had won the trial and Tom Robinson would be found innocent. But, Reverend Sykes knew that that would not happen. Reverend Sykes said that he had never “‘seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…’” (111). The racism in the south was so deep, even if you compared the lowest class of white people, like the Ewells, to African Americans, the Ewells were considered better. Even juries, which are supposed to be fair, still showed racism and hatred towards African Americans. The justice system is designed

When someone thinks about inequality the most likely think about skin color, but in the book To Kill A Mockingbird a novel by: Harper Lee, there is also social inequality. This book takes place during the Great Depression. This is a time when there was segregation and there was social classes within the community. This causes most people to lose their money and/or houses. A lot of the citizens in the community are broke which creates a lot of tension between characters. There are many different social classes and the community is separated by their skin color. So within the the white community and the black community people are judged based on the amount of money they have. The main character Scout lives with her dad, Atticus, and her brother, Jem. She goes to school like most kids and her family is doing well considering that they live in a time where money and wealth is uncommon. In the book there are a lot of racist members of the community, this includes

The inequalities of race, social class, and age is a major theme demonstrated in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee as well as in modern day society. The segregation of African Americans is a obvious problem in the text. The African Americans were always in different places than the whites and this is still happening in places like schools today. Social class has become a big problem in modern day society and in the text. Each person or family is put into a social class and that behavior is relevant in modern society.

The 1930’s were a time of economic stagnation, as well as social and political injustice in the United States. The Southern states, still recovering from the aftermath of the Civil War, found it increasingly difficult to embrace full racial equality in their communities. Unspeakable and often criminal acts were committed against African American citizens simply because of their race. Growing up in Monroeville, Alabama during this time period, author Harper Lee was exposed to these hardships, and witnessed the types of racial prejudice which abounded. In her most notable work, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee exposes the harsh economic, social, and political realities of the southern states during the Great Depression, and sheds light upon

Injustice, Prejudice, social inequality, this is the recipe for hate that leaves a bitter aftertaste. It is a fact that humans despise other humans, It has been like that for thousands of years. Humans have been well known for doing some ruthless things such as making horrible remarks to someone mainly because that person is different. These differences could be religions, race, sexuality, or even physical appearance. Humans tend to judge someone because of what they are on the outside, not the inside. To Kill A Mockingbird is a fictional novel written by Harper Lee and the story takes place in Southern United States during the great depression. In the text, a black man named Tom Robinson is prosecuted for rape. The all white jury did not