In the news, you can find many stories about schools that have stopped requiring their students to read To Kill A Mockingbird. But, stopping them from reading about the 1930’s in a book like To Kill A Mockingbird would mean that they would have to throw away the school systems American History books as well. The novel is entirely written based on true events that occured in the 1930’s. This book is about the individual and institutional racism and sexism that happened in the early to mid 20th century. The historical time period is deeply rooted in Harper Lee’s novel, especially in regards to the following characters: Tom Robinson, Dolphus Raymond, and Scout (Jean Louise) Finch. Hiding the knowledge that To Kill A Mockingbird spreads about racism and sexism would mean hiding the past of our nation. One of the main characters with one of the most interesting storylines in To Kill A Mockingbird is Tom Robinson. Tom is an African American man who is blamed for a rape he did not commit only because the woman who accused him, Mayella Ewell, was ashamed that she had feelings for him and was caught by her father kissing a black man. When reading about Tom’s case in this book, many readers may have thought back to a case in the 1930’s about a group of teenagers, identified as the Scottsboro boys, who were accused of raping 2 white women on a train going from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Memphis, Tennessee. There was no evidence that the women had been raped and all of the boys denied
The 1930's were a turbulent time for race relations in America. The book To Kill A Mockingbird takes place during this time period. Written by Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird is a story that is set during the times of the 1930s in Maycomb, AL. The story is a flashback told through the perspective of Scout Finch, the daughter of Atticus Finch, a successful lawyer, and the sister of Jem Finch. In a part of Scout’s flashback, she recalls the trial of Tom Robinson, who was defended by her father. Tom Robinson was an African American who was accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell, daughter of Bob Ewell. Unfortunately, this trial is unfair and biased with an unjust outcome because of the jury and racism.
Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had
“To Kill a Mocking Bird” is not only a great book but also a book that portrays a clear and concise message. This book is about the murder, immense persecution, and hatred towards an innocent man, Tom Robinson. This book Written by Harper lee is about a rape case against an African American man during the years of 1932 to 1935 in Maycomb, Alabama. These years were filled with racism, hatred, and segregation. A rape charge against a black man, Tom Robinson, with the victim being a white woman, Mayella Ewell, was ultimately a death sentence during these times no matter the actual truth to the incident or if it even occurred in the first place. This story portrays the truth of racism and the extreme level of tyranny directed towards African Americans. Lee lays out in detail the entirety of Tom Robinson’s case from the
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and
Author uses Atticus teach these lessons through his wise words. Atticus teaches these lessons to not only the audience, but Jem and Scout too. Some of the main things he teaches his kids about are understanding people, using the mind instead of the body, the cruel reality of stereotypes, and true
The intriguing novel, To Kill A Mockingbird is written by the prestigious author Harper Lee. Lee has utilised the lifestyle and attitudes towards African-Americans" in the 1930's to create a novel which presents the reader with Lee's attitudes and values. The dominant reading of the novel is focused on the issues of racial prejudice, but there are also a number of other alternative and oppositional readings. Examples of this are the Marxist and feminist readings which can be applied to the text.
“It's right hard to say," she said. "Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it? Now what if I talked white-folks' talk at church, and with my neighbors? They'd think I was puttin' on airs to beat Moses, "But Cal, you know better," I said. “It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike—in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowing more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (pg. 119.) Miss Maudie spoke the previous quote with deep thought going into each and every word. She wasn't just trying to teach Scout a lesson, but she wanted there to be a powerful meaning behind it. Miss Maudie's main purpose was to stress that you shouldn't kill something that is doing no harm. Everyday "mockingbirds" are killed, broke down, and mistreated by society.
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ immediately became a classic. It focused on many issues of the issues of the time and some that still exist today. In Harper Lee’s book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Scout Finch, the narrator, starts to grow up and see the world around her better. Scout and the audience see the inequality and brokenness of her world, through the eyes of a child. Apart of her journey is the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape, in the 1930’s, by Mayella Ewell. Scout’s father, Atticus, defends Robinson against the town’s racism. The prosecution, with the help of Mr. Gilmer, the Ewell’s attorney, wins the case. Even though most of the facts went towards the defense. Through writing Scout’s life Lee is able
To Kill a Mockingbird clearly reflects the false rape accusations that took place during the 1930s. Regarding one court case during March of 1931, author Daniel S. Levy says, “In order to avoid being charged with consorting with blacks, the women accused the men of rape” (Levy, par.5). Mayella Ewell falsely accuses Tom Robinson of raping her, similarly to the other white, young women in the 1930s. Women decided to accuse these black men of rape to avoid society’s judgement and criticism.
Growing up is a difficult task, especially when the town around you doesn’t offer to help you understand what’s going on around you. Using many examples of the loss of childhood innocence, Harper Lee shows us that a corrupted society leads to growing up faster and one’s childhood is stripped away. Through Jem, the eldest of the Finch children, and Scout, the youngest, the readers see how a trial in 1930 Alabama takes a toll of young minds. In Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, she implies that growing up leads to loss of innocence, especially in troubling times.
“Morals, Manners, Customs, and Public Perception” by Judge Paul Heath Till uses the theme of Southern Civility to express the change and influence our fast-changing society plays in the reconstruction of the Southern culture. Judge Till’s explanation of the Southern Civility can also be reflected in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, who uses the culture of the South to emphasize the conflicts and the expectations that the family must live up to be accepted into the community. The Southern civility is presented in both texts through the understanding and importance of family and the basic concept of values and mannerism.
“Its a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 103). This familiar statement expresses the meaning of the word mockingbird that is in the title of the novel. Arousingly touching the hearts of others, Harper Lee displays the innocence of a mockingbird and people who compare to a mockingbird. Maycomb county, a fictional setting in the book where innocent people were accused of wrongdoings and sometimes punished for crimes they did not commit or things they could not help. In To Kill a Mocking, Harper Lee used symbolism to compare Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Jem Finch to a mockingbird.
Harper Lee’s Novel To Kill a Mockingbird details the life of young Scout Finch and brother Jem Finch, who is growing up in a time of racial uniqueness. Jem and Scout Finch are what most would call a typical family growing up in the small Alabama town of Maycomb. They encounter many different obstacles during their childhood missions with many characters making the novel an interesting read. Throughout the book, Lee is showing Jem and Scout grow up and become mature young adults. This novel, written by Harper Lee, demonstrates the themes of growing up, Innocence and most importantly, racism.
The story, in the eyes of two innocent children Scout and her brother Jem, of the discrimination and hypocrisy throughout the town. Maycomb County, Alabama, faces an African American’s injustice while the children learn valuable lessons from their father, Atticus and their housemaid Calpurnia, during the Great Depression. All the while, we are learning from it. To Kill a Mockingbird teaches us the lessons of morale, justice and equality.