To Kill A Mockingbird Social Structure

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.

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

Social classing systems, also known as social hierarchy have been around since the beginning of time. In such a system those of the upper class take advantage of the classes below them; whether it is kings and their servants or a boss and their workers. This social hierarchy has a profound effect on society and the events in Harper Lee 's novel To Kill A Mockingbird. There are four classes in Maycomb; they are distinguished in the Tom Robinson case and in the crowd who attend his trial. Due to the social structure of Maycomb, Tom Robinson, a black man, is unjustly accused and convicted of a crime he does not commit.

There is much debate about the issue of social class in the United States. There are arguments about whether social classes are distinctly separate or fluid, dependent upon one’s community or society as a whole, and if they are subjective or objective (Hughes and Jenkins). However, despite the debate surrounding social classes, it is still important to try to define them and analyze their effects, as they are such an important part of our identity and our opportunities in society. Although our society has tried to appear as though we have no classes, and it is becoming harder to tell what class someone is in by material goods, classes do still exist today (Scott and Leonhardt). The trend has been to divide the U.S. into four major

Scout Finch is a well-known character throughout the book not only because it was written in her perspective, but for having an intelligent yet tomboy demeanor. This does not always fall in her favor as she was reprimanded several times for committing certain actions deemed to be unladylike. “‘Don’t you contradict me!’ Mrs. Dubose bawled. ‘And you—’ she pointed an arthritic finger at me—‘what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady!’” (101) Various people including Mrs. Dubose and Aunt Alexandra scolded Scout several times throughout the book for dressing the way she did, in overalls like the males instead of the common dresses, petticoats and sashes girls had adorned then. Even some places were considered unworthy for people of certain races to be at. When the children went to Calpurnia’s church, they were stopped by Lula who said, “‘You ain’t got no business bringin‘ white chillun here—they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’… Jem said, ‘Let’s go home, Cal, they don’t want us here—’” (119). The kids stepped out of their place going to a Black church when they were of White heritage and subsequently angered certain people like Lula. This would have been completely unheard of by the rest of society. Both the children Jem and Scout fall victim to the rules inflicted

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 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.

Social norms are apart of every society in some way, shape, or form. Issues occur off these social norms when there are outcasters who don’t exactly fit in with society's expectations. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout was pressured by many relatives and neighbors to “act like a girl”. Accept, Scout wants to be her own person. She wants to play in the dirt and have fun. Although, one particular person keeps putting her down, and that is Auntie Alexandra. Alexandra tries to play a female role for Scout and tells Scout how she is suppose to act. Scout however is very similar to Juliet capulet in this way. In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet was pressured by her mother to be more like other girls and to get married. Scout and Juliet,

Social class describes the different "layers" that exist in society. These "layers," or classes in society, are a division that civilization has been running on ever since the beginning of mankind. In most modern societies, our system of social class division is one of opportunity. We experience a good deal of social mobility, where people through generations or in their own lifetime can move up or down the social scale. By examining the many different perceptions of social class along with S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, it is illustrated that social class has an impact on people while they are growing up, and will usually deny them from rising above adversity.

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the major themes that author Harper Lee highlights are the divisions and inequality in society. The story is set in the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama when class, gender, and racial discrimination were highly prevalent. In this time Jim Crow laws were in effect. Jim Crow laws mandated the segregation between black and whites. Consequences of questioning Jim Crow laws were violent and people were rejected from society and their family. The 1930’s is also the time during which the great depression was taking place. Many families were hit hard by the great depression. Maycomb was not a poorer, small, Southern, town. Also in this time, women were not given equal rights and they were expected to fulfill

How far do you think Harper Lee has effectively shown social class and family groups to be important at that time? The rigid class structure and social stratification of Maycomb County had a profound effect on the events in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The impact of this class structure was especially evident in the trial of Tom Robins on, a Maycomb Negro. The extreme prejudice of the town eventually led to the unjust conviction of Robinson for a crime he did not commit.

Pecking order is defined as a hierarchy within a social group or community, in which those members at the top assume positions of authority. The expression was also used for an economic theory that explains capital structure. It came from a report on the behavior among chickens, which establish dominance by pecking each other. Although humans do not use the same tactics to prove their power, there are several factors play a part in one’s social class, such as social interaction, education, and occupation. The communities we live in are shaped by the social hierarchy. This is apparent in the stories we tell, such as books like To Kill a Mockingbird, A Raisin in the Sun, and the documentary American Denial.

Douglas Adams once wrote, "Don't you understand that we need to be childish in order to understand? Only a child sees things with perfect clarity because it has not developed all those filters which prevent us from seeing things that we do not expect to see." To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee and it examines the life of the residents of the fictional town of Maycomb through the eyes of a child. Incredibly paramount events in history largely shape the beliefs of the Maycombians. The story is set in the southern state of Alabama roughly seventy years after the end of the Civil War.

In society, judging people and determining ranks/statuses of people is practiced frequently. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the small town of Maycomb is heavily divided. There are evident boundaries between the townspeople, they are all subject to different treatment and ways of life. At the start of the novel the people of Maycomb are separated on the basis of socioeconomic status. Lee also conveys a dramatic line of demarcation regarding the race of the fellow townspeople, the division between the two colors.

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