What Is The Intersection Of 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.

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

The “other” is someone(s) who are different than me and my group. Some of the “others” in Maycomb include: Boo Radley, Miss Caroline Fisher and Walter Cunningham. Race, class, and gender play a role in establishing the “other”. Gossip and superstition play a role in figuring out who society believes are the “other”. Stereotypes also play a role in determining who is an “other” because stereotypes are undefinable attitudes that people have about other people. Fear plays a role in “otherness” because fear causes people to say and do things that they normally wouldn’t do. A quote to support this is from chapter two: “The class murmured apprehensively, should she prove to harbor her share of peculiarities indigenous to that region.”

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.

Race is the dominant cause of inequality in To Kill A Mockingbird, thus Maycomb’s views on race heavily influence every aspect of life. Although racial inequality is clearly illustrated in the in the injustice, prejudice, discrimination and antagonism surrounding the Tom Robinson trial, it is also shown more subtly throughout the novel. In chapter 25 Atticus Finch is quoted disclosing that the corrupt justice system is a direct cause of a racist society. “In our courts, when it's a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (Pg 295). To emphasize, on the same occasion Atticus attempts to explain to his children how widely spread racism is, “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life”

Do unto others as you would have them do to you. This proverb means to treat others the way one wants to be treated. For example, I treat my close friends with loyalty, respect and kindness because this is how I want them to treat me. As a case in point, when my friends need help with biology homework on cell division, I help them when they need it because I know more about cell division and when I need help on history homework on the Revolutionary War because I am not so good at history, I would expect them to help me. In fact, I would be there by their side when they need help. Truly, I expect them to have my back the same way. This maxim connects to social justice because the concept of the maxim

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

To Kill a Mockingbird essay - Halen Baltus When I hear the words social justice, I think of justice over a certain amount of society. The real meaning of social justice is “Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.” Social justice fits in with To Kill A Mockingbird because Atticus is defending Tom Robinson in front of many people and a judge. This goes with social justice because a white man is helping a black man even though he feels they will not win. It states in Central America

There is a challenge that African Americans have been facing since they were first freed from slavery, achieving social equality but This problem hasn’t gone away. Currently, it is in a slightly better position that it was in in the 1930’s. Especially for interracial Marriage. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, they deal with Social equality. This book is narrated by Scout Finch who is a unbiased girl. Scout does not see race thus she doesn't understand why white people are so racist to the black people. Through the comparison of character interactions in the novel and the influence of current events, it is revealed that the concept of social equality has changed from the 1930s to present day.

To get started in To Kill a Mockingbird, social inequality is everywhere. This relates to the book on how Aunt Alexandra said that the kids can’t hang out with African Americans because of they don’t have money like she does, and they are a different color from them. This is totally wrong the people you hang out with shouldn’t be based on their money. In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech, “I Have a Dream,” it says, "But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

God does not discriminate against people, regardless of color, religion, social class, gender, or sexual preferences. But we do. In every society there is an unofficial social pyramid that exists, the white and wealthy people usually lie on the top of it, some black wealthy people may also be up there but not quite. The poor white people are near the bottom, but of course they aren’t too low, a majority of blacks are at the undermost part of the pyramid. Because no matter what people say white supremacy is still present in our society the same way it was around eighty years ago. During the great depression and many years after that, every white person was above every black person no matter what. In the years, some has changed but not much. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee social status is a present subject through the entire book. To Kill a Mockingbird reveals how social status affects a society.