How the Great Depression Impacts Characters from To Kill a Mockingbird “At its highest point during the Great Depression, unemployment reached 25% (in 1933)” ("The Depression Facts "). The timeless novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story about a small southern town. Throughout the book racial prejudice is shown as well as one man’s courageous fight against it. The setting takes place between 1933 and 1935 during the Great Depression. We are also introduced to the social hierarchy that exists in the town throughout the novel. The Great Depression is an economic catastrophe that has a large effect on everyone from almost every social class. Throughout the novel the reader is shown how the Great Depression has an effect on people
…show more content…
Some of the effects are shown through the Cunningham family. The Cunningham family is one of the poorest families in Maycomb. Walter Cunningham Sr. receives legal work from Atticus Finch. He cannot pay for it with money, so instead he pays Atticus with other things he does have. Scout states, “As the Cunningham’s had no money to pay a lawyer, they simply paid us with what they had” (Lee 28). Although the Cunningham’s always pay for the services they receive somehow, it is a lot harder because they have no money. The economic downturn also affects Mr. Cunningham’s son, Walter. The economy forces Walter Cunningham to mature very quickly for his age. Walter knows his families economic situation. Mr. Cunningham is able to get a WPA job, but he does not want to leave his crops. As a result, Walter fails Grade one multiple times because he has to miss school to help his father on the farm. While talking with Atticus, Walter tells him “Reason I can’t pass the first grade Mr. Finch, is I’ve had to stay out ever’ spring an’ help Papa with the choppin’” (Lee 32). Walter is forced to grow up a lot quicker than the other eight year olds due to his families’ finical situation. He knows and understands a lot of things that other children his age would not. Walter is also very mature when it comes to dealing with money. Walter will not accept money from anyone because he knows that his family has no …show more content…
The Great Depression worsened the economic situation of African Americans (Lynch). African Americas, such as Tom Robinson are the first to be laid off from their jobs, and they suffered from an unemployment rate two to three times that of whites (Lynch). If Tom Robinson had a good job, he would be the first to be fired when the recession hit. This leaves him with no income or way to provide for his family. As well as being the first people to be fired, during this era racism was extremely high. As a result of this Tom Robinson works on a farm for little money, even though he is crippled on his left side. This is Tom’s only means of income for his family. During the trial Tom is asked about his work for Mr. Link Deas “I works in his yard fall an‘ wintertime. I works pretty steady for him all year round, he’s got a lot of pecan trees’n things” (Lee 255). Many blacks who were left without jobs also faced segregation and were unable to receive food “In early public assistance programs African Americans often received substantially less aid than whites, and some charitable organizations even excluded blacks from their soup kitchens” (Lynch ). This left many families hungry and unable to receive food. The Great Depression effected people from almost every social class, even people from upper social classes such as the
Some of the effects are shown through the Cunningham family. The Cunningham family is one of the poorest families in Maycomb. Walter Cunningham Sr. receives legal work from Atticus Finch. He cannot pay for it with money, so instead he pays Atticus with other things he does have. Scout states, “As the Cunningham’s had no money to pay a lawyer, they simply paid us with what they had” (Lee 28). Although the Cunningham’s always pay for the services they receive somehow, it is a lot harder because they have no money. The economic downturn also affects Mr. Cunningham’s son, Walter. The economy forces Walter Cunningham to mature very quickly for his age. Walter knows his families economic situation. Mr. Cunningham is able to get a WPA job, but he does not want to leave his crops. As a result, Walter fails Grade one multiple times because he has to miss school to help his father on the farm. While talking with Atticus, Walter tells him “Reason I can’t pass the first grade Mr. Finch, is I’ve had to stay out ever’ spring an’ help Papa with the choppin’” (Lee 32). Walter is forced to grow up a lot quicker than the other eight year olds due to his families’ finical situation. He knows and understands a lot of things that other children his age would not. Walter is also very mature when it comes to dealing with money. Walter will not accept money from anyone because he knows that his family has no …show more content…
The Great Depression worsened the economic situation of African Americans (Lynch). African Americas, such as Tom Robinson are the first to be laid off from their jobs, and they suffered from an unemployment rate two to three times that of whites (Lynch). If Tom Robinson had a good job, he would be the first to be fired when the recession hit. This leaves him with no income or way to provide for his family. As well as being the first people to be fired, during this era racism was extremely high. As a result of this Tom Robinson works on a farm for little money, even though he is crippled on his left side. This is Tom’s only means of income for his family. During the trial Tom is asked about his work for Mr. Link Deas “I works in his yard fall an‘ wintertime. I works pretty steady for him all year round, he’s got a lot of pecan trees’n things” (Lee 255). Many blacks who were left without jobs also faced segregation and were unable to receive food “In early public assistance programs African Americans often received substantially less aid than whites, and some charitable organizations even excluded blacks from their soup kitchens” (Lynch ). This left many families hungry and unable to receive food. The Great Depression effected people from almost every social class, even people from upper social classes such as the