Examples Of Social Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Martin Luther King Jr. once said,“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.”(King). It is true that this is physically happening today, but not emotionally. Many people are still discriminating against African Americans, without realizing, while saying it is wrong to do so. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch,” it’s evident that innocence is destroyed by social inequality, shown through the characters in the books. In To Kill a Mockingbird, innocence destroyed by social inequality is present. Scout asks permission from Aunt Alexandra to play with Walter, but Aunt Alexandra refuses and says,“... he …show more content…
George and Lennie are heading to the ranch in Salinas, and George tells Lennie, “You jus' stand there and don't say nothing.”(Steinbeck 44). Lennie is an innocent person, whose mental disability gets in the way of people liking him. Also, Curley’s wife says to Crooks, “...keep your place then, Nigger."(Steinbeck 120). This quote shows how whites have full control over blacks. Later, after finding out about Curley’s glove full of vaseline, George asks what the glove is for, to which Candy replies,“Curley says he's keepin' that hand soft for his wife."(Steinbeck 101). This quote shows how women weren’t respected, because women were low in social …show more content…
Wright talks about how over the years, the idea of white people became a symbol of fear. Wright says,“Through the years they grew into an overreaching symbol of fear.”(161). Wright was innocent while defending himself, but began to realize how social inequality mattered. Later, Wright is framed for not calling Pease, Mr. Pease. If Wright had argued, he’d be calling Morrie a liar. Wright says,“I stood hesitating, trying to frame a neutral reply.”(163). Wright was innocent, but it was a black man’s word against a white man’s. Also, one night, Wright was walking home with a black maid, and the night watchman slapped the maid on the behind. Wright says,“ ...he pulled his gun and asked: ‘Nigger, don’t yuh like it?’...‘Yes, sir,’ I mumbled.”(167). If Wright had stood up for the maid, the watchman would’ve killed

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