How Did Jim Crow Laws Affect To Kill A Mockingbird

The Great Depression was “breadlines and debt”. Those two words define the depletion of resources needed helping Harper Lee to write To Kill a Mockingbird (McCabe 12). This book shows how people got through life on little to no money. Harper Lee reflects on many historical events to help form To Kill a Mockingbird. For example, there were many influences from Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the Scottsboro trials in the novel. The first influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws preserved segregation. For example, Pilgrim writes the laws made sure the Whites were always above Blacks. White people thought God thought segregation was good and that there was danger in bringing together the two races and making them equal (Pilgrim). Whites also thought if it was necessary they could use violence (Pilgrim). Evidence of the Jim Crow laws can be seen in To Kill a Mockingbird in many ways. One Jim Crow law is that Blacks can never say a white person is lying or might not be telling the truth (Pilgrim). When Tom is on the stand, he says Miss Mayella is not lying she had just mistaken her mind (Lee 264). Not only did the Jim Crow laws influence To Kill a Mockingbird, so did the idea of mob mentality. …show more content…
Mob mentality is complex. For example, Edmonds shows when people get into a group and gather around something or, are vocal about something is mob mentality. People do this because they are just following what others are doing not what is best (Smith). Mob mentality can be seen in To Kill a Mockingbird in many ways. When people go to stores for sales and wait outside is considered mob mentality (Smith). Atticus knows a mob will form outside the jail so he sits there to protect Tom when the mob led by Mr. Cunningham shows up (Lee 202). Not only did mob mentality influence To Kill a Mockingbird, so did the Scottsboro