Sleepy Maycomb, as well as other southern towns, suffers considerably during the Great Depression. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, provides a vivid description of life in this small Alabama town where the existence of social inequality quickly turns into conflict. Scout Finch and her older brother, Jem Finch, frequently spend time with their friend, Dill, spying on their neighbor, Boo Radley. When Atticus, their father and an honorable lawyer, is told to defend an African – American accused of rape, it exposes the children to racism and stereotyping. Harper Lee develops the theme of social inequality in To Kill A Mockingbird.
The Finches are almost at the top of the social ladder; this means that in a town that has just been hit by the Great Depression. At one point Scout says “Are we poor” (Lee 23) and to that Atticus answers “We are indeed.” (Lee 23). From there he tells Scout that they are not as poor as the Cunninghams, who cannot pay Atticus back in money. They pay people back in food because that is the only thing they …show more content…
This is because they are honorable; they do not lie and cheat unlike the Ewells. Atticus explained to Scout that “the Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations” (Lee 33). The Ewells were considered white trash because Mr. Ewell wasted his relief check on whiskey, let his children go hungry, his children did not go to school, and they lived in complete poverty. Even though the Ewells are Caucasian they are less honorable than anyone in Maycomb. Atticus even says “the Ewells were members of an exclusive society made up of Ewells” (Lee 34). Atticus means that although the Ewells live in Maycomb they do not listen to the rules and the town does not even try to enforce them. They do not get treated the same as the rest of the citizens. The Ewells would be at the bottom of the social ladder but since racism is still a big problem in the novel colored people
The Finches are almost at the top of the social ladder; this means that in a town that has just been hit by the Great Depression. At one point Scout says “Are we poor” (Lee 23) and to that Atticus answers “We are indeed.” (Lee 23). From there he tells Scout that they are not as poor as the Cunninghams, who cannot pay Atticus back in money. They pay people back in food because that is the only thing they …show more content…
This is because they are honorable; they do not lie and cheat unlike the Ewells. Atticus explained to Scout that “the Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations” (Lee 33). The Ewells were considered white trash because Mr. Ewell wasted his relief check on whiskey, let his children go hungry, his children did not go to school, and they lived in complete poverty. Even though the Ewells are Caucasian they are less honorable than anyone in Maycomb. Atticus even says “the Ewells were members of an exclusive society made up of Ewells” (Lee 34). Atticus means that although the Ewells live in Maycomb they do not listen to the rules and the town does not even try to enforce them. They do not get treated the same as the rest of the citizens. The Ewells would be at the bottom of the social ladder but since racism is still a big problem in the novel colored people