In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, two children, Scout and Jem, who grow up in Alabama during the Great Depression, experience the adult world through countless adventures and the witnessing of a trial of a black man. Many of these adult world experiences the two children involve social inequality, whether they themselves are affected by it, or if they are witnessing someone else . In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses many different characters to develop the themes of social inequality.
Tom Robinson’s character also helps develop the theme of social inequality during his trial. After the testimonies of the witnesses, Atticus began to say his closing argument; where refers to Mayella saying, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. …show more content…
Not an old Uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards." (204) In the 1930’s, when the book takes place, it was not socially acceptable to kiss a black man. Lee uses this event to support how the people of the south were extremely racist, and do not believe that a low class black man should be able to be in a relationship with a high class white woman. This illustrates how social inequality can even pertain to the color of your skin. The final verdict of the trial also shows how Tom helps develop the theme of social inequality. After the jury deliberates for an hour, they re-enter the courtroom to give their final verdict. Scout hears the final verdict herself once she hears Judge Taylor polling the jury, saying, “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” …show more content…
Christmas time at Finch landing shows this. Scout recalls a time when she overhears Aunt Alexandra talking about how Scout wears overalls. She explains, "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches...she said I was not supposed to be doing things that required pants...furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life... Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam...” (81), In order for one to act as a proper young lady during the 1930’s, a person could not just simply be a female, they had to act and look the part. Though, this ideology was not totally Aunt Alexandra’s fault. It was very common in society at this time to think that way; it was normal. Social inequality places a picture in peoples heads of exactly how women should be, when in reality, they should just be allowed to be themselves. Aunt Alexandra also develops the theme of social inequality after Tom Robinson's trial. While The Finch family are discussing the trial in the living room, Scout brings up how wants to invite Walter Cunningham over for dinner once school starts. Though once Aunt Alexandra hears this, she did not seem amused. She tells Scout that she could not bring Walter over because, “he-is-trash.” (225) and that she didn’t want her to be, “picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what.”(225) In result of
Tom Robinson’s character also helps develop the theme of social inequality during his trial. After the testimonies of the witnesses, Atticus began to say his closing argument; where refers to Mayella saying, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. …show more content…
Not an old Uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards." (204) In the 1930’s, when the book takes place, it was not socially acceptable to kiss a black man. Lee uses this event to support how the people of the south were extremely racist, and do not believe that a low class black man should be able to be in a relationship with a high class white woman. This illustrates how social inequality can even pertain to the color of your skin. The final verdict of the trial also shows how Tom helps develop the theme of social inequality. After the jury deliberates for an hour, they re-enter the courtroom to give their final verdict. Scout hears the final verdict herself once she hears Judge Taylor polling the jury, saying, “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” …show more content…
Christmas time at Finch landing shows this. Scout recalls a time when she overhears Aunt Alexandra talking about how Scout wears overalls. She explains, "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches...she said I was not supposed to be doing things that required pants...furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life... Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam...” (81), In order for one to act as a proper young lady during the 1930’s, a person could not just simply be a female, they had to act and look the part. Though, this ideology was not totally Aunt Alexandra’s fault. It was very common in society at this time to think that way; it was normal. Social inequality places a picture in peoples heads of exactly how women should be, when in reality, they should just be allowed to be themselves. Aunt Alexandra also develops the theme of social inequality after Tom Robinson's trial. While The Finch family are discussing the trial in the living room, Scout brings up how wants to invite Walter Cunningham over for dinner once school starts. Though once Aunt Alexandra hears this, she did not seem amused. She tells Scout that she could not bring Walter over because, “he-is-trash.” (225) and that she didn’t want her to be, “picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what.”(225) In result of