To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee shines a light on social problems of 1930s Alabama. One element Lee focused on was the injustice of the legal system caused by these social standards. Lee uses the characterization of Mayella Ewell and societal gender roles, the conflicts initiated by the setting between 2 different races in Tom Robinson’s Trial with the Ewell family, and the conflict revolving around Arthur being Mr. Ewell’s killer, in order to suggest that no person is treated the same by the law due to social standards. In courts, no person is treated the same, every gender has their own standards set by society. Onlookers described Mayella Ewell as “...somehow fragile looking, but when she sat facing us in the …show more content…
While whites are protected by the law; blacks aren’t. However people with mental disabilities were protected by the law more than any white man. Specifically focusing on Arthur Radley we know that he is rumored to have a mental ailment or disability. It is also known that a rumor has Arthur killing people at night with a kitchen knife. Bob Ewell was found dead with ‘“...a kitchen knife in his craw.”’ (Lee, 368) Since Bob Ewell was killed with a kitchen knife, it had to be Arthur Radley. He is the only person in the entire town to be known for doing any action similar to that. Sheriff Heck Tate seems to take pity in Arthur since he makes a false story up for his Bob’s death. Heck Tate determined that ‘“...Bob Ewell fell on his knife.”’ (Lee, 370) Atticus, being a lawyer has a problem with this as he wants to tell only the truth. Atticus notices something odd about the Sheriff, without skipping a beat Atticus says: ‘“...that was a switchblade you were waving. Where’d you get it?”’ (Lee, 368) From this we know for sure the knife in Bob Ewell’s abdomen is actually Arthur’s. Heck Tate actively tries to save Arthur Radley from going to jail by sharing how we should ‘“Let the dead bury the dead this time.”’ (Lee, 369) Arthur Radley is thanked by Atticus for his children and is left alone, because Heck Tate strived to keep him from going to jail since he wasn’t perfect …show more content…
These social standards allowed Mayella Ewell to use the characterization involved in gender roles to falsely aid her campaign. Due to the setting of Tom Robinson’s trial being in 1930s Alabama he faces the racial conflicts caused by the social standards. Finally the is the conflict of exempting Arthur from the legal system due to his possible mental health problems. The United States legal system has never treated every person the same from these social
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee shines a light on social problems of 1930s Alabama. One element Lee focused on was the injustice of the legal system caused by these social standards. Lee uses the characterization of Mayella Ewell and societal gender roles, the conflicts initiated by the setting between 2 different races in Tom Robinson’s Trial with the Ewell family, and the conflict revolving around Arthur being Mr. Ewell’s killer, in order to suggest that no person is treated the same by the law due to social standards. In courts, no person is treated the same, every gender has their own standards set by society. Onlookers described Mayella Ewell as “...somehow fragile looking, but when she sat facing us in the …show more content…
While whites are protected by the law; blacks aren’t. However people with mental disabilities were protected by the law more than any white man. Specifically focusing on Arthur Radley we know that he is rumored to have a mental ailment or disability. It is also known that a rumor has Arthur killing people at night with a kitchen knife. Bob Ewell was found dead with ‘“...a kitchen knife in his craw.”’ (Lee, 368) Since Bob Ewell was killed with a kitchen knife, it had to be Arthur Radley. He is the only person in the entire town to be known for doing any action similar to that. Sheriff Heck Tate seems to take pity in Arthur since he makes a false story up for his Bob’s death. Heck Tate determined that ‘“...Bob Ewell fell on his knife.”’ (Lee, 370) Atticus, being a lawyer has a problem with this as he wants to tell only the truth. Atticus notices something odd about the Sheriff, without skipping a beat Atticus says: ‘“...that was a switchblade you were waving. Where’d you get it?”’ (Lee, 368) From this we know for sure the knife in Bob Ewell’s abdomen is actually Arthur’s. Heck Tate actively tries to save Arthur Radley from going to jail by sharing how we should ‘“Let the dead bury the dead this time.”’ (Lee, 369) Arthur Radley is thanked by Atticus for his children and is left alone, because Heck Tate strived to keep him from going to jail since he wasn’t perfect …show more content…
These social standards allowed Mayella Ewell to use the characterization involved in gender roles to falsely aid her campaign. Due to the setting of Tom Robinson’s trial being in 1930s Alabama he faces the racial conflicts caused by the social standards. Finally the is the conflict of exempting Arthur from the legal system due to his possible mental health problems. The United States legal system has never treated every person the same from these social