At the beginning of the novel in the epigraph the words of Charles Lamb were displayed by Lee stating, “Lawyers, I suppose, were children once.” Within her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee establishes the idea that children are free from the racism of American society as they maintain their innocence until their moral education begins. She weaves into the novel that the transition to adulthood in the early nineteenth century in America, especially in the South, caused the development of unethical views of African-Americans by white Americans as part of the instillment of societal values. In contrast to this ideology, Lee crafts Atticus, a lawyer, as a model of pristine morality to emphasize the depravity that segregation produced. Thus,
…show more content…
Unlike some of the metropolitan centers arising during the time at which the novel takes place, Maycomb is set in a small, stereotypical southern town. Attributes common to this type of town are everybody knowing each other and their business, a common view of segregation present in the white community, and a head sheriff who watches over the town. Furthermore, in the town class divisions are clearly apparent and are central to a majority of the conflicts in the novel. Also, the prevalence of racism in the town of Maycomb morphs the morality of the white community, emphasizing the inhumanity associated with segregation. Overall, Maycomb’s personality depicts the nature of an average southern town placing it above a backdrop for the novel’s …show more content…
For example, Atticus employs Calpurnia, an African American, as cook for the family as Scout’s mother passed away. Once Aunt Alexandra moves into the household she attempts to convince Atticus that he should fire Calpurnia since there is no need for her anymore but fails to convince him. In reality, the implied reasoning for firing Calpurnia is that Aunt Alexandra seeks to remove the African-American influence which the children have on them and instill an entirely white influence instead. In addition to family quarrels, class divisions highlight the racial tensions in Maycomb. This becomes apparent when Bob Ewell, an educated and poor man, has Tom Robinson put on trial due to him allegedly raping Ewell’s daughter. However, Tom Robinson has done no such thing but is still being put on trial as Bob seeks to gain wealth in any way possible. That the African-American community is slightly better off than the Ewell family and are more similar to the Cunningham family who is also poor but maintains their standards. Moreover, the Ewells are viewed as of higher standing than the African-Americans such as Tom Robinson since they are white so they maintain their higher standing in
Unlike some of the metropolitan centers arising during the time at which the novel takes place, Maycomb is set in a small, stereotypical southern town. Attributes common to this type of town are everybody knowing each other and their business, a common view of segregation present in the white community, and a head sheriff who watches over the town. Furthermore, in the town class divisions are clearly apparent and are central to a majority of the conflicts in the novel. Also, the prevalence of racism in the town of Maycomb morphs the morality of the white community, emphasizing the inhumanity associated with segregation. Overall, Maycomb’s personality depicts the nature of an average southern town placing it above a backdrop for the novel’s …show more content…
For example, Atticus employs Calpurnia, an African American, as cook for the family as Scout’s mother passed away. Once Aunt Alexandra moves into the household she attempts to convince Atticus that he should fire Calpurnia since there is no need for her anymore but fails to convince him. In reality, the implied reasoning for firing Calpurnia is that Aunt Alexandra seeks to remove the African-American influence which the children have on them and instill an entirely white influence instead. In addition to family quarrels, class divisions highlight the racial tensions in Maycomb. This becomes apparent when Bob Ewell, an educated and poor man, has Tom Robinson put on trial due to him allegedly raping Ewell’s daughter. However, Tom Robinson has done no such thing but is still being put on trial as Bob seeks to gain wealth in any way possible. That the African-American community is slightly better off than the Ewell family and are more similar to the Cunningham family who is also poor but maintains their standards. Moreover, the Ewells are viewed as of higher standing than the African-Americans such as Tom Robinson since they are white so they maintain their higher standing in