In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, the underlying problem that moves the story is cultural, not personal. The cultural problem is civil rights. We see this in the trial, when Calpurnia brings the children to her church, and when Aunt Alexandra disapproves of Calpurnia working for Atticus.
This novel is set during the Great Depression. Not many people have money to go out and buy what they formerly could, which hinders most individual’s spirits. So, not only are the African American people dealing with ignorant white men, they are trying to deal with ignorant white men who are unhappy to begin with. This seems an impossible task, and as the trial proves, it is. By reading the novel, everyone can clearly see that Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell. Mr. Ewell was the one who had beaten Mayella, when he was drunk. Because of Tom Robinson’s injury, there is no way he would have tried or been able to hurt Mayella. This is a cultural problem because the jury found Robinson guilty based on skin color. Tom Robinson being an African American should not have been a deciding factor for the jury, but it was his word against a white man’s. …show more content…
Atticus is in town and Calpurnia does not want Scout and Jem going to church on their own. She decides to take the two to her African American church. When they arrive, a woman criticizes Calpurnia for bringing “white trash” around there. Everyone else in the congregation is friendly and welcoming to Scout and Jem, though. I think this shows that not only do white people have feelings against African Americans, but all people can be racist. It is not necessarily a large theme in the book, but it certainly is relevant.
Hence, I believe that in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, the theme that pulls the story along is cultural, not personal. The cultural prejudice is race. The white men, women, and some children do not treat the African Americans as
This novel is set during the Great Depression. Not many people have money to go out and buy what they formerly could, which hinders most individual’s spirits. So, not only are the African American people dealing with ignorant white men, they are trying to deal with ignorant white men who are unhappy to begin with. This seems an impossible task, and as the trial proves, it is. By reading the novel, everyone can clearly see that Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell. Mr. Ewell was the one who had beaten Mayella, when he was drunk. Because of Tom Robinson’s injury, there is no way he would have tried or been able to hurt Mayella. This is a cultural problem because the jury found Robinson guilty based on skin color. Tom Robinson being an African American should not have been a deciding factor for the jury, but it was his word against a white man’s. …show more content…
Atticus is in town and Calpurnia does not want Scout and Jem going to church on their own. She decides to take the two to her African American church. When they arrive, a woman criticizes Calpurnia for bringing “white trash” around there. Everyone else in the congregation is friendly and welcoming to Scout and Jem, though. I think this shows that not only do white people have feelings against African Americans, but all people can be racist. It is not necessarily a large theme in the book, but it certainly is relevant.
Hence, I believe that in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, the theme that pulls the story along is cultural, not personal. The cultural prejudice is race. The white men, women, and some children do not treat the African Americans as