Out of every single dystopian novel, each is said to be similar in many ways. Each of these stories follows a set of characteristics that mold them into the dystopian genre; however, as readers begin to analyze separate works, they ask questions of how strictly these guidelines must be followed. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of these. When compared to the outline of dystopian fiction, it won’t hit every mark, but it will hit almost all of them. Even though To Kill a Mockingbird does not include every characteristic, it is still considered a dystopian novel. Inside of a dystopia, the society is presented as fundamentally wrong. The novel presented takes place in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s; but all is not
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The story doesn’t end there, though. Dystopian novels sometimes have a glimmer of hope. In To Kill a Mockingbird, all of the people who believe in fairness and justice to black people are that glimmer. Atticus is an important example because of deciding to defend Tom when nobody else would. “If I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again,” (86). Atticus explains to Scout why he’s defending Robinson. He tells a number of reasons why, and they all include being disappointed in himself. Atticus states he could not order anyone to do the right thing if he was not righteous. The reasons are as big as representing the county, all the way to his household and raising his kids. “The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us;” (270). Miss Maudie is also part of the glimmer of hope. Her and a ‘handful of people’ in the society are the hope. Although she points out that there are not many, they are still there and they still believe. The handful of people is like a resistance. In the end, a dystopian novel is rarely resolved, and the same is true for this one. The trial is not won, and Tom Robinson dies. Although Atticus tries, he still fails in bringing Robinson justice. “What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of ‘em? He wasn’t Tom to them, he was an escaping prisoner,” (269). Up to his last moment, Robinson is only scene as his race rather than a person. Atticus claims although he attempted to do the right thing, most people wouldn’t accept change, and the case did not seem to make much of a difference. There are still hundreds being accused or prejudiced against. Humanity continues and will continue to be racist. For that reason, the novel is not resolved. Although some important
The story doesn’t end there, though. Dystopian novels sometimes have a glimmer of hope. In To Kill a Mockingbird, all of the people who believe in fairness and justice to black people are that glimmer. Atticus is an important example because of deciding to defend Tom when nobody else would. “If I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again,” (86). Atticus explains to Scout why he’s defending Robinson. He tells a number of reasons why, and they all include being disappointed in himself. Atticus states he could not order anyone to do the right thing if he was not righteous. The reasons are as big as representing the county, all the way to his household and raising his kids. “The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us;” (270). Miss Maudie is also part of the glimmer of hope. Her and a ‘handful of people’ in the society are the hope. Although she points out that there are not many, they are still there and they still believe. The handful of people is like a resistance. In the end, a dystopian novel is rarely resolved, and the same is true for this one. The trial is not won, and Tom Robinson dies. Although Atticus tries, he still fails in bringing Robinson justice. “What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of ‘em? He wasn’t Tom to them, he was an escaping prisoner,” (269). Up to his last moment, Robinson is only scene as his race rather than a person. Atticus claims although he attempted to do the right thing, most people wouldn’t accept change, and the case did not seem to make much of a difference. There are still hundreds being accused or prejudiced against. Humanity continues and will continue to be racist. For that reason, the novel is not resolved. Although some important