...TKAM Literary Analysis Inequality and prejudice plays what I believe is the most important role in the story To Kill a Mockingbird. Events such as Tom Robinsons trial emphasize this point. Also points such as the game Scout and Jem conjured up to be about Boo Radley’s life. Some points of the book where Aunt Alexandra talks about others as if they are less than them shows that she is basically the living embodiment of racial and social discrimination. These all show the strong tension between the people of Maycomb and those who they believe are different. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee emphasizes the theme of inequality and prejudice through metaphors, tone and characterization. My first piece of evidence to support the theme of prejudice in the town of Maycomb is when Aunt Alexandra was talking to scout about inviting Walter Cunningham (Jr.) over for dinner and Scout is complaining why Aunt Alexandra wont let her play with him and she says, “I’ll tell you why…Because—he—is—trash, that’s why you cant play with him.” This is an example of a metaphor used to describe that Walter is “Worse than them” essentially. This supports the theme of inequality by showing that Aunt Alexandra doesn’t want Scout playing with Walter because she believes they are in some sort of higher “social class”. For my second piece of evidence I have another quote from Aunt Alexandra. This time she is speaking with Atticus about getting rid of Calpurnia because she is black. The quote...
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...of view until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.’ (3: 85-87) To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAMB) written by Harper Lee focuses on the inequality of race throughout America in the early 1900’s. The building roman novel published in 1960 utilises literacy techniques including symbolism, first person and characterisation in order to explore key themes such as innocence, social inequality and gender stereotyping. The novel promotes an insightful, entertaining and morally educating perspective for all readers. Literacy techniques are a critical part of the storytelling. Symbolism is used in order to enhance the story; it expresses a deeper meaning towards...
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...Harper Lee social inequality is shown throughout the whole story from beginning to end. The chain of inequality starts at the top with the Finch’s hovering above everyone else than the average neighbors next, the Cunninghams, Ewells, and at the very bottom the negroes. This theme was shown roughly almost every single chapter with the key points of the Tom Robinson and his court trial against Bob Ewell. This happens in the real world today with terrorism and all sorts of other stuff. Social inequality is shown constantly through this novel. Social inequality is shown in many ways that we all encounter everyday. There are many people in poverty striving for food to feed and support their families similar to the Cunninghams in the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”. They are near the bottom of the chain with no food, home, or maybe even a loss of friends and family. Some rich people have no respect for them so they don’t offer them any help or even money because they believe they should keep their money since they’re on top of the chain similar to the Finch’s but the Finch’s care for the people in poverty in the book. In chapter 19 Tom Robinson says “No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr.Ewell seemed to help her none, and neither did the chillun, and I...
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...This is demonstrated in the court of law, when they restrain woman their right to participate in legal affairs, as a citizens. Atticus mentions this "For one thing, Miss Maudie can't serve on a jury because she's a woman-"(296). The gender inequality in Maycomb is clearly evident when a woman isn't able to voice her opinions in a court of justice. Woman likewise, blindly follow the set standards given to them by society. Aunt Alexandra wishes for Scout to have the manner and apparel that a lady presumably has. Scout explains Aunt Alexandra intentions for her, "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra's vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace[...](108). She is setting out society's guidelines of how a lady can behave and dress for Scout. Moreover, this may result in women and young girls feeling trapped in a patriarchal...
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...Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel centered around a few years in Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s childhood, featuring her experiences and the lessons that she learns growing up in the 1930s. Scout and her brother, Jeremy “Jem” Finch, mature in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in a one-parent home. Their father and aunt, Atticus and Alexandra, raise them with help from Calpurnia, their African American maid. Harper Lee weaves several different themes throughout the novel, but some are more prominent than others. Lee develops the main themes of growth, protection of innocence, and perception throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, disguised in the form of lessons learned during the narrator’s childhood. Harper Lee reveals her theme of growth...
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...Social inequality erupts from the differences in the way people act and think. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the small town of Maycomb faces the harsh circumstances of social inequality. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and leader of Maycomb, defends Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of Rape. Social inequality will never change, though it can be a hardship it simply will not go away because minds aren’t easily swayed, the natural opinion that one is better than another, and the demand of one group to conform to the dominant group. To begin with, Civil discrimination starts in the mind; this mind does not have to be one of poor thoughts or strong thoughts, either can be tainted by prejudice. Atticus’s children, Jem and Scout, spoke to their Aunt Alexandra about their friend Walter Cunningham, Aunt Alexandra called him “trash”. Scout was confused about why she would call him...
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...To Kill A Mockingbird Essay In many situations, stereotypes have been the simplest and most ignorant way to understand someone. Harper Lee displays the limiting effects these judgments have with her novel To Kill A Mockingbird. The pressures of society’s opinions influence the way children grow as a person, and can be used as an excuse to believe something about certain people that is known to be untrue. These cruel judgments can also cause someone to live in isolation because of the ignorance of a community. Stereotypes and judgments pressure the subjects of those opinions to act and live the way others want to see them. In the youngest years of Scout’s life, she was free to be whom she wished. However when her Aunt Alexandra comes to...
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...Discrimination, injustice and racial prejudice are simply part of the norms in the fictional town of Maycomb in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Different kinds of prejudice are interlinked in the novel, indicating that the unstable economic situation and isolated nature of the community means that prejudice is directed towards all sorts of characters who do not fit into the expected behavioural patterns of society. The dominant forms of prejudice in the novel are racial and social prejudice, actively displayed by Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra. There is also inequality for women in Maycomb. Atticus’s maxim leads to the understanding and tolerance rather than prejudice. It is suggested that although it is unlikely that prejudice can be eliminated altogether, ‘baby steps’ can be taken to change the attitude of the Maycomb community. Maycomb is divided into clearly defined social classes. Jem recognises the class structure when he talks of ‘four kinds of folks in the world’ – the normal people such as the Finches, Cunninghams out in the wood, and Ewells down the dump and the ‘negroes’. The black community in Maycomb is automatically seen as the bottom of the social strata, even below the lowest class than the Ewells, who are categorised by the community as ‘white trash’. When Tom Robinson shows that he felt sorry for Mayella, this is immediately seized upon by Mr Gilmer as it would be interpreted as the lowest class of citizen showing superiority towards a class above it. Social...
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...To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee is set in the Great Depression about three kids growing up and finding out the reality of life. Harper Lee shows that there are many forms of inequality through the racism towards Tom Robinson, Scout and her expectations, and the economic inequality of the Cunninghams and the Ewells. Inequality was shown through the character of Tom Robinson. The character that helped the kids find that racism was the best example of inequality was when Tom Robinson was shot 17 times in various parts of his body. This is most evident when Atticus says, “Oh yes, the guards called to him to stop. They fired a few shots in the air, then to kill. They got him just as he went over the fence. They said if he’d had two good...
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...many different types of prejudice in the 1930’s, which affect the characters decision making and their views toward others. The prejudice we see most often in this book is racism. Women did not have the same rights as men back in the 1930’s. Ageism plays a big role as well in the book which affect the characters view towards others. To begin, Harper Lee demonstrates a lot of sexism towards women. Back then women did not have any choice, you were born a women, you have to act like one. Women are considered weak in the 1930’s. They were supposed to do things only women must do. Such as staying in the kitchen, having tea parties, wearing a dress, and could not play sports. Aunt Alexandra proves this by saying ‘“... We thought it would be best for you to have some feminine influence in your life”’. Aunt Alexandra wants to show Scout how to behave like a women and not a boy. This demonstrates a lot of sexism since women were not aloud to wear anything but a dress, they could not work, and mostly could not do activities that men did such as sports. In addition, men had power over simply by telling them they acted like women. Jem demonstrates this by telling Jean-Louise: “‘Scout, I’m tellin’ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home - I declare to the lord you’re getting more like a girl everyday!’”. Jean-Louise then did not say one word simply because she was told that she was acting like a girl. Later that week Jem and Dill refused to play with her. She then tried harder to...
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...K Mrs. G ENG2D1 6 January 2015 To Kill a Mockingbird: A Excellent Adaptation To Kill a Mockingbird, according to many people is one of the finest books written in modern American Literature, which spreads the honorable message of racial injustice in the 1930’s in an informative and creative way. By showing a family known as “the Finches” experience and face the trials of living in a small Alabaman Town called Maycomb. The book itself was written by Harper Lee, a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. When the novel was turned to a movie, there were many challenges that the director had to face while turning this classic novel into life. The director Robert Mulligan had to make sure the movie itself is an excellent adaptation of the book within the restrictions of creating a movie such as time limit, audience restrictions, money, and making sure to not replicate the entire book. This is why a book is better in an aspect as there are not as many restrictions to when creating a book compared to a movie. The film and the novel itself has many similarities and differences, however it is upon whether or not the film is a successful adaptation and portrays the theme of racial injustice. This film is a reasonable adaptation as it demonstrates the message of the film using the same context as the book and brings the characters to life in a creative way. There is great screenplay and dialogue amongst the characters which allows the audience to understand the movie thoroughly. However...
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...During this time period the United States was in the deepest and longest lasting depression in history of the Western world. It came to be known as the Great Depression. The depression was caused by the stock market crash of 1929, which wiped out millions of investors. At this time nearly half of the country’s banks had failed. It was not until 1939 that the economy began to fully turn around. The 1930’s was also a time of racial inequality. Although slavery no longer took place in the United States, African Americans were still treated differently. Examples of racial inequality is represented in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird. To kill a Mocking Bird, was an award winning novel. It took place in an Alabama town...
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...Racism, Social Class, and Gender Issues: A Look Into 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. The film, To Kill A Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan, portrays a message of racism, social class, and gender issues faced by southern towns post Civil War era. The 1962 film adaptation of the classic book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee was masterfully captured being placed on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest American movies of all time and taking home many countless awards. The black and white portrayal from text to film is exquisitely captured turning pages to picture while reveling a heartbreaking reality. Through camera, lighting, and sound Robert Mulligan creates a mood to communicate the vision of Harper Lee. The film takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Robert Mulligan illustrates the story of the lives of Scout and Jem, children growing up in this small town with their friend Dill who stays for the summer. The youngsters become infatuated with getting a glimpse of Boo Radley the unseen hermit of a neighbor. This summer also entails issues facing, their attorney father, Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, an African American man falsely accused of raping a white woman from town, Mayella Ewell. The children catch wind of the trial and for the first time witness evil realities of the world. Jem and Scout, Atticus’s children become the targets of Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell tries to kill them one Halloween...
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...“To Kill a Mockingbird” Analysis Harper Lee published “To Kill a Mockingbird “ in 1960, a time buzzing with racial segregation and irrational injustice. She based the book on various events that were all to real, only fifty years ago. Throughout the book, the author captures these horrendous inequalities and is able to explore these subjects through various situations and characters. However, it is not always just the color of one’s skin as to the reason of why they are treated differently. Lee is able to display examples of prejudice based on class and status of a person, rather than race alone, through the use of abstract symbols through the use of characters. Harper Lee use birds to symbolize traits in various characters throughout the book. Although it is not just mockingbirds used as the only bird example. When Jem and Scout receive guns to shoot for fun, Atticus warns them against shooting mockingbirds. However, he states that they may shoot all the blue jays they desire. Blue jays are the nuance bird; this connects to Bob Ewell due to the fact that he is the perfect display of a blue jay. The blue jays represent the prejudiced citizens of Maycomb; they are ever present and continue to taunt others. Atticus goes on to tell the kids that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. The mockingbird is the innocent bird and therefore sums up Tom Robinson the most clearly. As being an innocent man that is only being tried due to his race, he embodies the mockingbird perfectly. Throughout...
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...GENDER-BASED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND REVERSE GENDER BIAS: BEYOND GRATZ, PARENTS INVOLVED, AND RICCI ROSALIE BERGER LEVINSON* I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II. History Behind the Affirmative Action Race/Gender Anomaly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III. The Circuit Split on the Race/Gender Conundrum . . . . . . . . . IV. Analogy to Race-Based Affirmative Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A. Remedial Purpose as a Justification for Affirmative Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. The Diversity Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. The Arguments Against Affirmative Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . V. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. INTRODUCTION The blockbuster race discrimination cases in recent years have all involved affirmative action and reverse discrimination. The Supreme Court has made it clear that race classifications, whether benign or invidious, will trigger rigid strict scrutiny analysis, which requires that the government prove its program is narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest. In 2003, the Court, in Gratz v. Bollinger,1 ruled that while student diversity in educational institutions may be a compelling interest, an affirmative action program...
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