...To kill a mockingbird is a novel that that draws attention to the existence of social inequality. In to kill a mockingbird it tells a story about Scout Finch, her brother Jem and their father Atticus Finch in the town of Maycomb in Alabama, Maycomb is suffering through the great depression, atticus is a lawyer and his family is suitably better than the other families scattered across Maycomb, later in the novel atticus accepts the task to defend a black man named Tom robinson. During the trial tom robinson is accused of rape but atticus provides evidence that the defendants Bob Ewell and Mayella are lying and Mayella actually propositioned tom robinson then her father caught her and beat her but in court Mayella is just trying to hide the shame and guilt so she accuses tom robinson. Mr Ewell felt rage and swore revenge for atticus making a fool of him in court so Bob Ewell attacks jem and when that happens boo radley saves and stabs Bob Ewell and carries jem back to the finch house and in order to protect boo the sheriff insists that Bob Ewell tripped over a tree root and fell on his own knife. After watching the kids boo once again disappears once again into the radley house. In the end Two themes that can be found throughout the story are the...
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...Racial Inequality Have you ever been accused of something you did not do? Well back in the era of the 30’s Racial Inequality was a big problem where people would be treated differently, just because of their skin color. It is not nearly as big of a problem now, but it can still show up sometimes. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird this novel shows how much social inequality was a factor in daily life, and how people were treated differently in the era of segregation. A major point of this novel that ties it all together is that an African American man named Tom Robinson that was accused of rape by Mayella Ewell. Tom was treated very differently than all of the caucasians throughout the whole story, only because he was African American....
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...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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...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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...The Robinson Trials was the biggest event that had occurred in Maycomb. The reason behind the hearings was because of Bob Ewell. Mr. Ewell urged Heck Tate, the sheriff of Maycomb county, to go to the Ewell houses. Heck Tate arrived to the property, he found Mayella, Bob Ewell’s daughter, bruised and beaten. When she was asked what happened, she said that Tom Robinson raped her, even though it was false. Heck Tate believes this statement partly due to the fact that he was a colored man. Tom Robinson was a hardworking man and everyone in the town knew it. When Tom was getting interrogated he states that “she reached up and kissed me ‘side of th’ face” (Lee 260). This statement must have brought up many questions. What Mayella said next is what...
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...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 night on their way home from school, when the elusive Boo Radley shows up and saves them. Radley kills Bob in the affair. Tom Robinson is wrongfully convicted sent to prison and then eventually killed trying to escape. Throughout the film the reoccurring issues of racism, biased from social class, and stigmas to gender are tested and tried as unfairly as the Tom Robinson case. There...
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...In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by 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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...Dorothy Day admits, "The legal battle against segregation is won, but the community battle goes on." This quote relates to To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee because the idea of segregation is portrayed throughout this book by showing the inequality between races of people. Atticus Finch is the father of Scout and Jem, he is also the lawyer who fights for Tom Robinson’s freedom. Tom Robinson is said to be guilty for raping Mayella Ewell who is considered “white trash” in Maycomb county. Mayella is a young girl who reports the case because she knows her skin color will keep her from being proven guilty by the jury. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, justice is depicted through Atticus' opinions, the ruling of Tom Robinson's trial, and Bob Ewell's death....
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...Book Report In English IV To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee This novel was written by Harper Lee. This was written in the mid 1950s in New York City and was first published in the year 1960. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch is the narrator and lead character of the story. Her father is Atticus and her brother is Jem. She is intelligent; she learned to read at an early age which was taught by Atticus. She changed, with her perspectives about Boo and all the things about life as she experienced it, by means of Atticus, as Atticus explained it briefly. She also improved her personality as well; at the end. Atticus Finch is Scout and Jem’s father. He is also a lawyer. He defended Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mayella, a white woman. With his strong will and empathy, he fought for justice that made his family vulnerable of immoral hearsays and of seeing that justice doesn’t always prevail. He is a good teacher to his children. And he was able to put his self in the same situation, which makes him a great teacher. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch is Scout’s brother. He is four years older than Scout and he remains as a close companion and protector of Scout throughout the story. Jem finds himself in an unstable situation with his traumatic experience at Tom Robinson’s trial. His disappointment upon seeing that justice does not always prevail led to his confusion, but what Atticus instilled in him dominates and guided him to the right path. Arthur “Boo”...
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...Imagine living in a world where the amount of rights one got was chosen and determined by their own skin color, and there was different schools, churches, and neighborhood depending on ones race. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee used different historical references and connections about the inequality between blacks and whites, and some of the struggles faced by both races. Included, are connections to the Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and issues of racism during that era. In To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the first connections was the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws created inequality between the two races of whites and blacks. There were reasons why people thought the laws were needed. They thought that whites were superior to blacks...
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...The three children are afraid of their neighbor "Boo" Radley. The adults of Maycomb don’t like to talk about Boo and for many years, few have seen him. The children feed each other's imaginations with rumors about his appearance and reasons for remaining hidden, and they fantasize about how to get him out of his house. After two summers of being friends with Dill, Scout and Jem find out someone is leaving them small gifts in a tree outside the Radley house. Boo makes gestures to the children but is never seen in person. Atticus is assigned to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Although many of Maycomb's citizens disapprove, Atticus agrees to defend Tom. Atticus discovers that the accusers—Mayella and her father, Bob Ewell, the town drunk—are lying. It also becomes clear that the friendless Mayella was making sexual advances towards Tom and her father caught her in the act. Even with convincing evidence of Tom's innocence, the jury convicts him. Tom is soon shot and killed while trying to escape from prison. Harper Lee wrote To Kill a MockingBird during a very tense time racially in her home state of Alabama. The South was still segregated, forcing blacks to use different bathrooms from those used by whites, in almost every aspect of society. It was a world where people belonged to a group or class race and were expected to remain within their own circle. The Civil Rights Movement began to...
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...Numerous times Atticus shows courage in the story which all relates to the theme, having to be faced with the harsh reality of the world which ruins your innocence. Atticus Finch stays strong and practical during the trial, defending Tom Robinson with his life. Atticus’s effort during the trial shows his courage because, despite it being tricky to get the judge and people of the racist South to side with Tom Robinson, compared to Mayella, who claims to be the victim. Atticus does not give up and continues to fight for Tom Robinson’s justice. Atticus shows courage through logical...
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...comfortably watch on. Furthermore, although Scout sees Calpurina as a mother figure, she unintentionally disapproves of Cal’s warning at the front door of the Radley’s infamous home, stating to her brother ‘she’s supposed to go round in the back.’ This one simple comment displays the deeply ingrained prejudice towards African Americans that even children as young and as innocent as Scout demonstrate. Tom Robinson faces similar prejudice during his encounters with Mayella Ewell, a poor white girl with few morals. As an African American he has no right to refuse her and therefore must obey her regular requests for help. Lee uses this to demonstrate the psychological slavery of African Americans at the time, implying that they must submit to the orders of those with white skin. Incredible inequality and injustice are displayed as a result of this societal attitude. For example, Mayella uses an African American man for her own aims, and then causes his condemnation. Therefore, as a black man, ‘Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella opened her mouth and screamed’. The social hierarchy of the town results in the assumption that any good, honest person with dark skin is worth less than any white man with even the most ruthless intentions or twisted morals. Additionally, Lee conveys prejudice within the town through the heavily biased trial of Tom Robinson, who is convicted due to his skin colour despite the undisputable evidence supporting his innocence. Despite Tom being ‘crippled’, with...
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...For centuries the U.S.A has been a victim of racism and discrimInation. We promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all People, while some people say it only applies to certain people. Social quality is what many people aim for but it took a while to achieve, and Even after achieving it there are still some situations of inequality. Isn't it time for that to change? in Harper Lee’s fictional novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the readers are shown the social inequality in Maycomb, alabama through the eyes of the young narrator, Scout Finch, where she experiences racism and discrimination. Through the comparison of character interactions and events in the novel to current events, it is revealed that the meaning of social equality...
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...courthouse, knows that he’s right, but that doesn’t change a thing. There’s also a stereotype for white women, in this case Mayella, that she would never tempt a Negro, because in their society that is unheard of. Even though the Ewells are at the bottom of their class and are, in a way, treated as dirt, they are still treated better than a kind, innocent, black man. The court uses pity for Mayella as an excuse to believe her. Atticus again explains, “She is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance, but I cannot pity her: she is white. She knew full well the enormity of her offence” (Lee 272). Atticus is explaining the huge advantage white people have against Negroes, and Mayella uses that as her defense. Common stereotypes are used in the final decision of a case that is so uncommon no one knows what to do. Every single person at the courthouse knows that Tom Robinson is innocent, but he’s found guilty. The only crime he commits is being black. Finally, towards the end of his case, Tom displays his understanding of the stereotypes about Negroes. When Tom is accused of being scared to admit what he’d done, he responds, “No suh, scared I’d hafta face up to what I didn’t do” (Lee 265). Tom knew full well that he would be accused because of his race, showing that the judgments were already affecting his opinion of himself before the case. Stereotypes cause inequality and injustices everyday, and it...
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