Classes/Cultures in Society
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Stereotypes
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There are many different societal classes in To Kill a Mockingbird, which discriminate against each other. When Calpurnia brings Jem and Scout to her church, First Purchase, a woman scolds Calpurnia for “bringin’ white chillun here” (Lee 136). The woman does not want white children to attend the same church as her. When a crowd of people is entering the courthouse to watch Tom Robinson’s trial, the Idler’s Club stops the black people, and tells them not to “start up them there stairs yet” (Lee 136). The Idler’s Club makes sure that all of the white people have been able to find seats before letting the black people come up the stairs.
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In To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many stereotypes that the characters have and follow. In Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus accuses Mr.Ewell of faking a crime, assuming that everyone in the jury would base their decisions on the stereotype that “all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women” (Lee 232). As Mr.Ewell expected, the jury do base their decisions on the stereotype because, in their minds, a white person could never have committed a crime if a black person was also involved.
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Discrimination
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Past Social Issues
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There are many examples of discrimination in To Kill a Mockingbird. In Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus provides sufficient evidence that Tom could have not committed the crime because his arm “was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hug dead at his side” (Lee 211), but the jury still rule Tom as guilty. Though they were provided with logical evidence that Tom couldn’t have committed the crime, the jury still discriminates against Tom because he is black, and rules him guilty.
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Since To Kill a Mockingbird took place in the 1930s, when racism was “as strong as ever in Southern states,” (American) and the Great Depression was taking place. An example of social issues being caused by the Great Depression is how, despite Atticus being a lawyer, he agrees that they are poor. He explains that “professional people are poor because farmers are poor” (Lee 23). Because the farmers have no money, they cannot pay the professionals, like Atticus, any money, so they pay them in entailment.
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Education
To Kill a Mockingbird has several examples of differences in education. When Mrs. Caroline sends Burris Ewell home for having cooties, a child explains to her that the Ewell children “come first day every year and then leave” (Lee 30). Their father can’t afford to let them go to school, so they only attend school on the first day, and work for the rest of the school year. On the other hand, Scout and Jem have the opportunity of being able to attend school everyday because Atticus is a lawyer, and can afford to send them there.