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The best selling, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a riveting tale of life lessons. The story unfolds through the eyes of a six-year-old girl, named Scout. The book concerns the struggle against racial injustice in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930 s. In this book, Lee brings out the struggles that people face everyday concerning prejudice. This powerful novel shows how people are stereotyped by their race, social class, and gender. The first form of prejudice shown throughout the novel is racism.
For example, Attics Finch who is Scouts father is a well-known lawyer. He agrees to represent Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Atticus's decision to take on the case resulted in Scout being subjected to abuse by the neighborhood friends. For example, when Mrs. Dubose says, "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for" (Lee 102). This is showing that just because Atticus is standing up for justice he is being criticized.
Another example is Doluphs Raymond. He lives on a farm and he lives with black people and raises mixed children. As Jem says, "They don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they are half white; and white folks won't have 'em cause they " re colored. " (Lee 161. ) Jen is referring to the mixed children and that people can't look past the color of the skin so these children can't be accepted anywhere.
Racial injustice were huge in Maycomb but was not the only problem. Another conflict between citizens in Maycomb was social class. This is shown when Aunt Alexandra, Atticus's sister who is living with the Finch family tells Scout that she can't play with Walter Cunningham. Walter attends Scout's school and he is very poor, but this does not stop Scout from wanting to be his friend. Aunt Alexandra responds, "Because he is trash, that is why you can't play with him" (Lee 225). Just because the Cunningham's were not like the Finch's, Scout could not be friends with Walter.
Another example is the way the town people treat the Ewells. The Ewells are poor white people who live amongst Negroes. Many people disrespect them as Atticus says, "The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations" (Lee 30). Even though the Ewells are despicable human beings, they are treated better than the Robinson's just because they are white. In addition to social class there are also problems with gender.
Finally, there is criticism of gender among the women race. For example, Aunt Alexandra believes Scout should dress in dresses and go to tea parties. As she says "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence" (Lee 127). Scout likes being a tomboy and Aunt Alexandra is trying to change her so that she can fit the description of a young lady.
Another example is how women are treated in the justice system. Women are not allowed to serve in a jury. As Atticus says, "I guess it's to protect our frail women from sordid cases like Tom's" (Lee 221). Here, he is implying that women should be treated different than men. In conclusion, throughout the story people who are of different race, social class, and gender are treated differently and sometimes may get hurt.
By the way society treats these people there are obstacles they must overcome to survive. When something bad ever happens, a finger always gets pointed at a black man or someone of a lower class. For example, how Tom was singled out and accused of something that he never did. He was never doing anything wrong. In this book it is the majority of society who is wrong and is to blame.
Free research essays on topics related to: class and gender, social class, aunt alexandra, racial injustice, black man
Research essay sample on Class And Gender Aunt Alexandra
