Student name: Kaiden Page

Student class: 10A

What can you tell us about this piece of work?

We have been doing literature circles in class and I read To Kill a Mockingbird. After we finished reading the book we had to write an essay which examined and explored key themes in the novel like racism and inequality in 1930’s rural Alabama.

What is your favourite thing about English?

My favourite thing about English is the ability to express myself and use the skills I’ve been taught to create effective written work.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment we are working on a poetry unit. This includes writing sonnets and analysing famous poems. Alongside our poetry work we are also watching the film Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams which is really inspiring.

What are you reading at the moment?

At the moment I am reading, Lockdown by Alexander Gordon-Smith.

What is your favourite book and why?

To Kill a Mockingbird has made its way to the top of my all-time favourite books list at the moment because of how well written it is and the powerful message it conveys.

What are some books that you would really like to read?

One of the books I would really like to read is the Book Thief and Go set a Watchman which is the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee - How does the story highlight the issues of racism, ‘good and evil’ and social inequality during this time? 

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee is a representation of life in Southern districts of the United States of America (USA) circa 1935. The story is based in Maycomb, a fictional town in Southern USA, and follows Jean Louise Finch (Scout) as she awakens “to racism and prejudice” along with all things ‘good and evil’ and the inequalities associated with society during the time (Fine, Foca& Britannica, 2019). Although fictional, the novel is illustrious due to its unrivalled interconnection with realistic national issues of the 1930’s and semi-autobiographical context.

Harper Lee instilled racism as a key constituent of the novel. Within the story a coloured man, Tom Robinson, is trialed for the rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Although innocent of all crimes, Mr. Robinson and the mass of evidence reinforcing his claims were ignored and he was declared guilty. Along with this, the audience within the courtroom were segregated due to colour.  It is this complete disregard for truth and egregious prejudice that truly elucidates the racism during the novel (Lee, 1999). This presence of racism accurately reflects the reality of the period. 

During the 1930’s, extreme levels of racism could be observed in the Southern USA. The implementation of the Jim Crow Laws allowed for segregation to be legal which resulted in outright racism within all aspects of life (Editors, 2018). The enactment of the laws saw almost everything segregated; toilets, elevators, cemeteries, drinking fountains, hospitals and even jails. It was not uncommon for African American individuals to be killed for disobeying the appalling laws (Smithsonian National Museum of American History, n.d.). 

Harper Lee explores ‘good and evil’ regularly throughout the text which underpins the realistic component of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Scouts’ father in the story Atticus Finch, is a strong-willed individual who believes that all humans have both a ‘good and evil’ complex, but that ‘good’ will always become triumphant (Lee, 1999). The novel displays ‘evil’ multiple times; when Tom Robinson is convicted because of racist views and when Mr. Ewell attacks Jem and Scout. The contrasting ‘good’ within the film can be displayed when Boo Radley defends the children against Mr. Ewell. ‘Good and evil’ are realistic traits of all humans and therefore can be compared to reality (Kumaravelu, n.d.). 

The era of the 1930’s facilitated a considerable number of events ‘good and evil’. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) wreaked havoc during the period due to their outlandish racist views and vile behavior. The KKK treated black people with such horrid disrespect in the way of violence and murders; they can be described as pure ‘evil’. Although overrun by racism, the 1930’s saw significant improvement in the rights of coloured people and displays that there is ‘good’ in every situation (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019). 

Social inequality is a key component in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The novel exhibits the inequality of the time by not only the undeniable racism towards the ‘inferior’ African American race but the judgmental perception of those in poverty. Walter Cunningham is a young boy within the story who is treated with inequity due to his family’s lack of wealth. The Cunningham family are poor and this fact is displayed when Walter is offered Molasses and cannot refuse the ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity.  Without prudence, Scout immediately judges young Walter for his choices. This act of judgement towards Walter resulted in Scout receiving a scolding by the house maid Calpurnia on how all individuals should be treated with respect (DiGenarro & Mace, 2012, p.2-3).

Harper Lee has accurately used social inequality within this story to create an interconnection with reality. The Great Depression of the 1930’s left many families in poverty and with that came relentless judgement. The inability to afford new clothing etcetera meant that families, such as the Cunningham’s, were viewed as inferior. By incorporating social inequality within ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, Harper Lee has once again created a practical interpretation of The Great Depression and 1930’s life (Editors, 2009).

Harper Lee’s interpretation of the key constituents of the 1930’s; racism, ‘good and evil’ and social inequality, clearly depict the era with accuracy. The components of the novel convey a realistic illustration and ultimately can be used to instill thought within a reader’s mind. Historical evidence truly supports the insights of Harper Lee as she highlighted key themes within ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.

References 

DiGenarro, E., & Mace, R. (2012). Literary Analysis: To Kill a Mockingbird. 

Editors, H. (2018, February 28). Jim Crow Laws. Retrieved October 22, 2019, fromhttps://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/jim-crow-laws  

Editors, H. (2009, October 29). Great Depression History. Retrieved October 23, 2019, from https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/great-depression-history 

Editors of Britannica Encyclopedia. (2019, August 21). Ku Klux Klan. Retrieved October 22, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ku-Klux-Klan   

Fine, L., Foca, A., & Britannica. (2019, September 6). To Kill a Mockingbird. Retrieved October 22, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird  

Kumaravelu, R. (n.d.). Good and Evil in To Kill A Mockingbird. Retrieved October 22, 2019, from https://www.academia.edu/8292957/Good_and_Evil_in_To_Kill_A_Mockingbird 

Lee, H. (1999). To Kill a Mockingbird 40th. Nashville, TN: HarperCollins Christian Publishing.  

Smithsonian National Museum of American History. (n.d.). Jim Crow Laws - Separate Is Not Equal. Retrieved October 22, 2019, from https://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/jim-crow.html