Social Inequality in to Kill a Mockingbird
Social Inequality
In the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, racism and social inequality are two central themes. Many different forms of social inequality coexist in the society depicted in the book, as the people of Maycomb are very rigid in their ways. This is because the book takes place in a time at which there was much racism and social inequality. In Maycomb, firstly there is discrimination between rich and poor white people, who do not often interact with each other. There is also racism against blacks by all white people in society, both rich and poor. Black people are denied basic rights and discriminated against in this town. Lastly, there is racism between the lowest classes of the community: poor white people and black people. In a small bigoted town like Maycomb, social inequality is highly prevalent.
Discrimination against poor white people in the community is evident through the treatment of the Cunninghams and the Ewells. The wealthy white people treat the poor whites with contempt. This is clear when Scout asks to spend more time with Walter Cunningham, a member of one of the poorest families in town. Aunt Alexandra refuses to let her niece interact with someone of such low status and forbids Scout to have him as her friend. Further, the Ewells have the lowest status of everyone in the town because they are poor; as a result, they are social outcasts in the eyes of white members of the community. The people of Maycomb are very class conscious, because it is very important for each individual to feel as though they are better than someone else. Therefore, people rarely challenge the social hierarchy and there is very little interaction between rich and poor whites.
Despite their differences, rich and poor whites are united through one shared view: their prejudice against blacks. In a small town like Maycomb, it is very difficult to contradict the discriminatory practices that have been upheld for so many years; as such, there is much
In the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, racism and social inequality are two central themes. Many different forms of social inequality coexist in the society depicted in the book, as the people of Maycomb are very rigid in their ways. This is because the book takes place in a time at which there was much racism and social inequality. In Maycomb, firstly there is discrimination between rich and poor white people, who do not often interact with each other. There is also racism against blacks by all white people in society, both rich and poor. Black people are denied basic rights and discriminated against in this town. Lastly, there is racism between the lowest classes of the community: poor white people and black people. In a small bigoted town like Maycomb, social inequality is highly prevalent.
Discrimination against poor white people in the community is evident through the treatment of the Cunninghams and the Ewells. The wealthy white people treat the poor whites with contempt. This is clear when Scout asks to spend more time with Walter Cunningham, a member of one of the poorest families in town. Aunt Alexandra refuses to let her niece interact with someone of such low status and forbids Scout to have him as her friend. Further, the Ewells have the lowest status of everyone in the town because they are poor; as a result, they are social outcasts in the eyes of white members of the community. The people of Maycomb are very class conscious, because it is very important for each individual to feel as though they are better than someone else. Therefore, people rarely challenge the social hierarchy and there is very little interaction between rich and poor whites.
Despite their differences, rich and poor whites are united through one shared view: their prejudice against blacks. In a small town like Maycomb, it is very difficult to contradict the discriminatory practices that have been upheld for so many years; as such, there is much