To Kill A Mockingbird Context Analysis

Harper Lee in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, writes about how the 1930s was a horrible decade and how it affected a girl named Scout and also other characters. Lee supports her writing by describing events that affected Scout. The author’s purpose is to show that the world is not a fair place and to teach us to see everything for what it really is. The author writes in a formal tone for the readers. Tom Robinson is one example of all the characters that was affected by the historical context used in the book. He was affected by the time period the book was written in. The 1930s was a time where there was a lot of segregation and racism against Africans. This affected Robinson a lot because for one part he was African and for the second part was because he was arrested and charged of raping a white woman. For example, when Atticus said, “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘We think you’re guilty, but not very,’ on a charge like that. It was either a straight acquittal or nothing.”(pg. 219) This example shows that the historical context affected him a lot. This is how Tom Robinson was affected by the historical context used in the book.
The historical context used in the book also affects the plot.
It affects it because the plot is based on the event about Tom Robinson. So if Lee didn’t use any historical context there wouldn’t be a story. It also affects the plot by letting the story move on. The plot evolves on the event of Robinson because if it weren’t for the accusing of Robinson and Atticus being his attorney then Bob Ewell wouldn’t have broken Jem’s arm and there wouldn’t be a story. For example, when Lee writes, “…Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat on his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.”(pg. 217) This example shows that Ewell was racist against Africans and that the historical context affected the plot very
much. The theme was the most affected by the historical context. The theme was the world is not a fair place. This was affected by the historical context because even though Atticus gave a great defense Robison was pledge guilty. You can tell that the theme was affected by the historical context when Jem said, “It ain’t right. He didn’t kill anybody even if he was guilty. He didn’t take anybody’s life.”(pg. 219) or when Scout said, “How can you hate hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home.”(pg. 247) In other words Jem and Scout are trying to say that how are people trying to be equal and fair but then you turn around and do injustice decisions or comments. This is how the theme was affected by the historical context used in the book. So as you can see, the historical context used in the book affects the characters, plot, and theme. It affects the character Robinson by the time period the book was written in and all the racism. It affects the plot by letting the story move on. And finally it affects the theme by affecting what Scout learned at the end of the story. This is how the historical context used in the book affects the characters, plot, and theme.