Examples Of Southern Culture In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Southern Culture: The Gateway for Corruption in Small Towns
Southern culture is a combination of racism, traditional gender roles, and religion. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the racial element of southern culture to show how prejudice aids in the corruption of towns. The societal aspects of this town show the progression of the racial division through the use of religion and the characters themselves. The racial divide in Lee’s fictional small town, Maycomb County, increases after the case of Tom Robinson is brought to court. Throughout the novel, Lee is able to show the development of racism in the southern culture in the people of Maycomb County, Alabama with the use of characters in various age groups. This development …show more content…

The traditional southern society is corrupted by the racism that occurs in these towns. The citizens continue to use the historic culture as an excuse for their racist comments and actions towards the African Americans in the community. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader is able to see the progression of the corruption through the various age groups as time goes on. The Tom Robinson trial allows the citizens of the town to discuss the events of the trial at various events, thus spreading the racist feelings and ideas. The courthouse, which is supposed to be a place of justice, is used as a weapon against African Americans. The justice system and the courthouse are feared by the African American communities in these towns, since they know that the outcome of their trials will be based on their skin color and not the evidence that is presented. Social structures of these towns are also corrupted by the southern culture, since the racism affiliated with the society creates an unofficial caste system that prevents African Americans from gaining any kind of social status. The culture in these small southern towns is used as an excuse for white men, women, and children to express their racist views and comments without any response from the

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