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Interrelationship between literature and society
Literature and society
Interrelationship between literature and society
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Author Harper Lee discusses the effects of ignorance and the toll it takes on people during the Great Depression in To Kill A Mockingbird. She portrays examples of sexism, prejudice, and racism, within the lives of the poverty-stricken citizens of Maycomb. Scout pays no mind to her lack of femininity; however, her Aunt Alexandra disapproves of her unladylike behavior, which includes playing with her brother and getting dirty. Scout dresses like a boy, even though many people in the town do not approve, which earns her unwanted attention. For example, when a neighbor, Mrs. Dubose, notices Scout wearing a pair of overalls, she shouts to her, "What are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You'll grow
Throughout the book, readers are able to see Scout as being a tomboyish, little girl. For example, Aunt Alexandra does not approve of the way that Scout has been dressing. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subjects of my attire… She said I wasn’t suppose to be doing things that required pants” (108). Aunt Alexandra seems to feel that a girl Scout’s age should not be wearing pants and overalls, but she should be wearing a dress. Aunt Alexandra also thinks that Scout should be staying inside doing woman like activities instead of playing outside with her brother and Dill. Someone else who thinks that Scout is tomboyish is Mrs. Dubose. “And you… what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole young lady” (135). Even though Mrs. Dubose grew up in a different time period, she still thinks that Scou...
By providing a precise example of the times it is set in, To Kill a Mockingbird effects the readers opinions on today's society making them think of ways to better it. For example, in the novel, Lee describes what life in Maycomb, a southern town in Alabama, was like during the 1930's: “ a day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was no where to go, nothing to buy, and no money to buy it with...” ( Lee 6). People have a hard time imagining what life in a big depression was like, and this provides them with a description that not only helps the reader think about living during those times but broadens their knowledge about the history in general. This new insight helps them to see how far today's society has come and how many obstacles mankind has faced and overcome on their journey to today. In addition, Catherine Bernard explains through her book, Understanding To Kill A Mockingbird, that: “ While Lee's novel is set in the 1930's, the themes of discrimination and toleranc...
What does it mean to be a good parent? The most common definition of a good parent is one who makes their children feel valued and loved, by teaching them the difference between right and wrong. At the end of the day, the most essential thing is to create a nurturing environment where your children feel like they can mature into confident, independent, and caring adults. Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird defines what a true parent really is thought hardships and struggles throughout the book. The story is set in the Depression era of a little town in southern Alabama that is struggling with thick prejudice on a colored rape case. The story is told through a character
60.00% of people in the United States were greatly affected by the Great Depression. Experiencing some of the most painful years in history. Harper Lee learned to live through this since she was young . Her novel is connected to real on goings in the 1930s. Lee was seemingly influenced by the misfortunate events such as, the murder of Emmett Till this has caused much reflection and guidance in her writing through particularly one character. Not only was Lee very profound in the Emmett Till murder, but also in the Expectations of women in the South and Scottsboro Trials.
Scout Finch, the youngest child of Atticus Finch, narrates the story. It is summer and her cousin Dill and brother Jem are her companions and playmates. They play all summer long until Dill has to go back home to Maridian and Scout and her brother start school. The Atticus’ maid, a black woman by the name of Calpurnia, is like a mother to the children. While playing, Scout and Jem discover small trinkets in a knothole in an old oak tree on the Radley property. Summer rolls around again and Dill comes back to visit. A sence of discrimination develops towards the Radley’s because of their race. Scout forms a friendship with her neighbor Miss Maudie, whose house is later burnt down. She tells Scout to respect Boo Radley and treat him like a person. Treasures keep appearing in the knothole until it is filled with cement to prevent decay. As winter comes it snows for the first time in a century. Boo gives scout a blanket and she finally understands her father’s and Miss Maudie’s point of view and treats him respectfully. Scout and Jem receive air guns for Christmas, and promise Atticus never to shoot a mockingbird, for they are peaceful and don’t deserve to die in that manner. Atticus then takes a case defending a black man accused of rape. He knows that such a case will bring trouble for his family but he takes it anyways. This is the sense of courage he tries to instill in his son Jem.
Aunt Alexandra expects scout to conform to gender roles instead of wearing what she wants. Scout however would rather have fun and go on adventures than be “a lady”. Scout is fortunate because her father supports her. When she tells her father about her aunt he says “to go on about my business, he didn’t mind me much the way I was” (Lee, 108). Scout is one of the few characters to resist other’s
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird sets place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the prominent period of racial inequality in the mid-twentieth century. To Kill a Mockingbird explores the transformations that follow one’s coming-of-age alongside the ambivalent morals of the 1950s. Changing the setting would affect the character development, conflict and atmosphere developing a new theme.
Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place during the 1930’s in the fictional and quiet town of Maycomb, located in Maycomb County, Alabama. The town of Maycomb is described as a tired old town that moves very slowly and its residents have nothing to fear but fear itself. Being in set in the South during the 1930’s the story does tackle racism and inequality for African Americans as racism was becoming more and more prominent in the 1930’s. The fact that the story takes place in a backwater county in Alabama makes the the injustice even more prevalent. The story goes through the early years of the main characters Jem and Scout so the exact time is always changing, however, the more important and intense parts of the story takes place
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an emblem of racial jurisdiction. All throughout the book it shows how the law applies to blacks as opposed to whites. Lee shows how unjust the treatment of blacks is and the disregard for their human rights. Though through the actions of the characters in the book; it can be said that their actions show a glimmer of hope for this very prejudiced society.
As Aunt Alexandra has been living with the family she has started judging Scout's clothes, "I could not, possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could so nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants" (Lee 108). As Scout grows, up she faces the force of adulthood, which involves her becoming more lady like. Once Scout realizes that she has to give up part of her past, she feel reluctant to do so. Aunt Alexandra tries to push Scout into the family legacy, but instead Scout feels the need to hide from the reality of moving on which means growing up. Scout wants to be herself and not forced to be a "Finch". She doesn't want to be molded into something or someone that she's not. Scout escapes the pressures of being a "lady" by hanging out with her brother and Father, where she was more at "home" and not surrounded by "hypocrites"- fragrant ladies. Scout's need and desires to be herself are not acceptable within her community and it pains her to convert to becoming a "Finch", a stereotypical Southern
There is doubt that authors often use their writing as a way to convey lessons and themes, especially ones pertaining to social issues and real life. One particularly popular novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, revolves around real life events relating to real social issues, most of which took place during the Great Depression. These events include the Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the issue of Racism.
Harper Lee had received several rejection letters when trying to publish her book “To Kill a Mockingbird”. In 1957, Tay Hohoff , an editor, wrote about his encounter with Harper. He wrote about how she went worked eight years as an airline reservation agent to support herself whiling writing a novel and film that eventually became a phenomenon. The book was based on Harpers childhood and her life. Her dad, a southern lawyer, refused to see things in black and white.
“Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 94). This quote, delivered in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, introduces the mockingbird which is incorporated symbolically throughout the novel. The mockingbird, in presenting its gifts of music and beauty, is the symbol of Atticus’s practice of altruism because he believes in society’s responsibility to protect those who are vulnerable and innocent.
To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is a novel based during the Great Depression era. Things were a lot different back then, especially when it comes to how people judged others. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows prejudice through sexism, racism, and social class to portray how people judge anyone that they believe is less than them. One of the ways Harper Lee shows prejudice is through sexism. Throughout the novel, the women of Maycomb are looked down upon because the men in this story believed that they were better than the women.