Equality In To Kill A Mockingbird

The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee is an impeccable commentary on the inequalities faced during the Great Depression, especially in the Deep South. The main character of the novel, Scout Finch, is a young girl who learns about people from many walks of life. She is taught how to traverse complex situations from people she holds in high regard like her father, Atticus, and her housekeeper, Calpurnia. In the first 6 chapters, Harper Lee explores these intricate scenarios by introducing the diverse community in the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama. Themes of acceptance and equality are traversed throughout the novel by a combination of unique characters, and literary devices, such as suspense, character development, and conflict.

During her time at school she is introduced to people who held differing values compared to her and her family. For example, Miss Caroline represents a variety of teaching styles, but has false presumptions of her student’s education. The other students introduced during this chapter helps her learn more about people in communities outside of her neighborhood. Her interactions with these students is an early example of character development in Scout that gives a motive for her actions throughout the novel. Later in the second chapter the readers are introduced to Walter Cunningham. The Cunningham’s were farmers who were the most impacted by the Great Depression, which made their family extremely poor in terms of currency. Scout explains his situation to the teacher because she was asking him to take money to the store, but she ends up getting in trouble. In the following chapter, Scout gets into an altercation with Walter because she got in trouble by defending him, but Jem stops them and invites him to dinner. At dinner Calpurnia teaches Scout an impactful lesson about respecting others traditions. Calpurnia scolds her by saying, “‘Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo‘ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo‘ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin‘ ’em—if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!’” (25). Later in the chapter Atticus provides another perspective for Scout when he lectures her by saying, “‘First of all,’” he said, ‘“if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-’” (30). Both conversations provide positive character development for Scout