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Examples Of Classism In To Kill A Mockingbird

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How times have changed America as a society has grown enormously since the 1930s. Civil rights have made it possible for equality to exist for all races and genders. This is vastly different from what the small town of Maycomb, Alabama displays in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The people and attitudes of Maycomb showcase examples of racism, classism, and gender inequality. This book depicts societal standards for America in the South before freedom movements for African Americans in the 1950s and for Women in the 1970s. Through its retelling of injustices against these groups, a greater understanding is made about the growth of societal views as a whole. Atticus and Calpurnia, characters from the book, are able to represent views …show more content…

In the novel, there are families with lower status than everyone else, the Cunninghams and the Ewells. When Scout asks Aunt Alexandra if she can invite Walter Cunningham over to play, Aunt Alexandra responds by saying, “Jean Louise will not invite Walter Cunningham to this house.” She says this because, “he—is—trash, that’s why you can’t play with him. I’ll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what.” (PDF pg. 228). Scout can’t play with him just because his family is poor and doesn’t have the same social status that the Finches do. Aunt Alexandra is an example of societal views, but Scout also gets a taste of nondiscriminatory views as well. Earlier on in the book Scout also judged Walter for not sharing the same mannerisms as her. Walter was invited by Atticus to eat dinner with them, but he did not eat the same way as everyone else. He had no table manners, which annoyed Scout. Scout gave him a hard time for the way he eats, but was quickly summoned by Calpurnia into the Kitchen. Calpurnia explained that not everyone shares the same luxuries and mannerisms that the finches are accustomed to. “But you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?” (PDF pg. 25). Scout responds by saying that he’s “Just a Cunningham”. However, Calpurnia doesn’t want to hear it and tells Scout that she is no better than anybody else. People were divided back then, and they still are today. However, divisions in the 1930s were more apparent than they are now. Calpurnia represents why it is important to accept everybody regardless of class, gender, or

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945 Words | 4 Pages

This will be explored in greater detail throughout this essay. In Chapter 1, the author describes Calpurnia from Scout’s point of view as harsh and unfair, but it is inferred that, because Scout is a small child whom Calpurnia is reprimanding, Calpurnia really does care what happens to the children and how they behave. Lee writes from Scout’s perspective, “ Our

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401 Words | 2 Pages

This quote shows Calpurnia in her wrathful righteousness, and shows that she is respectful towards people that are different. It is likely that Calpurnia has witnessed how people treat those who are different, and doesn’t want Scout to be one of those people. This quote is important since it teaches us more about Calpurnia, and shows us where Scout gets her lessons from. Quote #

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501 Words | 3 Pages

As their eating, Walter asks for some molasses and “drenches his plate”. Scout makes a scene, as she has not yet had her lesson with Atticus at this point in the book, but Calpurnia is there to set her straight. “That boy’s yo’ comp’ny … yo’ folks might be better off than the Cunninghams, but it don’t count for nothin the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em” (29) Calpurnia has empathy for Walter Cunningham, because she doesn’t come from a very privileged house either. She relates to him, the Cunninghams don’t have much and she doesn’t either. She is proud of what and who she has and the Cunninghams are humble and won’t take anything they can’t pay back.

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1537 Words | 7 Pages

He poured it all over--” (Lee 24). What she did not understand was that his family was less fortunate than the Finch’s, and he did not get to eat like this at home. Seconds later, Scout learns one of the limits of adult patience when Calpurnia calls her into the kitchen to scold her. “Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n than 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” (Lee 25).

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709 Words | 3 Pages

Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a novel that shows the theme of bias, social inequalities, and the struggle for justice. The first chapter of the book introduces the reader to the town of Maycomb, Alabama and the people that make up the social divisions. Through the use of imagery, point of view, and setting, the novel suggests that things may not be what they seem on the surface. This essay will analyze the use of imagery, point of view, and setting in chapter one of To Kill a Mockingbird to explore the theme of hidden realities.

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456 Words | 2 Pages

Scout’s family is more middle class, but she is having a lower class kid over for lunch. Calpurnia yells, “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, any-body sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny and don’t you catch me remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!” (Lee 33) In this quote, Scout has Walter Cunningham over for lunch.

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897 Words | 4 Pages

The way people from a higher class acted towards people who were poor, which was quite allot because of great depression, was bad because they just would assume that they weren't equal, that they e lower and did not deserve the same level of respect the received. Calpurnia, Scout and Jem's cook and maid, taught scout otherwise when Walter Ewell, a poor kid, came over for dinner as scout states, "He ain't company, Cal, He's just a Cunningham. "(Lee 24) Scout stated that after she made fun of how Walter Cunningham ate, but Calpurnia thought her a lesson.

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965 Words | 4 Pages

Scout had insulted Walter’s eat habits, but she had not realized it. In her mind, she was asking a question out of curiosity. Scout hadn’t grasped the concept that certain may be okay to her, but not to other people. Scout lost her innocence by realizing that she had insulted him, and not just asked a question. Lastly, a few kids are making fun of Atticus for defending a black man, and Scout doesn’t see what is wrong with that.

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520 Words | 3 Pages

Scout asks him “what in the sam hill” he is doing and Walter ducks his head and puts his hands in his lap, seemingly embarrassed. Atticus shakes his head at her disapprovingly and then Calpurnia asks to see her in the kitchen. Calpurnia informs Scout, “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,” she then goes on to say, “but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?”

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1009 Words | 5 Pages

Calpurnia has helped Jem and Scout throughout their lives. Throughout the period since the death of the children’s mother, she has taught them to use manners, to respect everyone, and to always learn. As stated in To Kill a Mockingbird, “‘...anybody sets

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1247 Words | 5 Pages

Calpurnia is an ideal influence for Scout’s coming of age moments. She teaches Scout the importance of manners, and treating people with respect. When Walter Cunningham comes to eat lunch with Scout and Jem one day, Scout

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857 Words | 4 Pages

When Scout insults Walter Cunningham Jr. for pouring syrup on his food, Calpurnia reprimands her, “There's some folks who don't eat like us … but you ain't called on to contradict 'em at the table when they don't. That boy's yo' comp'ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?" and when Scout exclaims he is “just a Cunningham” meaning he was poor, she yells at her to teach her she is no better than he is “"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!

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608 Words | 3 Pages

Her actions towards others of a lower class can be categorized as rude or impudent. For example, “‘I’ll tell you why,’ she said. ‘Because-he-is-trash, that’s why you can’t play with him,’” (Lee 256). Aunt Alexandra’s prejudice can clearly be understood when she prevents Scout from playing with Walter, a poor child, through the use of dialogue.

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673 Words | 3 Pages

Scout was mad at Walter for getting her into trouble,so she chose to beat him up for revenge. Scouts brother breaks up the fight and invites Walter for dinner. As they began eating,Scout pointed out that Walter poured syrup all over his meal because she was still mad at him. This humiliation led Calpurnia to talk to her privately. “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,” she whispered fiercely, “but you ain’t called on to contradict ’em at the table when they don’t.

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738 Words | 3 Pages

Scout is initially naïve and does not think about how her actions affect others, showing that children can be offensive when their naïveté equates to a lack of empathy. For example, when Jem invites Walter Cunningham over for dinner, Scout is not accustomed to the way he eats. She says to Calpurnia, “But he’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup, he’s poured it all over” (Lee 32). Scout’s youth prevents her from understanding the differences in other people’s life circumstances, including Walter’s. Her family is wealthier than the Cunninghams and she knows proper manners; Walter, on the other hand, likely does not.

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