How Does Lee Create Tension In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there is a significance of tension. The tension in the novel means things that are brought up and are overdone or expanded. Tension is created through different categories. The categories in the novel are racial, class, societal, and family. In the start of the novel in chapter two, it takes place in school and we are introduced to Walter Cunningham. Through the interaction with Walter and Miss Caroline, it is tension with the class system. Another part of the scene is when Miss Caroline and Scout talk about Walter and in that exchange there is also tension. Throughout the novel the author, Harper Lee describes tension through the class system why the tension during the situations are critical to the novel.

It was tension because Walter could not think clearly. “Here Walter, come, and get it.” (20) Walter was not going to get up and grab the quarter from Miss Caroline because he knows he is unable to pay Miss Caroline back. This is tension, because Miss Caroline continues to bother Walter by trying to state that he can pay her back another time for lunch why not come and grab the quarter for lunch. Walter is stressed because he is not using words to respond to what is going on it is because he does not want to be the spotlight of attention. Lee also shows tension when he has the character Scout trying to explain that the Cunningham family is poor. “Walter is one of the Cunninghams.” (20). It is tension because it is getting the attention is on Walter. Walter is not wearing a shoe when he is in class; therefore, he is getting attention and students like Scout want to know why but is also smart enough to figure out that the family does not have significant

Therefore, people in the town have certain anticipations about certain families. Right after school when the family is home Jem asked her father, “Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?” (21). Atticus respond. “Not exactly. The Cunningham family are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them hardest.” (21). The Cunninghams are the poorest family in the town. “They don’t have much but they get along.”(20) The Cunninghams do not have a significant amount of money but enough to get by due to the way they pay for items mostly it is not money but, using objects by trading. The moment of tension is critical due to the time period. The novel took place in Maycomb Alabama during the Great Depression. Since it was taken place; then, one can see it is critical because during the Great Depression people did not have a lot and were judged. People also did not know better including hitting students in the hand with a ruler. Overall the two moments which had to do with one scene because stating Walter is a Cunningham is judging and hitting someone with a ruler because they were judging is disapproving. Judging and disapproving are two parts of what creates the