To Kill A Mockingbird Power Analysis

The cliche phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” is one that can be applied to many different situations, but what really is power? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as the “possession of control, authority, or influence over others.” The concept of power is one that is familiar around the world, whether in a positive or negative connotation. In To Kill a Mockingbird, power is seen in someway with every turn of a page. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the mid 1930s during the Great Depression in a town called Maycomb in Alabama. It being the 1930s, money was very tight and racial tensions were very high. Although there was little financial power, the majority white population had definite power over the blacks. With unimaginable power comes with unimaginable consequences is a concept seen all throughout the novel. Whether it is something minor like sibling rivalry or major like bias in a court case, power is a huge concept in To Kill a

As seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, when a person’s power is limited, they may end up being stuck in their current situation. There is a sense of helplessness that is imprisoning the individual. The abuse of power is arguably worst thing about power. If someone of power decides that they want something, they expect it to happen. This usually means that those they deem below themselves are left scrambling. When a person’s independency is suppressed, it can lower their self-esteem. Some speak up for themselves while others submit to their suppressors. Those in power will do almost anything to maintain it even if it meant stepping on other individuals. All three key points are spread throughout the novel. Sure, having a ton of power can be incredible, but the misuse of that power can lead to consequences that may be more than bargained