Social Class In To Kill A Mockingbird

Maycomb was in a phase of diversity. In the beginning the story, readers learn about the state of Maycomb. One of the main things that are apparent is the economic classes of Maycomb. In the story, Jem tells the reader about social class when he explains it to his sister Scout, “‘There’s four kinds of folks in the world. There’s the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there’s the kind like the Cunninghams in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes’” (page 226). Maycomb may have been divided because of the trial, but economic class also had to do with it. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee, the story taking place in the 1930s. The economy in the story wasn’t the greatest. This was at the time of the Great Depression. That takes a huge toll on how the story is laid

There were two main “lower class” families in To Kill A Mockingbird. The Ewell’s and the Cunningham’s. Both families were very poor. The Ewell’s being the lowest of the two. The readers learn about the Cunninghams after Scout gets in trouble at school with Miss Caroline. Scout notices that the Cunninghams do not have lunch and that they cannot even borrow a quarter. Scout argues with Miss Caroline when Miss Caroline tells Walter, “‘Here’s a quarter” she said to Walter. “‘Go and eat downtown today. You can pay me back tomorrow.”’ (page 19). Walter did not accept her money. Someone in the classroom told Scout, “‘Go on and tell her, Scout.”’ (page 19). Scout seemed to not want to tell Miss Caroline. Especially because Scout already had got into some trouble that day. However Miss Caroline addressed Scout in front of the whole classroom saying, “‘What is it, Jean Louise?”’ Scout replied to her by saying, “‘Miss Caroline, he’s a Cunningham.”’ (page 20) Scout was attempting to say that he was lying to her. It was confirmed that they were one of the poorest families in