To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Lee’s Lessons For Life “Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks,” says Scout Finch, the narrator of Harper Lee’s renowned novel To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee 304). Lee is an American author. She was very forward thinking, and grew up in a time of segregation and depression. To Kill a Mockingbird was the only novel to be published by Lee for 50 years. In an odd outcome, the novel is both the most banned and most taught book in the U.S. Set in a fictional town known as Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, many people still practiced white supremacy with Maycomb following a very traditional feel. The masterpiece is about a black man accused of rape by a white woman, and is told through the eyes of his lawyer’s daughter (Lee 3-376). A theme

During a time of segregation, white people realizing that black people can be just as good as them was very important. Most people of color in the book are assumed as bad by most of the town’s people. Tom helped Mayella with her odd jobs (Lee 255-256). Simply out of the kindness of his heart, Tom a black man, helped Mayella. Even when people assumed he was a bad man all he ever tried to do was help out. Conveying a person of color can be as good as a white man. Every court official in Tom Robinson’s case was a white man (Lee 222-283). Tom is a man of color and during his case every official is white, giving him an unfair advantage. Most of these men were racist, and were never going to claim Tom not guilty because he was black. In the jury’s eyes black equals bad, even if he was good. Also, Tom was accused and found guilty of rape (Lee 222-283). After Tom, an african american, was accussed of rape by a white woman he was going to be found guilty. The court did not care that Tom did not rape Mayella or that Mayella was clearly lying, he was going to be found guilty. Since Mr. Robinson is black, the jury is just going to see is guilty even though he is not. An action defined so clearly as a bad one, because Tom was truly a good man. People's actions should define the way they are treated; however, the color of their skin should

Most often in the 1930’s, people were defined by rich or poor. Rich men were treated with respect, but poor men were treated like trash. Alexandra does not want Scout to play with Walter (Lee 302-303). The Finches are a much richer family than the Cunninghams because of this Alexandra wishes Scout to avoid being friends with Walter. An odd choice she makes without good reason as Walter is a very kind and shy boy. Instead of being snobbish, the Finches treat everyone they meet with respect. (Lee 3-376). For the most part, the Finches treat everyone with respect. Atticus teaches his children that no matter how rich or poor a person is they deserve respect; consequently, his children try their best to respect everyone despite their social class. The Ewells are looked at as the disgrace of Maycomb (Lee 40). For many generations no the Maycombs have lived in a dump, while being treated like trash. The problem is, no one is providing proper help. Who knows maybe they could be honorable citizens, but they haven’t been given the option to change. No one wants to help the Ewells because they are part of a lower class. Maycomb's citizens just turn their heads and act as if everything is fine. Social class is a bad judge of