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To Kill A Mockingbird Depression Essay

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Ava Pieraccini 3/6/23 Ms. Mcesson In the timeless novel To Kill a Mockingbird, we follow the main character Scout, a six-year-old girl in the 1960s as she ages and matures during the Great Depression. The constant theme of loss of innocence immerges throughout the book during events of prejudice that rock Scout, and her small town. Because of these events and guidance from her father and neighbors, Scout grows and becomes more aware of others’ perspectives… choosing her path even if it contradicts her community or her original beliefs. In the early 1960s education for children was very different than what is customary today, especially during The Depression. The article Eduction in the 1960s on Medium states, “Although education was highly …show more content…

When Tom Robinson was convicted of the rape of Mayela Ewell and Atticus Finch was assigned to defend him, Scout faced hostility at school for reasons that she didn’t understand. When she goes home after getting in a fight, Atticus told her to “take the high road” and ignore the other children. Scout took his advice but that was just the beginning of the repercussions she would face for being even slightly related to the case. In chapter 25, after Tom’s death, Scout has a realization while reading an editorial of the case. “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts, Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” This shows the tremendous self-growth that Scout underwent during the book. She goes from conforming to the ways of Maycomb to having individualized thoughts and ideas about the discrimination that she sees around her. Scout realizes the unfairness of the trial and becomes more aware of the prejudice against the black community. As an eight-year-old, watching a rape child was very confusing for Scout but she still was intelligent enough to understand the bias of the jury. While Scout learned and grew from the trial the theme of “loss of innocence” arises when we compare her playful attitude from the first chapters to the young lady she transforms

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828 Words | 4 Pages

Her Innocence Fled Her In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee wrote about two kids named Jemermy Atticus Finch (Jem) and Jean Louise Finch (Scout), their father is named Atticus Finch, their mother died when Scout was about two years old. In the middle of this book Atticus takes a case involving a black man named Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell. Mayella and her father claimed that Tom Robinson beat Mayella, but they don’t have enough evidence to prove that he did beat her. In this essay I will be answering the question “In what ways does Scout change and grow as well as lose her innocence throughout the whole novel?”

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977 Words | 4 Pages

The African-American community of Maycomb respects Atticus for doing his best with what he is given and for treating everyone with respect. Scout may not realize at first why she must stand up while her father is leaving, but since she is sitting with the community of African-Americans, she quickly realizes that it is a sign of respect, and it makes the audience feel proud. On the contrary, Mayella Ewell makes a remark that can lead the audience into thinking a variety of things, one of which is terrifying. While Tom Robinson is giving his testimony and explaining what happened while he was in the Ewell house, he states, “She says what her papa do to her don’t count,” (260). Someone could read this and think that her father is raping her, which is very alarming.

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1565 Words | 7 Pages

As Scout watches Mayella Ewell's testimony, she concludes that “...Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years. When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her…Tom Robinson was probably the only person who was ever decent to her. But she said he took advantage of her, and when she stood up she looked at him as if he were dirt beneath her feet” (191-192). Scout observes how defensive Mayella is and pities her because of the loneliness she must feel, but she also understands the wrong that the Ewell girl had done.

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1792 Words | 8 Pages

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1367 Words | 6 Pages

Harper Lee adds this to help the audience visualize the moral obligation and strong will Atticus has to guard Tom, who is at risk of facing an unfair trial due to his skin color. Moreover, he does not care about how defending Tom will affect his reputation, and this teaches Scout about the difference between the right and the easy decision. Later, Mr. Underwood explains to Scout, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts, Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Lee 323).

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800 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents a life of Jean Louis Finch, also known as Scout, growing up in a small town. The setting of the story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1960’s. Life for Scout growing up appears difficult because of the Great Depression, racial inequality, white supremacy, and peoples’ prejudiced mindset. In the beginning of the book, Scout’s character shows her innocence, her tomboyish side, her adventurous personality, and her ability to question and observe the goodness and evilness of society. By the end of the novel, Scout learns fighting does not fix everything, possessing lady-like characteristics obtain value and holding prejudiced thoughts reflects in every person’s life.

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960 Words | 4 Pages

After Tom, an innocent black man that was convicted of rape, tried, but failed, to escape from the county jail, Scout reflects, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Lee, FIND PAGE ##). Scout realizes that the justice system is racist against black people and how he was going to be convicted even though he was innocent. Scout loses her innocence because she finally sees that life is unfair for some people and that prejudice is more common than she thought.

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777 Words | 4 Pages

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When Atticus first takes the case, he was judged harshly and insulted with such cruelty, Scout heard what people said and she herself, failing to understand, began to judge her father as well. Atticus, realizing that she was just a child and didn’t know what she was talking about, taught her one of the most important lessons in life. Not to judge someone without “walking in their shoes.” (Lee page number). Despite Atticus’ effort, Tom is still unfortunately falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell.

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1017 Words | 5 Pages

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689 Words | 3 Pages

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1306 Words | 6 Pages

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