Number One In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tries to get the audience to understand that racism, sexism, and social status were of great importance to the people in Maycomb County, as they are in today’s society as well. Lee takes the readers through a journey, where she presents them with characters like Tom Robinson, Scout Finch, and Mayella Ewell. While there were many issues in society at the time, prejudice would have been seen as number one on a list. Racism is shown in this book from beginning to end. Mostly shown through whites toward blacks, there are also a few subtle hints of the opposite. Speaking in such a way that would be considered ¨inappropriate¨ now a days Scout asks Atticus, ¨Then why did Cecil say you defended niggers?¨ (Lee 86) by using the word ¨nigger¨ in the book Harper Lee is bringing …show more content…
On one of the first days of school Scout tries to explain Walter’s actions to her new teacher from outside of Maycomb County by saying that, ¨Walter’s one of the Cunningham’s, Miss Caroline¨ (Lee 22). Because of the size of Maycomb county, one’s status depends on their name and their reputation depends on their status. When Scout says this, she does not understand that people outside of Maycomb don't realize what ¨being a cunningham¨ means. The children try and fail to explain to their teacher the ways of their small town, and how the families are categorized by financial stability, cleanliness, and knowledge. When Ms. Caroline seems perplexed about Burris Ewell trying to leave school before the day was over, he clears up that he had, ¨Been comin’ to the first day o’ the first grade fer three year now¨ (Lee 30). This is an example of a person knowing their status in Maycomb County. Because his last name is Ewell, Burris just follows right in the footsteps of his family, and does not understand that if he wanted to, he could make a better name for