Historical Influences on To Kill a Mockingbird
Historical Influences on To Kill A Mockingbird
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are several relations to times in history. Told through the eyes of Scout Finch, she teaches about her father Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man accused of rape, killed. He needs to balance what is morally right and what the local community desires. He ends up losing the case because Whites were superior to Blacks in all cases. Several historical events have influenced the novel To Kill A Mockingbird such as the Jim Crow laws, Race Riots, and the Scottsboro trials.
The Jim Crow laws were related to the thought of how Blacks were treated and the rules of society in the setting of To Kill A Mockingbird. The laws stated that Blacks were inferior to Whites and were not allowed any freedoms that white people received. They could not show any greater knowledge and would always have to respect White’s opinions (Pilgrim). Jim Crow laws were very harsh and cruel toward black people. In the novel the black and white people could not interact equally. If someone were to talk to or have feelings for someone of a different race they would be thought poorly of (Lee). An example of the laws in the book was when Tom Robinson is being put on trial, the black people and white people are separated into different areas of the courtroom. Also, the execution of Tom Robinson from being accused of rape of a white female relates to the lynching of Blacks. The Jim Crow laws were a way of life from 1877-1960’s. In To Kill A Mockingbird it shows how these laws were used in their society.
The article entitled “Detroit Race Riots” by PBS.org, focuses on the social tensions of the time and highlights mob mentality. The riots were triggered by the Whites providing work for the black people but not being able to accommodate the new laborers. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) accused the nation of discrimination and
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are several relations to times in history. Told through the eyes of Scout Finch, she teaches about her father Atticus Finch, an attorney who hopelessly strives to prove the innocence of a black man accused of rape, killed. He needs to balance what is morally right and what the local community desires. He ends up losing the case because Whites were superior to Blacks in all cases. Several historical events have influenced the novel To Kill A Mockingbird such as the Jim Crow laws, Race Riots, and the Scottsboro trials.
The Jim Crow laws were related to the thought of how Blacks were treated and the rules of society in the setting of To Kill A Mockingbird. The laws stated that Blacks were inferior to Whites and were not allowed any freedoms that white people received. They could not show any greater knowledge and would always have to respect White’s opinions (Pilgrim). Jim Crow laws were very harsh and cruel toward black people. In the novel the black and white people could not interact equally. If someone were to talk to or have feelings for someone of a different race they would be thought poorly of (Lee). An example of the laws in the book was when Tom Robinson is being put on trial, the black people and white people are separated into different areas of the courtroom. Also, the execution of Tom Robinson from being accused of rape of a white female relates to the lynching of Blacks. The Jim Crow laws were a way of life from 1877-1960’s. In To Kill A Mockingbird it shows how these laws were used in their society.
The article entitled “Detroit Race Riots” by PBS.org, focuses on the social tensions of the time and highlights mob mentality. The riots were triggered by the Whites providing work for the black people but not being able to accommodate the new laborers. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) accused the nation of discrimination and