To Kill a Mockingbird

Chapters 1-11, 3rd Level

Atharva
Equality
On page 30, Calpurnia says: “Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’
comp’ny and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was high and
mighty!”. By making Calpurnia say this Harper Lee makes a historical reference to the racism
and segregation that existed in America during the Great Depression, which was a time of
economic hardship during the 1930s. People who were black or classified as ‘coloured’ were
treated very unfairly and atrociously by the white people, and when Calpurnia says this, Harper
Lee makes a reference to this. Another reference is made on page 17, when Scout says: “the
sheriff hadn’t the heart to put him in jail alongside negros, so Boo was locked in the courthouse”.
What Scout means when she says this is that since Boo (Arthur) Radley was white, the sheriff
felt pity for him, since he would be in jail with black people. Due to this, he was excused from
being put in jail, and was locked in the courthouse instead. By writing this, Harper Lee makes
another reference to racism, and segregation that existed in America after the Civil War. Black
people were referred to as ‘negros’ by the white people, and weren’t treated equally as them,
resulting in segregation.
Stereotypes
On page 44, Jem says: “I swear, Scout, sometimes you act so much like a girl its mortifyin”. By
making Jem say how much like a girl Scout acts, Harper Lee makes a reference to the
stereotypical assumptions made by society at the time, where specific behaviors and attitudes
would classify you as either a male or female. Harper Lee makes multiple references like these
throughout chapters 1-11. Another example is on page 87, when Aunt Alexandra comments on
Scout’s attire by saying that Scout can never hope to be a lady if she wore breeches, which are a
pair of trousers used for riding. However, women in the 1930s weren’t expected to wear trousers,
but they were rather expected to be in dresses, or skirts. By making Aunt Alexandra say this,
Harper Lee makes a reference to how in that time, stereotypes of each gender existed, and that
people were expected to behave according to the social standards that the gender had, such as
females should only wear skirts. However, Aunt Alexandra isn’t the only one who calls Scout
out on this. On page 107, Mrs. Dubose tells Scout that she should be in a dress and camisole. By
making Mrs. Dubose say this, Harper Lee once again makes a historical reference to how
stereotypes existed in that time era, and that women and girls were expected to behave in a
particular way, which was deemed acceptable by society. By doing so, Harper Lee gives great
importance to the theme of stereotypes.
Racism
On page 72, Scout tells Jem that she has never seen a ‘n-word’ snowman before. By making
Scout comment on the mud that is on the snowman in this manner, Harper Lee makes a reference
to the racism and segregation that existed in America during the Great Depression. People who
were black or classified as ‘colored’ were treated very unfairly and atrociously by the white
people. Harper Lee makes another reference of this on page 90, where the character of Francis
calls Atticus an “n-word lover”. By making the character of Francis say this, Harper Lee makes
another reference to the racial issues that existed in America during the 1930s, and how black
people were referred to as the n-word. By doing so, Harper Lee further develops the theme of
Racism.