SOCIAL CLASS AND SOCIAL STRUGGUEL POTRAYED IN TO KILL A

MOCKINGBIRD NOVEL BY HARPER LEE

Mini Proposal

Submitted in Partial Fulfilment to the Requirement for final examination of Literary

Theory Methods' course

AMMAR DANI

(2010739001)

Lecture:

Rika Handayani, S.S., M.AAPD., M.Hum.

ENGLISH DEPARTEMENT-FACULTY OF HUMANITY

ANDALAS UNIVERSITY
PADANG
2023
ABSTRACT
 CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the research

Humans are a social creature living in the diversity of character and different
properties. In the social society to communicate with other communication and
other interaction in realizing a peaceful and comfortable life, but in running the
social interaction today humans have grouped themselves following the change of
age and it has become a source of social problems issuing the problem of
differentiate of one group with other groups that have been a social issue unlocked
after.
In society, social class refers to hierarchical divisions (or stratification) among
individuals or groups of individuals. Most people typically have social groups,
albeit not everyone falls into the same social class classifications.Economic
factors, education, occupation, and the relationship between a family member's
status (position) and the status of other family members—when the position of the
head of the family increases, the status of other family members also increases—
are the main factors that contribute to class differentiation in society. The phrase
"social class" originally became widely used in the early 19th century to describe
the primary hierarchical divisions in society, taking the place of concepts like rank
and order. Economically speaking, the emergence of a new social class is
indicated by either capital ownership or, opposite, wage dependence. It is
important to distinguish between social class and status group because the former
is generally determined by economic importance, whilst the latter is determined
by assessments of occupation dignity or prestige, cultural standing, or familial
ancestry.

(Gruman, 2007) These social classes literally refer to the grouping of

individuals in a hierarchical hierarchy based on your wealth, the size of your
income, what education you have, what job you have, and social networks, and
other ways people value you. You are based on social class.Gender, ethnicity, and
social class are ways of describing and comparing social classSocial class is an
unfair problem that unsolved until now, these problem start with groups people of
 certain characteristics against others through no fault of their own and can affect
mental health, physical health and criminal justice, Lower tiers are provided with
lower quality resources than higher tiers. The treatment of the lower classes will
not be happier than the treatment of the upper classes. Being able to live in peace
and tranquility is a dream for those who are considered economical, and has little
chance of becoming a reality.The disadvantaged are placed in the poor, while the
very wealthy are considered to be in the higher classes. Social class has been the
most prominent and visible issue throughout history. Individuals have a tendency
to put people into groups and expect them to stay there. People shouldn't be
defined by how they live, what their background is, or how successful they are.

To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee in 1960.Background

of this novel is in a small town in Alabama, Maycomb.This novel reflecting the
existence and social interaction of human on the time.The author highlighting the
most unresolved world issues in this novel it is social class through the characters.
Using the first person point of view of an innocent little girl, Lee tells the life of a
family with a setting in 1930 that the justice need to be upheld with full of
struggle, especially at a time when the issue of racism against black people still
haunts America. This novel orients proper treatment in social life, Lee responds to
this issue as well as a hits hard on one of humanity's most chronic diseases,
namely the tendency to prejudice, subjective bias in judging someone, and judging
others based on skin color and social background through this writing the author
stated the social reality of humans being.

This study is important to research because it shows that social class does
indeed play a role in how humans "value humans." especially at how every human
being should have equality regardless of origin, ethnicity, race, economy to
establish comfortable in social life and interacting among fellow human beings
through understanding and analyzing the intrinsic elements of the novel To kill a
Mockingbird.

1.2 Identification of the problem

The problems identified in the study "Social class portrayed in the novel To
Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee" used Marxism from a social perspective and
 capitalism by Marx to analyze social problems in Maycomb in 1930. This study
aims to find and analyze the gaps in social interaction in Harper Lee's work
through intrinsic observation using the Marxist method.

1.3 Review of the previous study

There are several studies that the authors use as references. The first is the
writings of Harianto Andri and Yohanes Tuaderu, Racism in Harper Lee's To Kill
A Mockingbird (2019). The analysis is based on the point of view of the main
character, Scout, on racism. There are two issues discussed by them: first, the
influence of society on the development of racism, and second, the social relations
between whites and blacks. The discussion begins with a glimpse of social
conflict in America in the 1930s using the theory of habitus and symbolic violence
by Pierre Bourdieu. Habitus theory is used to analyze the influence of society on
the rise of racism, and symbolic violence is used to highlight white and black
social relations. This helped the researcher understand the origins of social
inequality in Alaba at that time.
The second is a study by Tara Dabbagh. An Analysis of "To Kill a
Mockingbird" through the Lens of Critical Race Theory that examines the
interaction between race, economic power, and social stratification or
classification becomes apparent. She applies the perspective of Critical Race
Theory in her analysis to show that social, economic, and historical factors lead to
diminishing returns for minorities in a system based on racial-majority beliefs and
interests. Through observation from the perspective of Critical Race, it makes it
easier for researchers to understand the freedom that black people have in the
novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
The third is a study by Eka Nurcahyani "The negative impacts of racial
prejudice and discrimination upon the life of black American society in the
Northern Cities as reflected in Richard Wright’s Native Son". In this thesis, Eka
Nurcahyani presents a discussion about the negative impacts of racial prejudice
and discrimination upon the lives of black American society in the Northern cities,
as reflected in Richard Wright’s Native Son. The objective of this thesis is to trace
the negative impacts of racial prejudice and discrimination upon the lives of black
American society in the Northern cities, especially Chicago, as reflected in
Richard Wright’s Native Son. Racial prejudice and discrimination against black
 Americans have some negative impacts on their lives. Racial prejudice and
discrimination in housing, employment, education, and law and justice cause their
sense of inferiority, hopelessness, and sense ofalienation.This thesis contributes to
researchers efforts to develop social issues based on the conditions, background,
and history of black American society in Alabama.
The next related study is Reading Harper Lee: Understanding To Kill a
Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman (2018) by Claudia Durst Johnson, whose
research provides the author with context by examining key topics such as race,
class, and gender understanding and comparing Lee’s works between To Kill a
Mockingbird and Go Set A Watchman. Rather than being a replacement for the
1994 reference work, this article serves as a great complement for researchers
studying Harper Lee's idea of social The article also helps the researcher
understand To Kill a Mockingbird through a review of referenced documents to
help the researcher understand the historical context analysis of the theme,
potentially making it more accessible for studying literary criticism.

1.4 Research questions

1. What types of social classes reflected in “To kill a Mockingbird” novel by
Harper Lee?

2. What are the struggles against social stratification as reflected in “To kill a
Mockingbird” novel byHarper Lee?

Scope of research
The Limitations of this study will cover the analysis about the behaviour potrayed
and social gap between the black people characters and white people characters on
To Kill a Mockingbird.

1.5 Objectives of the study

The research aims to achieve the following objectives:
1. To reveal the types of social classes reflected in "To Kill a Mockingbird"
by Harper Lee.
2. To figure out the struggles of the characters against socialstratification
reflected in the "To Kill a Mockingbird" novel by Harper Lee
 CHAPTER II: THEORY AND METHODS

2.1 Theoretical framework

2.1.1 Marxism

The theory that is going to be used in this research is Marxist theory,

which is appropriate to analyze the problem in To Kill a Mockingbird novel
by Harper Lee.Marxist theory explains that social theory about human live in
the world. Marxist theorists tend to focus their interpretations on considering
how literary texts depict class oppression, strife, and social inequality to serve
critique elements of capitalistic Western life. Marxist theorists also consider
how literary texts subvert even overturn ordinary forms of social and political
order then it will present new forms of social and political perception and
interaction. According to Suseno (2001:5) on Sati Nurchotimah thesis,
marxism is the term for ideology about the relation between economic, social,
and political concept. Marxism is one of the components in the communist
sytem ideology and marxism is different with communism.

1.1.2 Socialism and Capitalism by Karl Marx

The researcher using Karl Marx’s theories on communism and
capitalism formed the basis of Marxism to support Marxism theory on
understanding and follow Marx’s intellection because these is his idea. His key
theories were a critique of capitalism and its shortcomings. Marx thought that
the capitalistic system would inevitably destroy itself. The oppressed workers
would become alienated and ultimately overthrow the owners to take control
of the means of production themselves, ushering in a classless society.

2.2 The method of the research

2.2.1Collecting Data

The writer uses library research to collect data. According to Semi (1993:8),
Library research is a method used by researchers in the library to get information
about the object of research through some books.

By using library research, the writer can get the data and information about the
object of the research from books. By using this method, this writer will get the
 data and information about the object of research from some books, the internet,
and audiovisual elements related to the topic. The data is taken from Harper Lee’s
To Kill A Mockingbird. The writer uses this method to get more information
about this research. The writer will use the following procedures:

1. Read and understand the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
2. Choose materials or sources that are appropriate to the problem and
research objectives.
3. Conduct a survey of paragraphs and dialogues in the novel.
4. Choose the data dialing with the problem to be studied.
2.2.2Analysing Data
The writer read the whole pages of the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" and
also read some references from journals, articles, and websites as support
material.
2.2.3Presenting the Result of the Analysis
In presenting and discussing the results of the research, the technique used in
analyzing the data is descriptive analysis. The research will concern itself with
the interpretation of the data in To Kill a Mockingbird and dealing with Marxism
and Karl Marx’s perspective on facing social issues as applied by researchers to
find descriptions that depict social situations in the context of To Kill a
Mockingbird and examine.

CHAPTER III: SOCIAL ISSUES IN ABAMA

3.1 Potrayed social class in To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

3.2Freedom limitation of capitalism

3.3 Appearancesstrungle of black people

CHAPTER IV: CHARACTERS’S MANNER ON FACING THE ATMOSPHERE OF

NOVEL

4.1 Identify the characters regarding behaviors on society

4.1 Justification for the character's actions in the Novel To Kill a Mockingbird

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

5.1. Conclusion
5.2. Suggestions
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