Social Issues In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Racism has been an issue that has divided Americans throughout their history, stemming from how the country began, and how it evolved to its current state.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ examines racism at a time in American history when racial segregation was a mainstream way of life. Although today’s society has evolved, racism may still exist to the same degree, only it is not as obvious as during the era of “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

When Harper Lee was writing “To Kill a Mockingbird” in the 1950’s, The United States was a hot spot for social change. In Lee’s home state of Alabama, many current event were taking place that were influencing this change. Social equality issues were brought to the forefront when Rosa Parks refused to give …show more content…
In the case of Trayvon Martin being shot to death, racism may have been a motive but is more difficult to prove because today many people hide their racist opinions.

Atticus's character represent the tolerance and compassion people can have for others challenges. “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view [...] Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” Lee p.30. Atticus teaches his children and the reader about standing up for what is right, even in the face of popular public opinion. Atticus warns Scout “don’t catch Maycomb’s usual disease” Lee p.187, when he refers to racism.

Comparing racism in the “To Kill a Mockingbird” era with modern day times can be summed up with Atticus’s perspective of a mob mentality “A mob's always made up of people , no matter what, Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night but he is still a man” Lee p.157. This shows that if your thinking as an individual you have your own views of right from wrong but in a mob your judgment gets dictated by others opinions. In the 1930’s being racist was commonly accepted, and in modern day racism is still present but exists in a more secretive
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