Wednesday, October 31, 2012

What are some examples of differences in social classes in To Kill a Mockingbird ?

Jem is right on target when he explains his belief that there
are "four types of people." There are regular people, like the Finches and their neighbors; there
are poor but honest people like the Cunninghams; there are poor but dishonest people like the
Ewells; and there are Negroes. Obviously, Jem's view is not a worldly one, but it is fairly
accurate for his little world of
Maycomb.


  • African-Americans
    are on the bottom of the social ladder with virtually no distinguishing differences between them;
    they are outcasts to the white community and live in the Quarters just outside town.

  • The Ewells are pretty much alone in
    their status as "the disgrace of Maycomb." They rank above Negroes, but just barely, and they
    live outside town between the dump and the
    Quarters.

  • Poor but honest people like
    the Cunninghams are numerous and may actually be the largest social class in Maycomb. Their
    honesty and willingness to work is probably all that separates them from the Ewells and,
    according to Jem, they are mostly rural, living outside the city
    limits.

  • People like us--like the
    Finches and their neighbors--are at the top of Jem's social scale. They are friendly, have nice
    little houses in town, and have similar tastes and
    beliefs.

There are several characters who don't fit into
any of these groups, however. Boo Radley, though a neighbor, is hardly like Jem and Scout.
Dolphus Raymond, a white man who lives with blacks, is certainly the biggest outcast. His wealth
would put him at the top of the town's social chart, but his love of the black man (and woman)
drops him considerably in the minds of Maycombians.

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