To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee makes many connections to real events of the time period that she was writing about. The trial of Tom Robinson is directly related to the real life trail of the 9 Scottsboro boys. Both these trails focus around the same circumstances, the rape of a white woman, by black men, with the white women’s word held above that of the black man’s. Researching this trial shed light on the roots of reasons for racial prejudice in the south, the effects of The Great Depression, and helps to create an understanding of the relationships in the novel. Looking at the emotions, conflicts of the time, the trial, and other fictional representations provided in To Kill a Mockingbird helps provide a greater understanding of the time.

In To Kill a Mockingbird many relations are in place that would not be found in today’s world. The position of Calpurinia as both a working women and a part of the Finch family, the Radley’s relationship with the rest of the town, and Atticus’s standing with the other towns people, are relationships that were set by the time period. Calpurinia was African American, due to racial prejudice it was hard for her to find a job other then working for white people. The Radely’s consider Bo’s actions as a disgrace, something that went against southern pride an honor. This pride caused heated felling in real life as well on the principles of white vs. black, even when no case could be made. Finally Atticus is seen as an outsider because he agrees, willingly, to represent a black man. Many people of the time felt that there should be a strict divide between the races, and that if you associated with blacks you were as good as one yourself.

While researching the Scottsboro trial and reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, researching and understanding the time period of the Great Depression in the 1930’s is very important. The great depression, hit not only in the United States, but also around the world, and put millions of people out of jobs, but it also increased poverty rates worldwide. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the main characters live in a regular middle class neighborhood, which is made up of fairly poor people. On top of the entire wide spread sorrow, civil rights of races was a big deal in the 1930’s. Blacks were treated horribly and lived in poor conditions. All in all, understanding the 1930’s is a very important aid in reading To Kill a Mockingbird.

Racial prejudice towards black people was a main theme in To Kill A Mockingbird. The entire premise of the book focuses on the classic story of a black man on trial for a crime he didn't commit. The town of Maycomb profiles all black people as immoral, criminals, and a pilfering race. This discrimination becomes evident in the trial of Tom Robinson. He is wrongly