Is Maycomb a microcosm of America's society in the 1930's?

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IS Maycomb a microcosm of America’s society in the 1930’s?

By Mariam Nouri

In the novel, ‘To kill a Mocking Bird’, the Author describes the town in which the novel is set, to be a microcosm of America’s society in the 1930’s. By definition, microcosm means; ‘a community or other unity that is an epitome of another unity.’ Epitome means; ‘brief or miniature form.’ Therefore, if one said Maycomb (town that the novel is based in) was a microcosm of America in the 1930’s, this would mean that Maycomb was a miniature form of America.

   This statement is true because, throughout the book the people of Maycomb show views and beliefs, which the majority of people in America believed in that period of time. For example: in the novel, the people of Maycomb are racist against black people because, of their skin colour. In the 1930’s the majority of American people felt and behaved in this manner. Another way that Maycomb reflects America in the 1930’s is the people of Maycomb have many conflicts within the same religion. For example;

 Miss Maudie, a very fair woman within the novel says to Scout (main character in novel) “My shell’s not that hard, child. I’m just a Baptist… Foot washers believe that anything that’s pleasure is a sin… told me my flowers were going to hell.”

This shows that even within the same religion people are disagreeing over beliefs. This corresponds to America in the 1930’s; as this kind of conflict was commonly know in those days.

Many of the Residents in Maycomb consider themselves to be Christians but they all seem to have separate rules. The so called ‘Foot washing Baptists’ seem to exclude Miss Maudie even though she is of their own religious book. Hypocrisy is seen in Maycomb among religious groups who are supposedly meant to be promoting a ‘ love for fellow man’

The black people and the White people have separate churches even though they are of the same religion and beliefs. The Maycomb missionary circle is patronising and hypocritical. They believe they are charitable but, they pity Black’s and they clearly don’t see them as equals, they see them as second-class citizens. Which isn’t really the way Christians should feel as they supposedly are meant to love everyone equally. The majority of the circle assumes that all of the Black community in their town live in sin and squalor. By reading the book we realise that this is obviously not true as the Black people of Maycomb are just as good Christians as they are. The White people of the missionary circle are coming this assumption arrogantly.

‘To kill a Mocking bird’ should be considered a reliable and un-exaggerated portrait of America in the 1930’s as the Author Harper Lee tries to recreate the prejudice and depression that was spread throughout America in this era.

    One of the main points that Harper Lee brings across in the novel is the massive impact that racial prejudice had on people’s lives. He shows this at many points throughout the book but, one, which particularly sticks in my mind, is when Scout and Jem are taken to a church that only black people attend. They go to this church with their housekeeper ‘Calpurnia’.

In this chapter the racism is turned around, as Jem and Scout became the unusual and were out of place rather than the black people. Jem and Scout show that they have been brought up knowing that black people were excluded and they show their lack of knowledge on the culture. For example;

Jem says, “ It’s the same God ain’t it?”

This shows that the white people of Maycomb do not consider the black people to be equals. Jem and Scout are still young and are therefore, not truly aware of the division between black and white people.  Atticus has always taught them that everyone is equal but as they have grown up in a town full of racial prejudice they do not abide by Atticus’s viewpoint as much as they should or could.

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In the 1930’s, America showed courage. The nation was emerging from the pressure of a civil war. The Civil war ripped the country apart and made a huge economic crisis. Through all this America worked for democracy and equality demonstrating courage. President Roosevelt said, “ The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” During this period of time, Martin Luther King showed great courage as he worked against prejudice; he put up a great fight against racism.  Martin Luther King had become a legend in today’s society as he changed the lives of a lot of people. ...

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