Discrimination Is A Dominant Theme Within The Film Of Kill...

Discrimination can be generalized as unequal treatment or consideration of an individual based on the category to which that person belongs to or certain characteristics; rather than basing on their individual merit or assessing their circumstances, stereotypical assumptions are made. Discrimination can occur to anyone, but is prevalent in groups such as race, social class, and gender; throughout American history, the discrimination of these groups was commonplace and a widely accepted behaviour. The reality of these are told through Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird which depicts the childhood of a girl in 1930’s America who experiences first hand discrimination and observes prejudice towards others in her community. Within the town,†¦show more content†¦Upon Scout’s dismay, Alexandra explains, â€Å"†¦he—is—trash, that’s why you can’t play with him† (Lee 301). The Finch’s are seen as a high-class family w ho consequently do not associate with those on the bottom of the social scale. Along with the poor lower-class families are the Ewells, but rather than farm they receive their income through relief checks and live in a rundown shack by the dump. The eldest child, Mayella, has no friends due to no one wanting to associate with her because she is ‘trashy’; as a result Mayella lives a miserable existence. Another local family, the Radley’s, had not been lower-class; however, the youngest Radley, Arthur, had a spat with the law as a youth, and his Baptist father hid him from the public for the next 15 years out of shame. The townsfolk assume that this abnormal behaviour suggests that Arthur is evil and cruel. Among the folklore and myths generated by the townsfolk include â€Å"†¦he went out at night†¦ and peeped in windows†¦ Any stealthy crimes committed in Maycomb were his work† (Lee 10). Clearly, social discrimination is shown through the att itude of the townsfolk of Maycomb towards those who are different; those who are poor and those who are unusual are discriminated by the middle class folk within the town who either disassociate themselves from them or create morbid gossip. ¬Ã‚ ¬ During the 1930’s woman had many roles and