Breaking The Norms Of Society In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Breaking the Norms of Society in To Kill a Mockingbird In the 1930’s, events in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee take place with a very different society from the ones we live in presently. With sexism being the law and innocence being seen last while background comes first, leading to many problems such as breaking social norms. Maycomb follows a rule that labels individuals of the same background in life and ethnicity together. Each group is expected to act a certain way, if an individual does not, it is considered breaking the norms of society which links to an outcome of an automatic consequence. With the superiority of racism, it results as the countless reason for it. Three norm breakers that face heavy challenges throughout the novel are Atticus Finch, a humble and highly respected lawyer that defends a black man in court (Tom Robinson), Dolphus Raymond, who lives behind a lie and Mayella Ewell that runs away from her own guilt.…show more content…
For Atticus Finch, a white, well-known lawyer in Maycomb does not wish for any self-benefit out of what he is doing. He is chosen to protect Tom Robinson for there may be a possibility and chance for Tom in court. Atticus does nothing more than to fight for what is right and to prove that “the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber. Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie” (217). As expected, a majority of the citizens in Maycomb are not impressed nor support the action being taken by Atticus. With that, he struggles to keep himself up while the people, who believe of the wronging to defend black people, try and pull him
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