Social Class In “To Kill A Mockingbird” Essay Example

with Walter Cunningham, another incident involving the Ewells occurred. Burris was said to have "cooties." Suddenly, a "cootie" emerged from Burris's supposedly Afro-like hair, causing the teacher, Miss Caroline, to become frightened. In response, Miss Caroline urgently instructed Burris to leave and cleanse his hair with kerosene.

Burris, who appeared to come from a troubled family, displayed a lack of pride by verbally attacking and intimidating his teacher before abruptly leaving. The Cunninghams, on the other hand, received special treatment due to their payment to Atticus for his legal assistance on their farm, utilizing food and other services as their form of payment. The residents of Maycomb county embraced this arrangement because they recognized the Cunninghams' exceptional loyalty, honesty, and strong work ethic.

The Cunninghams only accept things that they can repay with equal or greater value. On the other hand, there are the Ewells, who slack off, lie, have cooties, and mooch off of others. Bob Ewell is a complete alcoholic; he squanders any money he may have earned or stolen on drinking. It is very rare, if ever, that Mr. Ewell provides his family with a hot and nutritious meal.

The Cunninghams were a family known for their truthfulness, loyalty, and ability to handle great responsibilities. They acknowledged the importance of hunting and killing food for survival, as without such privilege, the children would starve in their small shack. Even though they didn't want to harm anyone, they were grateful for the support they received on their life journey. The Cunninghams were honest about their mistakes and modest when they were proven right.

They held immense respect for anyone who walked on the face of the earth.

Yet, the Ewells, as always, were complete opposites, consistently lying and causing harm to a human life. Following the trial of Tom Robinson versus Mayella Ewell, the Ewells felt ashamed because Mayella showed affection towards a black man. Bob Ewell found them kissing in the bedroom and suspected the worst. He accused Tom of raping his daughter and physically assaulting her. However, all of the bruises were on Mayella's right side, while Tom had no left arm. It was clear that Tom was innocent.

However, the Ewells, who were ashamed to acknowledge it, ultimately caused the death of Tom Robinson. The narrator expresses deep disappointment and disgust over the prolonged jury deliberation process. Additionally, Bob Ewell seeks revenge against Atticus's children and physically harms them upon their return from a Halloween party. This behavior stems from Ewell's inability to tolerate the fact that his testimony held little weight against that of a black African American individual.

The Cunninghams were highly respected by others for their integrity: they always kept their promises, were willing to repay favors, and offered help without expecting anything in return. This not only allowed the Cunninghams to replenish their resources, but also made people eager to assist them. On the other hand, the Ewells depleted their resources by constantly taking advantage of others and relying on them for support. People were disgusted when they assisted the Ewells. Despite this, both the Cunninghams and the Ewells enjoyed special privileges. The Cunninghams could repay others through means other than traditional currency, while the Ewells received privileges simply because people felt ashamed of them. Furthermore, the Cunninghams never had to worry about getting into trouble

due to their honesty and strong work ethic. In contrast, the Ewells were known for their falsehoods and lacked the courage to put an end to the slander of Tom Robinson before it spiraled out of control, ultimately leading to Tom's tragic demise.

This story demonstrates that hard work is challenging and requires perseverance, but it ultimately yields rewards. While it may seem easier to rely on others, like the Ewells do by begging and mooching, eventually beggars and moochers run out of options and resort to lying and cheating, leading to a life of corruption similar to the Ewells'. This piece was written exclusively by Brock P. Beal from Toledo High School in Toledo, Washington. Thank you for using this.

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