American Studies

Mrs. Bonin & Mrs. Barth

Thursday December 21, 2016

How Does Life In The 1930’s Compare WIth Our Lives Today?

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee reflects life in the 1930s for children, adults, and people of all races and backgrounds. Scout is telling the story of a very interesting year of her life. There was a mysterious house in between her school and home, so she walked by it twice a day. It was called the Radley house. The whole first half of the novel tells about Scout, Jem (her brother), and Dill (their cousin) trying to make contact with Boo Radley. There were many rumors about Boo being crazy and psychotic, but the kids wanted to see for themselves. When they finally got Boo to come out, the second part of the book started. In this part, Tom Robinson was framed for raping Mayella Ewell, but no one believed him because he was black. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, defended Tom in court, but because of his race, he was found guilty.  Mayella’s Father was the real culprit. Bob Ewell tried to kill Jem to get revenge on Atticus, but it is believed that Boo Radley killed Ewell in order to save the kids. Jem showed that the way people act at home differs from the way they act with friends in the 1930’s is similar to now because people today people act more outgoing with friends than they do at home.

Jem knew that he would get punished for doing whatever he wanted at home, in front of his father, so he was outgoing when not at home. The novel states, “Jem attached the note to the end of the fishing pole, let the pole out across the yard and pushed it toward the window he had selected” (Lee, 48). Jem tried to get into contact with the mysterious Boo Radley, even when he knew he wasn’t allowed to, “‘Son,’ he said to Jem, ‘I’m going to tell you something and tell you one time: stop tormenting that man…’” (Lee, 49). Jem had not expected his father to arrive while they were trying to leave a message for Boo Radley, but Atticus was not happy when he found out. Atticus expected Jem to always act like an adult, which is proper and mature.

Jem was outgoing away from home because he couldn’t act like himself when around Atticus. My parents are not nearly as strict as Atticus, but there is a certain way I should act in front of my parents. I am expected to use manners all the time and help out around the house whenever needed. Usually it involves dusting, vacuuming, or unloading the dishwasher. When I am with my friends I act much more outgoing. I feel like I have more freedom when my parents aren’t around. I don’t have to act proper or get in trouble for silly things. It’s not that I’m scared of my parents, but they have the power and I don’t. They can take things away from me like electronics, my plans, or my headphones. When I’m shopping with my mom I just shop, but when I am with my friends we go all over the mall running, eating, and probably annoying all the other people in the mall. When my parents aren’t around, I have no chance of getting disciplined.

Jem was outgoing away from home so he wouldn’t get in trouble. I am a lot like Jem. I do what I want when I want. I stand up for what I believe in, and so does Jem. Jem states in the novel, “‘I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but I ain’t so sure now!’” (Lee, 50). Jem wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, but when Atticus yelled at him for disturbing Boo Radley he showed independence by saying that he didn’t want to be a lawyer. Although Jem and I are similar in many ways, he has the guts that I don’t have. He at least pursued his dream of communicating with Boo Radley. It’s hard to go after your dreams in the modern world. The book states, “…He worked in an office, not in a drug store. Atticus did not drive a dump truck for the county, he was not the sheriff, he did not farm, work in a garage or do anything that could possibly arouse the admiration of anyone” (Lee, 89). This tells me that during this time period, being a dump truck driver sheriff, garage worker, or a farmer was admired greatly. This was because their jobs were the hardest to live off of during the depression.

In The Great Gatsby, people admired Jay Gatsby for being rich. This was much different than the time period in To Kill A Mockingbird because it was in the ‘Roaring Twenties’. This was before the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, so people with a lot of money were the popular ones that other people wished to be. The novel states, “…it was Mr. Gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens” (Fitzgerald 31). Jay Gatsby was the talk of the town, because he was the one who could afford many parties. He acted like he had the perfect life, but he really wanted Daisy to notice him. Jay Gatsby did not show that other side of himself in front people.

The way people acted with their friends was different than the way they acted at home in the 1930’s is similar to now because people are more outgoing when with their friends and have to act respectful at home. Jem and I are different because we grew up in different environments, but that doesn’t change the fact that people act less outgoing at home then and now. Jem was not like Hoover, a ‘do-nothing’ guy, he took action when he wanted something done.

 

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. Print.