“I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks” Scout Finch, the young protagonist of the novel ‘To kill a Mockingbird’. The author Harper Lee used different settings in the hometown, Maycomb, to portray the strong elements of prejudice. She did this to help the reader understand the effects it had on children in the 1930s. From the courtroom to the classroom and even in her own household, Scout witnessed different forms of racism, sexism and classism not only from within her strongly, prejudice, hometown Maycombs people, but within her own family too.

Conflicting events occur frequently in a courtroom situation, making it the perfect setting for Lee’s purpose of racism. She did this so that the reader was influenced by how black people were treated in the 1930s and how the colour of their skin instantly made them guilty. “It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ’em that way…” Was the immediate reaction of Dill when Tom Robinson was treated so differently compared to Bob Ewell and his daughter, who Tom was accused of raping. The behaviour towards Tom in the courtroom made the scene more powerful and more emotional for the audience. This is because the reader was able to get a view on how serious the matter was, and they were able to have a place in the courtroom to form their own opinions on the situation. The 1930s was a tough era for black people as they were not considered equals and white people were considered far more superior. Therefore Atticus, Scouts father, suffered a backlash from the people of Maycomb for accepting the chance to represent Tom Robinson. “He’s nothing but a nigger-lover!” was the term used to describe Atticus by Scouts cousin Francis. It showed the amount of hate those had for coloured people and for those who supported them. This was due to the Jim Crow laws which had a major effect on America, they were made to reduce physical contact between white people and coloured people. Therefore Scout was able to get a stronger understanding of the hatred toward coloured individuals within the courtroom. When she was present within the scene alongside Jem and Dill it portrayed how innocent and logical their ideas were as they were coming from a fresh and fair point of view. “Guilty…guilty…guilty…guilty…” Was the jury’s decision. This made the courtroom a place where the strong racist environment was exposed, as in a courtroom the jury is meant to be fair. Yet they were not. In this particular case, Tom Robinson is innocent and was purely being punished because of the colour of his skin. This demonstrated that even in such a serious, public matter, racism clouded peoples immediate judgement. Changes have been made over the years and we are now all given a fair chance. In our present-day, coloured people are not just locked away because of the colour of their skin. They are put through a fair trial like each and every other individual. This scene in the courtroom was important, as it portrayed to the reader the severity of racism within the town and how the colour of one’s skin could change peoples judgement in an instant, whether they were innocent or guilty.

School is where children learn. Especially about each other. Scout found herself prejudicing a classmate without knowing any better. “Why does he pay you like that” Scout had asked her father referring to the family of Cunninghams. She then learnt from Atticus that the great depression had affected many farm folk who ended up not being as fortunate as their own family was. This was how distinct classes were formed. Classism was best expressed in the school setting, where Scout explained to her new teacher Miss Caroline the ‘ways of Maycomb’. The school was the perfect environment for the theme as it helped to reinforce the idea of how children are capable of prejudizing at such a young age. “Miss Caroline, he’s a Cunningham,” Scout had said this as if it were an obvious statement. Within the classroom, everyone knew Walter was from a poor family except Miss Caroline and the reader. This made the School the perfect setting to teach both about the distinct groups of class and how their society functioned. Having all of the children present in this scene made the purpose so much stronger as nobody could contradict Scout as they all knew she was right. Without having this important aspect of the book set in a classroom the reader would not be able to understand that all children were knowing of the classism within their town. Scout was unaware that she was treating Walter Cunningham with disrespect as she assumed that because he had no money he didn’t mind being treated so disrespectfully. ‘He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a cunningham-’ Scout retorted when Walter went for dinner at the Finches. Scout believed that those who were not as wealthy as her own family were not considered her company. This then showed that children at a young age were capable of prejudice without even knowing it. Introducing this prejudice within school made Lee’s point so much more powerful. It showed how influenced children of such a young age were from their society and own families. By beginning the involvement of Walter and his character in the school setting Lee was able to show the knowledge young children carried around with them on a daily basis and how peoples judgements were different due to their upbringing. Children are smart from a young age, which in a way makes them dangerous. They seem to know more than what they seem to know.

Sexism is a strong theme within the novel which still takes place in the current age today. Scout was introduced to sexism within the setting of her home town Maycomb but also within her household. In the 1930s it was a Woman’s job to cook, clean and look after the children. However, Scout did not have a mother. The only womanly influence Scout had in her household was her cook Calpurnia, therefore Scout did not suffer a lot of sexism in the early stages of her life. She lived with her father, Jem and Cal, all of whom were not there to judge her on how she dressed or acted. Calpurnia didn’t have a large amount of authority over Scout as she was the one working for her. Atticus certainly wasn’t one to press a role on an individual. This made her home environment a safe place from the outside world and their judgements of how she dressed. As she grew older Jem made harmless jokes towards Scout as if he was wanting a rise from her. “…I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!” A remark like this was seen as an insult to Scout as being a girl was basically another word for ‘weak’ which Scout certainly was not. It also implied that she was not capable of the same tasks as a man as women do not work. Scout was influenced a lot by these comments especially as they were occurring in her household. Her home was where she learnt the most as she cared for what the people in it had to say. As Scout grew older she became more frightened of the idea of being a girl and acting like one. She was rough and hung out with Jem and Dill. “It’s time you started bein’ a girl and acting right!” Jem had remarked again another time he was annoyed with her. But how was Scout supposed to act a certain way in which she disagreed with? She had been brought up in a way where she could express herself in any way she had wanted. Women were not considered equals in the 1930s and throughout the novel, it is seen that no woman had a job, except for Calpurnia. The setting within her home environment made this scene powerful as the finch household was ‘free’ household. Her father Atticus allowed her to wear the clothing she pleased which were considered not ‘suitable’. But she was at an age where what she wore started to matter in society. It mattered so much that Aunt Alexander had moved. “We decided it is best for you to have some feminine influence” Having Aunt Alexander in Scouts household made Scout despise being a ‘girl’ even more. Having the pressures of being a girl pressed on Scout at home suffocated her as it was the only place where she wasn’t judged on what she wore or the way she spoke. Lee’s purpose of showing the sexism within Scouts household is important as most girls in the 1930s grew up all of their lives with a feminine influence upon them. They grew up not knowing any better, Scout, however, grew up in a household where she wasn’t forced into a role. This made her more resistant when it came to the pressures of becoming women as they clearly were not as superior as men. In our current world, both men and women work and neither are seen ‘weak’ or less superior. From the 1930s until now women had to take charge in their households otherwise where would we be today?

The courtroom, the classroom and the Finch household all helped the reader view and understand the elements of racism, classism and sexism more clearly. Lee chose these settings carefully and specifically to have the most impact on the reader. This was how she educated the audience on the strong prejudice town and how children were affected because of it. The settings helped to bring Lee’s purpose across more strongly. It showed that where you are and what you learn can have an impact on your judgement.