Catalyst.

3/14/2013

Some literary minds believe that the novel To Kill a Mockingbird was an additional catalyst for the Civil Right Movement. Why might this novel (published in 1960, as the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum) have helped to inspire readers to join the fight for equality for all peoples?

17 Comments

Mikea Adams

3/15/2013 02:36:48 am

Being that the Civil rights movement of 1964 was a political movement to gain equality. This movement gathered Americans around the U.S, both white and black to protest and stop the discrimination against black Americans. During this period in history marches and efforts to put an end to segregation were held in several southern states. Martin Luther King Jr. an activist and leader during the civil rights movement was the most famous and targeted icon in history of the movement. He held marches in effort to stop the segregation against blacks. To Kill A Mockingbird could have inspired the readers to join the fight for equality after seeing the hatred and uncivil treatment towards Tom Robinson in the novel. He was an innocent black man convicted for the rape of a white female. In my opinion that is cruel. His 14th amendment rights of the constitution; the right to due process clause was violated and his rights of the 5th amendment where it state all men are born equally.

Amit Sharma

3/18/2013 09:48:54 am

Hypocrites all of them first they give you all these freedoms then they throw them away like they were written on paper.

Maria Gianelle

3/16/2013 01:17:05 am

I think To Kill A Mockingbird made people step back and realize that nothing will change until we do something. This book put the reader in their fellow American's shoes and let them know that we all are equal.

[email protected]

3/17/2013 07:59:59 am

Your comment about how nothing will change until we do something reminds me about a quote I heard on NCIS. "All evil needs to succeed is for good people to do nothing". *nod nod*

Maria Gianelle

3/16/2013 01:40:39 am

Continuing the other comment I just posted, I think the reader compared himself or herself to characters in the book. For instance, if the reader found themself to be like the ladies who felt bad for the Mrunas, they may be compelled to change because they see their own behavior. Also, people may have acknowledged Harper Lee's attempt to overcome discrimination and decided it was time they also tried to not participate in discrimination. They may have thought if Harper Lee could publish a controversial book at such a time, they could follow in her footsteps. Lee's ability to put the reader in other people's shoes by the book is what really made the difference in society's perspective.

Jona Katzke

3/17/2013 01:43:35 pm

I completely agree with you Maria. Harper Lee's ability to put the reader in someone else's shoes made the difference.

Tiffany-Jade Smallwood

3/17/2013 12:24:05 am

This novel may have helped change people's minds during the movement due to the different perspectives seen throughout the book. When people hear things about other people doing things wrong, they think about how bad of a person they are and how they can't believe they would do that, but when people hear bad things about themselves, they get angry and deny it. I'm sure when people read this book, they became upset and had revelations. Reading and thinking that you're doing the same thing that is hurting so many and causing so much pain in novel, could have been a real eye-opener to many in the 1960s.

Ratyana Downing

3/17/2013 04:20:59 am

This novel has helped change the minds of many people, in many ways. The book was very detailed in that it showed how blacks were treated. It showed how African Americans, even though they were "equal" they were not actually equal. Reading about the execution of Tom Robinson was very sad and disappointing for almost everyone reading. Knowing that he was not guilty, but because of the color of his skin, he was automatically guilty is wrong. I can understand why someone would change their mind and realize that racism is not only wrong but it messes up the lives of more than one person. I, personally, believe that it takes one person to change. If people continuously say "they will change, there's no need for me to", nothing is going to happen.

Amber Truitt

3/17/2013 07:24:27 am

This novel inspired others to join the fight for equality by exploring all perspectives. It shows the perspectives of people that are for equality but also the perspectives of those who are against. By doing so it makes the reader really examine their stand on the issues and in some cases change their original position.

Nicole Schlegel

3/17/2013 07:33:32 am

I believe To Kill A Mockingbird would have inspired readers to support to have equal rights during this time because it shows how even people in the south can change their minds about the rights of African Americans. It also shows how African Americans are normal people just like any American and deserve to have the rights of others. One man's effort to protect the rights of an African American changed many views in the town. It may have taken time but there is hope. The book can show that there are white people that truely wanted African Americans to have equal rights and that any supporters could truely help the Civil Rights movement. There was hope and this could push for them to have equal rights. This book is extremely motivating and I believe it was an excellent time to publish the book.

Sarah Bell Stuchlik

3/17/2013 07:57:44 am

This novel's subject matter would have been contraversial back then. Like Margret Michelle's Gone With The Wind which glorified the Mammy figure, this book shows how much like everyone else black people have to offer. By showing Calpurnia as part of the family and Tom Robinson and Atticus as a team, the author MAKES you side for the black people. In the 1960s this sort of predjudice was still common, and those who read (past tense) this book would be forced to see just how unfair it is for these fine people to be treated this way.

Hoey Ja

3/17/2013 09:00:23 am

I believe this novel contributed greatly in consolidating society in the mid 1900s and helped reduce racial discrimination. This particular story passed the boundaries of all social classes and made me, as a reader, realize how society has been damaged because of inequality in the world, and that i must step in to take part in bringing it down. It was great that the author wrote this book during the Civil Rights movement and i can clearly see her intentions. Inequality is still an issue today so this novel should also be read and used to open up many minds of readers.

Zane Carter

3/17/2013 11:15:57 am

To Kill A Mocking Bird did indeed symbolize the civil rights movement in America during the 1960's. It covered all sides of the argument, not only from the view of those fighting for equality. For example, Aunt Alexandria symbolized a racist by discriminating against blacks and those poorer than herself. Whereas, Atticus symbolized an equality fighter. A white who, in a time of segregation, was not afraid to stand up and defend a black. And then the story also symbolized those whites that would go so far as to love a black like Mr. Dolphus Raymond. This story pulls on emotional strings to call people to action by allowing you to relate to someone. No matter who you relate to, from Scout to Aunt Alexandria, it shows the goods and the bads and allows you to make your decision on how people should treat each other.

Blaire Langeler

3/17/2013 11:23:51 am

I think this novel would have inspired it's readers, during this time, to fight for equal rights because it portrays discrimination in an innocent and unbiased manner. When I read this novel, I realized how African Americans were treated so unfairly after so much time had passed since they gained freedom in the Civil War, so i definitely think people in the 1960's would realize the way the country is treating these people is wrong. This novel pulls on your heartstrings and back in the day would make people want to stand up for what is right.

Amanda Workman

3/17/2013 09:23:39 pm

I think this novel would have caused people to want to join the fight for equality because of how equal world were then. Readers got to see how unfairly Tom Robinson was treated at his trial. They saw how he didn't get a jury of peers and his amendments weren't upheld because of the color of his skin. The people would probably want to join the Civil Rights movement after reading this book because of all the negative effects we saw in the book because of prejudice and racism. It was cruel that an innocent man was found guilty when there was no evidence against him at all. He ended up killed purely because he was a black man.

Amit Sharma

3/18/2013 08:24:13 am

I think Harper Lee didn't just write this book accidently during the Civil Rights Movement. She must have had a motive becaue even today in this free country racism and discrimination still goes on. Back then all this must have been at its peak and needed a nudge to roll it down the mountain. Martin Luther King Jr. was the general, he had rallied troops from all over America to fight this war. All they needed was the artillery, and that's what they got from this book. Those that read had a shell go off in their head like this is unfair and we need to act now. That is why Harper Lee is the artillery specialist of this operation.

Amit Sharma

3/18/2013 10:06:41 am

This novel was published during the Civil Rights Movement. I'm sure that Harper Lee did not do this by a mere accident but intensionaly with motive. During the Civil Rights Movement racism was high, equality was low. Change needed to happen. The Constiution to the southern states was a mere piece of paper that blew in the wind. Martin Luther King Jr. needed that wind to blew in his direction so that the rights of all the colored men and women were not blown away. The troops were rallied, Matin Luther King Jr. was their general. Now all that was needed was a little support, the fire power, the artillery. Harper Lee is the artillery expert and she performed her job well. She a bomb that cover the whole nation with guilt for the way they treated the colored men and women in America.

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