Silenced Voices: Racial and Social Marginalization in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird

Abstract

This study looks at the theme of racial and social marginalization in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, which takes place in the 1930s in the racially segregated town of Maycomb, Alabama. The book shows how people who are on the fringes of society, like African Americans, poor whites, and those who don’t follow traditional rules, are silenced or pushed to the edges. The story shows how deeply ingrained prejudice and strict class structures affect the community through characters like Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell. The study looks at how systemic racism, class-based discrimination, and gender expectations all work together to deny some characters justice, a voice, and respect. The study also looks at Scout’s changing point of view as a way for the reader to understand these wrongs. Harper Lee brought the silenced voices to the front by Harper Lee criticizes a society that says it values justice and equality but doesn’t live up to those values. The author of this paper says that To Kill a Mockingbird is more than just a coming-of-age story; it’s also a powerful critique of how people who are seen as different, weak, or powerless are pushed to the edges of society.