Reading Response #6

"As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men everyday of you life..."(Lee 252).

White and Black men are not equal in anyway, People will believe the white man over the black man every time. Even in the trial Atticus had a great argument and is right in every way but trying to make other people think they way you think about a black man is near to impossible. 

Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85)

Walter and George are both men who are black but the main difference is one of them are wealthy. George has a good education and is quite wealthy but Walter is trying to see hoe much of a man he really is and he brings up jobs that poor people would be doing. That shows how different they really are. Walter has no education and has to work very hard for anything he has. George probably worked hard but in a different way, for a post secondary school education to be more self standing in the world.

In both the play and book there are characters that are white and black, Poor and Wealthy, Children and adults. that matters because that means their are similar characters. Atticus and Walter are the head of the household but one has a very good job and one doesn't and throws away his money by trying to get more in the world. 

“‘There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumb, and the negroes’” (Lee 206)

People judge others based on their social standing. This quote shows classism because Jem is explaining to Scout the 4 different types of people. They are being judged on how much money they do or don't have which is not how people should be judged.

d. Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85)

These situations have some similarities because Walter is judging George on his wealth. Walter thinks that college isn't going to do anything for him and that all he's learning is how to talk properly and wear fancy clothes. Whereas people in TKM people are judged on where they live and how much money they make. In both situations, people are being judged based on how much money they have and not on how they are as a person or how they act towards others. This helps me understand the effects classism has on relationships between characters because they may see someone like a Cunningham as a low-life loser when they could actually be nice people. They just don't have the same advantages as other people.

Scout is coerced into sitting in on one of Aunt Alexandra's meetings. They ask her questions and joke about things she doesn't understand or at least doesn't find funny. Eventually, she feels it's polite to talk to Mrs. Merriweather who is sitting next to her. Mrs. Meriweather goes on about J. Grimes Everett who is trying to convert a tribe to Christianity but after a while, she's distracted by the conversation next to her which pertains to Tom Robinson's wife. They feel the church should help her live a good Christian life for her children. Mrs. Merriweather brings up her housekeeper who is upset about the trial, “‘You know what I said to my sophy, Gertrude? I said ‘Sophy,’ I said, ‘you are simply not being a good Christian today. Jesus Christ never went around grumbling and complaining,’ and you know it did her good. She took her eyes off that floor and said, ‘Nome, Miz Meriweather, Jesus never went around grumblin’”(Lee, 265). Mrs. Merriweather has a very disjointed understanding of the black community which is emphasized by the fact she can't see how the Tom Robinson case would make her housekeeper upset. This black-and-white, for lack of a better phrase, understanding that Mrs. Merriweather holds, highlights the rift between the different classes. This whole portion of the novel has been higher-class white women explaining to each other how all the less fortunate people just need to find Christianity to solve their problems, showing the divide between social classes. A Raisin in the sun shows the opposite side of the argument by showcasing how Walter feels about how they are forced to work for others to make money, "...tell it to my wife, Mama, tomorrow when she has to go out of here to look after somebody else's kids. And tell it to me, Mama, every time we need a new pair of curtains and I have to watch you go out and work in somebody's kitchen." (Hansberry 71). Sophy and Calpurnia are in similar circumstances in the novel compared to Walter Mama, Ruth, and Beneatha. Of course, the events of the stories differ but the social class of each set of characters remains similar.

“After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I”(Lee 318). 

Scout had just found out that Mr. Robinson was killed in prison. Some of these things that are going on are hard for Scout to understand or wrap her emotions around. Her Aunt Alexandra is in a higher social status than Scout because she is an adult and has experienced racism before. Scout realizes that her aunt can still act cordial and polite in tough times like these. Then she should be able to do the same thing and move on. 

1. Mama to Asagai: "I think it's so sad the way our American Negroes don't know nothing about Africa 'cept Tarzan and all that. And all that money they pour into these churches when they ought to be helping you people over there drive out them French and Englishmen done taken away your land." (Hansberry 64)  

Mama and Asagai’s social status differ in a similar way to Alexandra and Scout. Mama is obviously older than Asagai and knows more about what has to change in the world. She is trying to explain to Asagai that the American black people don’t understand where they come from or what is happening to their culture. Like Scout and Alexandra’s relationship, Alexandra is older and more wise than scout is. Alexandra throughout the novel feels like it is her duty to teach her nieces and nephew’s the importance of their family history and why they should be proud to be a Finch.

“There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumb, and the negroes” (Lee 206)

This quote shows how the people see the neighborhood and the socialism in it from wealth to skin color and they are based off of their living status and the money they make but they are still seen as citizens just with different ranks.

Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85)  

This shows that Walter sees the difference from the education that he went through and what the higher classed white people go through like how they dress, just talk properly and to read books and Walter just doesn't understand. This helped me understand that separating people in classes can affect people's mindset and abilities to do things.

“I looked around. They were standing. All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet.” (Lee 283) After Atticus gives the kids approval they go to the courthouse after they are done with dinner. This quote is Scout just describing how in her dream African Americans stand with and for her father Atticus.

Mama to Asagai: "I think it's so sad the way our American Negroes don't know nothing about Africa 'cept Tarzan and all that. And all that money they pour into these churches when they ought to be helping you people over there drive out them French and Englishmen done taken away your land." (Hansberry 64)  This is a quote from when Mama meets Asagai and all she knows is that he is from Africa and she wants to be nice to him. She says this while knowing about some stuff that is happening in Africa at the time. 

The similarities between Mama’s quote that she said compared to Scout's dream is they both don’t know much about what is going on with the people they haven’t had much contact with but they care and feel like someone should be helping them.

No, everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’. That Walter’s as smart as he can be, he just gets held back sometimes because he has to stay out and help his daddy. Nothin’s wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks." (Lee 212) 

 Mama to Walter: "In my time we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if we could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too...Now here come you and Beneatha---talking 'bout things we ain't never even thought about hardly, me and your daddy." (Hansberry 74) 

Walter is the son of a poor farmer and does not have enough money to pay Atticus so he uses stovewood and hickory nuts as payment. Scout is learning about the differences between the social class and she understands that Walter does not have the same privileges as she does because he is poor

This shows the division between their two classes because Walter cannot afford to pay Atticus like her family would be able to. This relates to Mama because both Walter and Mama have struggles that they have to overcome to be able to succeed in life.

“...Because-he-is-trash, that's why you can’t play with him. I’ll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what…” (Lee 256). Thi is showing some kind of discrimination because she is a very formal lady and doesn't want the kids to play around people who she may think have a bad influence on Scout. 

 "What the hell are you learning over there?... They are teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teach you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk properly and read books and wear faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85) Walter is not the biggest fan of George. His impression on him isn't the greatest so he doesn't want him around his child. Due to him having fancy things. 

The similarities between the two quotes I have chosen is how Walter and Aunt Alexandra are basing their children hanging around people as a bad influence. The only difference is the money opposites in this situation. Both of these people aren't a fan of someone because of the simple fact that one is poor, and the other is rich. It is crazy how both characters of both finance states think the same thing.

“There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumb, and the negroes” (Lee 302). 

At this time, Jem is telling Scout about what he is realizing in town. He is noticing different groups of people separate themselves by race, social class, and economic class. Jem said he had been thinking about this for a while. He realized that the adults and people in his community had been separated into groups.

d. "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85)

At the moment of this quote, Walter ridicules George for being a wealthy black college student. The play and the novel are both similar in this way. Clearly just like in the novel, in the play, there were social classes made by the people. Walter was classified as more of a poor, uneducated black person, whereas George was seen as a wealthy, educated black person. This shows that discrimination can happen even if you’re the same race. Just like in the novel, how there are some groups purely made just on appearance in town, or on wealth. 

Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85)

Bob ewell and atticus. Atticus being a lawyer who has a great reputation, to bob who has no life except drinking and beating her daughter. “‘I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco,’ was all Atticus said about it.”( Lee 248) 

The two stories both discriminate from rich and poor perspectives, as Atticus is a rich fellow who thinks he is obviously better than Bob and Walter who thinks that George looks really weak and disrespectful. This helps me understand that both rich and poor people criticize each other for there looks and actions. 

 Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85) The classism in this quote is that Walter is  saying that they don't teach him about “being a man”, running mills, etc. but instead George says he is getting taught how to talk properly, read books, and wear “faggoty-looking white shoes”. He's implying that the shoes he's wearing are faggoty looking and white people shoes meaning like having money. This is showing classism. 

To Kill a Mockingbird

“The thing is, you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he’ll never be like Jem. Besides, there’s a drinking streak in that family a mile wide. Finch women aren’t interested in that sort of people.” (Lee 255)

Scout talked about having Walter Cunningham over for dinner, and maybe to stay the night a few times during the school year. Aunt Alexandra explained to Jem and Scout that the Cunninghams are poor people, and that their family has a common problem with drinking. She explains harshly to Scout that her family doesn't associate with those kinds of people. This situation shows the difference in economic classes and how people in higher classes may look down on the lower classes, not always having to do with race.

Mama to Asagai: "I think it's so sad the way our American Negroes don't know nothing about Africa 'cept Tarzan and all that. And all that money they pour into these churches when they ought to be helping you people over there drive out them French and Englishmen done taken away your land." (Hansberry 64)

Mama explains to Asagai how the african americans are too caught up in their american community, and that their money shouldn’t be going to american churches and communities, instead that it should be donated back to their heritage country, helping out against the war taking their land away.

The contrast between these two examples is that in To kill a mockingbird, the middle class (Aunt Alexandra) is discriminating against the lower class (the cunninghams) for not being good enough for their family. Where as in Raisin in the sun, The lower class (the youngers) are complaining within each other how the middle class are becoming “snobs” and are only giving time and money to their local churches, where the lower class believes they should remember their heritage and help out in their home countries while their native land is being taken.

After the trial Tom attemps a escape from prison and is shot and killed, Atticus shows up to ask Calpurna help deliver the news to Toms mom, he announces the incident to everyone and Aunt Alexandra says “this is the last straw, Atticus” which Atticus promptly responds with “Depends on how you look at it-What was one Negro more or less, among two hundred of’em? He wasnt Tom to them, he was an escaping prisoner.” (Lee 269) The Finch’s and their friends may believe it was a sin what happened, Atticus knows and explains that he wasnt Tom, an innocent man locked away trying to run free, he was just another black prisoner like every other true convict in there. No matter how injustified they feel it is just the way it is, the hardest thing to accept for someone who is so blind and innocent to the unlikely truth of this ever being a fair and equal world we live in. As much as aunt Alexandra wants change, it's something borderline impossible.

Mama to Walter: "In my time we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if we could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too...Now here come you and Beneatha---talking 'bout things we ain't never even thought about hardly, me and your daddy." (Hansberry 74) the similarities I find in these quotes lies with Alexandra and Walter and how Naive they are to the true inequalities that happen, Alexandra says that this is the last straw, but as we and Atticus know no matter what happens nothing will be the last straw, and Walter takes for granted his current situation because even though it is rough and he still experiences this hierarchy between white and black people, it is nothing compared to what his parents went through.

"'Cry about the simple hell people give other people--without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to that that they're people too'" (Lee 229). Mr. Raymond is having a conversation with Dill and Scout and shares his views on racism. Why are black people treated so poorly by white people? They're still people with basic human rights and experience racism and classism for something they can't even control. 

Walter to George: "What the hell you learning over there?... they teaching you how to be a man? How to take over and run the world? They teaching you how to run a rubber plantation or a steel mill? Naw---just to talk proper and read books and wear them faggoty-looking white shoes..." (Hansberry 85). Walter is frustrated that people don't learn life skills. Instead, they learn to be fancy and get good grades and show their social status. Walter experiences classism through George because George is rich and doesn't have to get his hands dirty while Walter is poor and has to go to work and still not make enough money to support his family.