To Kill a Mockingbird and Harry Potter Comparasin
Racism and Social Inequality: Text to Text Comparison To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written in 1960 by Harper Lee. The novel addresses the issue of racism and inequalities in the social structure in the American south during the Great Depression. The novel’s main protagonist is Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout. Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer and in the novel, he defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. The novel focuses on the racial issues that form around this case. Another, much different, literary work that also deals with similar issues of inequality is the Harry Potter series. The Harry Potter series, written by J.K Rowling, focuses on the inequalities in a fictional world of wizards. Similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, there is a hierarchy in society based on birth. Just as the white people are considered to be “above” the black community in Maycomb, “pureblood” wizards are more respected in society than “muggleborns” or “muggles”.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the legal system of the south is shown to be very prejudiced and it is almost impossible to receive a fair trial. This is shown through Tom Robinson’s case not one person, with the exception of Jem who is inexperienced in life, believes that Tom Robinson stands a chance in court against a white woman. Atticus himself has no hope of winning the case and when he is asked by Scout if he think they will win he replies, “No, honey” (Lee, 76). The legal system in the book is clearly shown to favor the white people, the ones that are considered of “higher” status in society. This situation is similar to that of the legal system of the Harry Potter series in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The muggleborns in the wizarding world were rounded up and persecuted. They were not given a fair trial and their guilt of “stealing magic” was assumed before they even properly conduct a hearing, “Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch” (Rowling, 214).
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the legal system of the south is shown to be very prejudiced and it is almost impossible to receive a fair trial. This is shown through Tom Robinson’s case not one person, with the exception of Jem who is inexperienced in life, believes that Tom Robinson stands a chance in court against a white woman. Atticus himself has no hope of winning the case and when he is asked by Scout if he think they will win he replies, “No, honey” (Lee, 76). The legal system in the book is clearly shown to favor the white people, the ones that are considered of “higher” status in society. This situation is similar to that of the legal system of the Harry Potter series in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The muggleborns in the wizarding world were rounded up and persecuted. They were not given a fair trial and their guilt of “stealing magic” was assumed before they even properly conduct a hearing, “Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch” (Rowling, 214).
Bibliography: 1. Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott: 1960. Print. 2. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic. 1999. 3. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince. New York: Scholastic, 2006. Print. 4. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury, 2008. Print