Growing up in the 1930s: Scout’s Journey to Adulthood in a Different Social Environment

Scout and Jem grew up in the 1930s, a time that held a vastly different cultural environment than the one experienced by a child growing up in the present day. People used to be much more conservative regarding their clothing, customs, and even speech. Western culture has become increasingly more liberal, and societal norms that are accepted today, such as children disrespecting their parents or interracial couples, would have been considered taboo in the past. The story centers around Scout’s coming of age journey and her maturation process, both of which were shaped by these prevailing societal conditions.

The lessons she receives from Atticus serve as a guide on how to navigate through the world as it was in the 1930s.

Many of the experiences that influence her moral development come from discussions with Atticus regarding controversial topics such as Tom Robinson’s case, the Radleys’ behavior, and Mrs. Dubose. These topics are not typical for a child growing up during that time period, demonstrating that what was considered normal for her differs greatly from what is deemed normal today. By contrast, children growing up in 2012 have different discussions with their parents as societal concepts of “normal” have shifted dramatically. Contemporary society does not frown upon those who do not attend Church, and the majority of people now consider interracial friendships and marriages to be perfectly ordinary. The most significant differences between Scout and Jem’s era and the modern-day revolve around racism, sexism, and formal etiquette; these differences profoundly impact Scout’s growth and maturation throughout the story.

One of the most prominent differences between the 1930s and the present day is the open prejudice against black people or “colored folks”. I, having grown up in the 21st century, have never experienced such blatant racism. In the initial stages of the story, Scout demonstrates that, despite her father not being racist, she has been subconsciously influenced by the prevailing racist attitudes of her town. Upon hearing a derogatory comment about her father at school, Scout seeks an explanation from Atticus. He explains, “Scout,’ he said, a racial slur is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything – like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain – ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over themselves. It’s slipped into usage among some people like us as a common, ugly term to label somebody.”

While Atticus is a good parent, his impeccable wisdom and unwavering moral compass can’t protect Scout from the influence of the prejudice she sees around her. This exposure will undoubtedly shape her perception of black people as she grows up, and it will differ from the perceptions of children growing up today. This difference arises primarily from the contrasting interactions she has with the colored individuals in her town compared to the interactions someone living in the present day would experience. Status and class play significant roles in this distinction. Given that black people today have largely achieved the same rights and social status as white people, they are seen and treated as equals. However, during Scout’s upbringing, black people did not have the same societal status as most white people, influencing how she perceived them as a whole.

One of the strategies that Jem uses to get Scout to do what he tells her is to accuse her of being a girl. In chapter 6, he says, “I declare to the lord, you’re getting more like a girl every day!” (p. 52). To Scout, being called a girl is an insult because, in the 1930s, being a woman meant being weak. Society was much more sexist, and women were not considered to be smart, powerful, strong, or wise. Clearly, Scout would not want to be one of them. She realizes the hidden strength that ladies have when Aunt Alexandra stays composed in a time of grief after Tom Robinson dies, and she better understands the appeal of being a lady more. But even though that is considered strong for a woman of the era, women today are much closer to equality and display strength in more obvious ways.

To me, when Scout accepts that she is going to be a woman and exhibit that quiet strength and grace, she is agreeing to conform to society’s standards. Scout is feisty, and she doesn’t seem inclined to comply with expectations, at least not at the beginning of the book. In fact, because her society is stricter than ours in terms of formality and rules, she seems to want to rebel more. But because she lives in a different time, her views on what it means to be a strong female might differ from our views. She accepts her role as a girl finally at the end because she discovers that quiet strength is enough for her, which is not the typical stance most feminists today hold. If she lived today, I think she would have matured differently in that way, because society would have granted her more freedom.

In the 1930s, people were what you would describe today as “old-fashioned,” which essentially means people were more formal. Women wore dresses, and men wore suits or nice clothes every day to be deemed “respectable.” And if one did not adhere to the social customs and formalities, like the farmers, the Negroes, or the Ewells, they were considered to be trash. People were expected to socialize with others regularly at parties and town events and be well-mannered all the time. In the book, Aunt Alexandra tells Scout not to play with Walter because his family is poor, and she is worried about her social status: “‘But I want to play with Walter, Aunty, why can’t I?’ She took off her glasses and stared at me. ‘I’ll tell you why,’ she said, ‘Because he is trash, that’s why you can’t play with him.'” (p. 257).

Aunt Alexandra represents the voice of society in the story. She advised Scout to be more lady-like and well-mannered, and frequently interacted with Atticus because she was concerned about the family reputation. Growing up with Aunt Alexandra in this social environment, Scout’s way of interacting with others and how she thinks others will view her will be based on these attitudes. People in today’s society aren’t judged as harshly when they choose not to leave the house, like the Radleys, or when they don’t go to church. Religion is also a significant part of the Southern culture in the 1930s. Since Maycomb is such a small, close-knit town, almost everyone goes to the same church and shares the same beliefs. This will also influence Scout because there isn’t any variation of religion.

There is only one religious view that everyone in the town believes, so Scout is less likely to question or doubt it. Now, children have the opportunity to learn about different types of religions and are exposed to diverse cultures. Scout may be a little closed-minded when it comes to religion (among other things) because she hasn’t had the exposure that children growing up now have. Religion is just one example of how society was much more conservative and simple back then. Eventually, when people became more liberal and radical ideas became more accepted in the mainstream media, people began to change too. Less emphasis was put on formality, so people growing up in these different eras tend to have different views and customs from one another.

The setting of the 1930s affected the story and plot of “To Kill a Mockingbird” greatly, but it also affected Scout’s character. She matured over the course of the story, and although it is unknown how old she is when she is narrating the book, her social environment will continue to alter Scout’s personality and view on life. It is interesting to look at the different aspects of the era and how they affect Scout compared to what society is like today. Racism greatly influenced the story and will probably subconsciously influence Scout as she grows older. Sexism has already affected Scout’s attitude towards being a girl, and the general formality of the thirties defines the way she interacts with people and her idea of normal relations with others. These three aspects of the 1930s have and will continue to shape the person that Scout grows into, in a way that is completely different from the way people are affected by their social environment today.

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