In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a
Mockingbird, I believe Lee would agree that the poor are capable of greater
sacrifice than others who are wealthy.
Those who are poor
are often used to making sacrifices. Surviving is a difficult task and many times just
keeping food on the table and shelter over one's family is hard enough. For the wealthy,
they are not forced to sacrifice, and sacrifice is uncomfortable, so most people who
don't have to sacrifice are not going to volunteer.
When
Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, the Idler's Club cannot understand why Atticus is
planning to "defend" Tom Robinson. It is not that they cannot understand why Atticus
says he will defend Tom, but why he is
actually going to do it! This would be considered a sacrifice by
some, but they cannot make sense of it.
The Missionary Tea
women don't actually make sacrifices for the blacks in Africa, but what they do makes
them feel like they are helping the "less fortunate." These women could do a great deal
in their own community, but will not—not for poor whites, and certainly not for the
blacks.
Those who have…are comfortable in this novel.
Atticus does for others, but to him it is not a sacrifice. And in order to help people
like Walter Cunningham save face, he will "barter" his services for whatever comes out
of the Cunningham garden.
When Atticus finishes Tom's
trial, the black community (people who do not have much) bring gifts of food as thanks.
It is during the Depression and Atticus knows how difficult it is for them to feed their
families. He is so overwhelmed by their generosity, that his eyes fill with tears and he
tells Calpurnia to tell them not to shortchange themselves again that way. This is a
sacrifice to these people, but they want to show their thanks. Even at the black church,
though it "hurts," Rev. Sykes convinces everyone to give a little extra that week for
Helen Robinson, and they do.
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