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How would you rank Atticus, the Robinsons, Miss Maudie, the Radleys, the Ewells, Reverend Sykes, the Littles, the Cunninghams, Dill Harris, and the...

According to this list of characters, I would rank Judge Taylor and his family as the community members with the highest ranking socioeconomic status. Judge Taylor is the highest ranking member of the Maycomb judicial system, and appoints Atticus to defend Tom Robinson. As a judge, Taylor presides over every case in Maycomb, which is a very prestigious and important occupation.


Next on the list is Atticus Finch, who is a highly respected lawyer and politician. He is continually re-elected to represent Maycomb in the Alabama state legislature and runs unopposed. His sister, Alexandra, also occupies the upper-class of Maycomb. She is the quintessential Southern Belle, who participates in social events and runs the missionary circle. Miss Maudie may not occupy the upper-class, but certainly would be considered upper-middle-class. She is the Finches neighbor who also participates in Alexandra's missionary circle which indicates that she is accepted by the upper-class Maycomb citizens. Dill Harris is Miss Rachel Haverford's nephew. Dill's aunt lives next door to the Finches, and Dill becomes close friends with Jem and Scout. The fact that Miss Rachel Haverford is the Finch's neighbor indicates that she is middle-class. Dill is ranked below Miss Maudie because his aunt is a Haverford, which is "a name synonymous with jackass" throughout Maycomb. The Radleys would be next on the list. The Radleys live three houses down from the Finches on the same street. They would be considered lower-middle-class because their house is rather despicable and they are not openly accepted throughout the community.


Both the Little and Cunningham families would be considered lower-class. They are both farming families who have suffered greatly from the economic depression. Their country dialect, attire, disposition towards education, and the fact that they live outside of town indicates their socioeconomic status. The Ewells are also considered lower-class, but are ranked lower than the Littles and Cunninghams because Bob Ewell is a useless alcoholic who doesn't not have a job.


Although Reverend Sykes is a respected member of the black community, he is ranked lower than any white member on the list because he is black. In 1930s Alabama, Jim Crow laws segregated society based on color and Reverend Sykes actually sits with the children in the "colored" balcony during Tom's trial. The Robinsons occupy the lowest socioeconomic class in Maycomb. Not only are they black, but Tom is convicted of raping and assaulting a white woman. His wife, Helen, has a hard time finding a job simply because she is associated with Tom.

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