TKM (To Kill a Mocking Bird), has levels of meaning that run deep throughout the story. To see them all in one reading can be a difficult task. TKM takes place in a small southern town in the 1930’s (during the depression). Harper Lee (the author) grew up in a similar town in the south during the depression. This setting helps define the story by being one of harsh racial tension. The black, white and poor whites are the character classes that effectively illustrate the many undertones of the story.

The Ewells (representing the poorer white "folks") are Fundamental part of the plot, have the children (Scout, Jem, Dill) matur, and providing the story with a conflict by forcing a moral dilemma on to the children. By doing this Ewell presents the reader with the primary internal and external conflict. Who is right? Is it the town’s people who consider Blacks inferior to them and call the children’s father a "Nigger lover"? Are they still good people? To answering these questions the children must mature. In the beginning they play childish games and superstition encompasses their every day lives. In the end they have forgotten the careless days of youth and are exposed to the harsh realities of life. We see this illustrated when Jem says, "’the yards a mighty long place for little girls to cross at night,’ Jem teased. ‘Ain’t you scared of haints?’ we laughed."(254). Ewell is the link between the first and last half in the book, between the whites and their hate for blacks they are essential.

Mr. Ewell accused Tom Robinsin of raping a19 year old women. He was accused because he was black. At this time for white women to seduce a black man was considered dishonorable. Mayelle Ewell tried to seduce Tom Robinsin, because he is black he was accused of raping this girl to cover-up her disgrace. Tom did not do anything that might in any remote sense be considered wrong. He tried to help another human that needed help when no other person would help. When Mayelle attempted to seduce him he tried to stop her and then ran away. He did not hurt anyone and now he is dead. Dead because he is black. This is the moral conflict that is presented by the Ewells.

On the other hand the whites play even greater antagonist rolls. Throughout the story the whites incite the children to a point of rage. For instance when Ms. Dubose says, "’yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? I’ll tell you!’ she put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it a way, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. ‘Your father’s no better than the neggers and trash he works for!’"(102) In this case it caused Jem to go on a rampage, but this was productive in the plot in that Jem had shown his true feelings. There were several instances where the white people provoking the children is a greater issue then Tom Robinsin’s trail. The cruelty of these people and the way it effects the children is a key part of the book.

Therefor all three classes of people (white, black, poorer whites) are a fundamental part of the story. If there were no Ewell character the link between the children and the racism would be severed. The blacks were needed primarily to show how cruelly people can be to other people. TKM is about those that hate for no reason, the whites are these people. The meaning of To Kill a Mocking Bird is just that, it is a sin.