Question

What message do the background figures, including the soldiers, send to Elizabeth Eckford and other observers?

a- Violence was an acceptable way to solve social problems
b- Racism and anger were acceptable as long as no one was physically hurt.
c-It was not a sunny day despite Eckford's sunglasses
d- Women were more racist than men in Arkansas

Answer 1

The background figures surrounding Elizabeth Eckford symbolize a societal acceptance of racism and the use of intimidation to maintain racial segregation, despite legal rulings against it.

Step-by-step explanation:

The background figures, including the soldiers in the context of Elizabeth Eckford's experience, convey a message of intimidation and the enforcement of racial segregation. When Elizabeth Eckford tried to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1957, she encountered an angry crowd and defense from authorities.

This hostile reception by the crowd, which is symbolic of the society at the time, and the non-intervention of the soldiers indicates an acceptance of racism and the use of intimidation to uphold segregation, despite the legal protections affirmed by Brown vs. the Board of Education. It shows that, irrespective of the law, social norms and attitudes toward African Americans were still rooted in violent racism and a resistance to racial equality.