Adults can positively and negatively impact children’s beliefs and behavior altering their actions in life. This is proven true for Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Scout is only a child throughout the book and is easily influenced by those around her. The many adults in Maycomb, Alabama teach her valuable lessons. Two of these adults are Atticus, her father, and Calpurnia, their family’s maid. They teach her many lessons in this time of development. Calpurnia teaches Scout to not judge others for their differences and Atticus teaches her to have empathy; these lessons influence her beliefs and behaviors. “---and she said you taught me all wrong, so we can’t ever read any more, ever. Please don’t send me back, please sir” (Lee 29). Scout is angry with Miss Caroline for telling her to stop reading with Atticus. Her and Miss Caroline don’t see eye to eye on many situations which causes Scout to …show more content…
‘He’s poured it all over–” (Lee 24). Scout saw Walter Cunningham pouring syrup on his dinner and was appalled. Scout had never thought of or heard of someone doing that to their food so she judged him for it. She thought that his differences made him strange or beneath her. Although, Calpurnia taught her to not think this way. “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,’ she whispered fiercely, ‘but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table” (Lee 24). Calpurnia scolds Scout for judging Walter for his differences. Just like many children, Scout shuns others when they act or think differently than she does. Calpurnia knows firsthand how it feels to be unfairly judged for your differences which is why she teaches Scout to not think that way. The people of Maycomb taunt black Americans for their differences. This behavior at Scout’s age can turn into something more serious when she's older, so Calpurnia saw the importance of teaching her that