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Examples Of Feminism In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Recommended: Feminism in to kill a mockingbird

Frederick Hartman American Studies Ms. Pickford 24 May 2023

Feminism in the 1930s: How a Young Girl Paved the Way by Being Herself Anyone can name a feminist who is shattering the glass ceiling of patriarchy today, but when did feminism begin? Was it a single moment? Was it a series of planned events? And, who gets credit for the progress? While it certainly was not a single person, it is meaningful to identify those who contributed. An example of one of these foundational feminists is Scout Finch, a young girl in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a traditional southern town in Malcolm County, Alabama where the reader is immersed in the patriarchal society of the 1930s American South. …show more content…

Since Atticus is busy fighting the case, he invites his sister Alexandra to help with his children. Aunt Alexandra and the Malcolm community pressure Scout to stop engaging in traditional boy activities and conform to standard girl behaviors. Despite this, Scout does see signs of social progress in Malcolm, encouraging her to stick to her true self. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee characterizes Scout to demonstrate the importance of emerging feminism during the 1930s. The most prominent way Scout's feminist traits are shown is through her pushback against Aunt Alexandra’s attempts to instill traditional gender norms in her. Aunt Alexandra comes into the Finch household to work with Calpurnia, the black housekeeper, “...and is persuaded that Atticus and Calpurnia are raising Scout to be unladylike” (Shaffer). Aunt Alexandra and her brother Atticus were raised to adhere to traditional Southern gender expectations. Following their childhood, Atticus began living a more progressive life defending a black man and allowing his daughter, Scout, to be a tomboy. When Aunt Alexandra joins the family, she uses the opportunity to try to teach …show more content…

Merriweather, nor is she a member of a mob or married to one. She is wise; rational; aware of issues of gender, race, and caste; reverential of the innocence of children; and saddened by the tendency of individuals and society to urge children to commit the sins of their fathers.

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While one of the main themes of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is understanding another human’s perspective. Scout Finch, the story’s protagonist, shows growth and maturity as she learns to deal with the injustice of a prejudiced society. Scout is a young girl from Alabama whose father, Atticus Finch, is asked to defend an African-American man who is charged with rape. The southern way of life during the Great Depression would not allow Tom Robinson a fair trial, and Scout and her brother Jem are forced to deal with a county’s ignorance and racist attitudes. While in the beginning of the book Scout seems to be an innocent, naive little girl, she matures as time goes on and ultimately learns the lessons her father wants her to understand.

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