Atticus had many good qualities that he tried to pass to the two youngsters, but egalitarian, tolerance, and respect were the ones that were demonstrated through Atticus’s actions. Egalitarian was a characteristic well exhibited during the first part, since the first part was about preparing the reader for the Tom Robinson's trial in which Atticus was the defense lawyer for the young, black man. This equality aspect did not only exhibit through Atticus taking the job as the defense lawyer for Tom Robinson but by the respect, Atticus had for Calpurnia. When Jem invited Walter to eat with them and Scout called on Walter for spilling syrup all over his food, Calpurnia excused Scout and scolded her for embarrassing Walter. Later on, when Jem and
Though many people acted stuck up and snooty in To Kill a Mockingbird, the character of Atticus, Calpurnia and Miss Maddie showed great humility. To begin with, Atticus displayed humility in every aspect of his life. Harper Lee portrayed Atticus with great wisdom, strength and courage yet he modestly kept these things to himself so that his children sometimes saw him as weak or old. He did not like to show off and tried to teach his kids this lesson in their lives. In one part of the story, just before Mr. Tate told Jem and Scout how great their father was, Atticus says, “Hush Heck, let’s go back to town” (129).
Calpurnia is Jem and Scouts mother figure, because their mother died due to a sudden heart attack. Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to her church, First Purchase, and introduces them to the fact that not all black people are bad people. She shows courage because it’s nerve racking to bring 2 white children to an all black church. Calpurnia says, “I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children” (Lee pg. 118). Calpurnia takes pride in Jem and Scout and shows a massive amount of courage taking these children to her type of life, and to her church.
At the beginning of the book, when Aunt Alexandra was first introduced, she was seen and told to be very racist and malevolent against colored people. And it didn't help that the Finches maid, Calpurnia, was colored. Immediately when she arrived at the Finches, she would tell Calpurnia to, “put my bags in the front bedroom,”
Calpurnia serves as an amazing role model and mother figure to the children, and yet Aunt Alexandra wants to fire her. She had raised Jem and Scout, and plays an indispensable part of their lives, showering them with discipline, structure, and love. Aunt Alexandra, however, barely existed in the children 's lives up until she moved into the Finch’s home, yet she inflicts great injustice on Calpurnia by failing to recognize the necessitous part of the family that Calpurnia fills. Scout even overhears Aunt Alexandra saying, "...you 've got to do something about her. You 've let things go on too long Atticus, too long.
Understand?’” (pg.136). The most important or relevant time that Atticus sticks up for his belief that Calpurnia deserves the utmost respect no matter her skin color is when Aunt Alexandra tells him she thinks Calpurnia shouldn't live with them and be around the children. Atticus says: “Alexandra, Calpurina’s not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn't have got along without her all these years’”
In chapter 14, Aunt Alexandra brings up the idea of getting rid of Calpurnia and Atticus quickly defends her and her role in the Finch family. “She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have to accept things the way they are… Besides, I don’t think the children’ve suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she’s been harder on them in some ways than a mother would have been… she’s never let them get away with anything, she’s never indulged them the way most colored nurses do. She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal’s lights are pretty good—and another thing, the children love her” (137).
How is the racial problem of the southern states of USA in the 1930s portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird? INTRO In the 1930s the Southern states of America suffered from a strong discrimination and racial hatred towards colored people. They had no rights, no respect and were not allowed to go places white people went. In other words they were segregated from the rest of the society.
The novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” was written in 1960 by Harper Lee in the point of view of a young innocent girl named Scout. One of the main messages that Lee has (need a new word than – indicated or set out) is racism, it plays an important role which strongly impacts many character’s lives unfairly and changes the relationship between two. Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” shows that it is wrong to hurt someone who does no harm to you, for example, black people are innocent but no way did they have as many rights as white people did. Black people lived hard lives because society was judgemental, irrational and most importantly, racist. As Scout and Jem grow older they learn to cope, take responsibility and are introduced to new aspects of life, one of which is racism.
If anything, she’s been harder on them in some ways that a mother would have been… she’s never indulged them the way most colored nurses do,” (137). In this passage, it is apparent how Aunt Alexandra does not approve of Calpurnia's ways of raising the children because she believes that as a colored nurse, she is overstepping her boundaries. Atticus proclaims he would never unemploy Calpurnia because she is an important asset of the family and her loyalty has always been unwavering. Aunt Alexandra eventually relents, however, it is indisputable that she is bothered by Calpurnia’s presence and her power in the Finch
In To Kill a Mockingbird even though racism is bad not everyone believes in it. Calpurnia on the other hand is black and unaffected from Atticus and his family. Calpurnia is like a mother figure to Scout. Atticus believes in Calpurnia to kind of more than a cook. The racism in the FInch house isn't even a thing.
“You never understand a person until you consider things from their point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” is a quote from the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” This book is about a family of three, living in a household with the addition of their aunt. This includes Scout (daughter), Jem (son), Atticus (father), and Aunt Alexandrea (aunt). The kids do not call their father by that title, but by his name Atticus. The second part of the book is about a black man on trial who was accused of raping a woman.
Also, Aunt Alexandra had no right to tell Atticus to get rid of Calpurnia just because she was coloured. Calpurnia acts as a mother figure in the Finch household. She was not accepted by everyone. Some of the Finches’ white friends did not
What if the world was still the same as it was back during the great depression. What if this was the truth. In To Kill a Mockingbird readers can see how prejudice affected people of color back then, and how it’s not so different from today. In the novel readers will find unfairness in court, hate crimes, and segregation. Today readers can still find these same issues, but in different forms.
Atticus and Calpurnia: Contrasting Characters with Similar Purpose What characteristics could connect two astoundingly different characters? In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch has a level-headed and just personality, whilst his family’s cook, Calpurnia, is strong-headed and critical. Although differences in their characters set them apart, what brings them together is their equal, passionate love and care for the Finch children. Through different methods, both Atticus and Calpurnia make positive impacts on the children’s lives through lessons, lectures and experiences.
