Calpurnia is a Mother figure to Jem and Scout Calpurnia is a cook hired by Atticus. This is uncommon in the town of Maycomb since Calpurnia is a coloured woman and Atticus is a white man. Atticus has two kids, Jem and Scout whom Calpurnia not only cooks and cleans for, but also is involved in their life outside the home. Since Jem and Scout’s mother passed away when they were young, and Atticus needs to work, Calpurnia acts as a mother to the children, and a friend to Atticus.
First of all Calpurnia is very responsible, yet fun with the children. Calpurnia also provided more culture and knowledge for the children to experience while she takes care of them. These fun characteristics have been displayed when Calpurnia was trying to distract Scout, because Dill and Jem would not let her play with them. Another time this side of her was revealed was when Calpurnia rewarded Scout with a “an open-faced sandwich of bread and butter and sugar.” Lastly, Calpurnia also helps the kids work things out, so that they do not fight as much.
Calpurnia is originally just a cook and somebody to help take care of the kids in the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird, but as the book continues she grows a relationship with the kids and takes on a motherly role for them. “Calpurnia bent down to kiss me”. Lee -. Calpurnia is now seen as a mother figure throughout the novel, she constructively criticizes Scout and Jem and assists the kids and to substantiate that they learn from their mistakes. Towards the end of To kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia seems to have less condensation which can show that Scout and Jem are growing up and are both having a coming-to-age moment.
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.
The Story “The Fall of a City” is a tale that seems light hearted at first glance. It is only until you re-read the story that you can come to realize the depth and feeling Nowlan is trying to make you feel. There is the pain of a world being ripped away from you, the strife of gender stereotypes, along with the pain your imagination creates. This little boy Teddy had strived off of this world he created. Quoting Nowlan “Sombre gray eyes glinted in Teddy’s pale, triangular face” [line 12] he is subtly telling us that teddy has excommunicated himself from the rest of people his age.
Calpurnia’s Indirect Statements about Racism in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. In the 1960 literary classic “To Kill a Mockingbird”, one of the many themes explored is racism, through the central storyline about the trial of an innocent black man convicted of rape and the casual usage of racial slurs within the town of Maycomb. Through word choice and syntax, this theme is displayed when Calpurnia explained to Scout and Jem why she spoke differently in front of her black friends and at the Finch household (Lee 167). First, Calpurnia’s different ways of speaking is a symbol for the public perception of the black community, since she spoke “properly” at the Finch household to avoid being criticized by the townspeople.
Calpurnia was a black woman, who work for the Finches. Although the Finches treated her very friendly, but that didn’t mean she was equal to them. For example, when she is talking to Jem she had to add titles along with his name, “ Hush your mouth,sir ! When you oughta be hangin’ your head in shame you go along laughin- If Mr.Finch don’t wear you out, I will-get in that house, sir !”
What is a metaphor? A metaphor is a thing regarded as symbolic or representative to something else. For example: “Stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning”(pg.6)Explanation This metaphor could mean a lot of different things and have many different meanings, one of the things it could stand for is maybe the weather melted the starch on the collars and they were literally wilted like they use it in the book.
Narrow Minded and Ridiculous Cultural norms are what make and shape a society. They are the guidelines, and or patterns, that are supposed to be followed, in order to be considered a normal, typical, everyday citizen. As such, it does not matter if the norms are right or wrong. As long as the citizen is still considered part of their society, right and wrong does not matter, as far as they are concerned. In the case of To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the cultural norm, of Maycomb County, embraces the wrong, in the form of extreme prejudice behavior.
In addition, a majority of the white population in this novel may believe that black people do not have a proper way of life and that their behaviours are inadequate for their standards. However, Atticus allows Calpurnia to essentially raise his children, which shows that he knows she is capable of doing a good job even though she is a different race. He overcomes several possible prejudices and treats her as a part of his family, rather than as an outsider. He behaves ethically by treating her as an equal and appreciating all of the things that she has done to help Scout, Jem, and their home. Another prevalent situation in which the theme is reflected is when he explains to Jem and Scout, “As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.”
Calpurnia is an ideal influence for Scout’s coming of age moments. She teaches Scout the importance of manners, and treating people with respect. When Walter Cunningham comes to eat lunch with Scout and Jem one day, Scout
Writing Prompt #1 The 3 examples of mockingbirds in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird are Atticus, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. Atticus is a very good example over the other 2 examples as he is the most influential person in the novel. Atticus shows a mockingbird trait because he is a very helpful person throughout the story. He is also a very calm, collective person with lots of respect.
Limitations “Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself”(Lee 6). The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was a time of adversity between the blacks and the whites. It has impacted America forever in more ways than one. Racial injustice was caused by widespread stereotypes about blacks that were ingrained into the minds of the whites. Harper Lee was able to provide an excellent example of how racial injustice actually was in the 1930s.
Atticus talks about the large part Calpurnia has played in raising the children and the role she took on being a mother figure. Through Calpurnia’s important role in Scout’s life, she was able to teach her many lessons that a mother would have taught her. Without Calpurnia as an important figure in her life, Scout would have most likely lacked many skills including respect and how to be polite. “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us, but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny
Calpurnia responds,"I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children.” (Lee 118). This reveals that Calpurnia is expected by her peers to be a responsible parent figure for the white children; as they are a reflection of Calpurnia. When Calpurnia, Jem, and Scout arrive at the church, they are confronted by a character named Lula, a parishioner. Lula then asks Calpurnia why she would even think to bring white children to an African American church.
