Like many people today, Scout battles with her gender throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. She grew up during the Great Depression, a time when most people conformed to the stereotypes of society. Maycomb was a place where ladies cooked meals and cared for the children, which was far from what Scout ever saw herself doing. Due to her lack of a mother during childhood, Scout spent the majority of her time growing up with her brother. This caused her to act, dress, and play like a boy. She evolved immensely throughout the book in an meaningful way and taught herself and others the importance of being true to who you are, and standing up for yourself.
From the very beginning, we see Scout straying from the societal norms of “southern women”. She calls herself Scout, instead of the more girlish “Jean Louise.” She plays outside with her brother, instead of sewing or helping around the house and wears pants instead of dresses. Having the book narrated from young Scout's point of view helps us see her side of the story and perspective on things, and understand what life was like for her. I personally think Scout is one of the most inspiring character in To Kill A Mockingbird. From the very beginning, she is standing up for herself in everyday events. In chapter 3, Scout gets in a fight
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Their Aunt Alexandra moves in, and she plays a big role in Scouts gender. Aunt Alexandra is an example of a perfect southern woman, and we see this by the way she is dressed when she comes to the Finch house, on page 128, wearing “protective garments that pinched her waist, and suggest that Aunt Alexandra was once an hourglass figure.” An important role of a southern lady is to maintain the families reputation, which she does by telling Scout that she must act more mature and more like a lady. The image of the perfect southern woman goes against what Scout sees herself as, making things hard for