How Is Walter Cunningham Different In To Kill A Mockingbird

Every person has different experiences in life, leading them to form opinion and have feelings another person does not agree with. People must learn to accept these differences and respect one another. Scout learns this lesson when Walter Cunningham comes to eat dinner with her family. The theme of showing respect for people, even if they are different, is revealed through the characters, diction, and imagery in this passage of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. The characters Walter Cunningham and Calpurnia help Scout learn to respect other people despite their differences. Jem invites Walter to eat at their house. While eating, "Walter pour[s] syrup on his vegetables and meat" (Lee 24). Scout thinks this is weird and asks him "what the sam hill he [is] doing" (Lee 24). Walter eats differently than Scout and her family and she didn't respect this difference. Calpurnia scold Scout in the kitchen and tells her that she does not want Scout "remarkin' on [people's] ways like [she is] so high and mighty" (Lee 24) because that does not "count for nothin' the way [she is] disgracin' 'em" (Lee 25).

Scout calls out Walter after he has "drowned his dinner in syrup" (Lee 24) causing him to be so embarrassed "the silver saucer clatter[s]" (Lee 24) when he puts it back. By using the word drowned, Lee how much syrup Walter puts on his dinner and explains why Scout finds the action so odd. The word clatter implies that Walter is flustered by being called out that he rushes to put down the saucer and does not bother being careful. Lee also writes that "Calpurnia's grammar bec[omes] erratic" (Lee 24) insinuating that Calpurnia was so angry at Scout for questioning Walter's actions that she cannot even speak properly. The diction of the passage helps show the theme by accurately expressing how people feel out being disrespected because of their