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How scout changes throughout the novel to kill a mockingbird
How scout changes throughout the novel to kill a mockingbird
How scout changes throughout the novel to kill a mockingbird
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In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Miss Caroline is treated poorly because some of her students think she is picking on a kid that comes from a poor family. It is the first day of first grade for Scout and Miss Caroline is her teacher. Miss Caroline's students do not realize that she is not trying to pick on a student named Walter when she tries to be nice by paying for his lunch but does not know that he would have to pay the money back. “You’re shamin’ him, Miss Caroline. Walter hasn’t got a quarter at home to bring you”.(Lee 28)
In the novel Scout displays her strikingly aggressive side to her character. Scout is the type of girl that will stand up for herself and do what she feels is right, not caring what other people think. For example, in chapter three Scout beats up Walter Cunningham for getting her in trouble with her teacher. Miss Caroline does not appreciate Scout’s explanation for why Walter does not have a lunch. Miss Caroline scolds Scout and informs her that she is “Starting out on the wrong foot in every way, my dear.”
Scout is also a very intelligent to be so young. For example “… after making me read most of my first reader and the stock market quotations from the mobile register aloud, she discovered that I was literate and looked at me with more faint distaste.’ (lee 22) miss caroline is shocked that scout can read at such a young age. Later scout proves that not only is she educated in school but well educated in school and about life in maycomb. She clearly explains that to miss Caroline “ miss Caroline and I had conferred twice already and they were all looking at me in the innocent assurance that familiar breeds understanding.
As the text states. “She had learned not to hand something to a Cunningham, for one thing, But if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part.” This quote helps the reader to understand that it is possible to learn from your mistakes; furthermore, no matter who you are, it is common courtesy to allow others the privilege of also learning and correcting their mistakes as well. There was not a way for Miss Caroline to know that she was doing anything wrong since that was her first day at a new school in a new town,; moreover, she had no idea of the mistake she was making. In this way she and Scout were alike.
Scout faces her beautiful teacher’s arbitrary accusations, beginning her education in Miss Caroline’s bad graces. Scout describes the incident, saying, “I suppose she chose me because she knew my name; as I read the alphabet a faint line appeared between her eyebrows, and after making me read most of My First Reader and the stock-market quotations from The Mobile Register aloud, she discovered that I was literate and looked at me with more than faint distaste” (Lee, 18). Following Miss Caroline’s realization of Scout’s literacy, the teacher commanded her to inform her father not to teach her to read anymore. Scout felt betrayed and hurt because she loved reading and did not think that being educated was wrong despite Miss Caroline’s disdain for it. Education has endured as one of the most valuable assets a person can have, especially at a young age, and Miss Fisher’s antipathy toward it proves
At the first of the novel Scout is a bit of a tomboy and is determined to show people her point of view. When Scout started school, she was having a difficult time, because her teacher did not understand the ways of their town, Maycomb County. However, this did not stop Scout from trying to explain to Miss Caroline the ways of the people in Maycomb. “ I thought I had made things
The time where she might not be as likeable is when she told Scout,”…to tell [her] father not to teach [her] as it would interfere with [her] reading. “(Lee 12). Even though this is a sign of inferiority toward Scout, we have to remember Miss Caroline is teaching a class of first graders. Miss Caroline, in
When Scout goes to school, she thinks that her teacher will be glad that she can already read but Miss Caroline has a negative reaction because she states that “Your father does not know how to teach.” His teaching style shapes Scout and Jem to be well-mannered children because they have learned from their mistakes in the
Scout had just started school and was adjusting to how things would be different from last year. She started the year on bad terms with Miss Caroline after she found out she was able to read. Following this,
Scout symbolizing innocence while Miss Caroline symbolizes fear. She even states at the end of page 21 that Scout has been “starting off on the wrong foot in every way, my dear.” Although, Miss Caroline seems to symbolize the fear that she’s in with this first grade class. Scout seems to be her main problem since she not only is literate enough to read The Mobile Register, but she mostly refers to the kids by their surnames as demonstrated on page 20, “He’s a Cunningham, Miss Caroline.” On the same page, Scout then tries to reassure her, but fails with “It’s okay, ma’am, you’ll get to know the county folks after a while.”
Mrs. Caroline seeing Scout with “distaste” portrays that she has a dislike for her, which is ironic because as a school teacher, Mrs. Caroline should appreciate
Moreover, Miss Caroline is a young teacher who is just starting her career and does not know much about the town of Maycomb. For instance, when Walter Cunningham forgets his lunch, Miss Caroline tries to give him money, but when Scout interrupts, Miss Caroline calls Scout in front of the class and says, “Jean Louise, I’ve had enough of you this morning, she said, You’re starting on the wrong foot every way, my dear. Hold out your hand” (Lee 21). Miss Caroline is threatened by Scout’s knowledge about the town for which she punishes Scout and teaches her not to interrupt people. After the incident, Scout had been terrified by the idea of school, but Atticus helps Scout to realize that Scout also has to think about what Miss Caroline is going through as well and to show empathy toward Miss Caroline.
Scout says to Atticus, “If Walter and I put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). Scout is considering Miss Caroline's perspective, realizing that she and Walter shouldn’t blame Miss Caroline for a mistake. When Scout says,“We could not expect her to learn all Maycomb’s ways in one day, and we could not hold her responsible when she knew no better.” (40) Scout shows that she understands that it’s unfair of her to expect Miss Caroline to know everything about the town when it was only her first day.
In the Beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird Scout is going to her first day of school. Her teacher is Miss Caroline, a young woman who is not familiar with the ways of Macomb County. She is having a hard time getting used to her new students. Scout has to explain to Miss Caroline about the Cunninghams and does not like being put on the spot. Scout also has to put up with her strange teaching style.
This is evident when Miss Caroline looked at Scout “with more than faint distaste.” after she reveals to Miss Caroline her capability to read and write. The noun phrase, faint distaste, shows that Miss Caroline is pull out by Scout’s knowledge, as she preserve that grade one students were not suppose to know how to read and write. From what she expected, we can deduce that Miss Caroline’s teaching method is impersonal, and does not suit the needs of the students in Maycomb’s society. With her incapability to differentiate for different abilities, Scout will not be challenged academically and learning is lost.
