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To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee

630 Words3 Pages

Man versus man conflicts often drive people apart, but they can result in reconnection and building of new understandings with others. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Aunt Alexandra invites herself into the Finch's home to help around the household. Frustration arises between Scout and Aunt Alexandra when she tries to change Scout’s behavior. The tension over whether or not Scout should change her boyish behavior between these two characters represents their opposing views, and this will not only show that Scout believes in being independent, but also that Aunt Alexandra believes in fitting into societal standards—revealing the struggle of defying gender roles. Faced with her aunt’s wish for her to act more like a regular lady, Scout …show more content…

Aunt Alexandra explains to Scout about her presence in Maycomb: “We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence” (170). Aunt Alexandra wants to change Scout’s unwonted boyish nature because she doesn’t fit in among the girly ladies. With a hatred of dresses and a bold brave attitude, Scout is the complete opposite of what society expects for ladies; thus, Aunt Alexandra is only here to influence her with feminine virtues. Her wish reveals Aunt Alexandra’s belief in assimilating into society’s standards of how women should act. To add on, Atticus repeats in front of the children the words that Aunt Alexandra insisted on being said: “...So you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly...” (178). The use of diction indirectly depicts her belief in fitting into society. Her words of “behave accordingly” show that she does not accept Scout’s current tomboyish character one bit. She wishes to quell Scout’s boyish personality. At the end of the novel, the conflict between Scout and Aunt Alexandra is resolved. Aunt Alexandra gives Scout new clothes after finding her tarnished costume: “...Aunty brought me my overalls. ‘Put these on, darling,’ she said, handing me the garments she most despised” (354). Throughout the novel, Aunt Alexandra was against Scout’s boyish behavior. Scout’s overalls add to her boyish personality..

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