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To Kill A Mockingbird Calpurnia Character Traits

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Raegan Krueger Mrs. Simon TKM Character Outline 2 March 2023 Has anyone ever disrespected you based on your physical features? In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia is a person of color in the 1930s, she goes through many hardships throughout the novel, yet stays true to her moral values. Calpurnia is a black woman who takes care of the Finches. She teaches them what kind of world they live in and how to manage it. Calpurnia is a supporting character and serves as a bridge between the white and colored people in the novel. Calpurnia is strict, respected, and a motherly figure to Jem and Scout, and teaches the reader that being respectful and having a good role model does not depend on skin color. Calpurnia is strict. Calpurnia punishes the kids, she does this to make sure that Jem and Scout are both making good choices. In chapter twenty-one, Jem, Scout, and Dill sneak to the courthouse to watch Tom Robinson’s trial, when Calpurnia gets there, she scolds Jem for taking the kids to watch a trial that is unsuitable for children: “Mr. Jem, I thought you was gettin’ some kinda head on your shoulders- the very idea, she's your little sister! The very idea, …show more content…

Calpurnia is respected by Atticus for her moral standards and is treated as part of the Finch family. Atticus has always trusted Calpurnia in times of need. He also trusts her to look after his children and pays her a fair wage to do so. Atticus always have Calpurnia have the last word: “Capurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side,” (Lee 6). She also takes Jem and Scout to the black community church to both teach them valuable lessons and to give them more information on the trial. The reader can learn from both Atticus and Calpurnia. Taking the kids to the church shows that she has gained respect from both races while teaching valuable life lessons. Atticus shows the reader that trusting someone and treating them fairly depends on moral values, not on

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Since their mother pasted away, Atticus seems to not know what to do with the children. Due to this, he hires Calpurnia. She acts almost like the mother figure who dresses Scout. She also disciplines the children and attempts to teach them proper manners. Toward the end of the story, due to life threatening events, Atticus’ becomes closer with his children.

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Calpurnia is a good mother figure. When Jem does not want to play with Scout anymore, Cal comforts her and says she can spend time with her. She keeps them clean and cares about them. Before Cal took them to her church she made them “soap all over twice and drew fresh water in the tub for every rinse” (Lee, 156). She even says “I don’t anyone sayin’ I don’t look after my children” (Lee, 157).

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She was hired to be the Finch’s families cook but she had put more into that job then required, she built a close relationship with these kids over the years of her working there, she became a parental figure to them. This was not very common in this time because most families had mom and a dad and if a white family both were white and if it were a black family both were black. Calpurnia was a black worker and was the closest thing the kids had to a mom in the family. During the time of preparation for the trial Atticus was gone a lot and was not able to take the kids to church one Sunday, Calpurnia decided she would take them to her church.

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She teaches these kids that it’s not always the right thing to do what everybody else is doing. Calpurnia looks after these children and takes them in as her own when she is told to. Atticus shows the most examples of courage in this story. He teaches his people many lessons, especially his children.

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Calpurnia and Atticus are characters who behave like other people expect them to behave. First, Calpurnia code switches when she goes to church. She says she has to do this because then other will think she is “better” or “too good” for them in a derogatory way. She is expected to behave a certain way to be able to “fit in” and blend among others. Also, when Atticus is speaking to the jurors, he makes himself comfortable to get on the level of others.

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Cal then yelled at Scout to stop judging Walter and to stop being mean and tells her to try to see people's perspective before judging them. The last reason is that Calpurnia is a truly loving person and she cares for Scout. She does the same thing with Jem, and with any other person who is honest.

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Calpurnia helped out not just herself, but Atticus as well by sitting in the back of Atticus’s car instead of the front. Additional factors are operating as to why Calpurnia doesn’t sit in the front of the car with Atticus; As well as history of racism discrimination in the 30’s. Back in the 30’s racial discrimination caused different problems to occur. One additional factor to as why Calpurnia doesn’t sit in the front of the car with Atticus is for protection. Calpurnia wants to protect herself and Atticus from the mobs of people in town that would disprove.

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Atticus stands up for Calpurnia many times however one of the first showings of this is when Calpurnia gets mad and Scout speaks of her “She was furious, and when she was furious Calpurnia’s grammar became erratic. When in tranquility, her grammar was as good as anybody’s in Maycomb. Atticus said Calpurnia had more education than most colored folks” (pg.32). This shows that Atticus had taught Scout to still see Calpurnia's strengths even though she was heavily looked down on, to have integrity in their beliefs and treat her as one of them. When Scout disrespects her Aunt, it's shown once again that Atticus expects his children to respect Calpurnia “‘Let's get this clear: you do as Calpurnia tells you, you do as I tell you, and as long as your aunt’s in this house, you will do as she tells you.

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Calprina is another mother figure in scout life, she cook’s for the family, and try to show Scout the right from wrong: “It was then that Calpurnia requested my presence in the kitchen. She was furious, and when she was furious Calpurnia’s grammar became erratic. When in tranquility, her grammar was as good as anybody’s in Maycomb. Atticus said Calpurnia had more education than most colored folks. When she squinted down at me the tiny lines around her eyes deepened.

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The relationship between Calpurnia and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is interesting because in spite of their love-hate relationship Calpurnia is the closest figure to a mother both Scout and Jem have. We get to know Calpurnia through Scout’s eyes as a mother-like figure who is hard on Scout in some situations and loving in others. We get to see the tough, bossy, and strict side as well as the soft, nurturing, kind and motherly side. Even though she is just an African American housekeeper, she has been a member of the Finch’s Family and means much more as she is one of the few black people in Maycomb who is educated. She teaches Scout to write during rainy days as well as carrying the responsibility of teaching Scout and Jem

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Calpurnia is seen both by Atticus and the reader as more than just a housekeeper and a cook; she is a part of the family and fills in the role of a mother to Jem and Scout by helping raise them alongside Atticus. Atticus deeply cherishes Calpurnia’s efforts of taking care of the children. With her doting attitude, yet, strict disciplinary, Calpurnia treats both Scout and Jem as she would her own children. Furthermore, this following quote proves that fatherhood is indeed an arduous and burdensome role as Atticus says these following words. Without Calpurnia by his side, Atticus would have found fatherhood even more of a demanding role without a wife by his side to help support and take care of the family, as well as raise his children to grow

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Thus, whilst slightly unconventional, Calpurnia has a distinct role in teaching the Finch children respect and responsibility. In conclusion, Atticus Finch and Calpurnia are contrasting characters with the same purpose in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus maintains a fair, wise character throughout the novel, in comparison to Calpurnia's cogent, blunt personality. What brings them together is how they set the correct example for and give life lessons to Jem and Scout.

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