Who Is Aunt Alexandra's Role In To Kill A Mockingbird

Imagine southern Alabama in the 1930’s. Racism spreads like an infectious disease, and nothing good comes from a black man talking to a white woman. In To Kill a Mockingbird a little girl is forced to experience every moment of discrimination and hate. That little girl’s name is Scout Finch, and she needs someone to teach her right from wrong, and to help her learn how to stand up for what she believes in. Luckily, she meets many different role models who help her understand and combat the various types of discrimination she encounters. Miss Maudie, Scout’s neighbor, gives Scout courage to stand up against prejudice. Aunt Alexandra, Scout’s aunt, shows her how to respectfully handle prejudiced people. Lastly, Atticus, Scout’s father, teaches

When Aunt Alexandra has her missionary circle over, and Mrs. Merriweather starts to make rude remarks toward the Finches, Miss Maudie reminds Mrs. Merriweather that she is in Atticus’s house. Aunt Alexandra shows her appreciation to her by giving “Miss Maudie a look of pure gratitude” (Lee 312). Aunt Alexandra acts similarly to how Miss Maudie describes the rest of the non-racist people in town. Aunt Alexandra teaches Scout that having someone else stand up to prejudiced people is a great way for her to get her voice heard. She is grateful to Miss Maudie because she wants to change things but she has to keep her image, so she needs Miss Maudie to stand up to Mrs. Merriweather. She shows Scout that it is okay to need someone else to say something, in her case it is so she can be respected and keep control of the group, and in Scout’s case, it is also so she can keep the respect of her peers. During the missionary circle Atticus comes in and pulls aside Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout to tell them that Tom Robinson has been shot. Alexander is shaken up over the injustice, but when it is time to go back she has to tidy herself up to keep the respect of the women: “Aunt Alexandra stood up and smoothed her clothing. She wiped her nose and said ‘Do I show it?’” (Lee

After Scout has a hard first day of school, she tells Atticus about beating up kids and her teacher getting upset with her. Atticus sees this as a chance to teach Scout an important lesson because he wants her to consider others before making big choices, so he tells her, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point you view [...] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). Atticus has to teach Scout to think of others before she acts in order to learn how to respect people. He wants her to realize that everyone has a point of view, and that she really has to consider their side of the story to fully respect and understand them. Atticus wants Scout to learn to listen before she acts, because when she does not, it usually leads to violence rather than a resolution. Since Atticus is defending a black man in the upcoming trial, and both kids and adults will be making remarks, he tells Scout, “You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change” (Lee 101). Truly, he just wants Scout to understand a person’s situation before she judges them. He teaches Scout that there is already enough