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Why Is Calpurnia Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

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The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is full of fascinating side characters, who some people may say don’t serve a purpose, but that is absolutely 100% wrong. Let’s use Calpurnia as an example; the Negro, Finch family maid. Some people may say that she just works for them, but they are very wrong. Scout and Jem have grown up without a mother, so Calpurnia was able to step in not only as an employee, but as an authority figure and part of the family. Atticus himself considers Cal as family. When Aunt Alexandra tried to convince Atticus to get rid of her, he stuck up for Cal saying how much she’s done for them and that she is part of the family and they’ll never get rid of her. This shows that Cal is extremely important to the story, and like a mother to the children. Like any good mother does, she teaches the kids some very important lessons.
Calpurnia was an excellent role model for Scout because she planted various important lessons in her daily life. One example is when she taught Scout to treat everyone equally, no matter what their social …show more content…

“Calpurnia sent me through the swinging door to the diningroom with a stinging smack,” (Lee 25). Even though this seems very harsh to us, back then it was very normal. Plus, it shows how serious she really is about these important lessons. So even though she may be a little hard on them sometimes, she always has good intentions, and they shine through.
Calpurnia is an amazing side character who plays an extremely important role in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. She steps in as a motherly authority figure, and is a part of the Finch family. Not only do the kids look up to her, but she teaches them very important life lessons, and exposes them to other parts of the community that they didn't know very much about. So next time you think a side character serves no purpose to the story, think

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Calpurnia is the hired housekeeper that takes care of the house and kids. Atticus leaves his trust with her to keep the children together. The children though walk around town and go on adventures without either of them knowing. When Jem and Scout would get into trouble, Atticus would find out through the sheriff or other people around town. This shows the distance between the father and the 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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Calpurnia, taught her how to interact with others in an appropriate manner and respect the way people act. A specific moment of A lesson given by calpurnia, was when she said “ There’s some folks who don’t eat like us... but you ain't called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?”(Lee,39).Calpurnia,

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401 Words | 2 Pages

This quote shows Calpurnia in her wrathful righteousness, and shows that she is respectful towards people that are different. It is likely that Calpurnia has witnessed how people treat those who are different, and doesn’t want Scout to be one of those people. This quote is important since it teaches us more about Calpurnia, and shows us where Scout gets her lessons from. Quote #

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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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919 Words | 4 Pages

Calpurnia is originally just a cook and somebody to help take care of the kids in the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird, but as the book continues she grows a relationship with the kids and takes on a motherly role for them. “Calpurnia bent down to kiss me”. Lee -. Calpurnia is now seen as a mother figure throughout the novel, she constructively criticizes Scout and Jem and assists the kids and to substantiate that they learn from their mistakes. Towards the end of To kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia seems to have less condensation which can show that Scout and Jem are growing up and are both having a coming-to-age moment.

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Humility, one of the best virtues to have, gets used in many characters. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee valued humility and incorporated it into the positive characters of the book. She showed many people with non who acted like fools. Then she also had many characters who demonstrated it. She displayed the value of having humility and some of the best characters known for it today come from her book.

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487 Words | 2 Pages

Calpurnia is Jem and Scouts mother figure, because their mother died due to a sudden heart attack. Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to her church, First Purchase, and introduces them to the fact that not all black people are bad people. She shows courage because it’s nerve racking to bring 2 white children to an all black church. Calpurnia says, “I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children” (Lee pg. 118). Calpurnia takes pride in Jem and Scout and shows a massive amount of courage taking these children to her type of life, and to her church.

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Calpurnia serves as an amazing role model and mother figure to the children, and yet Aunt Alexandra wants to fire her. She had raised Jem and Scout, and plays an indispensable part of their lives, showering them with discipline, structure, and love. Aunt Alexandra, however, barely existed in the children 's lives up until she moved into the Finch’s home, yet she inflicts great injustice on Calpurnia by failing to recognize the necessitous part of the family that Calpurnia fills. Scout even overhears Aunt Alexandra saying, "...you 've got to do something about her. You 've let things go on too long Atticus, too long.

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1764 Words | 8 Pages

Scout judged her from her personality and bases her perceptions of Calpurnia solely on that. She may be young, however, it is Scout’s lack of experience of the concept of race and racism that makes her uneducated in this whole topic. Scout can

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1247 Words | 5 Pages

Many children have adults in their lives who influence the way they turn out in the future. These people can affect the children in negative or positive ways. Scout learns the importance of respect from Calpurnia, the ways of the world, how to live life to the fullest, and walking in someone else’s shoes to understand them throughout the entirety of To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee truly portrays Scout ’s coming of age by using the character’s Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, and Atticus as very important role models in Scout’s life.

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776 Words | 4 Pages

Taylor McAllister Period 3 11.08.16 TKAMB Essay Thesis- Injustice and ignorance can be shown through the narrow-mindedness of people, such as Mayella Ewell, Aunt Alexandria, and the even the town of Maycomb. To kill a Mockingbird shows and depicts many characters and the attitude toward life, Tom Robinson, and the people in the town of Maycomb. Injustice is shown throughout and complimented by that is narrow-mindedness. Some of the characters show that narrow-mindedness and ignorance can take a toll on how maycomb operates.

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1132 Words | 5 Pages

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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1300 Words | 6 Pages

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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1095 Words | 5 Pages

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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