Calpurnia's Life Lessons

Walter struggles in understanding who he needs to be for his family. He wants to take his place as the patriarch of the family, but he feels incapable of providing them with the lifestyle they deserve. This concern is always at the forefront of his mind, and it affects his attitude and outlook. The anxiety that Walter is dealing with creates confrontation with his sister. He fears that her dream will interfere with his own agenda of making a better life for his family. The severity of the tension becomes more and more apparent with Walter’s unwise investment. Walter is dealing with the burden that he has let his family down, while Beneatha is flabbergasted by the reality that her future has been snatched away from her, and she had no control over it. While reflecting on the situation, Beneatha remarks, “ I sound like a human who just had her future taken right out of my hands! While I was sleeping….things were happening in this world that directly concerned me and nobody consulted me—they just went out and did things—and changed my life” (Hansberry 3.15). Walter and Beneatha’s individual issues with the outcome of the situation cause them to find fault with one another during a time when their family needs to pull together to get through such a financial hardship. Walter is in an emotional pit; his turning to alcohol and music instead of his family for support expands the

However, Atticus knows since Tom is a black man he will not get a fair trail since the jury is all white and since people back then didn’t favor or teach color people this is why Atticus had to defend Tom which was a man who was wrongly accused for raping a white woman which her name was Mayella Ewell ; she was a very poor white woman the oldest of many children which was in her family .

Atticus’ fairness also shows he is a good father because he believes that everyone deserves a chance to be understood and all have reasons for their actions. For example, after revealing the news to Jem and Scout of Tom’s death, he says, “Depends on how you look at it. What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of ‘em? He wasn’t Tom to them, he was an escaping prisoner” (Lee 235). This passage shows Atticus's fairness because he always tries to put himself in other people’s shoes in order to give everyone a chance at being understood, as he teaches Jem and Scout to do. He gave up his respectable reputation among many of the whites in Maycomb to defend Tom Robinson, and still speaks highly of the men who killed him. When he says this, he is trying to make the children see that the men who killed Tom did not know him as a person, but as a Negro who committed a crime, so cannot be discriminated upon for doing their job. Along with Atticus’ sense of fairness, his Teaching also characterizes him as a good father to Jem and Scout.

“Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em if you can't act fit to eat at the table you can just sit here and eat in the kitchen!” This is just one of the many examples Calpurnia sets for the children. Calpurnia is the Finch’s cook but she takes her role in the children’s life more seriously. She acts as parent; constantly teaching the kids lessons about life and race. She serves as a bridge for Jem and Scout between the white and black communities. Calpurnia could be the mother Jem and Scout never had because she is wise, caring, and patient with the kids.

After Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to church, she tells them, “You’re not gonna change? any of them by talkin’ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language,” (Lee, 1960, p. 167). This statement Calpurnia tells to Scout and Jem proves in Maycomb she has no right to having one life. She either has to act more smart and sophisticated, or she must act like her friends and family in the black community. Calpurnia having to go back and forth between lives shows the readers the way most African American woman had to act to be able to fit in without being discriminated or treated unequally by others.

Atticus is appointed to defend a black man named Tom Robinson who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. She is a member of the Ewell family, who is looked down upon by Maycomb society and referred to as "white trash." Atticus knows that Tom has almost no chance because he is black and will be tried by an all white jury. Nevertheless, he wants to help him reveal the truth.

It shows that they are very respective of others and their differences. They are demonstrating excellent qualities, as they are trying to set a good example for Scout.

Calpurnia has taught the children how to contend with issues of race and class that exist in the segregated society. In Chapter 3, Walter Cunningham Jr. has dinner with the Finch family, and Scout is disgusted when he pours syrup all over his meal. Scout embarrasses Walter at the dinner table by rudely asking him “what the sam hill is he doing”. Calpurnia then requests Scout's presence in the kitchen and proceeds to reprimand Scout for her rude behavior. “Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it doesn’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em if you can't act fit to eat at the table you can just sit here and eat in the kitchen!”. This quote supports that Calpurnia commanded Scout that she has no right to contradict Walter for his eating habits and teaches Scout a lesson of social equality and conscience. Calpurnia tells Scout that it doesn't matter if her family is considered "better" than the Cunninghams; Scout needs to treat Walter courteously and equally. Calpurnia also warns Scout not to act "high and mighty" around her guests by disgracing them, or she might punish her since she would have to eat in the kitchen. Calpurnia essentially teaches Scout how to handle and treat people that the prejudiced society considers “not their kind of folks”. She encourages Scout to view Walter impartially and treat him the same way she would want to be treated. It is significant how this lesson comes from Calpurnia, because, as a black woman

To start with Scout had invited Walter over for dinner because he normally does not get to eat, because he lives on a farm and they do not get very much money. Scout said that she had never seen someone eat the way that Walter ate his food. Walter had poured syrup onto his vegetables and some of his meat, and even a little in his milk. I feel like he did that because he does not get a ton of sugar and food, therefore he took more than they thought that he would. Scout also had another way to walk and see what it was like in someone else's shoes. Scout was sitting in class and during the summer she knew how to read, she had gotten yelled at because she was ahead of everyone else. Scout was not very happy with that but still kept on reading with her dad to still keep her skills up. The last way that Scout learned to walk in someone's shoes was, one day in class a boy named Burris was sitting in class and everyone did not know who he was, then the saw him get up and he was gross and dirty and you could see the lice in his hair moving around. Scout could have learned that some people do not have a home to come home to everyday with food on the table ready to eat, some live in their cars and do not have food like that. Another person that can learn from walking in other people’s shoes is Miss Caroline. Miss Caroline does not like how Scout can read fluently, and

Calpurnia helps Scout become more lady like by using manners and teaching her how to treat others. For example “ Yo folks might be better than the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothing the way you're disgracing them” (Lee 33) Calpurnia teaches Scout proper manners when she corrects scout for thinking that she is better than Walter Cunningham. Calpurnia Also teaches scout to be respectful. For example “ There’s some folks who don't eat like us, she whispered fiercely, ‘ 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 31). Calpurnia is like a mother figure to Scout and Jem. She taught scout proper manners and how to treat others with respect. Without Calpurnia Scout wouldn't act very lady like. In the example this is scout’s first lesson on being respectful to others who are different. Therefore without Calpurnia Scout wouldn’t learn how to respect and sympathize with others who are

Racism and prejudice both serve as barriers for Atticus when he displays courage in the novel by continuously defending Tom Robinson, who is deemed a criminal by society but innocent by Atticus and a few others. Throughout the length of the court case, Atticus is aware of the fact that much of

Walter has changed his whole family. He has started so much conflict with all his family. His family at this rate will be better off without him. “You ain’t looked at it yet and you don’t aim to speak on that again? You ain’t looked at it and you have decided-well, you tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep on the living room couch.” This just shows how much he wants to have HER money for himself because he is selfish and a shallow person. He is the reason why the family is tearing apart. Also, Walters actions show how edgy and inpatient he is. (Violently flinging the coat after her) He starts to get very violent, he flings things, slams doors, yells at mama, and starts to get verbally abusive towards her. He doesn’t know how to let things go and how to think in another person’s perspective. He only wants to do what he wants, he doesn’t care what the other family members want he just knows what he wants to get and forces the decision upon them all.

To begin, the Cunningham family occupies a critical role in showing kindness throughout the story. While the family may not show compassion to others in the early scenes of the book, the behaviors of others influence them. Near the start of the story, Jem and Scout invite Walter over to the Finch home for dinner, during which Scout begins to taunt Walter for pouring syrup all over his food. When Calpurnia sees this, she pulls Scout aside and gives her a lecture that reads, “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!” (29). This moment in the story serves as a reminder to

Atticus is the town’s most respected lawyer. He is not wealthy, but he is well off in the community and is very kind towards everyone. As a single parent, he faces the world, raising his two children with his maid, Calpurnia, who experiences better conditions and responsibilities than other African Americans of her time, due to Atticus’ beliefs. He has a reputation for being an open-minded, fair man, and a unique personality that is overflowing with honesty. He has been assigned a case of defending a black man who is apparently accused of rape. Now Atticus is both loved and unloved by the townspeople. Since they live in the South during the 1930’s, Atticus gives a lot of advice to his children, Scout and Jem. Atticus tells Scout and Jem that they should not say anything about a person especially when they do not know that person. Atticus describes what he means in a quote “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around it”(Lee 39). Atticus defends a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a girl. Atticus has the confidence and the courage to defend Tom and prove that he is innocent. Scout does not believe that her father is nice enough or has the courage to defend Tom. Atticus proves that

Atticus is working with a black man when no one wanted to because of the race and for what he did to the daughter of Mr. Ewell by abuse. Some people would say that it does not make sense for Atticus to defend Tom Robinson. “In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.” That everything Tom said will not be taught right and not as equal as in the court then a white mans evidence. Mrs. Dubose tells Scout that her “father's no better than the trash he works for!" This is saying that people should be equal then to be picked on and called names and no one to help then just one person to stand up. Atticus is a white man helping a black man out but he thinks that everyone should be treated right. “To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical. Typical of a nigger to cut and run. Typical of a nigger's mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw.” Everyone thinks that every black person will try to run even though they have nothing less and nothing to lose. People should treat each other the same even though they are not the same