How Did Aunt Alexandra Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

Racism is witnessed many times throughout Scout's life, but not many times through her family as Atticus believes all people are equal. The only times she really sees it in her household is when Aunt Alexandra gets there. Jem and Scout talk to each other about what Aunt Alexandra says to Atticus and it shows her views. “She won’t let him alone about Tom Robinson. She almost said Atticus was disgracin’ the family. Scout… I’m scared.’ ‘Scared’a what?’ ‘Scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him”(167). Not only does this quote show her views about a different race, it also shows her directing her thoughts towards Atticus. She is trying to guilt Atticus into changing his mind and to keep the Finch family legacy going strong. This method of persuasion obviously does not work on Atticus, as he continues with the trial, despite Aunt Alexandra’s perspective on the

She learned to accept people no matter how they looked. Whenever she judged someone, Atticus helped her understand a person by keeping in mind a simple but meaningful phrase, "…if you learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. " Chapter 3, pg. 30. Aunt Alexandra was always concerned with family background and constantly judged people based on it, "I never understood her preoccupation with heredity.

On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra faced a different but common obstacle, prejudice. Since prejudice was ubiquitous, Aunt Alexandra demonstrated maturity when she became more accepting of others especially Calpurnia, Boo and Scout. Aunt Alexandra, Scout and Jem’s caretaker, had some difficulties interacting and talking around people who were a different race or a lower social or economic class. When Aunt Alexandra first met Calpurnia, the African-American maid who worked in the Finch’s house, she despised her and all of her actions. No matter what Calpurnia did or what she said, she could not please Aunt Alexandra. However, later on in the novel, Aunt Alexandra developed a more accepting attitude towards Calpurnia. She allowed Calpurnia to serve the children dinner. This shows how much Aunt Alexandra has grown to be more accepting of other races and not be prejudice. Not only does Aunt Alexandra accept Calpurnia for who she is, but she also learns to accept Scout. “She brought me something to put on, and had I thought about it then, I would have never let her forget it: in her distraction, Aunty brought me my overalls” (Pg.264).

“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.

Scout was particularly affected by gender discrimination as she was a girl. She was told she acted too much like a boy when she should be acting like a girl. Scout described Aunt Alexandra as “Fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pant” (108). Aunt Alexandra discriminated Scout for not wearing lady like attire and told her that if she continued to dress that way then she could not be a lady. Aunt Alexandra soon became determined to put an end to Scout’s non-feminine behavior. Atticus tried to explain to Scout that "She asked me to tell you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it's meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you'll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly"(178). Atticus decided to take his sister’s word and told his children what they should act like despite him not approving of this. Scout’s behavior is what leads her Aunt Alexandra to discriminating her and telling her she will never be a lady if she continues to not dress

By treating her family lineage as unimportant, Scout was thought of by many as bringing shame to the Finch name, thus creating chaos within Maycomb. At the time of their Aunt Alexandra’s visit, Atticus said, “She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly” (Lee 178). After Atticus finished this dialogue, Scout began to cry due to the opposition toward Aunt Alexandra’s ideals about lineage being important in one’s everyday life. The reason for her emotional response was that Aunt Alexandra had turned to heredity to explain behavior and justify actions since her arrival. However, Scout had never been exposed to an environment where her history could be so valued. Aunt Alexandra’s order was disrupted with chaos when she saw how little Scout cared about lineage and believed that Scout’s unruly behavior was a result of her neglect to bring respect to the Finch name. When

The character Aunt Alexandra reminds me of a close friend, my mom had a while back. She raised three boys who grew up to do nothing with their lives. When the lady would babysit me on the weekends she would make me do housework, for her. I questioned her, asking why her boys couldn’t do it, her response was that they were boys and that because I was a girl I was expected to take on the job of taking care of the house. Everytime I read a section where Aunt Alexandra was present it made me feel bad, Aunt Alexandra was forcing Scout dress in formal clothing rather than letting her express her individuality because it would be viewed as unlady like.

Scout is a very strong and independent character who believes in who she is. She does not allow anyone to push her around even if that means she has to settle an argument in an immature way such as fist fights. Scout is unlike many girls in her town. She likes to play outside,wear pants and she doesn’t like to play with teasets or dolls. This appalls many adults who are not understanding of why Scout is different from the other girls. Many neighbors and relatives put the blame on Atticus for “not raising her right”. Atticus is often criticized because he took a different role in life than his siblings and left the Finch landing. The Finch Landing is a huge farm run by workers paid slim to none. Atticus’s siblings, Alexandra and Jack stayed at the farm and took in the money and watched the workers work. Generations and generations of Finches had done this with the exception of Atticus. Instead he felt there was more to life and decided to go to school and become a lawyer. He is now raising Scout and Jem. With Scout’s mom dead, many people feel they need to intervene with Atticus’s parenting to play a mother figure. Alexandra plays a big part in this and sits Scout down to chat. Alexandra tells Scout that she

When Aunt Alexandra comes to live with the Finch family, she suggests Atticus get rid of Calpurnia. I think that she wants the family cook to leave because she is not related to the Finches. In previous chapters, she has explained the importance of the family name and how Scout should act more like a Finch. While Alexandra thinks that only blood related relatives should be included in a family, Atticus’s idea of family (one of the themes in the book) is to be kind, and loyal. He does consider Calpurnia a part of his family because she has helped so much. I believe she is a mother figure to Scout and Jem because she takes very good care of them. When Atticus says that he won’t fire Calpurnia, he should tell his sister not to discriminate a person

This novel is full of interesting and richly painted characters,Aunt Alexandra was one of my favorite throughout the book. Reading To Kill A Mockingbird you can precisely see her transform into someone extremely courageous. When Harper Lee introduces Alexandra it seemed as if she was a very grouchy woman with a lot of dignity, and very prejudice. Scout and Alexandra encounter many struggles.While

Throughout the novel, Atticus faces many internal conflicts, mostly with his doubts about how he raises his children. His decision to defend Tom Robinson causes obstacles for him and his family. His methods of dealing with these conflicts manifests his devotion and integrity for the people he cares about. After Aunt Alexandra suggests that Atticus fire Calpurnia, he responds, "Alexandra, Calpurnia's not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn't have got along without her all these years. She's a faithful member of this family and you'll simply have to accept things the way they are." (Chapter 14). Atticus resists Alexandra’s concept of exclusive family--that family is solely between people of the same blood. Atticus’ appreciation for Calpurnia and his consideration of her as his family demonstrates his affection and loyalty. His capability to clash opinions with Alexandra in a respectful manner shows that he isn’t willing to let anybody threaten his family, even if the person firing threats is family. This argument between Atticus and Alexandra is an abstract depiction of the question: Do you judge someone by their family or their own life? Atticus clearly seems to value Calpurnia as a whole, he doesn’t care where she came from. While Uncle Jack and Atticus speak of the upcoming trial, Scout overhears their conversation, "You know what's going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray that I can get Jem and Scout through it

Aunt Alexandra, however, one day arrived at the Finch house to live with them and help Atticus parent the children, especially Scout. Although Scout was more of a tomboy, Alexandra visioned Scout “playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave [Scout] when [she] was born”, all of which are very feministic traits (Lee 108). Scout was completely opposite of these wishes and traits Alexandra, along with many other proper women of Maycomb, expected of her. However, at the tea party, Scout took it upon herself to do her best to show how well Alexandra had been instilling those traits into her to the other women, even though it was extremely difficult and pressuring. Scout wanted to please the women to show them how great Alexandra is at raising young girls and also to prove that Atticus was a successful parent despite the rough times his family had been going through with his job.

Class and family history is an important part of tradition to many of the people in Maycomb. When Aunt Alexandra comes to visit, she feels it her duty to impress upon Scout the importance of her roots. Aunt Alexandra forces Atticus to explain to Scout that she is "not from run-of-the-mill people, [but] the product of several generations' gentle breeding"(p.133). Aunt Alexandra feels that people are born into a certain class, and should, therefore, behave accordingly. If you are born into a high class, you will always be considered high class, and if you are born into a low class, there is no use to strive for anything higher. The result is that families are repeated in each generation with similar attitudes and character shadings. The objective is obviously to refine the classes and keep them pure. Aunt Alexandra and many other men and women in Maycomb praise the distinction of class. To them, having high blood is seen as sacred and there

In the summer, Aunt Alexandra is over to visit the Finch family when she learns that Atticus will defend a black man in court. She does not understand why Atticus wants to help and support a black man. As a result she says: “Grandma say’s it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin” (Lee 110). Very rudely, Aunt Alexandra makes a racist remark regarding Atticus’s work without consulting any details about the trial.

In the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ we have seen only sides of Aunt Alexandra that are cruel and hateful. The first time we went Aunt Alexandra in the book we heard about her scrutiny towards Scout when she left her all alone at the kid table, but let all the other kids sit at the adult table. This was only the beginning of what happened that Thanksgiving Day. Jem, Scout’s older brother was to old to play, so Scout had to amuse Francis. This is when things got messy. When Scout was outside with Francis he started talking trash about Atticus. He told Scout Atticus was ruining the family name, that he was a nigger lover. At the start of