How Does Aunt Alexandra Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, many characters develop and mature in unique ways. Boo, who fears talking to others, Aunt Alexandra, who is against people of other races or social classes, and Scout, who is young and is not aware of life’s challenges, constantly suppress their emotions and personality. Their life choices and decisions that they make throughout the book, lead them to be more accepting of others and less prejudice. As the book progresses, Boo, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout learn life lessons and develop into mature adults.

Although some people think that the problems of civil rights is gone, it is more present than ever. Racial discrimination is occurring in many ways and prejudice is a huge contributing factor which many people don’t realize. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows a family in the South during the 1930’s, experience prejudice at the extreme. Young Scout, who is the narrator, lives in Maycomb, Alabama where there is a lot of racism. Because of this, many problems erupt when people try to change the towns ways. Scout grows throughout the book as she experiences many events that test her strength. In the novel, Lee uses the characterization of Scout to demonstrate that innocent children who witness cruelty, often question

Personally, the book taught me a lot about how people deal with situations when under pressure, people’s need for power and how easy it really if for a war to break out and I found that in my mind I could easily link what was going

Throughout the Novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee shows readers that everyone has a different perspective and how a person’s perspective can change their personal beliefs. Lee wants readers to realize that everyone has a different perspective, and you should never judge a book by its

She continually and publicly disapproved of Atticus’s parenting style, specifically with Scout. Scout’s behavior bothered Alexandra so much that she came to live with them, which made me wary of her character. Alexandra was raised a lady, and she valued the domestic roles expected of women. Her (and everyone elses) narrow-mindedness led her to believe that the only thing girls could and should do, was be a lady. “Aunt Alexandra was 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 pants.” At this point, I completely hated Alexandra’s character. Scout just wanted to be a kid and play with the boys. I understand Alexandra’s viewpoint, though; why she acted the way she did, and said the things she said. Her expectations of Scout, I felt, were a bit unrealistic for Scout’s age and circumstance. However, Scout was not the only girl to fall victim to these expectations; all women of this time were pressured to be something that they were not (Lee 85-86).

Aunt Alexandra doesn’t believe that Scout is feminine enough and disapproves of her tomboyish looks. She hates the way Scout dresses, can't believe that Atticus allows her to curse, and disapproves of her friends.

Rickey Williams says, “I don’t think people change. I think the essence of what I am today is the same as when I was five years old. It’s just maturity.” (Ricky, Williams). In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the characters face many challenges in their society and experience lessons that made them different, than from the beginning of the book. Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, is a lawyer in Maycomb County during the 1930’s. Atticus is given a special case where he has to defend a black man, which creates many problems for him and his family against their town, dealing with racism. In the novel Atticus, Scout, and Jem are all wise people that symbolize a mockingbird.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the characterization of Aunt Alexandra helps to reveal the theme of how reputation contradicts identity the theme is presented throughout the plotline of To Kill a Mockingbird. The way Aunt Alexandra shows this theme vocally is when she expresses her opinion to others of how family reputation should be followed by each family member. An example of this is when Scout is talking to her cousin Francis after they have eaten at the Finch's landing. As they were talking Francis brought up the subject of her dad and his case. After hearing what Francis says she gets mad at him and he replies that was what their Aunt Alexandra had said. Scout's cousin Francis says, "Grandma say it's bad enough he lets you all

The Maycomb ladies provide an excellent example of racial prejudice, and a failure to see what it is like in someone else’s skin. They believe they are doing well by making money for missions, failing to see the hardship on their own doorsteps. Aunt Alexandra is very important to the novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ as she is a representative of these viewpoints, disapproving of Calpurnia and disassociating herself from the black community entirely. Miss Maudie however is the counterpoint to Aunt Alexandra. Maudie offers Scout a female role model, whereas Aunt Alexandra tries to make Scout more ladylike, to fit in with her position in life. Aunt Alexandra plays the greatest role in reinforcing class distinctions

Aunt Alexandra does not approve of the way Scout dresses, and swears. She also does not like the people Scout plays with.

To Kill a Mockingbird Throughout the book of To Kill a Mockingbird, characters can be noticed changing in various ways. Most of time the characters develop in positive ways. The change can be attributed to someone else's actions and interactions with one another. Noticing the characters change over the course of the book can not only help us get a better feel for the story, but it can put us into others shoes and get a different view point. In the book, Aunt Alexandra is one of the characters with the most prominent change.

Initially Aunt Alexandra is very racist, because she believes she is superior to the black race. Scout notifies Aunt Alexandra that she knows about the bad things in the Finch Family, such as their cousin, who was in jail. Aunt Alexandra immediately seems embarrassed and makes Atticus tell the children, “Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louis that... you are the product of several generations’ gentle breeding” (177). Aunt Alexandra says that she is trying to “impress upon you”, referring to Scout, this sounds like Aunt Alexandra wants to really push it into her head. Aunt Alexandra is really trying to show Scout that she shouldn’t go around and tell people about bad things like this. Aunt Alexandra is also trying to make Scout into a lady, more than a kid. Aunt Alexandra is really trying

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

Ever since the case involving Tom Robinson, Alexandra has questioned everything she’s known and felt about the “negroes.” Sure Calpernia is alright and Helen seemed like a nice person, but what about the rest? Alexandra’s mind was a beehive; running with thoughts and questions2. Alexandra had always heard awful things about the “negroes” and how disgusting they were from a great majority of the community, but Atticus didn’t think so and neither did a few others. The trial of Tom Robinson and Atticus have helped her see how wrong they were treating them, but there was absolutely no way she would voice her own opinion out loud in fear. She is a lady, and she had her place in society. A political leader is definitely not what a lady is supposed to be.

Aside from Jean being the contradictory southern lady, Aunt Alexandra is a picture-perfect Southern lady. She wears dresses, organizes tea parties, and gossips, she is everything a southern women is supposed to be. She believes that old, white families are the only ones of importance, and that every family has a streak, whether it was incestuous behavior or alcoholism. She held grudges against everyone and tried to fool everyone into believing she was perfect, but