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Literary Criticism Of To Kill A Mockingbird

Decent Essays

Natalie Kiaei
Mr. Hahn
English 9
Period 4
28 November 2017
To Kill a Mockingbird Literary Analysis
(Tab)When living in a racially divided community, who and what someone is surrounded by can affect their personality and identity. Someone can not only have one identity, they can express themselves in many different ways. Whether that person is naturally strong but can often soften up or could also be strong and bring out a more masculine side, as shown in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Calpurnia is Atticus, Scout and Jem’s housekeeper but she also takes in the role of a positive motherly influence in Scout's life. Worried that she won't be accepted for who she is, she presents her actions in different ways based on her position. Calpurnia tries to avoid experiences of judgment even from her own community in church, and rejection from the white citizens in her town, this influences her to alter herself to what she believes would please her surroundings. However, in the Finches home Calpurnia is not afraid to express herself. Since Atticus is free from the confinement of racial discrimination, he treats Calpurnia with respect and makes her feel welcomed and like family. But now even with the comfort from Atticus, Jem and Scout Calpurnia still feels the urge that she wouldn’t be accepted. In Maycomb County, the racial discrimination forces Calpurnia to adopt a dual identity depending on her environment.

(Tab)Calpurnia first presents one of her dual identities

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