Miss Caroline Character Analysis

On her very first day of school, Scout had been condemned by her teacher for already knowing how to read. Miss Caroline, Scout's teacher, had told her: "Now tell your father not to teach you anymore" (17). Scout took Miss Caroline's words to heart and thought that if she continued to go to school, she would have to give up her nightly reading sessions with Atticus. Scout advised Atticus: "But if I keep on goin' to school, we can't ever read anymore..."(31). This shows Scout's naivety as she focused and was fixated on such a small detail that other people wouldn't give a second thought about. Scout was willing to obediently listen to anything Miss Caroline told her as if it was the law. Unexposed to the evils in the world, Scout was so innocent and naïve, and therefore, she did not realize or even think of going against what Miss Caroline had instructed. Being naïve on the fact that not everyone in the world is always truthful and follows all the rules, Scout was infatuated on a moot

A person does not really understand someone until he or she walks in his or her shoes. Scout learns through encounters with several people. The first person’s shoes that Scout steps in is Miss Caroline’s. When Scout first meet Miss Caroline, she thought of her new teacher as terse and not understanding. The first event that made Scout think this is when Miss Caroline prohibited her to read with her father any longer. Miss Caroline talk her to tell Atticus to stop teaching her to read because she wants Scout to learn to read in school with a fresh mind. Another time that fueled Scouts perception of Miss Caroline is when she tried to explain to Miss Caroline why Walter Cunningham would not take the money to buy lunch. Miss Caroline was getting

Miss Caroline’s teaching methods are ineffective and illogical. Teaching your kids how to read early on would help them immensely. It wouldn’t interfere with Scout’s reading, it would make her a better reader. Scout is subjected to Miss Caroline’s wrath for learning to read before any of her peers but Burris Ewell can come to school once a year just to avoid the law. That just doesn’t make any sense. Scout is being singled out by the teacher for having good intentions. For example, Scout tries to tell Miss Caroline the Walter Cunningham situation and she receives a couple slaps to the hand in return.

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, all the literary features are established making this novel very worthy to read. This excerpt is from chapter three of the novel. It is the evening after Scout’s first day of school, and Scout seeks for help from Calpurnia, and Atticus. Scout questions the need to return back to school to Atticus, as she does not accept Miss.Caroline’s perspective on Scout having to stop reading at home.With the use of imagery and the characterization of Atticus, this excerpt proves that family with always educate you, and spoil you with

Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout’s father, Atticus demonstrates his self-control and empathy towards Scout and her problems which makes him a positive role model in his daughter’s life and maturation growth. After school, Scout exclaims to Atticus that she does not want to attend school anymore due to the fact she had a dreadful first day of the first grade. She complains to Atticus about her teacher, Miss.Caroline and how she disapproves of Scout’s competency of reading and writing. Miss.Caroline expresses to Scout that she should not be literate at her age and now has to undo the damage that has been done by her father; this statement is ironic because teachers are supposed to encourage learning and help further advance their

She said that her dad teaches her wrong and she should not read at home anymore. Her second mistake was that she was writing a letter to Dill, showing that she can write, when she should only be able to print in grade 1. Lastly, Scout explained the ways of the Cunninghams and how they do not accept anything they can’t pay back. Miss Caroline does not see this as a nice gesture, she sees it more of an arrogant statement and slaps her hand.

Atticus Finch’s wisdom and understanding of the human nature truly shows when he teaches us how to empathize. Atticus gives Scout and readers, a whole other way of seeing peoples perspective. Scout, who is upset that Miss Caroline put her “responsible” in explaining why Walter Cunningham cannot accept any money, complains to Atticus about that matter; saying she refuses to go to school. Atticus, who realizes that Scout is failing to understand things from Miss Caroline’s perspective says, “You never really understand someone....... until you crawl into his skin and walk around in it.”pg 33. Scout grapples with this idea of

Already knowing how to read, Scout is punished when her teacher says her father should not “teach you any more. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage- [...] Your father does not know how to teach” (Lee 23). School said that Scout’s knowledge was damage, and wanted to cast her behind instead of throwing her ahead. The teacher made Scout ashamed of knowing how to read, instead of celebrating it. Later during that day, Scout learns a real lesson from her cook, Calpurnia. After Scout was being rude to a boy asked over for lunch, Cal declared “That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear? [...] Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em” (Lee 32-33). Cal teaches Scout a vital lesson about treating others, one that school would ignore. Kids must learn when they are young that everyone deserves respect, and that it does not matter who they are, or else they could cause problems to others later. School is a place that parents send their students to learn. But when Atticus sent Scout to school, she is embarrassed by her teacher and told that her knowledge is damage. At home, she learns a real lesson after wasting her time in school. Knowing how to treat others will get one much farther than knowing what the capital of Michigan is. Real life

At the beginning of this novel, Scout is very curious about school. She asks Atticus and Jem questions about things said at school for more clarification. When Scouts hand is hit with a ruler by her teacher Miss Caroline, Scout tells Jem about it and asks him why Miss Caroline would do that. Jem says “Our teacher says Miss Caroline’s introducing a new way of teaching.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” said by Winston Churchill. I think this quote relates to Atticus because of the trial, he has to speak up for what he believes in and he also has to sit down and listen. It also relates to what Atticus tells his kids sometimes, like the time with Scout and school. In To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus is a wise father, a clever lawyer, and a brave man.

Scout was judging Miss Caroline only because she didn't know anyone and she didn't know the families well because she was new to the county. If scout had put herself in the teachers shoes she might have understood that she was new and that she didn’t know many things about the families. Miss Caroline had prejudice towards Walter Cunningham because he didn’t take the money she was giving him but what she didn’t know was the they never took anything that they could not pay back and that The Cunninghams had manners even though they were poor(Scout p.26). She was also judging Burris because he was filthy and had no interest in education but she didn't know what was going

What was most likely not thought about is, that after the fact that Miss Caroline said this, she taught Scout even more in depth than her other students because she was behind on her reading

In this case, Neither Jem nor Scout feels any form of respect towards their teacher, Miss Caroline ( Lee 23 ). This is due to the fact that she does not believe they are worthy of her respect. Knowing that they were born and raised in the country, Miss Caroline assumes that they are simple minded and incapable of being equally as intelligent as she is ( Lee 11 ). This is evident to Jem and Scout because of the subtle attitude and body language that is provided with the lack of respect. She also shows disrespect towards Atticus by undermining his ability to teach his own children, saying, “Now you tell your father not to teach you anymore.”

After starting school, Scout comes upon his first lesson from Atticus. When Walter Cunningham refuses to take a quarter from Miss Caroline to pay for his lunch, Scout begins to explain to her teacher that “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back.” Scout had overheard her father talking to one of his clients, Mr. Cunningham, about how he would pay Atticus for his work on his entailment. Atticus explains to Mr. Cunningham that the money was the least of his worries. Scout later learns that the Cunninghams pay in what they have, for example, stovewood or turnip greens. When Atticus says “ If you can 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.” Scout learns that some people live differently than her, and that it is important to always accept that some people are different. When she explains the situation to her teacher, she gets in trouble, in turn making her not want to go to school anymore.