The Characters Of Calpurnia As A Mockingbird

Atticus chose to raise his kids, and Aunt Alexandra does not approve of this, so they disagree in many situations. This causes Aunt Alexandra and Atticus to fight, creating a hostile and unhappy environment for Jem and Scout. An example of one of these fights is about Calpurnia. Aunt Alexandra thinks that Calpurnia has not raised the children correctly and that she must leave. Atticus is angered by this, as he thinks that she has done a great job raising them. I agree with Atticus, as Calpurnia has acted very well as a mother. When Walter Cunningham was over for dinner, when Scout acted inappropriately, Calpurnia was there to scold her and tell her what she should do. These fights between Atticus and Aunt Alexandra cause Scout and Jem to fight. Calpurnia has done a great job raising the children, so there is no need for Aunt Alexandra to be there. This causes many fights between Aunt Alexandra and

In the Novel “To kill a mockingbird” by Harper Lee. Calpurnia really cares about Scout. Calpurnia is a cook in the Finch's home, she is very stern and bullheaded. Scout is the narrator of the story she was only six to ten years old. Consequently Scout doesn't want to accept the fact that Calpurnia cares about her ; this is shown in young children it's hard for them to understand when older people actually care about them.

Towards Jem, we see instances in Calpurnia in which she almost seems soft. For example, after Jem wrecks Mrs. Dubose’s camellia, and the kids were skulking around, Calpurnia knew Jem was upset, and gave him a hot biscuit-and-butter. One may argue this is the beginning of a change in Calpurnia, but we may look at it as Cal just being a mom. One can refute the argument of change that Scout is just beginning to see the good side of her and why Cal does what she does. She has already gone through the phases with her own children, and know how it is herself growing up. In the middle of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem is starting to grow up and is becoming a teenager. This is evident by Scout’s overwhelming frustration with Jem in the quote, “His maddening superiority was unbearable these days. He didn’t want to do anything but read and go off by himself.” (Lee 184) Calpurnia, being the experienced mother/caregiver she is, had seen that, and started giving Jem his space, and started calling him “Mister Jem”. Scout realizes Calpurnia is not as bad as she once thought. Scout realizes Calpurnia can be nice when given the chance.

Calpurnia is pressured to meet the expectations set for both women and blacks in Maycomb society, and in many ways she does a good job at conforming to them. Calpurnia works as a nanny to Jem and Scout, which is a common job for black women. As the only adult woman in the household, Calpurnia,of course, keeps order on all things. She is an excellent cook and very strict towards Scout and Jem. Scout has a knack for getting in trouble, so she often complains about Calpurnia’s ‘tyrannical presence’. Despite this, readers often get a glance at Calpurnia’s maternal side. When Jem tells Scout to start acting like a girl, she flees to Cal for support. Although, she can’t give Scout much advice she is able to comfort her. “I just can’t help it if Mister Jem’s growin’ up. He’s gonna want to be off to himself a lot now, doin’ whatever boys do, so you just come right on in the

“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.

In the story, Calpurnia plays a role that allows the reader to explore the theme of racism, prejudice, and as well as femininity. Calpurnia acts as a mother figure to both Scout and Jem, especially since they lost their mom when they were young. For Scout specifically, Calpurnia has a huge feminine influence as well since Scout basically grew up without her biological mom and Calpurnia was the woman that helped her get dress, taught her how to write, and took care of her since she was young. Being a tomboy, Scout doesn’t see the benefits of being a lady like how Aunt Alexandra wants her to. However, she learns by watching Calpurnia that “there was some skill involved in being a girl” (154). This shows that Calpurnia, although

Bluntly put, Calpurnia is the Finches' housekeeper in the novel. However, she is so much more to the family. She conducts herself as a mother figure to Jem and Scout, as she practically raised them after their mother's death. Along with Miss Maudie, Calpurnia is a strong, positive female influence in Jem and Scout's lives. She is a parallel to Atticus in her lessons of politeness and compassion and contrasts with Aunt Alexandra's harsh discipline and strict gender roles. In my perception, she is a very significant character that teaches the children how to cope up with challenging situations regarding race and class that arise in the book. This is also my reasons for why I chose her as a character worthy of discussion.

The narrator states, “...She was always ordering me out the kitchen, asking me why I couldn’t behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn’t ready to come...She had been with us since Jem was born. ”(Pg). Calpurnia has been there for the kids since scout was a baby and never left their side.

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

Calpurnia is very respectful towards others and tries to treat them generously. Calpurnia says, “‘That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?’” (Lee 32). Calpurnia is basically trying to teach Scout a lesson about treating people in general. Although people may act weird, they can be easily misunderstood. Without Calpurnia’s help in Scout’s education, she would probably have the same reading skills as some of the kids in her classroom of whom many are illiterate. This allows Scout to increase her opportunities and branch out more. In addition, one of the biggest things that really influenced Scout was Calpurnia bridging the white and black cultures together. It might not seem like it would change much, but Scout got massive input from both cultures. When Scout goes to church with Calpurnia, She learns that the blacks are much poorer than whites. Scout also learns that many Blacks cannot read whatsoever and instead sing songs and listen. Calpurnia helps Scout dabble in some of these practices of changing her way of

Along with these stereotypes comes racism. Jem and Scout first experience racism against them when Calpurnia takes them to her church one Sunday. Another member of Calpurnia’s church berates Calpurnia for bringing Jem and Scout into an all-black church. Calpurina refuses to let berating change her mind about allowing the children to attend her church. Rather than allow the children to go home as Jem suggests, Calpurnia challenges the racism against white people and proclaims that the children are her “comp’ny” (Lee 158). Throughout the novel Calpurnia models the respect that Atticus expects his children to show. Calpurnia complies with her hospitality whenever she is given the opportunity. In his article “Race in To Kill a Mockingbird” Chris Gonzalez refers to Calpurnia’s hospitality as “a great equalizer of

Calpurnia often brushes off things the children ask her, because she knows that it isn’t her place, but if she was a true motherly figure she would explain things, like Miss Maudie. When Scout and Jem ask her about rape, her response was “It's somethin' you'll have to ask Mr. Finch about" (165). Miss Maudie, however, isn’t paid to anything, her actions come from her care for Scout and Jem. Miss Maudie helps them understand things about the world they live in, and helps prepare them for what is to come. Miss Maudie isn’t afraid to tell them what they need to hear, but she says it in a way Jem and Scout can perceive it on their

Calpurnia plays one role in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Calpurnia is the maid or nanny you could say for Jem and Scout since they lost their mother at a young age. She is black but often shows a side of her that would not resemble a black person for example: the way she talks, who she spends her time with the most, and how she is treated. Although Calpurnia is around white people for majority of her time she also has another side to her that the kids do not often see.

The book,¨To kill a Mockingbird¨ and ¨The Help¨ have people who really appreciate what others do for them no matter the race. By the same token, ¨To kill a Mockingbird¨ Scout, Jem and Atticus treat Calpurnia as if she was family, they don't think less of her or make her feel useless. Scout and Jem are always listening to Calpurnia's advice and are really never impolite to her and treat her as if she was more than just their maid(Lee,np).Atticus never mistreat´s Calpurnia, in all of maycomb Atticus stands out and never looks in the outside and really cares about what's inside, even though everyone else in Maycomb is very judgmental and uncivil without trying.Everyone in Maycomb feels the need to have someone that's less than them so they

Harper Lee uses Calpurnia as an example of respect. Lee states, "That Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me. The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one, to say nothing of her having command of two languages"(143). Scout and Jem respect Calpurnia even though she is black. Scout and Jem think of Calpurnia as a mother. They respect Calpurnia and see her as equal. Harper Lee also uses Atticus as an example of a show of respect. When Scout asks Atticus if he is a n*****-lover", he responds, "I certainly am. I do my best to love everyone..."(140). Atticus is telling scout that he tries his best to treat everyone with