To Kill A Mockingbird Calpurnia Essay

Calpurnia, or “Cal”, was the Finch’s African-American housekeeper and cook. Her being a black, middle-aged woman in a white dominated society, we can already infer she has experienced great racial injustices. Throughout the novel, we see significant and noticeable changes in the main characters, but little development in Calpurnia´s character. Before you discard this essay on what was supposed to be about a chosen character changing due to social and racial injustices throughout the book, give the thesis some thought. Scout is the narrator of the book, therefore we are seeing changes through her point of view; so we only see Calpurnia changing through the eyes of Scout, but they were not in actuality

The last type of social inequality is the disparity between men and women. During that time, women were not considered equal to men and as such, there was a particular way in which women were expected to act and certain practices they had to follow. For example, women had to act in a very proper and ladylike way. This is evident through the treatment of Scout by Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra is very familiar with the expectations of women and how women are supposed to act. She attempts to shape Scout into the kind of lady that society will approve of. Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout is too boyish. Also, Mayella Ewell’s sexual relations with Tom Robinson are unacceptable on two levels: interracial relations were evidently forbidden, as previously mentioned. However, this relationship was also unacceptable because for a woman to make advances towards a man was not socially acceptable at that time. Furthermore, if a man were to make advances towards a woman, it was her duty to stop him. As is evident, women had a predefined role that they had to fit into that society had created for them.

Another stereotype in Maycomb that African Americans, specifically, might be placed under is that they are uneducated and inferior to the white community. Calpurnia disproves this easily. In fact, when Scout is describing her and the arguments they had, she states that “Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side” (Lee 6). This clearly shows that Calpurnia has Atticus’ approval, something she could only gain by showing intelligence and capability. It proves that she is not only correct and just in her ways, but that she is respected and has some authority in the Finch household. This is neither common nor stereotypical in Maycomb, and neither is Boo Radley. Though he is at the center of the most notorious story in all of Maycomb, and is rumored to be a haunted psychopath, he is not the typical recluse. His true nature is revealed in “Summer, and he watched his children’s heart break. Autumn again, and Boo’s children needed him” (Lee 279). Clearly, Boo is much more benevolent than anyone could perceive, as he chooses to be kind despite his hardship. He disproves the stereotype that would lead Maycomb citizens to see him as spiteful or self-pitying, by coming to the aid of Jem and Scout. He goes so far as to call Scout and Jem “his children”, proving his love and sense of responsibility towards them. Moreover, his empathy proves that the existence of racism is not the only thing Maycomb County does not fully comprehend. In

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

Calpurnia was the Finch’s African- american housekeeper. She played a huge role in the parenting of both Scout and Jem because Atticus was an only father. Calpurnia helped Scout become more ladylike at the end of the novel by teaching her proper manners and edict. Scout is a hardcore

Scout notices that Calpurnia’s voice seems ‘strange’. Then Calpurnia explains to them on why she talked like that, and teaches them. “I just wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to our church.”“They’s my comp’ny,” said Calpurnia. Again I thought her voice strange: she was talking like the rest of them…’Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks’ talk at home-it’d be out of place, wouldn’t it? Now what if I talked white-folks’ talk at church, and with my neighbors? They’d think I was puttin’ on airs to bear Moses.’” This shows that Calpurnia changes how she talks, she adapts herself to who she’s with, colored or not, to make them comfortable and not question how she talks, and to sound ‘normal’, according to what normal is to the people she’s with. It is respectful because as she said, talking colored folks at home would be out of place while talking white folks talk at church and with her neighbors would also be out of place, so she is respectful of what people think is right. (Page 135 and 143) My final piece of evidence is in chapter 14 where Alexandra wants to make Calpurnia leave, since she’s there now, and Atticus defends her telling how Calpurnia is a faithful member of the family and has earned his

“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.

After Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to church, she tells them, “You’re not gonna change? any of them by talkin’ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language,” (Lee, 1960, p. 167). This statement Calpurnia tells to Scout and Jem proves in Maycomb she has no right to having one life. She either has to act more smart and sophisticated, or she must act like her friends and family in the black community. Calpurnia having to go back and forth between lives shows the readers the way most African American woman had to act to be able to fit in without being discriminated or treated unequally by others.

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

After Calpurnia takes the kids to church with her one day, Scout begins to ask questions while they walk home. She asks Cal why she talks like the other black people while she is at church. Cal tries to explain why she does that. After trying to explain a few times, she says “‘It’s not necessary to tell all you know.’” (Lee 167). Cal explaining this to Scout and Jem changes a lot for them. After this, the kids gets another glimpse of the difference between groups of people in Maycomb. This helps them understand again that everyone is different and that you have to think of other people’s perspectives before you conclude something.

“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”. Discuss this quote from Atticus in relation to 3 characters from the novel.

As a reader that seemed very racist towards Cal because she raised Scout and Jem like her own. By Alexandra saying that it meant she wasn't good enough to be a woman figure Scout can look up to.

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird a major theme is the loss of innocence. Whether from emotional abuse, racial prejudice or learning, Boo, Tom, and Scout all lose their innocence in one sense or another. The prejudice that each character endures leads to their loss. Through the responses of Boo, Tom, and Scout, Harper Lee shows how each character responded differently to their loss of innocence.

Though Calpurnia and the people involved in Calpurnia’s life are greatly impacted, Jean Louise Finch, a.k.a. Scout, deals with more confusion and frustration brought on by racial discrimination. During a day at school, Scout encountered Cecil Jacobs and his ignorant mind. “Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting any more… I soon forgot. Cecil Jacobs made me forget. He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defends niggers”(Lee 99). Scout did not realize what this meant, but she was hurt by it any way. Scout is affected by a copious amount of racism, she just has no clue what is zipping around her. When she confronted Atticus about him defending Negroes, he said of course he does, and to not use

Harper Lee demonstrates the gender inequity In to Kill a Mockingbird through the description and words of the female narrator, Scout. The prejudice of Maycomb is shown so clearly, even an innocent child like Scout can see the raging extent of gender prejudice that surrounds her. Scout having traits that are more masculine in quality automatically makes her an outcast and disliked by Maycomb's many conforming ideals. Scouts innocence allows the novel to develop through an unbiased perspective. Women had little to serve in juries and there was the constant expectation all women had to act and dress like a Lady. Aunt Alexandra an evident example of having strong beliefs on how separate genders should behave, constantly scolding Scout for wearing her overalls and behaving too tomboyish." I was not so sure, but Jem told me i was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, thats why other people hated them so, and if i started behaving like one i could just go off and find some to play with. (4.119) Scout is raised to believe boys were better than girls, raised in a bigoted and heavily bias community, scout finds it a difficult and unfair experience trying to understand the unjust perceptions of the adults around her. Having Scout narrate the whole novel allows Harper lee to highlight the gender inequity in Maycomb.