To Kill a Mockingbird - Calpurnia Cares

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

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

“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.

To begin with, Calpurnia is a coloured housekeeper and a cook for the Finch family which are Atticus (father), Scout (daughter) and Jem (son). She is a confident lady and has "more education than most colored folks" (32). According to the Finch family, they accept her as a part of the family due to Atticus allowing Calpurnia to lecture Scout on her behavior because some white families do not accept the teachings morals from a coloured woman. For instance, when Scout judged on how Walter ate, Calpurnia at that very moment taught her that was not acceptable and is always correcting her manners as well with Jem. Calpurnia is a caring mother who personally treats Jem and Scout as her very own children. Moving on, the Finch family does not judge her due to her skin colour, instead, they trust her.

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

She gives the children helpful lessons in life that will benefit them, alongside Atticus’ lessons too. “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you so high and mighty,” (Lee 33). This was a quote by Calpurnia after Scout started to make fun of Walter Cunningham, who was a boy that had issues with money, when he poured syrup over his food. This quote shows that Calpurnia is equal and fair when she treats people and wants the children to grasp these values in their lives when they interact with

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.

Blackstone’s Commentaries, one of the most important books on British Law (as well as an important influence on American Law), was written by Sir William Blackstone in an attempt to allow common folk to read and understand the law. Calpurnia briefly mentions the book while Jem and Scout are wondering how she and her son, Zeebo, learned to read and write, explaining that Blackstone’s Commentaries is influential in her ability to speak “proper” English., “Jem was thunderstruck… ‘That’s why you don’t talk like the rest of ‘em’” (166-167). Jem comes to this realization after Calpurnia’s explanation, and understands what distinguishes her speech from that of other African-Americans of Maycomb. Although not made explicit in her writing, Harper Lee intends for Blackstone’s Commentaries to be interpreted directly as an object symbolizing the law. As a result, the factor that differentiates Calpurnia and Zeebo from other African-Americans is not that they are literate and have the ability to speak proper English, but that they know the law. However, the importance of this does not stop

She was once confronted at her church when a woman snobbishly asked why two children of the opposite race came to a black church. Calpurnia said they had every right to go with the answer of saying we all worship the same God. (119). Another example is when Scout seems worried and alone when a gap in Jem’s behavior lead him to act up like a regular teenager. And Scout felt like their close relationship could fade away but Calpurnia reassured her saying that they can always play together too. Lee writes: ““Baby,” said Calpurnia, “… you just come right on in the kitchen when you feel lonesome. We’ll find lots of things to do in here.”” (115). In conclusion, Calpurnia not only defends the children but genuinely has compassion for the well-being of Jem and Scout, just like how a mother would.

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 from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is caring. Calpurnia is caring because when they go out and see the mad dog they run in and try to call everyone and to tell them to shut their windows and doors. “Calpurnia stared, then grabbed us by the shoulders and ran us home” (Lee, pg. 123). This connects to the thesis because this shows that she cares about everyone that surrounds her. Cal is trying to protect Jem and Scout with her body from the dog when Atticus tells Cal to go inside. She tried to block us with her body, but we looked out from beneath her arms” (Lee, pg. 126). This quote goes along with Cal being caring because she puts her own body in front so Jem and Scout don’t get hurt. Cal did not want Atticus to miss the shot

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