In the town of Maycomb, it is difficult to arrive at one's own identity. This harsh reality takes its toll on Scout until she befriends three different women, each with their own lessons to teach. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is challenged by many obstacles throughout the novel, but there are three specific women who help Scout develop as a character in many different ways throughout the story as Scout is, in fact, motherless. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the similarities, and differences of which Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, and Aunt Alexandra influence Scout’s life reveal to us the different traits she learns from them such as forgiveness, sophistication, and equality and also how their differences find a way to benefit her in any
She begins to understand the underlying racism issues in her community. Scout comprehends the severity and injustice around the black community and the trial. Her stances and morals often differ from those in Maycomb. She begins to question the ethnicty of her own family ‘ “ Well how do you know we ain’t negroes” “ Uncle Jack Finch says we really don’t know. He says as far as he can trace back the finches ain’t but for all he knows we mighta come straight out of Ethiopia” ’(216). As Scout grows, she becomes intrigued with learning about the minority in Maycomb. Compartitvely, Scout displays maturity when she increasingly begins to develop and interest in no longer wearing her boyish overalls but preferably, joining her aunt in a more lady-like environment. “ I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather, with my best company manners, I asked her if she would have some. After all if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I” (318). The arrangements that Scout had previously deemed boring, soon became absorbing and engaging. Scout begins to paint an ideal image of a young
Throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the main characters, Scout, is impacted by sexism from her family, peers, and community. The book is set in the 1930’s when women were definitely not thought of as equal. There were certain social rules that girls should follow and the ways that society told them to act. The scout is a character that is impacted by sexism throughout the story. She is a young girl that changes because of the oppression that is placed on her by her family and peers. The character Scout is affected by sexism, which Harper Lee uses to develop the reader’s perception of Scout from indecisive and confined to determined, criticized, and conflicted and finally to confident, conflicted, and decisive.
The act of prejudice is one that everyone experiences. Whether it be, a person who is distributing hate, or a person who is receiving hate, everyone has contact with it. Although it is present all over the globe, it is prominent in the United States. Both in the present and the past, endless acts of discrimination have taken place and left a monumental impact on the country. The effect that it leaves can be seen in the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. In this story, sexism, racism, and isolation, are demonstrated in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s. As the story progresses, Lee compares these concepts to one another and uses them to make a statement about the problematic nature in America.
In Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, the main character Scout’s journey of maturation is charted as she progresses in her moral education and gains a broader, more adult perspective of the world around her. Scout learns the vital need for utilising tolerance, compassion and empathy when dealing with others, no matter an individual’s reputation or the circumstance. She is also exposed to the terrible injustice and racial prejudice that overcomes Maycomb’s community, and sees how this outright bigotry has severe consequences. Atticus also teaches Scout the meaning of true courage, in both a physical and a moral sense, and how true bravery is often not appreciated by the majority. Harper
Many people influenced the children’s lives in To Kill a Mockingbird, but two women particularly stand out. Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra were both very influential on the children. Scout and Jem viewed both women differently, but both women affected them. Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie were both proper southern ladies, and both wanted to help Scout and Jem grow into better people, but they had different ideas of what a good person was, and how the children could be good people.
As Aunt Alexandra is living with the Finches there are also many other influences that Scout encounters that developes her maturity and her understanding of the town of Maycomb and the people within
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s depiction of Scout’s personality and aspects differs from the stereotyped ideal little girl. Lee uses Scout’s environment and relations to influence her persona. Jem has an effect on her character, for he told Scout when she was young that she “was being a girl” (Lee 54). Scout wants her brother’s approval and she wants to play with him which takes away from her femininity. Aunt Alexandra influences Scout differently compared to Jem.
Women commonly performed all the work that had to be done around the home. They rarely did other jobs and if so, they would work during the night. In the novel, Scout and Jem do not a have a mother so their father is required to help out more than a male usually would: “I know now what he was trying to do but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work” (Lee 179). Atticus was doing his best to live up to what a female would do, but it was very hard for him. Women work long and hard hours to keep up with their families needs and still have to work during the night to help provide money for their household. Sometimes women worked up to twenty hour days: “At twelve thirty sharp we have our dinner… one washes and irons here
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.
Many people grow and develop many life skills at a young age, others not quite. But for Scout Finch, a young girl going into adolescence, she is one of the early birds. Scout is a young girl living in Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb is a small town with many pleasant and unpleasant neighbors, Miss Crawford, the town’s gossiper, is one of them. Scout, however, believes her because of the situation, but she later comprehends that it is not real. Scout lives with her older brother, Jem, her father, Atticus, and the house worker, Calpurnia. Calpurnia has been working for the Finch’s ever since Atticus was a young boy. She is also an important factor towards the development of
There is a famous saying that says, “look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man and act like a boss”. In the 1930’s women were expected to be polite and wear dresses, while men were hard-working and were forced to be like gentlemen. Scout Finch, the daughter of Atticus Finch, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird ,by Harper Lee, has characteristics of a tomboy, but there are many feminine expectations forced on her. Scout refuses to listen to the edified teachings of her Aunt Alexandra, Mrs.Dubose, and other upper-class women of the Maycomb County. She prefers to go her own route, following her curiosity and searching for her true identity underneath her tough skin. Harper Lee specifies that gender inequality and roles are major themes tied together during the time period in Maycomb. Harper Lee develops Scout’s character and hints clues of her masculinity throughout the book, while also comparing and contrasting her characteristics with other women in the society.
There are many people throughout Scouts life that have shaped her the way she and who have influenced her in many ways. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there are two main characters that helped teach and influence Scout’s life. First, Calpurnia influenced Scout’s life by teaching her new way into how to be “ladylike,” and was a huge woman figure to Scout. Second is Boo Radley, and he taught the valuable lesson of walking in someone else's shoes.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird particularizes the life of the relationship between a motherless brother and sister, Jem and Scout, and their level-headed father, Atticus, who decides to answer any question that their children may have, with ease. Scout Finch, having been a girl, has many masculine influences, which therefore motivate her to dress like a boy and be fascinated with being tough, guns, and adventure. Although improper, Scout’s upbringing shows her how good and evil continuously clash within her society. Through the entirety of the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee reveals how an immature tomboy can grow into a pure hearted young woman, who can tell her superiors about the difference from right and wrong, and who knows how to properly deal with the different kinds of people she will encounter later in life.
Scout in her childhood faces many adversities a child should not have faced. Her mother died when she was two and lived with only male influences, Jem, 10 and
How much power do women have in our society? Many people argue that women do not really posses much power or contribute to our society. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tries to emphasize the ways women in the novel control and contribute to their society. Female power is when a woman has or lacks control of herself or others. Moreover, female power in the novel is seen through the three perspectives of Scout, Mayella, and Miss Stephanie. Throughout the county of Maycomb, the theme of female power is seen through isolation, fear, and education.