Unhealthyness In To Kill A Mockingbird

Aunt Alexandra is moving in with Scout and her family because as her mother had passed and Atticus believes she needs a female influence. This chapter explores how Scout feels about the change and how Aunt Alexandra is getting accustomed to the ways in life in Maycomb. In To Kill a Mockingbird literary devices are used throughout chapter 13 to drive the recurring theme coming of age, using diction, metaphors, and imagery. Body Paragraphs # 1-3 The metaphor used in chapter 13 contributes to the theme of coming of age to establish Scout's ability to point

Aunt Alexandra doesn’t believe that Scout is feminine enough and disapproves of her tomboyish looks. She hates the way Scout dresses, can't believe that Atticus allows her to curse, and disapproves of her friends.

First of all, Lee’s critical tone of prejudice is demonstrated by Scout’s innocent curiosity and perception of her surrounding society. Specifically, Lee’s critical tone is illustrated by Scout’s curiosity and the numerous questions she asks her family members throughout the duration of the novel. For example, when Scout raises questions to her Aunt Alexandra concerning her prejudice towards the Cunningham family, her innocence is exhibited by her desire to understand the world, but also to question it. A specific example of Scout’s curiosity is when Aunt Alexandra informs Scout not to invite Walter over for dinner, which leads Scout to ask “Why not, Aunty? They’re good folks” (223). Aunt Alexandra responds with: “The thing is, you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he’ll never be like Jem” (224). Aunt Alexandra’s response exemplifies her prejudice towards the structure of the social classes in Maycomb County. However, Scout’s innocent nature enables her to remain uncorrupted by prejudice and to question the unquestionable. Lee’s use of a child as a narrator allows her to ask the tough questions regarding Maycomb County’s way of life and question why it is prejudiced towards a certain individual or group of individuals. Moreover, Harper Lee’s choice of narration

Halfway through the novel, Scout encounters complications when she visits her relatives at Christmas and becomes entangled in a fistfight with her cousin over Atticus defending Tom Robinson. This is where Scout gets the first inklings of the idea that she, Atticus and Jem, do not belong with the social standards that the rest of the family follows. Further obstacles arise when Aunt Alexandra starts living with the Finch’s. Aunt Alexandra, more of a hassle than a help to Scout, attempts to bring her up to be a ‘proper young lady’, much to Scout’s displeasure. Scout does not feel as though she belongs to the societal standard of growing up to become a lady. The Finch’s family life is then juxtaposed with the life of the black population of the town. The black community has a lower social class than the white

Harper Lee demonstrates the contrast between morality and society in the characters Atticus and his sister Aunt Alexandria. Alexandria has been influenced by society and follows their racist and sexist ways. She believes that Scout should be “playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing”(Lee 108) pearl necklaces and dresses, in order to “be a ray of sunshine in [her] father’s lonely life”(108). However, Atticus, who doesn’t believe in these immoral gender roles and instead tells Scout “he didn’t mind [her] much the way [she] was” and he lets her wear overalls and play outside despite his sister’s judgement. One night Atticus went to speak to the children and he said “your Aunt Alexandria asked me… son you know you’re a Finch, don’t you?... Your aunt has asked me to try to impress upon you that you are not from run-of-the-mill people...She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are”(177) but then goes on to say “I don’t want you to remember any of that. Forget it.”(179) His sister is trying to

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a complex literary work exploring several aspects of the human condition. Lee’s story is one based in the 1930’s, shortly before the Civil Rights Movement. Her novel ventures into the societal issues, such as racism and gender stereotyping, in their fictional town, Maycomb. One recurring theme throughout the narrative is the social adjustment of the citizens of Maycomb and the human race as a whole. Lee showcases the progress in social justice matters by using symbolism and motifs.

By treating her family lineage as unimportant, Scout was thought of by many as bringing shame to the Finch name, thus creating chaos within Maycomb. At the time of their Aunt Alexandra’s visit, Atticus said, “She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly” (Lee 178). After Atticus finished this dialogue, Scout began to cry due to the opposition toward Aunt Alexandra’s ideals about lineage being important in one’s everyday life. The reason for her emotional response was that Aunt Alexandra had turned to heredity to explain behavior and justify actions since her arrival. However, Scout had never been exposed to an environment where her history could be so valued. Aunt Alexandra’s order was disrupted with chaos when she saw how little Scout cared about lineage and believed that Scout’s unruly behavior was a result of her neglect to bring respect to the Finch name. When

Scout is a very strong and independent character who believes in who she is. She does not allow anyone to push her around even if that means she has to settle an argument in an immature way such as fist fights. Scout is unlike many girls in her town. She likes to play outside,wear pants and she doesn’t like to play with teasets or dolls. This appalls many adults who are not understanding of why Scout is different from the other girls. Many neighbors and relatives put the blame on Atticus for “not raising her right”. Atticus is often criticized because he took a different role in life than his siblings and left the Finch landing. The Finch Landing is a huge farm run by workers paid slim to none. Atticus’s siblings, Alexandra and Jack stayed at the farm and took in the money and watched the workers work. Generations and generations of Finches had done this with the exception of Atticus. Instead he felt there was more to life and decided to go to school and become a lawyer. He is now raising Scout and Jem. With Scout’s mom dead, many people feel they need to intervene with Atticus’s parenting to play a mother figure. Alexandra plays a big part in this and sits Scout down to chat. Alexandra tells Scout that she

But, specifically for women and girls. They didn’t get many rights and freedom as they do today. Also, it was a big deal for a woman or girl to not match society’s standards because it wasn’t common. That leads into how Scout’s representation of a girl is viewed in various ways by others. Back to the day when Alexandra first comes, she starts hammering on Scout, starting with what she said first: “We decided it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys-” (Lee 170). Scout doesn’t like what she said because she simply isn’t interested in what Alexander says she should be. Again, it seems that Alexandra doesn’t like how Scout isn’t fitting into society’s standard for girls. Scout is also convicted of being different from Jem. Jem’s view on Scout is the complete opposite of Alexandra’s, meaning he isn’t used to or wants Scout acting ‘girly’. Jem started to notice change in her when Scout refuses to sneak into the Radley’s property to see inside of the house. “Jem, please-” Jem replies,"Scout, I’m tellin‘ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!" (Lee 69). Scout isn’t intending to act differently than she has used to, but she is saying no because she knows it isn’t a smart decision to begin with. Later on after the trial, Jem is

Jean Louise “Scout” Finch has an evolution of character when certain conflicts and realizations lead her to change throughout the novel. At first, Scout is innocent, thinking that her home, Maycomb County and the people in it, are going to be the same as they were close to twenty years ago. Scout is a smart girl, young and confident, she does not worry about what she’s wearing or what others think of her. Scout wears clothing that her aunt and the people of Maycomb wouldn’t accept, “I do wish this time you’d try to dress better when you’re home. Folks in town get the wrong impression of you. They think you are-ah-slumming.” (Lee 21). Aunt Alexandra has told Scout many times that she should not dress the way she does but Scout doesn’t listen.

Atticus taught Scout a very important lesson after hearing her depressing experience on her first day of school: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around it” (39). This book focus on how a person’s perspective determines the way they judge other people. Although Maycomb is a nice town, people in this town have the tendency to put a label on each other. Atticus lives by his principle to ignore the looks and view people by their true intention, he gives people respect first. This line impacted and influenced Scott, so much so that at the end of the story she is able to view others through a different lens. This line shows the theme of courage because

Mrs.Dubose yells at Scout for having on overalls instead of a dress. She addresses this in the worst way possible. “What are you doing with those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady!”(Lee 135) She is stereotyping women, saying that all women should wear a dress and camisole. Overalls cannot be for women? Scout starts to learn what a girl “should” act like after Jem yelled at her to grow up acting like a girl. “She [Calpurnia] seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think that there was some skill involved in being a girl”(Lee, 154). Calpurnia is slowly showing Scout what she is supposed to live up to. Aunt Alexandra stays with the Finch’s to push Scout to be a lady! “We [Aunt Alexandra and Atticus] decided it was best for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys” (Lee 170). Aunt Alexandra is trying too hard to change Scout’s life by making her wear dresses and stereotyping her to be a “little lady” instead of taking it one day at a time. “When I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing anything that required pants” (Lee 108). Aunt Alexandra wishes Scout would play with “ small stoves” and “tea sets” because that is how little ladies are supposed to act. Scout does not care what Aunt

Racism is witnessed many times throughout Scout's life, but not many times through her family as Atticus believes all people are equal. The only times she really sees it in her household is when Aunt Alexandra gets there. Jem and Scout talk to each other about what Aunt Alexandra says to Atticus and it shows her views. “She won’t let him alone about Tom Robinson. She almost said Atticus was disgracin’ the family. Scout… I’m scared.’ ‘Scared’a what?’ ‘Scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him”(167). Not only does this quote show her views about a different race, it also shows her directing her thoughts towards Atticus. She is trying to guilt Atticus into changing his mind and to keep the Finch family legacy going strong. This method of persuasion obviously does not work on Atticus, as he continues with the trial, despite Aunt Alexandra’s perspective on the

One thing they are is a happy family. This is all that matters in life, to be happy because it can be taken from you with the snap of the fingers. The Finch’s, in Aunt Alexandra’s book, are not a fine family. Someone would say that Atticus, letting Scout run around with the boys , and wear overalls and such is dishonorable. Yes, at one point we all need to grow up, but they are kids. Happiness only comes around once in awhile and they should grab while they can. Scout is different, but isn’t everyone. These are the things that makes us unique. This goes to show that Aunt Alexandra gets what she wants no matter the consequences. This doesn’t make her a good influence on Scout or Jem because they need to look up to someone who cares about others and what’s going on around them. Atticus does this by taking the Tom Robinson case. He cares about what influence he has on his kids. He knew it wouldn't be right to just let this man die for a crime he mostly likely didn’t commit. Even though this case isn’t an easy one and will most likely lose he takes it. Something people might also say is that back in the old days a women would get nowhere without acting like a part of society. Scout’s life would be much easier if she put on a dress and acted how a girl should back then, but she doesn’t and because of that a difference is being made. Society evolves because of change without it we would be no where. Scout is just the start of people going against all the feminism. She can wear overalls and still be treated with respect. She’s a good person and deserves to dress and act like she wants to. Aunt Alexandra doesn’t understand that change can be good. That you don’t have to act like someone you're not. Family name and importance is not as important as making your family happy. Aunt Alexandra isn’t a good influence because she doesn’t care about what Jem and Scout

Understandably, Scout is quite offended by her aunt’s criticism, but Atticus assures his daughter that she is just fine the way she is. Nevertheless, Scout can’t help but be bothered by the fact that her aunt does not appreciate her personality. Mrs. Dubose, of course, comments on Scout’s tomboyish behaviour. She is malcontented with the way that Scout acts and, as always, makes it known. “what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grow up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways – a Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Café – hah!” (135). Mrs. Dubose has been described as “the meanest old woman who ever lived” so it is not surprising that she would judge Scout like this. Regardless of her character, it is unseemly of her to claim that Scout will amount to nothing. The fact that Scout does not usually wear dresses or drink tea like a typical lady in her time, does not mean she won’t succeed in life. She is a strong-willed, clever girl, who is capable of impressive feats. Mrs. Dubose is wrong in making assumptions about Scout’s future based on the fact that she wears overalls.