What Is The Mother's Role In To Kill A Mockingbird

561 Words2 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells a story of a lawyer, Atticus Finch, and his children during the most important trial to come to their home in Maycomb County. Unfortunately, their family has been rendered motherless since Atticus’s wife died before the events in the novel. However, if the Finch mother was alive during the timeline in Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, her presence would drastically limit many characters’ development. Calpurnia, the family’s cook, serves as the dominant female figure to the children, but her role would not be as important if the mother had been in the novel. The protagonist of the story, Atticus’s daughter Scout, “…had felt her... presence as long as [she] could remember” (Lee 7). Cal has been with the family for many years and is the main feminine influence in their life. If she is not tending to the housekeeping, Calpurnia is giving the children advice, keeping them in line, or taking them to church. Consequently, if the mother was in the story, Cal’s character would simply be a cook with nothing more to her. She might not have even been in To Kill a Mockingbird, similar to Aunt Alexandra. …show more content…

Unfortunately, this event causes the kids to have to put up with constant nagging from the gossiping motor-mouth that is their aunt. Even with Calpurnia around, Atticus, “… decided that it would be best for [Scout] to have some feminine influence” (Lee 170). In spite of this, Alexandra would have no need to come to Maycomb if the womanly influence of the Finch mother was present. Aunt Alexandra’s appearance would be reduced to almost none if Jem and Scout’s mom was alive during this time. Not only would the children’s relationship with their aunt be altered, but their relationship with each other would be as

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast Calpurnia And Aunt Alexandra

    182 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are many strong woman characters in my opinion, but the two that stuck out to me the most is Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia. Both Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia are determined woman with fierce devotion to their families, and they also both have strong morals of what they believe to be right and wrong. They also both play motherly figures in scout’s life; Calpurnia is more open minded and had a greater impact on scout as a motherly figure showing he both the white and black culture of Maycomb while Aunt Alexandra is more of a strict motherly figure in scouts life always lecturing her about the social and racist class distractions and family history. In this way they are similar. Although they are

    Read More

  • Examples Of Duality In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1784 Words  | 4 Pages

    Alexandra first arrives at Maycomb a little while before Tom Robinson’s trial begins. The main purpose of her visit is to support Atticus and the kids, because of the case Atticus is taking on. She wants them to keep the family name. “It was plain that Aunty thought me dull in the extreme, because I once heard her tell atticus that I was sluggish. [...] Alexandra was positively irritable on the Lord’s day.” (170) “Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people [...] Presently I picked up a comb from Jem’s dresser and ran its teeth along the edge. ‘Stop that noise’, Atticus said. His courtness stung me. [...] I felt myself beginning to cry, but I could not stop.” (177-178) “She promised me I could come out to her house one afternoon. ‘You may not’ [Replied Alexandra].”(181) “...you’ve got to do something about her. [...] You’ve let things go on too long, Atticus, too long.” (182) All these quotes show that Aunt Alexandra brought evil and unrest to the family. Alexandra called scout sluggish. She was irritable on Saturday. She also caused Atticus to yell at Scout, something that he had never done before. Another evil is the racism that Alexandra presents. She tries to get rid of Calpurnia, and doesn’t let Scout go to her house. On the other hand, like most other characters and settings in To Kill A

    Read More

  • Influence Of Aunt Scout In To Kill A Mockingbird

    897 Words  | 2 Pages

    Scout’s Aunt Alexandra helped develop Scout from tomboy to lady. For the most part confound Scout as she desires and wants to be a tomboy and wants to be free of Aunt Alexandra would like her to be more conservative and be bound by the traditions of the southern culture which she feels is incredibly important. The one moment where Scout really appears to be influenced by Aunt Alexandra is when Scout notices with some small amount of pride that in the midst of all the furor over the trial and other events in the town, Aunt Alexandra maintains her composure and her "lady-like" demeanor which Scout admires and feels she can learn from. Also Scout learns many negative aspects from Aunt Alexandra during

    Read More

  • To Kill a Mockingbird

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    Children look up to their elders for wisdom and advice. They rely on someone experienced and with authority for guidance on how to live their lives. However, sometimes the people who are accountable for youth mislead them; they may have good intentions, but are not mature enough to exemplify their values and morals, or they simply are ignorant. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Aunt Alexandra plays a negative role: she is a proper, southern lady with a strict code of behaviour and etiquette, but is too closed-minded and obstreperous to change her ways or view the world from others’ perspectives. Calpurnia takes on the position of a positive role model by disciplining the children in the Finch household. Miss Maudie takes on the role of a motherly companion, who shares warmth and words of wisdom with Jem and Scout Finch.

    Read More

  • How Does Aunt Alexandra Use Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    Calpurnia had been serving some coffee to Aunt Alexandra when Atticus walked in and how he said Braxton Underwood despised Negroes right in front of her. “Anything fit to say at the table’s fit to say in front of Calpurnia. She knows what she means to this family,”(209). Aunt Alexandra realizes how important Calpurnia is to the family and she realizes she is a good person and she doesn't need to keep anything secretive things from her because no one should keep secrets from someone even if it is about them. By having Aunt Alexandra wait until Calpurnia came into the kitchen shows that there is no need to tell everyone else but her or even at a different time. Aunt Alexandra wanted to wait for her because she now accepts that she is part of the family and how everyone treats her the ways she would want to be treated. The school year is going to start soon for the kids and Scout is already talking about how she and Walter were going to spend time together walking to and from school and just hanging out after school too. “But I want to play with Walter, Aunty, why can’t I?” She took off her glasses and stared at me. “I’ll tell you why,” she said, “Because- he – is – trash, that’s why you can’t play with him” (301) Aunt Alexandra is not only racist towards the blacks but even poor whites like the Cunningham’s. Walter Cunningham is one of Scout’s classmates

    Read More

  • The Transformation of Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Aunt Alexandra first arrived at the Finch house, she took over as if she had been living there her whole life. When arriving home, Jem and Scout found her, “sitting in a rocking chair exactly as if she had sat there every day of her life.”(p. 168). From the very beginning, Aunt Alexandra felt she should be completely in charge. The first thing she said was, “‘Put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia,’” (p. 169). Aunt Alexandra treated Calpurnia as if Calpurnia was her servant. Aunt Alexandra was a strong influence within the Finches home, from the beginning. It did not do much of anything in the end, yet Jem and Scout saw a different side of their father, Atticus. “Atticus suddenly grew serious. In his lawyer’s voice, without a shade of affection, he said: ‘Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon [Jem] and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations’ gentle breeding−’”(p. 177). This may have been one of the first times that the children...

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter 13

    183 Words  | 1 Pages

    During one of Aunt Alexandra’s missionary circle meetings, Atticus briefly interrupts the meeting to ask Aunt Alexandra, along with Calpurnia; Miss Maudie; and Scout; to join him in the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, Atticus tells them about Tom’s death before leaving with Calpurnia to meet with Tom’s wife. This leaves Aunt Alexandra worrying about Atticus’ health and questioning the town. Aunt Alexandra becomes conflicted with the town, wondering why they leave all the problems to her brother. As this goes on, Scout watches her aunt put herself together like a lady before returning to the meeting. Scout recognises this as her aunt being strong and imitates her aunt’s actions. “After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Mother Figures In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1237 Words  | 3 Pages

    One main example of a maternal figure is Calpurnia. She is the African-American housekeeper and cook who has watched over Scout all her life. “ She was always ordering me out of 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. Our battles were epic and one-sided...She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember” (Lee 12). This quote is how we are introduced to Calpurnia, and Scout describes her not as a mother, but more as a figure of an Antagony for the household. On several occasions she is scolding or punishing the children. In Scout’s mind, she is the disciplinary

    Read More

  • Miss Maudie & Aunt Alex

    1623 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aunt Alexandra has strict and traditional ideas of how society works and the role for a Southern woman within it, which she tries to enforce upon Scout at the beginning to this novel. ‘When I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.’ Scout immediately takes a dislike to Aunt Alexandra when she criticises her about her overalls. Aunt Alexandra fits in well with the neighbours in Maycomb, but not with the children, as she demands different standards of behaviour from what they are used to. Aunt Alexandra does create an impact during her stay when trying to influence the children during their crucial years of growing up.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Loyalty In To Kill A Mockingbird

    940 Words  | 2 Pages

    Though it was published over 50 years ago it still has many relevant themes to our society today. Racism and segregation, which the reader sees in the little southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, is still extremely prominent in our world today. We see this in the massive divide that has yet to be filled and in the abominable actions of white supremacist organizations. The theme of family is also very prevalent in To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus is an incredible father to Scout and Jem, and family is something that is still held exceptionally high in our society. We often take this blessing for granted and the Finch family’s loss of their mother/wife demonstrates just how much they value each other for they have know loss. To Kill A Mockingbird is an incredibly influential novel that has touched tens of millions of people and teaches us to value our loved ones and opens our eyes to horrible actions and beliefs such as

    Read More

  • Calpurnia A Good Mother Figure Essay

    243 Words  | 1 Pages

    I think Calpurnia is the better mother figure. One of the reasons I think Calpurnia is a better mother figure than Aunt Alexandra is because she took them to church. Her bringing them to church shows how she feels responsible for Jem and Scout. She treats the kids as they are her own. A second reason that Calpurnia is a better mother figure is because the kids trust her. At church scout had many questions about the new church but he decided that he would wait to ask Calpurnia later. The final reason that is that Calpurnia is the superior mother figure is because the whole family trusts her. Atticus had to leave town for two weeks and he trusted Calpurnia to watch them. Also, Atticus’ dad gave Calpurnia the bible, which goes a long way in their

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Essays: Discrimination and Prejudice

    1388 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Atticus takes Calpurnia to Tom Robinson's home, she has to sit in the back seat so as not to appear as Atticus's equal. She does not eat at the same table with the Finch family although she has been a part of it since Jem was two. She is clearly loved by the family but by no means is she their equal.

    Read More

  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Pain of Growing Up

    501 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aunt Alexandra is Atticus' sister. She moves to live with Scout and Jem because she wants to teach them the right way of growing up since their mom is dead. As she watches them grow up, she grows up mentally also. “People up there set them free, but you don't see them setting at the table with them. At least we don't have the deceit to say to them ‘yes, you are as good as we are but stay away from us’ said Mrs.

    Read More

  • Mother Relationship In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1470 Words  | 3 Pages

    As we begin to mature, we realize that the way we speak, act, and interact all stems from one place. In our life, our mothers play one of the leading roles in making us into the strong independent people that society needs. This topic is a great one of focus in the pieces of literatures that we have read and analyzed. It is clearly shown in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the narrative A Visit to Grandmother by William Melvin Kelley. These topics both help show the emotional involvement that one’s own mother brings to their life. In both of these novels the relationships the characters held with their mother was very grim as they both had problems. Jem had a very thoughtful and caring relationship while Charles on the other

    Read More

  • Scout Motherly Figure Essay

    939 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout, grew up with no mother in Maycomb, Alabama. Her father, Atticus Finch, tried his best to raise her. But every child needs a motherly figure. A mother helps, guides, and cares for her child. Because Scout had no mother, she had no motherly influences. This motherly absence gave the opportunity for Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra, and Miss Maudie to take the role.

    Read More

More about What Is The Mother's Role In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document