To Kill A Mockingbird Family Analysis

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The Importance of Family Danice George March 12, 2013 English II - Honors 3rd Period The role of family is very important in To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee shows this role in many ways. One of the ways that Lee shows the importance of family is within the relationship of Scout, Jem, and Atticus. Another way she show importance is through the relationship of Scout, Jem, and Calpurnia. She also shows importance of family in the relationship of Scout, Jem, and Boo Radley. Lee shows that family isn’t just by blood, but by loving and caring also. The relationship between Atticus, Scout, and Jem is very friend-like, not father-children like. Jem and Scout never call Atticus by anything other than his name, such as the first time we see it, “We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist fight, so we consulted Atticus” (Lee 3). Readers are shown very much bluntness between Atticus and his children, especially when he and Scout are talking and Scout asks him, “Do you defend niggers, Atticus?” and Atticus responds with, “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common. (99). This shows how blunt and calm Atticus really is with Scout. Most parents would have avoided the question and…show more content…
She acts as a mother to Jem and Scout. The passage that occurs when Walter Cunningham is having dinner with the Finches really shows the motherly instinct in Calpurnia. “’But he’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup,’ I protested, ‘He’s poured it all over – It was then that Calpurnia requested my presence in the kitchen. She was furious…’There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,’ she said, ‘but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s you comp’ny and if he wants to eat the table cloth you let him, you hear?’” (32). This shows that Calpurnia is trying to teach Scout to have respect for people that come into her house, even if she sees something wrong with what they
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