Atticus Finch Sexism
Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” presents readers with many life lessons. The book is set at a very controversial time period around the World War II era. The time period is one which is simply black against white. The book is narrated by a tom-boy, Scout, growing up in her early ages of life. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer, who defends a black man named Tom Robinson, who is being treated unfairly in court. The reader has the privilege to experience an authentic point of view of what kids living in the 1930’s were exposed to. Over the course of the book, Harper Lee exposes the reader to the hard and controversial time, filled with prejudice and injustice. Throughout the story, the reader is exposed to the hardships of being an …show more content…
This is a very sexist time period. Basically every woman in the story does not have a job, except for Calpurnia. Women are discriminated frequently in the book, especially Scout for being more masculine. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants,” (pg. 92). Although Scout was not like other girls her age, she was not given freedoms for what she wanted to do or wear. Aunt Alexandra goes crazy when she see’s Scout wearing breeches. Scout wants to play outside and do normal boy things, which she cannot do in a dress. Aunt Alexandra then told her that she is not supposed to be doing anything that required pants. This is saying that women are not supposed to be doing anything in society. This is very sexist, especially for a kid, even though she is very different from girls her age, she should be able to do whatever she wants and do whatever she wants to. “Stay with us, Jean Louise,’ she said. This was part of her campaign to teach me to be a lady,” (pg. 262). It is clear that Atticus’ intentions on bringing his sister, Aunt Alexandra, into the house is to “teach” Scout to be more like a
Breaking Away In To Kill A Mockingbird
1177 Words | 5 PagesShe must to be charming, submissive to the men around her, and always in need of a man’s protection. Scout’s Aunt Alexandra is unable to separate herself from society’s traditions, leaving her dependent on
Examples Of Stereotypes In To Kill A Mockingbird
894 Words | 4 PagesPeople take their social standing very seriously, and if the stereotypical line is crossed, judgment will be spewed everywhere. Girls are expected to be proper, and be complete southern belles. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches;” (108) Aunt Alexandra wants Scout to act more lady-like, and also does not want her to be doing anything that is physically demanding. She thinks that ladies have to stay inside, play with their teapots, and dress up in pearls.
Atticus Finch Adversity
594 Words | 3 PagesDr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” In life, one cannot back down once they are faced with adversity. There is no better statement than King’s that relays the message of upholding your beliefs. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the theme of standing up for what you believe in is developed through Atticus Finch, Calpurnia, and Scout Finch.
To Kill A Mockingbird Ethos Pathos Logos
930 Words | 4 PagesThe main characters Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Bob Ewell face moments that deal with racism all told from the perspective of a six year old girl, Scout. The intended purpose of expressing racial relations in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,”
Societal Expectations Of Women In To Kill A Mockingbird
106 Words | 1 PagesHarper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, illustrates how women are restricted by societal expectations. Women and girls are expected to act a certain way, to be feminine and docile. After an argument between Jem and Scout, Jem goes as far to shout, “‘It’s time you started bein’ a girl and acting right!’” (Lee, 153). Jem believes that Scout should be cooperative and malleable to be a typical girl.
Examples Of Adversity In To Kill A Mockingbird
1759 Words | 8 PagesThis is clearly shown when Scout says “I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches when I said I could do nothing in a dress.” The way that Scout dresses by wearing overalls and the way she acts gives the readers a sense of Scout's view on femininity and how Scout wants to be more like a tomboy than a proper girl. Since the story takes place in the 1930’s it shows how women are viewed less in that era and how they were treated. Gender roles in the 1930s were huge, women are known to wear dresses and stay at home but men can go out and work. As well as racial discrimination was also happening there in that The last thing Scout wanted to be was a proper girl, dress like a girl and act like a girl.
To Kill A Mockingbird Conflict Analysis
1099 Words | 5 PagesScout said, “"Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year...." (108). This quote illustrates how Scout pushes against gender stereotypes, and this is the root of conflicts between her and Aunt Alexandra.
Essay On Gender Roles In To Kill A Mockingbird
781 Words | 4 PagesIn To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, it is vivid that gender roles were part of society in the 1930s. Scout Finch, a little girl, shows that being a girl doesn’t define her personality or actions. Although this book was published in 1960 and was set in the 1930s, the contention of gender roles is still prominent in today’s civilization. All the way through chapter five, it is well known that gender roles are a part of mankind during the Great Depression. Scout narrated, “I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with” (45).
Sexism In To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis
712 Words | 3 PagesImagine one day you wake up and many of your constitutional rights, such as the right to vote, are gone. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Sexism plays a huge role in many scenarios throughout the story. For example, a quote in the novel states, “ ‘Scout, i’m tellin’ you for the last time to shut your trap or go home- I declare to the lord you’re gettin more like a girl every day.’ With that, I had no option but to join them.”(Lee
Compare And Contrast Mendez Vs Westminster
602 Words | 3 PagesScout’s Aunt Alexandra want her to be more like a girl and start dressing like one. " Women were treated as delicate, fragile creatures, and they were expected to act with that treatment. Scout was anything but delicate and fragile, and a good deal of the story focuses on her attempts to fit into a world that expects tomboys to wear frilly dresses and maintain a dainty disposition. Scout always like hanging with the boys and she really didn’t like wearing girl clothes.
To Kill A Mockingbird Calpurnia Quotes
889 Words | 4 PagesAtticus attributes his sister’s behavior to the fact that she’s never had a girl of her own to care for. Aunt Alexandra is a grandmother and it makes sense that she would be stuck in her old ways, Scout even says, Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove, but never into the world of Jem and me. (13. 131). However, as we see through the book she grows and changes eventually becoming a mother to
To Kill A Mockingbird How Does Scout Change
531 Words | 3 PagesScout was more of a tomboy than a girly girl. Aunt Alexandra didn’t like how she didn’t act like a proper lady, and would ask Scout to act more ladylike. As she grew up, she was able to understand things a lot better. She began acting more grown up in situations like Aunt Alexandra’s dinner party.
Examples Of Satire In To Kill A Mockingbird
744 Words | 3 PagesThe author demonstrates the problems in the school systems when Scout enters school she is reprimanded by her teacher, Mrs. Honeycomb for reading proficiently. She is commanded to “tell [her] father not to teach [her] anymore” and stop reading outside of school. Lee’s incongruity of the situation alerts her readers to the flaws within the school system. Lee satirizes the church when Scout and Jem are taken to church by Calpurnia, their black housekeeper, when the children’s father is unavailable. At this Christian church, the children are ridiculed for being white.
Women In To Kill A Mockingbird
727 Words | 3 PagesShe is teaching Scout to be a lady as she grows older and matures. Society's idea of women's roles in Maycomb county remain the same through the story According to the book every lady has a job within their household. An example of this would be Aunt Alexandra doing her clubs and begging scout to come speak with the ladies rather than play outside; "Jean Louise come speak to these ladies." (Lee 134).
Gender Roles In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird
737 Words | 3 PagesIn the novel, Lee uses Scout to demonstrate how the expectations of society are pushed onto girls at a young age. One of the characters who forces these expectations onto Scout is Aunt Alexandra. Often times she ridicules Atticus for allowing Scout to wear breeches and be “unladylike.” During the Christmas party at Finch’s landing, Scout and Alexandra have a conversation about what is proper to wear.
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