Examples Of Identity In To Kill A Mockingbird

It is very evident that Maycomb is a small town in which there is much racism, and social status greatly determines what kind of life you will lead. The different types of social inequality are an important theme in the novel, and Harper Lee

Calpurnia is pressured to meet the expectations set for both women and blacks in Maycomb society, and in many ways she does a good job at conforming to them. Calpurnia works as a nanny to Jem and Scout, which is a common job for black women. As the only adult woman in the household, Calpurnia,of course, keeps order on all things. She is an excellent cook and very strict towards Scout and Jem. Scout has a knack for getting in trouble, so she often complains about Calpurnia’s ‘tyrannical presence’. Despite this, readers often get a glance at Calpurnia’s maternal side. When Jem tells Scout to start acting like a girl, she flees to Cal for support. Although, she can’t give Scout much advice she is able to comfort her. “I just can’t help it if Mister Jem’s growin’ up. He’s gonna want to be off to himself a lot now, doin’ whatever boys do, so you just come right on in the

Dolphus Raymond is one of the many victims of racism in Maycomb, as he is forced to live a life of false impressions. After Mr.Raymond let Dill take a sip of his drink, he discreetly said, “...if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey...”(Lee, 200). Mr. Raymond is letting the people of Maycomb inaccurately believe he is a drunk to give them a reason to tolerate his decision to be in a relationship with an African American woman. Dill identifies Mr.Raymond in the crowd of colored people drinking out of his sack then commented, “‘Why’s he sitting with the colored folks?’ [Jem then replies]

What is the best way on how an identity can be affected? Well, as people have made many decisions in life without noticing who they affect. Racism is the believe that all members are part of that particular race. In racism people can face discrimination, bullying and all those committed actions can lead up to deaths. People who commit racism affect other’s identity and personality. Personality is what makes a person their own to be themselves, what makes them be different than the rest by their qualities. Racism most greatly impacts on individuals identity because they can be affected by their goals, poor thinking of themselves, and can change behavior.

For the first time, Scout realizes that Calpurnia “led a modest double life”, “had a separate existence outside her household”, and had “command of two languages” (167). She learns from Calpurnia that people have to act differently based on certain situations or based on the people who she interacts with. Scout starts wanting to know more about Calpurnia, to see what her life is like outside of her home. She wants to step Calpurnia’s shoes and see what her other life is like. However, Aunt Alexandra does not want her to visit Calpurnia’s house; Scout doesn’t understand why, however, since she lacks the prejudice that most other kids would have. Had Scout been living in a different home, she probably would have seen Calpurnia’s other life is inferior to the one that Calpurnia has with them. In later scene, Scout demonstrates his lack of prejudice again at the court scene. When Reverend Sykes asked Jem and Scout if they wanted to go up “to the balcony with [him]” (219), they bolted towards the balcony without a second thought. Other white citizens would probably rather be squished against the walls or stay outside than going up to the colored balcony. However, Jem, Scout, and Dill ran full speed ahead towards the balcony. The kids didn’t care that it was the colored balcony;

Harper Lee’s radical and nostalgic novel To Kill a Mockingbird revolves around the idea of belonging and not belonging, whether it’s referring to belonging to a town, family, social structure, religion or race. Alice Pungs collection of enticing and enlightening autobiographical stories Growing Up Asian in Australia discusses similar issues, notably when it comes to the theme of belonging (or not belonging) to race and societal standards.

“Most accounts of integrity agree that the person of integrity must have a relatively stable sense of who he is, what is important to him, and the ability to stand by what is most important to him in the face of pressure to do otherwise. But does integrity place any constraints on the [morals] that the person of integrity stands for?” This quote is asking whether or not integrity requires moral goodness. Integrity does require moral goodness and can be proven with the actions of Bob Ewell and Atticus Finch in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition, literary elements are use throughout the novel to prove integrity requires moral goodness. A modern example that shows integrity requires moral goodness is when students in school choose not to cheat

Calpurnia explains her understanding of different kinds of people. Calpurnia also sets an example for Scout by telling her what it means to be ladylike.

“Some folks don’t- like the way I live. Now I could say the hell with ‘em, but I don’t care if they don’t like it… but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live” (200-201). Dolphus Raymond shows courage by being himself. He does not let the opinions of the people of Maycomb change who he is. Raymond knows that the townsfolk speak ill of him and his family because of it being an interracial family, but he proceeds to do what makes him happy. Raymond goes a step further a

Calpurnia helps Scout become more lady like by using manners and teaching her how to treat others. For example “ Yo folks might be better than the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothing the way you're disgracing them” (Lee 33) Calpurnia teaches Scout proper manners when she corrects scout for thinking that she is better than Walter Cunningham. Calpurnia Also teaches scout to be respectful. For example “ There’s some folks who don't eat like us, she whispered fiercely, ‘ but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don't. That boy’s yo’ comp'ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?” (Lee 31). Calpurnia is like a mother figure to Scout and Jem. She taught scout proper manners and how to treat others with respect. Without Calpurnia Scout wouldn't act very lady like. In the example this is scout’s first lesson on being respectful to others who are different. Therefore without Calpurnia Scout wouldn’t learn how to respect and sympathize with others who are

One of the many Maycomb citizens that were affected by racism was Dolphus Raymond. Firstly, "They don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they're half white, white folks won't have 'em 'cause they're colored, so they're just in-betweens, don't belong anywhere" (Lee 163). This is significant because, Dolphus get's misjudged everyday because of his past and his preference to

After Calpurnia takes the kids to church with her one day, Scout begins to ask questions while they walk home. She asks Cal why she talks like the other black people while she is at church. Cal tries to explain why she does that. After trying to explain a few times, she says “‘It’s not necessary to tell all you know.’” (Lee 167). Cal explaining this to Scout and Jem changes a lot for them. After this, the kids gets another glimpse of the difference between groups of people in Maycomb. This helps them understand again that everyone is different and that you have to think of other people’s perspectives before you conclude something.

First, Lee uses her character, Calpurnia, to show women’s role in the South during the Great Depression. Calpurnia, a loyal and humble servant, is an African American women. As an African American women, Calpurnia, is a servant to a white family and takes care of the children, Scout and Jem. “Jem said it looked like they could save the collection money for a year and get some hymn-books. Calpurnia

During the Great Depression, racism was a common practice in the southern states of the US. Negros and those who opposed the intolerance were often discriminated by the rest of the bias and ignorant society, who believed in white supremacy and superiority over the other races. Maycomb, a racist town, exemplify this discrimination, imperiously judging others they view as being dissimilar from themselves. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, the author, weaves a brilliant story of prejudice, discrimination, and racism shown through the novel’s several characters and events, producing a mirror reflection of America’s racist society in the 1930’s.

Calpurnia is an example of, good parental guidance in Maycomb. When Scout and Jem go to Calpurnia’s church one day, they learn new things about her. Calpurnia’s son Zeebo is talking in front of the mass of people at church on Sunday. Scout and Jem look for books to sing from, but Cal explains that a lot of the church can not read. She tells Jem “There wasn’t a school when he was a boy. I made him learn though”(Lee 166). Not only is Calpurnia a good influence on Zeebo but acts as a motherly figure to Jem and Scout also. When it was time to give donations at the church “She gave a dime to me(Scout) and a dime to to Jem”(Lee 159). When they collaboratively argue to subsidize for themselves, she says that they are her company, which teaches rudimentary courtesy. Calpurnia has not only benefitted her child but also benefited Atticus’s