To Kill A Mockingbird Character Relationships

      After reading chapters 1-14, we have met pretty much all of the major characters and people of Maycomb County, Alabama. First of all, there is Scout, the narrator. There is her brother, Jem, her father, Atticus, her family's cook, Calpurnia, and a bunch of other neighbors, friends, etc. All of the characters, however, have in some way shaped Scout's life. For example: Atticus and Aunt Alexandra.

      Atticus and his sister, Aunt Alexandra do have some similarities, despite being so different. For one thing, they do both want what is best for the kids, although they have different ideas as to what that is. In the book, it says, "'We decided that 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--'" (Page 127) Aunt Alexandr a is coming and staying with Atticus and Jem and Scout because she thinks that it is best for the family. Atticus also does what he thinks is best for the family. For example, on page 137, Atticus says, "'Alexandra, Calpurnia's not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn't have gotten along without her all these years. She's a faithful member of this family and you'll simply have to accept things the way they are....Besides, I don't think the children've suffered one bit from her having brought them up.'" By standing up to his sister and telling her that no matter what, Calpurnia is staying, is him doing what is best for the family. Calpurnia has helped them out tremendously and Jem and Scout would not be the people that they are without her.

      Atticus and Alexandra have plenty of differences, on the other hand. For one thing, Atticus believes that in treating his kids like adults, and telling them everything that they ask. Alexandra is shocked by this and clearly does not believe the same thing. On page 132-133, it says, "'...Atticus said it cost the family five hundred dollars to get him out of that one--' Aunt Alexandra was standing stiff as a stork. 'That's all,' she said. 'We'll see about this.'" Atticus had obviously shared something with the kids that Alexandra is shocked by and would never have shared with the kids, had they been hers. Another difference between Atticus and Alexandra is their ability to listen to both sides of an argument. When Francis and Scout got into a fight, Alexandra didn't listen to Scout's side of the story, and Scout got punished for something that she didn't do. On page 85-86, it says, "'Well, in the first place, you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you my side of it-- you just lit right into me. When Jem an' I fuss Atticus doesn't ever just listen to Jem's side of it, he hears mine too...'" This shows that when Francis got into a fight with Scout, neither Aunt Alexandra nor Uncle Jack stopped to listen to Scout's point of view. Atticus listens to both.