TKAM Character Relationships
The characters I chose that relate to each other are Scout’s Uncle Jack and Aunt Alexandra. Although they don’t share many similarities, One similarity they each share with each other is that they want to change Scout. In chapter 9 there is a quote that states, “She didn’t like the way I dressed in overalls and that I couldn’t possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of me involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born” (81). This quote alone shows that Aunt Alexandra wants Scout to act more like a lady and it’s stated somewhere later in the chapter that she doesn’t agree with Atticus’s way of raising Scout. Uncle Jack doesn’t want to change Scout exactly the same way that Aunt Alexandra does but there is correlation between the two. Hey says, “I’ll be here a week, and I don’t want to hear any words like that while I’m here. Scout, you’ll get in trouble if you go around saying things like that” (79). He is tying to change how Scout speaks. Uncle Jack doesn’t think it’s very ladylike and he says that if he hears her swear again she will get punished. Both of these quotes show how Uncle Jack and Aunt Alexandra each want Scout to change herself in one way.
The second similarity was that they wouldn’t listen to Scout because of the way she was acting. Uncle Jack already warned Scout about swearing so when she went to beat up Francis for calling her father a “nigger-lover” (84) Uncle Jack focused on the fact that Scout had defied what he said and didn’t care to ask her side of the story. Due to the fact that Aunt Alexandra considered Scout unladylike and it wouldn’t be surprising if Scout had sworn or hurt Francis, when Francis accused Scout, Aunt Alexandra took his side, as she sees him as a perfect, little boy.
The first difference between Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack is how they reacted when hearing that Atticus was defending a African American, or as everyone else would say, a “nigger.” When Aunt Alexandra had found out about Atticus she was mortified. Aunt Alexandra was already questioning Atticus about his way of raising Scout but then she found this as another misdeed on her brothers behalf. Francis says “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruining the family, that’s what he’s doin’.” (83). Aunt Alexandra is essentially saying that Atticus is a disgrace to the family and that he is ruining it his “foolish” ways. We don’t get to see Uncle Jacks initial reaction to hearing that Atticus was defending a “nigger” but we can infer that he wasn’t upset about it. When Scout says “A nigger-lover. I ain’t very sure what it means, but the way Francis said it—tell you one thing right now, Uncle Jack, I’ll be—I swear before God if I’ll sit there and let him say somethin’ about Atticus.” (86). After a few more lines of dialogue, Uncle Jack then responded with “We’ll see about this,” which is in the context of him being upset that Francis and Aunt Alexandra would talk about Atticus that way.
The second difference between the two is how they act. Aunt Alexandra likes to follow the stereotypes. Like everyone else in Maycomb, Aunt Alexandra found it bad that Atticus was defending a “Nigger” and, not only that, letting Scout act like a “boy” and do whatever she wants with Jem (Both quotes that show this were mentioned in the paragraph 1 and 3). Uncle Jack is a lot less stereotypical. Uncle Jack doesn’t care much about Scout acting more like a boy, he even bought her and Jem guns for Christmas. Not only that but he got upset when he heard that Aunt Alexandra was talking to Francis about Atticus being a “Nigger-lover.” Uncle Jack doesn’t care much about the stereotypes, he cares for his brother even though he is defending an African American and he doesn’t try to make Scout act more like a girl.
Due to the fact that Aunt Alexandra is very stereotypical is strains her relationship with Scout because she doesn’t accept how Scout chooses to act and/or live. Aunt Alexandra finds it hard to connect with Scout on a personal level because they are so different. She want to change how Scout is as a person. I’ve already talked about how Aunt Alexandra sees Scout as a boy but apart of the problem was how Aunt Alexandra was raised. Since we know Atticus is about 50 years old and the book takes place around the 1930’s then we know that Aunt Alexandra was alive around the 1890’s where woman and their daughters were expected to cook and take care of the household. We know that Scout mentions Aunt Alexandra was a good cook and so growing up in the late 1800’s would explain were she got her baking skills from. Not only does that mean she’s a good cook but it means she grew up in a household where the daughters worked and acted like the lady of the household. Because she grew up in that environment she thinks that Scout should act more like a lady than a boy. Thinking this means that she doesn’t agree with how Scout acts and dresses so she doesn’t want to get to know her. Scout and Aunt Alexandra have a bad relationship because Aunt Alexandra sees scout as a tomboy and childish, meanwhile Scout sees Aunt Alexandra as someone who doesn’t listen to her and talks badlay about her father.
Since Aunt Alexandra is so stereotypical and Uncle Jack is not, it gives him a better relationship with Scout. After Scout tries beating up Francis and Uncle Jack tries to stop her she gets mad and pushes him away. He realizes his mistake and talks to Scout to see her side of the story. Their relationship is good enough for Scout to put her trust in him again and tell him what happened, after that she asks for him to keep it a secret from her father and after Uncle Jack leaves she crouches down to listen for when Uncle Jack tells Atticus what happened. When she doesn’t hear him tell the secret it strengthens their bond and her trust in him. Not only are relationships built on trust but Uncle Jack doesn’t judge her or put a stereotype on her saying that she has to act more ladylike.
I’ve soon been noticing how much stereotypes effect Scout and their relationship with the people who do or don’t have stereotypes. Although Aunt Alexandra has a majority of the stereotypes mentioned in my blog she doesn’t have as much of an effect on Scout as her Uncle does. In result of her Uncle accepting her and her father she has a stronger relationship with him. She cares more about what her Uncle thinks than she does of her Aunt. Right after Scout punched Francis her Uncle held her down and was very clearly upset with her. Because of that’s she was mad, she respects her uncle and although Aunt Alexandra was thinking the same as Uncle Jack during that time Scout didn’t think about what her aunt must’ve been thinking but she cared more about how her uncle reacted. Since there is such a bad relationship between Scout and her Aunt it doesn’t matter what her aunt thinks of her but because Scout has such a good relationship with her uncle there is more to lose.
The second similarity was that they wouldn’t listen to Scout because of the way she was acting. Uncle Jack already warned Scout about swearing so when she went to beat up Francis for calling her father a “nigger-lover” (84) Uncle Jack focused on the fact that Scout had defied what he said and didn’t care to ask her side of the story. Due to the fact that Aunt Alexandra considered Scout unladylike and it wouldn’t be surprising if Scout had sworn or hurt Francis, when Francis accused Scout, Aunt Alexandra took his side, as she sees him as a perfect, little boy.
The first difference between Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack is how they reacted when hearing that Atticus was defending a African American, or as everyone else would say, a “nigger.” When Aunt Alexandra had found out about Atticus she was mortified. Aunt Alexandra was already questioning Atticus about his way of raising Scout but then she found this as another misdeed on her brothers behalf. Francis says “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruining the family, that’s what he’s doin’.” (83). Aunt Alexandra is essentially saying that Atticus is a disgrace to the family and that he is ruining it his “foolish” ways. We don’t get to see Uncle Jacks initial reaction to hearing that Atticus was defending a “nigger” but we can infer that he wasn’t upset about it. When Scout says “A nigger-lover. I ain’t very sure what it means, but the way Francis said it—tell you one thing right now, Uncle Jack, I’ll be—I swear before God if I’ll sit there and let him say somethin’ about Atticus.” (86). After a few more lines of dialogue, Uncle Jack then responded with “We’ll see about this,” which is in the context of him being upset that Francis and Aunt Alexandra would talk about Atticus that way.
The second difference between the two is how they act. Aunt Alexandra likes to follow the stereotypes. Like everyone else in Maycomb, Aunt Alexandra found it bad that Atticus was defending a “Nigger” and, not only that, letting Scout act like a “boy” and do whatever she wants with Jem (Both quotes that show this were mentioned in the paragraph 1 and 3). Uncle Jack is a lot less stereotypical. Uncle Jack doesn’t care much about Scout acting more like a boy, he even bought her and Jem guns for Christmas. Not only that but he got upset when he heard that Aunt Alexandra was talking to Francis about Atticus being a “Nigger-lover.” Uncle Jack doesn’t care much about the stereotypes, he cares for his brother even though he is defending an African American and he doesn’t try to make Scout act more like a girl.
Due to the fact that Aunt Alexandra is very stereotypical is strains her relationship with Scout because she doesn’t accept how Scout chooses to act and/or live. Aunt Alexandra finds it hard to connect with Scout on a personal level because they are so different. She want to change how Scout is as a person. I’ve already talked about how Aunt Alexandra sees Scout as a boy but apart of the problem was how Aunt Alexandra was raised. Since we know Atticus is about 50 years old and the book takes place around the 1930’s then we know that Aunt Alexandra was alive around the 1890’s where woman and their daughters were expected to cook and take care of the household. We know that Scout mentions Aunt Alexandra was a good cook and so growing up in the late 1800’s would explain were she got her baking skills from. Not only does that mean she’s a good cook but it means she grew up in a household where the daughters worked and acted like the lady of the household. Because she grew up in that environment she thinks that Scout should act more like a lady than a boy. Thinking this means that she doesn’t agree with how Scout acts and dresses so she doesn’t want to get to know her. Scout and Aunt Alexandra have a bad relationship because Aunt Alexandra sees scout as a tomboy and childish, meanwhile Scout sees Aunt Alexandra as someone who doesn’t listen to her and talks badlay about her father.
Since Aunt Alexandra is so stereotypical and Uncle Jack is not, it gives him a better relationship with Scout. After Scout tries beating up Francis and Uncle Jack tries to stop her she gets mad and pushes him away. He realizes his mistake and talks to Scout to see her side of the story. Their relationship is good enough for Scout to put her trust in him again and tell him what happened, after that she asks for him to keep it a secret from her father and after Uncle Jack leaves she crouches down to listen for when Uncle Jack tells Atticus what happened. When she doesn’t hear him tell the secret it strengthens their bond and her trust in him. Not only are relationships built on trust but Uncle Jack doesn’t judge her or put a stereotype on her saying that she has to act more ladylike.
I’ve soon been noticing how much stereotypes effect Scout and their relationship with the people who do or don’t have stereotypes. Although Aunt Alexandra has a majority of the stereotypes mentioned in my blog she doesn’t have as much of an effect on Scout as her Uncle does. In result of her Uncle accepting her and her father she has a stronger relationship with him. She cares more about what her Uncle thinks than she does of her Aunt. Right after Scout punched Francis her Uncle held her down and was very clearly upset with her. Because of that’s she was mad, she respects her uncle and although Aunt Alexandra was thinking the same as Uncle Jack during that time Scout didn’t think about what her aunt must’ve been thinking but she cared more about how her uncle reacted. Since there is such a bad relationship between Scout and her Aunt it doesn’t matter what her aunt thinks of her but because Scout has such a good relationship with her uncle there is more to lose.
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