She seems to believe that behaviors and character traits are hereditary, passed on from one generation to the next - one family might have a Gambling Streak, or a Mean Streak, or a Funny Streak. She, therefore, is very easily accepted into the Maycomb society. Why did Aunt Alexandra silently thank Miss Maudie in To Kill a Mockingbird? What is the significance of Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird? Generations of gentle breeding also teach children to "behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are.". That means she has "irreconcilable points of view" (3.2) with her more modern niece. She believes that people should be classified as families and that if one family is a certain way they all are. Aunt Alexandra, in underlining the moral of young Sam Merriweather's suicide, said it was caused by a morbid streak in the … Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. Scout defines Fine Folks differently. She’s the kind of woman who wears a corset even under her bathrobe. Thus, the original town families tended to intermarry a great deal, until most people looked fairly similar in the town. I had received the impression that Fine Folks were people who did the best they could with the sense they had. Aunt Alexandra comes to the Finch household so she could help with the upbringing of Scout and Jem. Aunt Alexandra is also a good person at heart, for we know she has a love for the church, “Today Aunt Alexandra and her missionary circle were fighting the good fight all over the house” (305). Aunt Alexandra wanted to get rid of Calpurnia for the good of the family’s reputation, but what she only slightly began to see is that the family did not predominantly care about such issues as they did for the bond that the black nanny created. FAMILY HERITAGE.  Scout "never understood her preoccupation with heredity." She is very vintage, and stuck in her old ways. According to Scout, Alexandra was obsessed with family heritage and wished to educate the children about their rich family history. A theme that relates to Aunt Alexandra is social prejudice because she believes that there are classes of people and that people should only … Both run the house with an iron fist. 8. FINE FOLKS.  Another of Alexandra's unclearly definable terms, Scout and her aunt disagree on the exact nature of Fine Folks. Aunt Alexandra is Atticus’s sister and because she is white, she is “higher” than Calpurnia. Alexandra also encourages Jem and Scout to act like well-behaved individuals who represent the Finch family properly throughout town. Alexandra believes that the Finch family stands head and shoulders above all of Maycomb's other families, and that all other families are burdened with "morbid" streaks: Everybody in Maycomb, it seemed, had a Streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak.  (Chapter 13), Finches do not associate socially with some families, such as the Cunninghams, and this is one reason why Alexandra will not allow Walter Jr. to come and play with Scout, since "he--is--trash...". Its location was very far inland and away from the only form of transportation in that day - riverboats. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Aunt Alexandra labels all blacks as being “trash” but she does not stop … It is Scout’s and Jem’s immaturity, as well as their childishness that creates the barrier between them and their Aunt Alexandra. I personally think that Aunt Alexandra just wants the best for her niece and nephew, however like Andrew has mentioned, she is also taking control of the Finch household as well. There are many reasons for the marginalization of characters and these are expressed through different textual techniques. As was mentioned in the previous post, Aunt Alexandra attempts to impart to the children a sense of admiration and respect for the Finch family name. Aunt Alexandra believes that some families are better than others. ", http://www.gradesaver.com/to-kill-a-mockingbird/study-guide/summary-chapters-13-18. Already a member? Scout dislikes her, as Aunt Alexandra takes great offense to Scout’s tomboyish nature and desperately wants Scout to wear dresses and act more feminine. Calpurnia is a member of the First Purchase M.E. Scout has never identified with her gender role She's a "tomboy" content to wear overalls and get dirty. Aunt Alexandra feels that Atticus has not instilled in his children how important their family name is in Maycomb. Atticus believes Scout should be herself and dress the way she wants to. Aunt Alexandra is a formidable lady and is the only Finch sibling who stayed at Finch’s Landing, the family’s old plantation. Calpurnia and Aunt Alexandra’s beliefs are a major cause of conflict throughout To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. She believed that Atticus did not raise his children the proper way and that they could be a disgrace to the Finch family name. Aunt Alexandra’s focus on Scout’s appearance displays just one minute facet of life in which society pressures women. It has to do with not being "run-of-the-mill people" and being descended from "beautiful character[s]" such as the family poet (and oddball) Joshua S. St. Clair. Lesson Summary Aunt Alexandra does her best to convert Scout from her boyish ways and enforces ladylike behavior and attire. She however is tempered wit a little of Atticus's sense of right and wrong. In the kitchen, Atticus asks Calpurnia to accompany him to give the news to Tom's wife, Helen. Aunt Alexandra believes in "gentle breeding" is a result of heredity that some people are better than others simply because of the families they come from. Aunt Alexandra wants to get rid of Calpurnia because she is black and she belives no black person should be a … Aunt Alexandra's obsession with familial pride and reputation is critically important to her character, as well is to Maycomb, in general. Log in here. Aunt Alexandra says to Scout: it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. What does aunt … She also impresses upon Scout the importance of family breeding and the status of the Finch family in Maycomb County. Aunt Alexandra's obsession with heredity symbolizes the deep rooted prejudiced beliefs shared by certain community members of Maycomb. Are you a teacher? Aunt Alexandra Tightly Wound. She is worried about what the neighbors will think if Scout is seen hanging around black people. Notice that Scout does begin the novel by describing the Finch family. She believe Scout should be kind, cute, and sweet, like a “Sunbeam”. ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, What does Scout find in the knothole of the tree in the novelÂ, What are some quotes related to Boo Radley that can be found in. For this reason, she wants the Finches not to 'breed' with families out of there class. Furthermore, their … In this article, I have compiled some of the most notable Aunt Alexandra quotes. Similarities Between Calpurnia And Alexandra. Atticus allows his children to have freedom, whereas Aunt Alexandra has no trust in Jem and Scout. Not affiliated with Harvard College. She seems to believe that behaviors and character traits are hereditary, passed on from one generation to the next - one family might have a Gambling Streak, or a Mean Streak, or a Funny Streak. Scout sums up Aunt Alexandra's position on family breeding. She wants to instill her beliefs into Scout to make her into the perfect little lady she was born to be and make her shine. Scout rejoins the party with Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie, determined to act like a lady in the face of grim … She prefers that Scout wear dresses and participate in social events like the other ladies in Maycomb.Â, GENTLE BREEDING.  Aunt Alexandra is a firm believer in this, but it is a term that Atticus tries to explain to the children without much success. Aunt Alexandra wants the children to know all about the Finch family and uphold its genteel heritage, but Atticus has not introduced them to the entirety of their family history, and instead has told them amusing stories, such as how their cousin Josh went insane at university. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Aunt Alexandra has a personal quest to make Scout "behave like a sunbeam," but Miss Maudie accepts her as she is. Aunt Alexandra is the crazy-uptight matriarch of the Finch family. To Alexandra, they are Maycomb's oldest families, and "the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was." Alexandra thinks that the children shouldn’t be influenced by Calpurnia as much as they are. Most old people still know each other so well that every behavior is somewhat predictable and repetitive. Scout is not happy about Aunt Alexandra's arrival. I can see it both ways. Aunt Alexandra views black people as objects or property. This includes turning scout into a lady. Aunt Alexandra’s and Atticus’s beliefs about behavior is different. They make sure that the children don’t get into trouble. Aunt Alexandra is the formidable sister of Atticus Finch. Aunt Alexandra is primarily utilized as a contrast to Atticus through her diverse attitude to his methods of parenting. She wants to teach them about the importance of being a Finch and turn Scout into a lady. Aunt Alexandra is more about courtesy, acting lady-like, and not running around the neighborhood free. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. (178) She starts to believe that her Aunt put her father up to this, and how Atticus never really cared about the topic until her aunt showed up. Sign up now, Latest answer posted September 11, 2012 at 2:54:05 AM, Latest answer posted October 10, 2017 at 9:39:53 PM, Latest answer posted June 05, 2016 at 6:01:36 PM, Latest answer posted May 17, 2017 at 8:51:35 AM, Latest answer posted May 01, 2016 at 8:42:24 PM. Their Aunt Alexandra, on the other hand, is strict, opinionated, as well as family-oriented. In seeking to impart this condition to Jem and Scout, Aunt Alexandra can be seen as a conformist force in the family. Aunt Alexandra was positively irritable on the Lord’s Day. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. Alexandra also has high standards for Scout, and she attempts to turn Scout into a Southern belle. Scout dislikes her, as Aunt Alexandra takes great offense to Scout’s tomboyish nature and desperately wants Scout to wear dresses and act more feminine. This conflict is not only between Calpurnia, Atticus Finch's’ housekeeper, and Alexandra, Atticus Finch’s sister and the aunt of his children. She is old-fashioned and proper, and often refers to the people of Maycomb in light of their family history. "  (Chapter 13). 142. Scout remembers how Maycomb was founded around an old tavern run by a man named Sinkfield. What does Atticus mean when he says, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into... What values and behaviours did Aunt Alexandra try to impart upon the children?in To Kill a Mockingbird novel chapters 12 to 14. Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout needs the influence of a woman in the house: “Jem’s growing up now and you are too…We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. Scout reasons that in Aunt Alexandra's eyes, the Ewells, who are very poor, are "Fine Folks," because they have stayed on the same land by the town dump for three generations, which clearly is not the case. Aunt Alexandra despised Calpurnia because Alexandra believed that Calpurnia was not a "maternal figure" for Jem and Scout, especially for Scout. What did Aunt Alexandra feel about the way Atticus was raising his children in To Kill a Mockingbird? Aunt Alexandra is almost apologetic for Atticus, but Miss Maudie takes her to task, defending him. Oh, and she always wears a corset—in the … Alexandra also does not want Jem and Scout associating with anyone from the lower class because she feels like it would damage their family's reputation. Aunt Alexandra tries to pressure Atticus into telling the children why they should behave and "live up to your name." She thinks that Scout and Jem should be controlled. What do you believe? Atticus is more about teaching his children the correct morals of life. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Aunt Alexandra's emphasis on "Old Family" and "Finch During Aunt Alexandra’s missionary tea, the ladies of Maycomb feel pity for the Mruna tribe in Africa and show sympathy towards them but they later condemn the black people in their own community. Aunt Alexandra represents traditional Southern values including the gender stereotypes and the bigotry. She doesn not like how they are allowed to run around all day. Aunt Alexandra displays her beliefs much more publicly. Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout needs the influence of a woman in the house. Aunt Alexandra establishes herself in the neighborhood and continues to pester the children about what they should and should not do. Newcomers arrived rarely, and when a new person married a Maycomb family, the new genes were noticeable. Because of their differing roles and statuses, they treat the children differently. She embodies all the local prejudices of the Maycomb society, like the snobbishness over the black society and the hard heartedness for the poor whites. Atticus and Alexandra’s parenting styles are very different. 141. How does Scout feel about her arrival? Atticus makes an attempt, but when Scout begins to get upset with this strange side of her father she has never seen before, he returns to his original principles and finds himself incapable of passing on what Aunt Alexandra deems important. Scout, on the other hand, believes that "fine folks" were people who did the best they could with the sense they had. Aunt Alexandra is like a piece of old jewelry. This is seen when she disagrees to Scouts behaviour and attitude: ” Explain. African Church in Maycomb. Aunt Alexandra is a formidable lady and is the only Finch sibling who stayed at Finch’s Landing, the family’s old plantation. Atticus wants his children to feel like they can make their own desicions about things while Aunt Alexandra wants to control them and make them have the same beliefs … Consequently, Scout finds in Miss Maudie a kindred spirit who helps her make sense of being female and, with Atticus, helps Scout develop tolerance. Aunt Alexandra has a very strict way of parenting. Aunt Alexandra represents the stereotypical woman and moves in to protect the Finch’s reputation by trying to right all their wrongs. She also judges families on the basis of how long they have been settled in the same place. As the Finch family matriarch, Aunt Alexandra believes it's her responsibility to see to the appropriate upbringing of her tomboy niece. Alexandra discourages Scout from wearing overalls and playing outside with the boys. She also judges families on the basis of how long they have been settled in the same place. She even petitions her brother, Atticus, to have a discussion with Jem and Scout about the fact that they come from a unique, well-respected family. Aunt Alexandra's theory is that nobility is found in the genes of a family. How did Aunt Alexandra describe the Cunninghams in To Kill a Mockingbird? Aunt Alexandra's obsession with "What Is Best For the Family" (13.22)—in Scout's ears, Aunty often speaks in Capital Letters Of Doom—is part of her more general way of classifying people by family heritage. Secondly, Atticus listens to his children before reprimanding them, and Aunt Alexandra … He says that would make the Ewells good people when they aren't. Aunt Alexandra was the last of her kind; she had riverboat, boarding school manners; let any moral come along and she would uphold it; she was born in the … Those who have stayed on the same land for many generations are deemed "Fine Folks," whereas Scout always thought that "Fine Folks" were those who "did the best they could with the sense they had." Aunt Alexandra often criticizes Scout on her tomboy behavior. Aunt Alexandra, initially comes across as a cold, unfeeling and an unloving person. In chapter 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what is Aunt Alexandra's major theory concerning human behavior. Why does Aunt Alexandra come to visit? Scout is relieved when her father returns to the same old Atticus, and says she knew what he was trying to do, but that "it takes a woman to do that kind of work. I’ll start my physical presentation by explaining my pedestal, which is covered in floral print, which embodies Aunt Alexandra’s … As a woman, she's charged with maintaining her high-class standards in Maycomb society. Question #3 Aunt Alexandra beliefs about breeding and families are very old fashioned. Aunt Alexandra is a firm believer in this, but it is a term that Atticus tries to explain to the children without much success. Answer.
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