Skip to main content

What does Aunt Alexandra call Atticus, which Scout thinks is strange in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout is surprised to hear Alexandra call Atticus “Brother.”

Scout does not get along with her Aunt Alexandra, who is her father’s sister. She feels her aunt is harsh and exacting. She also thinks Alexandra is unsupportive of Atticus’s defending Tom Robinson because Scout’s cousin Francis repreated some racist comments Alexandra made.


At Christmastime, Scout and her family are visiting Finches’ Landing when her deplorable cousin Frances begins teasing her about her father taking Tom Robinson’s case.  It is an unpopular case in Maycomb because Robinson is a black man accused of raping a white woman. Frances’s comments about what Alexandra said are harsh and dripping with racism:



If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that’s his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain’t your fault. I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family (Chapter 9).



This angers Scout, and she gets into a fight with Frances. Her Uncle Jack, Atticus’s brother, spanks her for it. She later tells her uncle that Frances “provocated” her, but admits she doesn’t really understand what he said. She just doesn’t like it.


Scout is surprised when Alexandra shows up as the trial begins, doubting her intentions. Alexandra says she is there to support her brother, but Scout sees her as a trouble maker. When Robinson is convicted, Scout is surprised at Alexandra’s sympathy for Atticus.



“I’m sorry, brother,” she murmured. Having never heard her call Atticus “brother” before, I stole a glance at Jem, but he was not listening. He would look up at Atticus, then down at the floor, and I wondered if he thought Atticus somehow responsible for Tom Robinson’s conviction (Chapter 22).



Scout is surprised because "Brother" used in this way is a term of endearment or affection. It is Alexandra letting her guard down and showing her love for Atticus. It shows the softer side of Alexandra.


The verdict saddens the whole family, particularly Jem. He takes it very hard because he was convinced the verdict would be an acquittal. Alexandra understands Atticus worked hard on the case. When Tom Robinson tries to jump the fence and is killed, Alexandra shows sympathy for Atticus. Clearly, she is not the bitter and heartless woman that Scout thought she was. She may be racist, and she may not approve of Atticus's actions, but she will support her brother and she does care about him.

Labels

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more