Why does Scout get in trouble with Miss Caroline? What does this reveal about Scout's and Miss Caroline's character?
In the rest of chapter two, Scout is shown as a very outspoken and eager student. To her peers, she acts as a leader. When Miss Caroline doesn't understand what being a Cunningham means, her peers relied on Scout to explain it. "When Walter shook his head a third time, someone whispered, "Go on and tell her, Scout." (26) However, after Scout explains why Walter really doesn't have his lunch. She receives a punishment: a whipping from Miss Caroline. Scout's tone might have been a little harsh but do you think Scout deserved that punishment? Miss Caroline seems to be very challenged by her students' actions and words, like not being able to handle Burris Ewell and his "cooties."(33) She ends up crying each time a student has an outburst.This may have to do with being in a new community and not understanding Maycomb's ways, but why do you think Miss Caroline has been very vulnerable to her students in the last two chapters? Maycomb is also a very small town, where everyone understands everyone's situations and is like a family. Do you think Miss Caroline will be part of this "family" in the end? Or will it be an issue throughout the book, with Miss Caroline not fully understanding her students?
Of course Scout shouldn't be blamed for knowing how to read. She simply picked up how to read because she has been around it for a while. It is the same way people learn their native languages.
ReplyDeleteScout definitely didn't deserve that punishment. Miss Caroline should have realized that she simply doesn't have the vocabulary or "common knowledge" to tell Miss Caroline that Walter can't pay for his lunch respectfully.
My guess is that this a recurrent theme, showing how "old" Maycomb is. Miss Caroline is all formal and the teachings have to be done a certain way. However, that personality and person clashes with the close-knit community of Maycomb.
What do you guys think? Is this going to be resolved or not? Also, will Scout continue to be a rebellious figure, or will she consent to Miss Caroline's ways?
I also find it weird that Scout was punished for already knowing how to read and write. I would be pleased as a teacher to see that a student has the initiative and drive to learn to read and write. It isn't fair that Miss Caroline punished Scout for sticking up for another student and explaining something to her, even if Scouts tone wasn't very nice. I would like to hear what others think in opposition to me, because whether or not Miss Caroline is new I think that what she did was unfair.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is most likely that Miss Caroline punishes Scout because she does not fully comprehend the situation. "'Teach me?' I said in surprise. 'He hasn't taught me anything, Miss Caroline." (19)To which Miss Caroline "...smiled and shook her head" (19). At first it appears that Miss Caroline is almost amused, that this 6 year old is believes herself to have grown up reading, but as the conversation progresses, she thinks Scout to be blatantly lying. In her defense, this idea is totally plausible, as Scout rambles on about Jem's made up stories. Miss Caroline sees it as Scout claiming to be good enough to read without help, and stealing her fathers credit, while refusing Miss Caroline. Miss Caroline is without a doubt, wrong to blame and accuse Scout of this, as it is not her fault to be unusually bright. I almost think that Scout's perk seems to annoy Miss Caroline, and having a student whom she cannot teach anything comes off to her as impertinent. Why do you think that Scouts being such a precocious child annoys Miss Caroline? What do you think Miss Caroline thinks of Scout currently, and what do you predict she will think of her near the end of this book?
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read this part in the book, I felt as though Ms. Caroline was trying to make the other kids feel better. This does not mean that she has to hit scout however. This being said I felt like scout could be looked at by an adult as a bad child. This is NOT true, because her loved ones know that she is a well educated girl that may violent at times. The only person who doesn't understand this is Ms. Caroline. Since she doesn't know that she is well educated, did she think Scout was trying to make the other kids feel bad?
ReplyDeleteNow I start to think about if it is Scout's fault that she called out Walter Cunningham like that. If you look at the big picture you realize that she is only five. Maybe what she said came out wrong. Does anyone think this is true?
Yes, James i agree with you that it still scouts fault, but she is only a young girl, so she doesn't know the proper manners when doing something of that sort. In the end of Chapter three when Atticus says that he will teach scout to read better and become smarter, but just tells her don't tell the teacher i feel this is a bonding point that we really haven't seen yet between scout and Atticus. Atticus also does state that it is the law to go to school, which shows he does care in some way about his kids future. When Harper Lee writes in the talk between Atticus and Scout it gives me the feeling that she had the same feeling with someone in real life. Do you feel the same way about this thought?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you guys think about the relationship between Atticus and Scout, do you feel it will be important through out the book or not?
In response to one of Angela's questions, I think that Ms. Caroline has been seen as vulnerable to the kids because she is the new girl in town. She doesn't know how the Maycomb way works and until she does she will never really be brought into the Maycomb community. "We could not expect her to learn all Maycomb's ways in one day, and we could not hold her responsible when she knew no better." (40) In this quote Atticus is explaining to Scout that she can't just assume that Ms. Caroline is already accustomed to Maycomb. If Scout is thinking like that, then what do you think the other kids are thinking? Do they think that she will get better, or do they think that maybe she will turn out crazy like the Radleys, after they didn't follow the Maycomb way?
ReplyDeleteAt Thomas's question: I do not think that the bond between Atticus and Scout will be too important throughout the book. I say this because at the beginning of the book, Harper Lee writes about how Atticus is not always around with his children. Harper Lee would not have brought up this comment unless she wanted to make a message about Atticus and his relation with his son and daughter. What I do believe is that the relationship between Scout and Calpurnia will be important in the book because of the way Calpurnia changed and started to act nice with Scout. This shows that the relationship between both of them is becoming more powerful and that Calpurnia is starting to understand how she was treating Scout. Do you agree?
ReplyDeleteIf so, do you think the bond between Calpurnia and Scout will have an affect in the book and if it will be further summarized?
At the end of your first paragraph, you asked, “do you think Scout should be blamed and scolded for knowing third grade material and being ahead of everyone in the class?” and at first I had an immediate response: Scout should not be scolded and whipped in front of the entire class for being smarter than others, and for finding pleasure in reading.
ReplyDeleteBut as I thought about this question further, I realized that it is more than that. Miss Caroline was frustrated, being new in Maycomb and not knowing her way around, and she happened to take this out on Scout. Since Miss Caroline was introducing a new system of learning into the classrooms, she was most likely excited to get to teach a class full of first graders how to read and write. When the first student she called on already knew how to, she became angry, “she discovered that I was literate and looked at me with more than faint distaste. Miss Caroline told me to tell my father not to teach me any more, it would interfere with my reading.” (22) Although I believe it was wrong of her to do so, when Miss Caroline later hit Scout for correcting her about Walter Cunningham, it was the last straw. She didn’t know the Maycomb way, and was frustrated that she kept being reminded of it. So even though I believe that Miss Caroline was wrong in hitting and scolding Scout, I do not believe that her intentions were wrong. When Scout gets home from school, she tells Atticus that Miss Caroline told her they can’t read together anymore. Do you think that Atticus is doing the right thing when he tells Scout that they can keep reading but she can’t tell her teacher, or do you think that Scout should be allowed to stand up for what she wants to do without hiding the truth?