Atticus has been away for much of the summer months he and Aunt Alexandra believed it would be a good idea to have her stay with Jem and Scout. Aunt Alexandra has a strong personality and when she tells someone to do something they better do it. When Aunt Alexandra comes into the Finch's house she says to Scout "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence."(170) When Aunt Alexandra comes to live with the family she immediately decides that her way are how things will be done in the house. Aunt Alexandra fits into the town of Maycomb almost immediately proving the point that she makes things the way she wants it to be. Clearly she wanted to be a member of the community and that's what she did she went out into the town of Maycomb and instantly became friendly with everyone in the town. This is what Aunt Alexandra did to the routines of Jem and Scout as well she imposed her will and made the changes to their routines that she saw fit. Aunt Alexandra has told Atticus to tell Jem and Scout that they are not run-of-the-mill people and that they are the product of gentle breeding. She also told Atticus to tell Jem and Scout that they need to live up to their names and that the need to start acting like the little lady and gentleman they are. This is where it is recognized that Aunt Alexandra is the queen bee and she gets what she wants.
How will Jem and Scout react to what their father has just told them? Do you get the feeling that Aunt Alexandra has some control over what Atticus says and does? Do you like or dislike Aunt Alexandra.
Answering Andrew's last question, I do like Aunt Alexandra because I believe she has a motherly influence on Jem and Scout. The children tend to get away with misbehaving and acting foolishly when it is just Atticus, and I feel that Aunt Alexandra will end up straightening Jem and Scout out.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Andrew's first question, I think that Atticus' comment will strike Jem and Scout as a surprise. They are both used to the kind, gentle, and loving Atticus, so when he practically tells them to live up to the "Finch name", they are going to be shocked. Both Jem and Scout are not used to Atticus being so direct with them, and I feel that Aunt Alexandra has a big part to that. I definitely feel that ever since she arrived in Maycomb, Atticus has been different around Jem and Scout and has treated them with more maturity. Jem and Scout are growing up quickly, but is Aunt Alexandra rushing it too much?
I actually would disagree with Cecelia's answer to the first question. This is just my opinion, but i don't like Aunt Alexandra because although she thinks she is there to straighten out the children, I think she will have a negative impact on the kids overall. Atticus is a good dad who maybe still needs to learn how to control his kids more, but obviously he is pretty good already. Jem is growing up to be a stern young man who is very smart and is learning his ways through life. The Finch family definitely does need a mother figure, but I think that Calpurnia plays that role well. The kids were really starting to get close to her in the past weeks and now they are growing farther apart because of Aunt Alexandra
DeleteI do have a feeling that Aunt Alexandra has some control over what Atticus says, because at the end when he talks to his children about "gentle breeding," he seems very uncomfortable for the first time in the book."Our father was actually fidgeting." (177) When his father tells his children to behave more maturely ,Scout in her head is saying "my father never thought these thoughts. My father never spoke so." (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. 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. What do you think, will Scout and Jem grow to like their aunt in the next few chapters? And while their Aunt is there for "feminine influence" will this rub off on Scout and she will finally become more lady-like?
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ReplyDeleteI think that Aunt Alexandra's influence will rub-off on Scout. I think this because Aunt Alexandra is the only motherly influence for Scout. Since she is the only motherly influence, she is very important. I also believe that since she will be there for a "while" her influence will rub off very quickly.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Aunt Alexandra is a motherly influence on Scout, but Scout seems much more drawn to Calpurnia's style of parenting. Will Scout get to still be around Cal if Aunt Alexandra is here?
DeleteI'd also like to bring up Atticus and Aunt Alexandra's relationship. When Atticus was explaining the "Finch name" to his children, it was clear to me that Aunt Alexandra was feeding words into his mouth. He didn't want to say what he was saying, but he ended up doing so anyway. Atticus didn't even want Aunt Alexandra to stay at his house. Scout realizes that,"Aunt Alexandra's appearance was not so much Atticus's doing as [her own]"(146). But Aunt Alexandra is here anyways. Atticus certainly seems like a person of power and authority. Why does he allow Aunt Alexandra to stay at his house? What power does Aunt Alexandra have over Atticus? Why do you think he listens to her? Does he miss Scout and Jem's mother? Is there some other reason?
In response to Andrew's second question, I think that Aunt Alexandra definitely has control over what Atticus says and does. "...your Aunt Alexandra asked me... son, you know you're a finch, don't you?" (177). Atticus was confronting Scout and Jem about a topic that obviously Aunt Alexandra had put him up to. Also Atticus was quite uncomfortable when he said this, as you can tell from his pauses in between words, showing that he wasn't sure what was right and wrong to say to please the kids and Aunt Alexandra. I think that Aunt Alexandra is very controlling and if something isn't going her way she will automatically fix it. I don't even think that Atticus necessarily wanted Aunt Alexandra to come in the first place, "I had an idea, however, that Aunt Alexandra's appearance on the scene was not so much Atticus's doing as hers," (171)
ReplyDeleteI also think that Harper Lee put Aunt Alexandra's appearance in this chapter to somehow give off the vibe that Atticus is really trying to be a good parent, he really wants the best for his kids, even if that means letting his uptight sister staying with them. If she says she will be the motherly figure that the kids never had, Atticus will jump at the idea because he is really trying to get what is right for his kids.
Do you think that it is good that Aunt Alexandra is there or bad? Will Atticus end up standing up for himself? Will they work out a good co-parenting system?
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ReplyDeleteDo you like or dislike Aunt Alexandra?
ReplyDeleteI do not like Aunt Alexandra for a few reasons. The first reason being that she is a perfect fit to the old unprogressive way of Maycomb and that it fits her like a glove [172]. This means that she is probably a racist who thinks people of color are inferior and that girls should only act lady like. The second reason is that she thinks everyone has their place and doesn't except people who are not "normal". She doesn't like Scout's tomboy attitude and spends copious amounts of time with Stephanie Crawford who Miss Maudie dislikes with good reason for her shameless gossip. Overall she seems like someone who today would be a far right conservative with no progressive mindset who will not accept the fact that she is wrong and would be a very difficult person to deal with. She will try to suppress Scout’s personality and make her into something Scout cringes at the thought of, being a proper lady.
Jackson, I agree that she is slightly racist, as she does not have faith in Calpurnia's maternal skills. However, you have keep in mind that most people in that time period are racist, with the exception those such as Atticus. I think she's entitled to her opinions, and though they might be shallower, it does not necessarily signify her being a bad person. She came to help Atticus and attempt to provide a feminine influence upon Scout. She's trying her hardest to do what she believes is best for the children.
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