scout finch:the inside story
The South represents a region of the United States which demonstrates relatively traditional values. For example, southern societies suggest men act like gentlemen, and women act in a polite manner and wear dresses. Such characteristics mainly emerge in small southern towns because they remain unaffected by large groups of people from different parts of the country. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird documents the life of a young girl growing up in small Maycomb, Alabama. Jean Louise Finch, also known as "Scout," represents a young girl who attempts to find her identity. The young tomboy receives pressure from adults who insist she should conform to the traditional role of a southern lady. Harper Lee uses nicknames, fistfighting, virile clothing, and undesirable women to portray Jean Louise's masculinity while encouraging her to postpone becoming a lady. In traditional society, parents name children according to their gender. Common names for boys include John, Robert and James, whereas Elizabeth, Sarah, and Cathy represent standard names for girls. The author gives her main character two common female titles, Jean Louise. Many southern females have two first names which reinforces their role in society
One of the reasons Scout finds difficulty in becoming a lady involves her demanding Aunt Alexandra. As Tom Robinson's trial approaches, Aunt Alexandra arrives in Maycomb to provide Jem and Scout with a mother-figure. While Aunt Alexandra stays with the Atticus family, she often insists Scout should act more like a lady. "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants" (81). Scout believes in having fun with her brother and Dill. She must wear pants to participate in the boy's various physical activities. Unfortunately, Aunt Alexandra does not understand why Scout continues to act like a tomboy. Lee develops the idea further when she describes Aunt Alexandra's "prissy" friends: Harper Lee provides the reader with several examples of typical Maycomb females. She establishes Scout's masculinity with fistfighting and explains her demeanor by contrasting it with the typical female adults of the novel. The author also allows Jean Louise to wear masculine clothing and gives her a manly nickname. Therefore, the author favors Scout's unique personality and implies women do not have to act in a stereotypical manner. The book might inspire young girls to become independent and create their own unique personalities. To Kill a Mockingbird emerges as an important novel that contradicts female society and suggests that girls should not feel pressure to act in scripted "womanly" roles. Throughout the novel, Scout encounters various people she does not necessarily like. Her only young friends are her older brother Jem, and Dill, a boy who visits Maycomb during the summer. She spends most of her time with these two boys and does not associate with many girls. Therefore, Scout often wears jeans, overalls, and other boyish clothes in order to relate to her male friends. Unfortunately, she often recei
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1331
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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