Explain the differences between the attitudes and outlook of Atticus and Alexandra

Aunt Alexandra on the other hand is an exceedingly family oriented, proud and traditional. She is Atticus's sister, a strong-willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family. Alexandra is the perfect Southern lady, and her commitment to propriety and tradition often leads her to clash with Scout. She has incredibly old- fashioned views on certain subjects such us tolerance and family. She fits into the Maycomb community very well and is known for spreading idle gossip. Aunt Alexandra could be described as a racist and has very strong views on the separation of the blacks and whites. She thinks that children should be brought up more disciplined and rigorously in order for them to grow up to be a respectable adult. Alexandra proves herself to be a sympathetic and considerate person when she comes to stay at the finch's household and help them during the difficult trial period. On the other hand this could have been considered infuriating and impolite from Atticus' point of view.

As one of the most prominent citizens in Maycomb during the Great Depression, Atticus is relatively well off in a time of widespread poverty. Because of his penetrating intelligence, calm wisdom, and exemplary behaviour, everyone, including the very poor, respects Atticus. He functions as the moral backbone of Maycomb, a person to whom others turn in times of doubt and trouble. . This however changes when he begins to defend Tom Robinson, the rest of the Maycomb community then become hostile to Atticus because he is helping someone who belongs to what they regard as a lower class. Even his own family did not think that he should be defending Tom Robinson. Aunt Alexandra is not favourably portrayed by Scout, although she does teach some very important lessons even though you can only see them if you look deeper. It's his qualities that makes him so admirable yet ultimately causes his falling out with the people of Maycomb. Atticus practices the ethic of sympathy and understanding that he preaches to Scout and Jem and never holds a grudge against the people of Maycomb. Despite their insensitive indifference to racial inequality, Atticus sees much to admire in them. He recognizes that people have both good and bad qualities, and he is determined to admire the good while understanding and forgiving the bad. Atticus passes this great moral lesson on to Scout.

Ironically, though Atticus is a heroic figure in the novel and a respected man in Maycomb, neither Jem nor Scout consciously idolizes him at the beginning of the novel. Both are embarrassed that he is older than other fathers and that he doesn't hunt or fish. But Atticus's wise parenting, which he sums up in Chapter 30 by saying, "Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can look squarely back at him," ultimately wins their respect. By the end of the novel, Jem, in particular, is intensely devoted to Atticus (Scout, still a little girl, loves him uncritically). Though his children's attitude toward him evolves, Atticus is characterized throughout the book by his absolute consistency. He stands rigidly committed to justice and thoughtfully willing to view matters from the perspectives of others.

Differences in social status are explored largely through the overcomplicated social separations of the Maycomb society. These rigid social divisions that make up so much of the adult world are revealed in the book to be both irrational and destructive. For example, Scout cannot understand why Aunt Alexandra refuses to let her consort with young Walter Cunningham. Lee uses the children's perplexity at the unpleasant layering of Maycomb society to critique the role of class status and, ultimately, prejudice in human contact.

Aunt Alexandra feels that Atticus is making a mistake by defending Tom Robinson; she believes that it is wrong for the white people of maycomb to mix with the blacks. She doesn't think that it's right for Calpurnia to work for the finches and doesn't agree that Scout should visit her house or church. Atticus, however defends Calpurnia because she had gained his respect and regards her as a faithful member of the family. Calpurnia represents the bridge between the black and the white community and Alexandra doesn't agree that this bridge should be crossed.

As I have explained Aunt Alexandra and Atticus have very different views and outlooks. Even though they come from the same family and background they have grown up into two completely different people. Atticus is very modern in not only his thinking and work but also his teaching and discipline of his children where as Aunt Alexandra is much more old fashioned and can be described as "stuck in the past" with her attitudes and opinions.

Nicola Phillips 11:2 English Essay "To Kill A Mockingbird" September 2001