Atticus brings up his children to believe, understand and make use of two main things: Empathy and Courage. He uses empathy to teach the kids to get through other peoples misdemeanours. This helps Scout immensely, ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.’.
Atticus helps his kids become better people through his definition of courage. ‘I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know your licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.’. Of course this is a symbol of Atticus’ involvement in the court case but it can be stretched a whole lot further. He makes sure Jem and Scout don’t think that the incident with the mad dog was courage. They thought that Atticus was good at something but he bring it down to earth and explains that he knew he was going to win that fight because he was the one holding the gun. Like always the kids are quick to pick up on this. For young kids they grasp Atticus’ somewhat complicated philosophies with un-adulterated ease. Atticus is one man struggling for justice and is used by Harper Lee as a tool to teach the kids morals and equality. In the end he is used to expose the truth that justice will win over prejudice.
We don’t hear much about the children’s mother. Only that she is dead. So, Calpurnia is their mother figure. She is black so the kids grow up without racism in their system and they find it strange when other kids are racist, but they still defend their family’s honour when it is abused, ‘He’s nothing but a nigger-lover!’ then Scout’s reaction, ‘When stalking one’s prey, it is best to take one’s time.’.
Calpurnia also acts as a bridge between the white and black communities. She helps Atticus when he needs to go to the black community. She is also very respectful of Jem and Scout, ‘Mister Jem’s growing up…’. We see how much of a mother figure she can be with her other side. She shows that it isn’t all good for the kids, if they do something wrong then they will be dealt with, ‘Calpurnia sent me through the door with a stinging smack.’ and ‘Hush your mouth, sir! When you oughta be hangin’ your head in shame…’. She reacts in a way comparable to a real mother. Calpurnia is employed by Atticus but the boundaries of the relationship push further than imagined. She becomes a friend, a teacher and even a mother.
Aunt Alexandra comes in half way into the story. We have already met her at the Christmas ‘do’ and have realised that she has failed as a parent. Her boy Francis has left home and she comes to Maycomb to seek the chance to mother her brother’s kids. She ends up trying to turn them into what she wants! She is brought in by Harper Lee to be obsessive and controlling, she even brings some un-wanted humour into the story with her ‘perfect picture family’ and then sending Atticus off to tell the kids about how brilliant the family is.
She is one of the first sights of adult racism that the kids see. She treats Cal as a slave and doesn’t count her as part of the family, from the minute she arrives, ‘Put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia’ and keeps trying to get Atticus to get rid of her. Aunt Alexandra is clearly extremely jealous of Cal an how she has brought up somebody else’s children better than she could bring up hers. She is old-fashioned and arrogant. Harper Lee incorporates almost every unpleasant detail possible in a person and puts it into Aunt Alexandra.
However, Mrs Maudie is quite the opposite. She is quiet, wise and truthful in her approach and brings Jem and Scout to believe and trust in her. They believe everything she says and trust her with everything. Scout even stops fooling around when Maudie is looking, ‘our actions halted once I saw Mrs Maudie looking at us’ and she even confides in them what she knows about Boo Radley, ‘His name is Arthur and he’s alive’. The children respect her and that respect is returned. There is a great friendship between Mrs Maudie, Scout and Jem.
Overall Jem and Scout clearly change through the novel. Sometimes at an alarming rate considering the information given to them. They take it in their stride and learn to use it wisely. Should it be Atticus’ teachings on empathy and courage right down to Aunt Alexandra contrasting views about the Finch family tree. The novel and it’s goings on provide a vital backdrop to what is really happening. The development of Jeremy and Jean Louise Finch.