Calpurnia was the hired housekeeper in the Finch family. In the incident of Walter Cunningham having lunch at the Finch house on the first day of school, Atticus is spared having to directly rebuke Scout for her manners to company in front of that company. Instead, Calpurnia swats Scout, and removes her from the table all in the privacy of the kitchen (which is separate from the dining room). Calpurnia is a loving figure to Scout as well, drying her tears and answering sensitive questions. Scout see’s Cal as hired help, not as an integral part of the Finch household.
Scout at first sees Calpurnia less as a human being than as a force of nature that she runs up against all too often. Scout thinks Calpurnia wins their battles not because she has right on her side, but because she has the might, and that she prefers Jem, Scouts older brother. We know this when she says “She likes Jem better’n she likes me, anyway.” This shows how Scout sees Cal, not as a motherly figure but as someone to get in her way, and to stop her from doing what she wanted. The fact that she also see’s her as hired help, highlights the fact that even with Atticus, who is the most just, fair person, as a father, and the fact that Scout never means to be racist, that there is a slight factor of racism in there. As well as the social hierarchy factor that is present. Cal is only hired help to Scout, which shows that she believes that she has the right to boss Cal around, not the other way round, as Cal is neither a parent nor someone, who in Scouts eyes, should boss her around.
Cal has a very strong relationship with Atticus. He trusts her to teach the children, especially Scout, life lessons, morals, just like him. He has faith in her, and treats her like an equal. He thinks very highly over her; he let her deal with explain and telling off Scout for why she can’t tell off Walter for pouring syrup on his food, as he doesn’t get to do this at home, so it was a treat for him. He lets her “smack” the children, when he doesn’t. This also shows how he thinks of her as a motherly figure towards the children, although he is not in a relationship with her. He lets her teach the children other things, such as when Scout says “she had taught me to write.” Scout is only about six at the time of the Walter Cunningham incident, so it shows how it is young for to be able to write. He trusts her with the children, and later on in the book he lets her take them to her own church, a church for coloured people.
The way Lee wrote Cal becoming angry and telling off Scout, she made it so her “grammar became erratic.” This shows how angry and disappointed Cal was with Scout, as she had motherly emotions towards her.
The sentence “It was then that Calpurnia requested my presence in the kitchen” is isolated from the rest of the sentences, and is rather bold. The fact that Lee wrote “requested my presence” makes it sound like Scout thought she had a choice, whereas she did not. Further down on page 30, Lee wrote “He ain't company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham-” The fact that Scout calls Calpurnia “Cal” shows that they are friendly enough and have a basic level of respect that she can call Cal, Cal. Also the fact that Scout says Walter is not company but merely a Cunningham shows the hierarchy factor that works its way into the Finch family, although Atticus is such a fair person. Also, Cal cuts off Scout to tell her off. She says “Hush your mouth!” and continues to tell her that it doesn’t matter who the company is, she is still the host, and must act like one.
Therefore, Harper Lee portrays Scout and Calpurnia’s relationship by writing about an incident that shows Cal’s motherly affection for Scout and Scout’s childish views on what is her surrogate mother. She views her as unfair, and mean. Harper Lee portrays this well.
