Childhood is also displayed through the roles of the adults. Calpurnia and Atticus both have the final say for the children and it’s these two and Miss Maudie who the children respect and listen to. The threat of punishment from the adults is what keeps the children disciplined-these three people are the people that the children learn most about in life. This is shown by the way Scout takes consideration of what Atticus asid before acting, for example ‘As Atticus had once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it’. The adults are there to teach the children the right and wrongs in life, while they are at a vulnerable age.
School portrays the childhood by the attitudes of different students. Firstly, the relationship between Jem and Scout at school represents that of any other brother and sister at the same school: ‘Jem was careful to explain that during school hours I was not to bother him, approach him with requests to enact scenes of Tarzan or tag along with him.’ This is an experience that comes with childhood, which might be why Harper Lee included it. Secondly, the education they have is one that most people have witnessed. The class ‘wriggling like a bucketful of catawha worms’ during a story relates to how children can’t keep their attention on something for long periods of time and they can get easily distracted. The children, adults and both are what Harper Lee uses to present childhood throughout the novel.
Another method used is the language, you can easily distinguish that this novel is from a child’s perspective. You can identify this by using such phrases as ‘When we were small…’to emphasise that the narrator has grown up. Harper Lee is trying to remind us that the story is told though the narration of Scout which is from a child’s point of view.
By having a lesson learnt within each chapter childhood is presented. The impression that is given is the way Scout and Jem have something to take away with them after each event, that it’s from a child’s mind-as there noticing these things as they grow up. The book has little anecdotes linked together throughout and that a child would remember such as key event. The style of writing helps Harper Lee present childhood throughout part I of To Kill A Mockingbird.
In conclusion, through the characters, language, style and setting of the book, Harper Lee has managed to present childhood effectively. She has included the interests, relationships and influences blended together through the eyes of scout and how these events have affected Scout’s opinions on things. Harper Lee presents childhood in many ways and devices but its through Scout’s eyes were the real childhood perspectives are experienced.