Saturday, June 1, 2013

How does Scout react to Aunt Alexandra's demands that scout must act like a lady in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In chapter nine of To Kill a
Mockingbird
, Aunt Alexandra is determined that Scout will act like a lady.
She has argued this point with Atticus, hoping for his support in the matter. She
insists that Scout wear a dress and stop doing the things that require her to wear
breeches or pants:


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Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my
attire. I could not possible 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.



Aunt Alexandra desires
for Scout to play with toys that are becoming to a little lady. Scout detests such toys.
She is a tom-boy through and through. Aunt Alexandra specifically wishes Scout would
play with "small stoves" and "tea sets." She gave her a pearl necklace when she was
born. She desires for Scout to wear it and act like a
lady.


In chapter nine, Aunt Alexandra tries to direct Scout
in the role of becoming a little lady:


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Another instance of the social code appearing in
this chapter occurs when Uncle Jack and Aunt Alexandra try to teach Scout how to be a
young lady. They are trying to teach her the unwritten code so that as she matures, she
will accept her proper role in
society.



Scout is determined
to rebel against any such teaching. She is contented being the tom-boy she is and
nothing Aunt Alexandra can do will change that.

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