Essay On Cal's Relationship In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the 1930’s racism was at an all time high. The lynching of blacks was seen as a normal occurrence by society. It was strict taboo to have a tolerant relationship between the two races. Although in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, that taboo was broken by a black woman Calpurnia and a white woman Aunt Alexandra. Cal is a hard working woman who earns every penny she makes. Aunt Alexandria on the other hand is a privileged white woman who feels entitled to the world. They are like night and day, but are tolerant of each other for one reason, family. They both share a special relationship with the two kids, Jem and Scout. They both want the best for the children and their futures. This bright future they want for the kids cannot happen with their aunt and role-model always being belligerent toward each other. The fact that Cal and Aunt Alexandra have different skin color and still are tolerant with each other showing that family overtakes racism at all levels.
Black women in this time period are still looked down upon. Cal is treated like a lower class member of
society as most people will not even let her serve tea to them. While Aunt Alexandra was having one her weekly get together, she allowed Cal to serve them, which was very generous as Aunt Alexandra put her reputation on the line. Cal displays extreme politeness and used urbane manners, she wore her, “ Stiffest starch apron” (227). She represented not only Aunt Alexandria well, but also the entire society of the black people that were disdained. They had worked together in harmony without much scorn or hate and would again during the trial of Tom Robinson. People with the privilege of being white in this era did not or were never taught to ever trust or share viewpoints with those of another skin color. Aunt Alexandra was also brought up like that, but gave Cal some responsibility like cooking for the family and other miscellaneous tasks. During the trial of Tom Robinson the kids sneak off to watch the trial despite their fathers advisory. Both of the women are worried sick for the safety of the kids as they have no idea where they might have gone. They panic and Aunt Alexandria trusts Cal and entrusts her with the task of going off and telling Atticus that his kids have gone missing. When they find the children they both scold the children in the hopes they would never sneak off like that again. Cal was extremely disappointed in the children's actions as was Aunt Alexandra she, “ Almost fainted when Cal told her where we were… didn’t say a word during supper.” (208) They both shared the opinion that what the kids had done was extremely irresponsible and immoral, but only scolded them because they both cared for the children very much.
During this time, lots of black women would work for white families as a maid or nanny. Cal was both of those things to the kids and much more. She was more of a mother figure to the children as their real mother had died as they were at a very young age. She is strict with the kids, but also loving and considerate. For example, she invites Scout to come and hang out with her in the kitchen while Jem wants to be alone more and more saying,”You just come right on in the kitchen when you feel lonesome” (115). She also is very serious about education and usually gives Scout a page of the bible to copy down. She is a mother figure and role model for the kids even if she is not a blood relative like Aunt Alexandra.
Some relatives may seem cruel and unsympathetic toward other relatives, although they have good intentions for those people.
Aunt Alexandria is harsh with the kids so they might be able to better themselves. Scout is a tomboy. She wears suspenders and gets into fights at school to try and certify herself as more of a boy´s presence. Aunt Alexandria can not stand this believing all little girls should act like young women from the moment they are born. She is horrified by the fact that Scout wears suspenders and believes she should only wear dresses like a lady. On the way back to the house from Cal’s church, Aunt Alexandria is unexpectedly on the front porch of the Finch house. When she sees them approaching the first thing she demands is, “ Jean Louise, stop scratching your head!” (127) She is a nitpick about anything and everything so the kids will be ready for future obstacles of any
kind.
It is hard to believe that Cal and Aunt Alexandra have a tolerant relationship with one another, even with the fact of being of different races in the 1930’s just because of a relationship with two kids. They both work in cooperation with each other for the greater benefit of the children's future. They teach the children, acting like mother figures, in different ways than the others. The women share one and only one commonality which is that they both want the best for Jem and Scout. No matter the case in any given situation with family everything else, including racism is put aside.