To+Kill+A+Mockingbird+Essay

Chase Whitehead Ms. Moosman English Honors Period 5 September 29, 2012

The Importance of Cal

In “To Kill a Mockingbird” Harper Lee uses many minor characters to fill many important roles within the story. One of the minor characters who displays this is Cal. Lee uses Cal to fill in the needed paternal role of a mother to Scout and Jem. Cal is often misunderstood by Scout throughout the story. In the beginning Scout often describes Cal as tyrannical, bossy, and annoying, much like a child would think of their mother. However, by the end of the story Scout begins to realize just how much Cal truly cared for both Jem and herself. Despite filling the needed paternal role Cal also plays a major part in showing the discrimination and prejudice against blacks in the small society of Maycomb. She goes through multiple experiences that give a little example of just how bad life was for a black person in that time period.

One of the major experiences that Cal goes through numerous times through the book is the black persons in the society being separate and unequal. This type of view was extremely common for the time period and this lead to other experiences that Cal had to go through. One of the things it impacts towards the beginning of the book is her relationship with the Finches, Scout in specific. In the beginning the two seem to constantly disagree and Scout often believes she is above Cal because of the stereotype that blacks are not as good as whites. That general stereotype of white persons being superior also leads to another major event in the story, the trial of Tom Robinson. Cal has to experience just how bad the discrimination and prejudice all throughout the trial and the trial gave a big reality check to multiple persons within the story. Discrimination and prejudice are shown in many examples throughout the book. One of the main points Lee showed about society was that black persons were separate and unequal. Lee used numerous minor characters to make that point, Cal in specific. Cal went through multiple situations throughout the story that showed just how mistreated the black persons truly were in this time within society. "Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand." (Lee 88). From scouts point of view as she watched multiple white people get into large arguments over black people. The quote shows just what society was like. White persons were very unreasonable, arrogant, cruel, and abusive towards the blacks for no reason at all. Cal experienced with Scout as well in her own way. Toward the beginning of the book Scout often thought of Cal as less than a person. However, as the story progressed Scout began to realize that not only Cal, but all black persons were real people as well. However, that belief was often hated amongst the white persons and even though the Finch family was nice to Cal and the Blacks, the other whites were not.

Black people were not treated with much respect especially if they were unfortunate enough to be a cook, or maid to a white family. Cal was one of the lucky ones and worked for the Finch family. They treated her very well despite the other white persons not. Lee used this unusual relationship between Cal and the Finch family to provide an important role throughout the book. Scout and Jem lost their mother at a young age; however, with their close relationship with Cal throughout the story they learned many life lessons from the mother-like role Cal served in the story. Cal would listen and explain situations to the children if they had questions, and assisted Atticus in providing support for the kids. However, this type of equality between a black person and a white family was not supported at the time. Cal would be treated with respect within the Finch family but would not receive it from any other white person outside the family. Lee even showed the double life Cal lived when Jem and Scout attend church with Cal. Scout noticed how Cal acted differently when she was with other black persons. Scout described Cal as a completely different person while attending church with her. This made Scout experience what Atticus had said “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.” (Lee 30). Scout always had her generalization of Cal but never realized the double life Cal was forced to live until she was a part of Cal’s double life. Once Scout realized this she starts to drastically realize the numerous situations of racism and prejudice within not only Cals life, but her own as well. This realization also played an important part in the trial of Tom Robinson.

Tom Robinson was a well respected black man within the black community. However, he was falsely accused of rape and assault of a white girl within the story. This accusation impacts not only him but the entire black community as well. The accusation had a large negative impact on his family and Lee used that to show the black community coming together when they needed help by having the church Cal attended gather money to provide his family with food. Cal was heavily impacted not by the trial itself but by the heavy racism it gave off. She had to experience just how inferior the white persons wanted the blacks to feel when she attended the trial itself as well. When she arrived she was forced to sit within the black persons section, which was significantly smaller than the white and was shoved in the back of the room. Cal also was impacted by the unjust decision the white jury came to. When Tom Robinson was found guilty everyone within the black community including Cal was forced to remain calm in an unjust society. Despite facing this racism Cal remained calm throughout the trial and even assisted Atticus by keeping an eye on the children while they were at the trial.

Lee showed just how incredible the black persons truly were in that time period. Lee showed the many hardships they had to face, and the responsible, non-violent responses the black community did to counter the white community. The black people were faced with endless abuse in that time period. Lee showed numerous examples of this in the relationship between black and white people within the book, the Tom Robinson case, and the message of black people being separate and unequal. Despite all the abuse the black community prevailed, and with their courage and their ability to unite with each other they improved American society for the future.

Works Cited Lee, Harper. "Chapter 9." //To kill a mockingbird//. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. 88. Print. Lee, Harper. "Chapter 3." //To kill a mockingbird//. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1960. 30. Print.

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