TKAM: Atticus and Aunt Alexandria

A. When it comes to character relationships, who would be better to describe than Atticus the perfect father and Aunt Alexandria the stereotypical caretaker? To start, both are Finches. When I say that, not only do I mean that they're related, but they both want Jem and Scout to have great futures in keeping the Finch legacy going. Their father is a lawyer and their uncle is a doctor. They aren't just normal people and Atticus and Auntie won't let them cost the family like cousin Joshua.

They also have a similar view on what they want for Jem and Scout. Jem is maturing and even been called to be almost an adult. Scout is growing and under Jems influence of growing up as a boy. Atticus and Aunt Alexandria want Jem to be a proper gentleman and for Scout be a beautiful young lady. Both characters have these two interests.

B. These two also have significant differences. Aunt Alexandria is keen on noticing family traits. She says that the Merriweathers are morbid because they usually commit suicide and that "No Crawford Minds His Own Business." Atticus on the other hand doesn't pay much attention to families like that but does notice traits of Maycomb County's individuals. Miss Stephanie Crawford isn't gossipy because she's a Crawford but because that's just her.

Another difference involves the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus took the case because he favors justice and knows that Tom is innocent. Even though he knows he'll lose because Tom is black, Atticus still is going to try unlike other lawyers. Unlike other people in general, Aunt Alexandria is completely against this. Like many other white people back then, Aunt Alexandria was negative towards blacks. She feels that the Finch name in disgraced because of Atticus took the case. Atticus isn't racist and sees all people as people. Aunt Alexandria is and doesn't want Atticus to damage the Finch integrity.

C. Aunt Alexandria's relationship with Scout isn't really as an aunt as it is an instructor. The reason she's living with Scout is because she needs "feminine influence" and needs to learn how to be a proper lady. Aunt Alexandria could be feeling a mix of sorrow and dissatisfaction towards Scout because she's growing up as a boy and can't behave to expectations. Scout utterly dislikes her aunt because of what she's trying to teach her and the abnormalities of Atticus being convinced by Alexandria to talk the children to things like living up to the family name.

Atticus above all is Scout's father. He's loving and compassionate and uses experience as a lawyer at home. His main trouble with Scout is that he doesn't want her to be negatively affected by her upcoming experience while Atticus defends Tom Robinson. Scout loves her father but is uneasy in the situations involving Aunt Alexandria. Otherwise, these two have a steady father-daughter relationship.

D. Aunt Alexandria affects Scout in a way that really bothers her. Scout just wants to be herself and the urge to become a lady to be waited on pops up. Having said it herself, she'd rather wait on Dill and do a share of that type of work as well. Therefore Aunt Alexandria has a negative effect on Scout.

Scout is positively affected by Atticus because he's simply a great father to her. He understands and comforts her whenever she has something to tell him. With the coming trial, Scout'll need him after hearing what citizens say about her father. There's nothing more Scout could ask from her father which along with his qualities is why Atticus has a positive effect.