Monday, 4 May 2009

In chapter 12 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia's vitalization of two dialects confuses Scout. What valuable lesson does Scout learn from Calpurnia's...

Peter Lantaigne, M.A.

The visit to First Purchase Church has a lasting impact onand . The members of the
congregation are proud and generous, and some of them are a little suspicious of the children's
attendance. The chapter's most important revelation is that Calpurnia speaks differently with
the Finches than she does around her friends and family. This concept is novel to Scout, and Cal
shares this insight with her:

It's not necessary to tell
all you know. It's not ladylikein the second place, folks don't like to have someone around
knowin' more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change any of them by talkin'
right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's
nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.


The lesson that Scout learns inis about privilege. Beyond being
mindful of speaking respectfully, Scout speaks however she pleases wherever she goes. She knows
Cal as an adult and an authority figure. The...

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