Q#7: Calpurnia

[mcech]

another afterthought:
calphurnia being in the story shows the finch kids that black people are people too.

[kohl]

Calpurnia is there to be like a second mother to the children. This also helps the kids to get a fresh view of black people and know from the start that not all are bad instead of just going into society and hearing from everyone that they are bad. So, I think she's a positive influence on the kids. Scout is learning to love Calpurnia. She sort of disliked her for making her follow rules and all but now things are getting better. Scout's beginning to appreaciate her more.

[mariea]

I think Calpurnia is a postitive influence on the children. She is like a mother, she teaches them right from wrong and does her best to keep the safe. If Calpurnia wasn't there, Scout wouldn't have had the experience to live with a "black mother". I think Scout thinks of Cal as her mother. Cal is a housekeeper, mother, friend, and babysitter for the children and she loves them.

[natemaroon]

i for sure think that she is a posotive influence on the children becuase calpurnia brings in a mix tothe picture..it gives the children to sight that negros are ok in the times even when they werent accepted..even when calpurnia brang them to the church with her everybody said that they know his dad and so basically calpurnia bringing them to the church shows everybody that they are ok with it. also bieng there replacement mother..he gives a mixture of ethnicity and kind of opens her mind to a whole another race and lifestyle

[readc]

I think Cal is one of those caracters that are always there for someone. She keeps the kids in line, that's for sure. She is definatly a positive character

[natemaroon]

kohl :This also helps the kids to get a fresh view of black people and know from the start that not all are bad instead of just going into society and hearing from everyone that they are bad.
yeah this is a great way to put it i tried to say that but i didnt come out right i think

[katiebratcher]

I think Calpurnia is a way to bring in the setting. It lets people know that there is slavery going on in this time. Also it helps the Finch kids not be racist becuase they have Calpurnia who takes care of them and helps their family.

[rundel]

She's a mother figure, and definitely a positive influence. She sorta introduces the kids to the black culture by taking them to her church. It's definitely a good thing for Jem and Scout to see how other people live. Oh, and she's a great disciplinarian too, so overall, a very strong and important character.

[tusting]

kara puts it really well said. cal shows the kids that black people are people too, and this is really important because they are living in a time period with major discrimination and racial issues. most definitly, cal is a positive influence on the kids.

[michelleg16]

What are your thoughts on Calphurnia? Why is she in this story? What does she contribute to the overall theme of the story? Is she a positive or negative influence on the Finch children? What do you think of Scout's opinions about Calphurnia?

Calphurnia is the closest thing that Jem and Scout have as a mother. She can teach them certain things that Atticus can't and in that way she is important. She brings diversity and controversey to the story as well because she is black. When the trial starts happening, it may bring more reason to call Atticus the name that the school kids called him. She is a positve influence on the children and is good for them. What page would be Scout's opinions of Cal? I do think I remember her saying that Cal is always on her, more than Jem.

[freeman]

like others are saying she is very mother like and is helping teaching scout about how to treat other people like when cunningham was over and she was telling her not to be mean to him. and i think that scout kind of respects her in her own way and deep down likes her even though in the beginging of the book she whins and complains about her to atticus.

[engebrethson]

Well I think that Calphurnia is like a mother figure Jem and Scout. They have grown up with her there for so long and since there mother had died Calphurnia was always there for them. I think that she is in the story because even though she is black helping a white family, she gets treated the same as the rest of the family. She is basically part of the family. One day she took Jem and Scout to church on a Sunday and some of the people there didn’t want the children there because there church day were during the week. Well that showed that she wanted the childed to see what the life was like for her. People wouldn’t always include her, but then even though people didn’t welcome them the two children were guest so they joined anyway. I think that Scout likes Calphurnia around because she got invited to her house and she asked her father to go. It think that scout sees her as a friend. Without this character in the story a lot of things would be different; the children wouldn’t have someone there for them when there father is gone at work; they wouldn’t get the feeling of write and wrong when there father wasn’t home and much more.

[rundel]

Oh yeah, I think Scout respects Calpurnia, and looks up to her. I agree with you, Sarah, that she's treated like another family member, regardless of the fact that she's black. That's a contrast to the world outside their house, where race is so important.

[natemaroon]

since calpurnia is african american, this helps the children get used to a different lifestyle. it eliminates the awkwardness that lies deep within the hearts of the many poeple during that era

[bryceg]

I think that she is an overall good character. She helps the kids grow up with out a mother and gives them good lessons to think about throughout life. I think Scout likes her alot, but she gets annoyed at her sometimes.