After this encounter the rest of their experience at First Purchase is a positive one. They encounter some of the reality about black people, and why some people act so superior. They also learn that the black people are just like them. It helps them to understand more about Cal and even about why their father is defending a black man in court, even if there is a good chance he will lose. "Jem said it looked like they could save the collection money for some for a year and get some hymn-books. Calpurnia laughed...'They can't read'" (165) In this moment Jem and Scout both realize that there is life outside of Maycomb and there are more ways to live a life than the way people do it in Maycomb.
One big part of this chapter is further characterizing Calpurnia. It draws her out as her own character and her own person instead of just a mother figure for the children. Do you think in the course of the chapter she becomes less or more of a mother figure? Do you think Scout and Jem still view Cal the same way?
I agree with what you were saying about Jem and Scout being shocked by Lula. It is very true that they have never experienced anything like this before. One of the reasons they were so surprised during this incident is because, before going to this church the only Black person they knew well was Calpurnia. Therefore, they used the way Cal acts as a generalization towards all Black people. When they heard the way Lula talks to them it comes as a shock because they did not know black people acted other than the way Calpurnia did.
ReplyDeleteThroughout this chapter Cal definitely becomes more of a mother figure to Scout and Jem. Calpurnia had been a significant mother figure before, but now its showing her when Atticus is gone. Calpurnia has more responsibilities and through this chapter you can tell she handled them well. Although she is more of a mother figure, Jem and Scout's view of her does change. Instead of just seeing her in their house not with her companions, they see her at church, her community. This is where Cal fits in and is a part of something, unlike Maycomb. This chapter gave Scout and Jem more respect for Calpurnia
I think that Julie is right about Calpurnia being characterized a lot more in these chapters, but I still believe that she will always be some sort of mother figure to Scout and Jem, even if she starts becoming her own person. I don't think that Scout and Jem view Calpurnia too differently because of this occurrence, and I think it brings them slightly closer together because at the end of chapter 12, Scout asks Calpurnia if she can go visit her at her house. Also, I believe that this part of the story fits in with the themes of racial prejudice, different roles of education, coming of age, and appearances can be deceptive. There is racial prejudice because it is shown, as Julie said that a black woman said that white children were not wanted at the church, and even though she was the only one that spoke out about that, it still shows that there is a deep separation between races. There is also the different roles of education because the whole group of people at First Church can sing the hymns without books, and they are all in tune with each other, which astounds Scout and Jem. What is more surprising is that only four people out of the whole group are literate. Through their experience at First Purchase and through talking with Calpurnia, the children also mature a little bit because they learn, as Julie said, about life outside of their world and their community. The theme of appearances can be deceptive comes into play because Scout and Jem find out that Calpurnia lives, as Scout puts it, "a modest double life." She speaks both colored folks talk and white folks talk at different places and with different people. Do you think that this is a good thing to do? A question relating to when they are at church is, do you think that the way the reverend asked for money to donate to Helen Robinson was a good one? Also, do you think the description of the church and the cemetery beside it represent anything? Why does Scout call the cemetery a "happy cemetery" and do you agree with her statement?
ReplyDeleteScout's and Jem's view of Cal is becoming more and more different. At the start of Chapter Twelve Scout describes her relationship with Jem, "Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody." Jem is growing up and Cal even calls him Mister Jem. Jem begins to want to be on his own. He has less desire to play games with Scout, and in doing so he pushes her to spend more time in the kitchen with Cal. Cal is a mother figure to both of the children but Scout begins to see what being a woman is like from Cal, and she realizes being a woman is not necessarily being like Aunt Alexandra. Jem's view of Cal has been almost the same throughout but Scout starts to see her in many more ways, for example the time Cal said she missed them when they were at school, or when Cal showed them the church. She sees that being a woman actual takes skill, and for once she views it as something more than a nuisance that Aunt Alexandra tries to force her into it. Why does Scout look up to Cal more than Aunt Alexandra? Is it because Cal is one of the few woman that don't try to force womanhood on top of her? Do you think one day Scout will be a woman as Aunt Alexandra and the rest of Maycomb imagined?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Julie's post, I would like to say that Calpurnia has become more of a mother figure to the children. She has taught them, like Julie said, that there is life outside of Maycomb. A maternal unit would like their kid to remain in the box that they put them in. A mother may not approve of their kid going to their cook's church and that is why Calpurnia is a great mother figure: she challenges her children to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things. Do you think Calpurnia will become more or less of a mother unit as the book moves on? Do you think a mother would approve of Calpurnia's actions? Do you think Calpurnia is an effective mother-figure? Do you think Calpurnia took the kids to church because they couldn't stay home alone or because she thought that they would benefit from it?
ReplyDeleteIn reply to Julie's post, I think the church shows more than how an African-American person can react to a white person; it's a sort of backwards racism. At the church, the black community is superior, and Jem and Scout, the only white children, are outcasts. Lula's character enforces this backwards racism by being unable to accept Jem and Scout. I think Lee incorporated this to put Scout into the shoes of the black community (something Atticus told her to do before judging people). Also, since the trial was just introduced, this moment shows that the black community is not at fault, that they are all good people. Do you think that Tom Robinson is really a "mockingbird" because his community seems innocent? Or is he really at fault?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Christian's comment, I think that some part in Scout does wish to be ladylike. In the scene when she is preparing for church, Scout does not fight back when Calpurnia washes her (unlike Jem, who complained) and dresses her up like a lady.
In response to Amy's comment, I think Calpurnia is making a smart move by living a double life. I feel this may come into play later when Atticus has to handle the trial. Since Calpurnia understands both communities, she could be of aid to Atticus. Do you think that the white people (of Maycomb) respect Calpurnia enough to listen to what she says?
I believe that Cal both steps away, and comes closer to a motherly figure in this chapter. She separates herself from the children by showing them she has a completely different life without them and that allows Scout and Jem to have new thoughts about who she is and what she means to them. She becomes closer to a motherly figure by following Atticus and teaching Scout and Jem lessons and morals, but also teaching them things Atticus could never teach them.
ReplyDeleteLike people said earlier, this is a totally different experience for Jem and Scout. Neither of them have had any real interactions with black people aside from Calpurnia. I feel like in this chapter, the kids have a realization that blacks are just like them and the opinions of black people may not be true. Scout and Jem are learning by experiences and that all ties in with the theme, coming of age. The incident with Lula shocks the kids at first but in my eyes overlooked by them. Ya, this wasn't a great situation for Jem and Scout but far more people were nice to them and acknowledged them in a good way than not so that was important. Being at First Purchase opened the kids eyes and showed them to be more open-minded about racism and possibly other things
ReplyDeleteTo add on to Julie's comment, I agree that going to First Purchase church opened Scout and Jem's eyes to the broader surroundings around them. It introduces them to a whole new perspective of African American people. Not only did the church make Scout and Jem realize that blacks are the same, they get into Calpurnia more and connect with her more.
ReplyDeleteResponding to Judah's comment, Calpurnia took Jem and Scout to the church because they would benefit from it. She wanted to introduce a new perspective to Jem and Scout that black people are the same as whites. She wanted Jem and Scout not to think like a Maycomb citizen, and for them to realize the many similarities between both races.
Calpurnia does become more of a motherly figure to Jem and Scout because she gives them more background information about herself, leading to the kids getting closer to Cal and experiencing what religion was like for her. The kids definetly get closer to Calpurnia after going to First Purchase.
I want to bring the discussion back to some of the points Amy made. I think it is interesting to compare the description of the church with its bland crumbling walls and lack of hymn books compared to the pomp and circumstance of the white churches. Despite this, the people who are regular members of the First Purchase Church seem to have a tremendous amount of pride. This connects directly to a reference in the chapter of "rice Christians". This term refers to the people from Asia who joined the church not because of their true belief in Christ, but in order to get the food, primarily rice, that the church provided.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the members of the First Purchase Church are clearly relatively poor, they still found money to give to the collection plate (which happened to be a coffee mug). When there was not a sufficient amount of money in the cup, the priest closed the doors and requested more. As each person came up, they were applauded.
What do you think is the symbolism of the coffee cup in stead of a collection plate? Why do you think donations are applauded in the First Purchase Church whereas they are expected in a white church? What do you think is more important, the amount of money that someone is able to donate, or how hard they are working to give that money? These are all questions to think about when you consider Scout and Jem's experience at the First Purchase Church.