Eva S English Paper
Eva Aloezos
Period 7
2/13/14
Tough Exterior Most lessons in life are bitter-sweet, and so are many knowledgeable women. Aunt Alexandra in To Kill A Mockingbird portrays this very well. Although Alexandra Hancock is hypocritical and racist, she is also extremely loving. The south is harsh, yet has beautiful aspects, Alexandra Hancock makes this very clear. Due to Aunt Alexandra’s hypocritical, racist, and loving personality she shows Jem and Scout the beauty and flaws of southern culture. Aunt Alexandra is heavily involved with her missionary circle, and while on the surface this seems dignified and generous, it is truly hypocritical. Aunt Alexandra and her circle are willing to spend time and resources on impoverished people many miles away, yet cannot see the devastation of the blacks living blocks away from them. “Gertrude, I tell you there’s nothing more distracting than a sulky darky. Their mouths go down to here. Just ruins your day to have one of em’ in your kitchen”(309). This quote is extremely hypocritical; the women of the missionary circle are berating people of color, yet in the same breath they are sending money to poor people in Africa. Along with being hypocritical, Aunt Alexandra is also racist. She has little to no respect or blacks living in Maycomb. Not only is she a racist, she is not shy to let people know it. Her grandson Francis lets Scout know this, “Grandma says its bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s runnin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’”(105). Aunt Alexandra makes sure even her young grandson knows how she feels about the black population in Maycomb. She cares way more about her family than the treatment of blacks. Her racism is also accentuated by her accepting and fair brother Atticus. Although Alexandra Hancock is hypocritical and racist, she had many redeeming qualities, one of which being a loving heart. She cares so
Period 7
2/13/14
Tough Exterior Most lessons in life are bitter-sweet, and so are many knowledgeable women. Aunt Alexandra in To Kill A Mockingbird portrays this very well. Although Alexandra Hancock is hypocritical and racist, she is also extremely loving. The south is harsh, yet has beautiful aspects, Alexandra Hancock makes this very clear. Due to Aunt Alexandra’s hypocritical, racist, and loving personality she shows Jem and Scout the beauty and flaws of southern culture. Aunt Alexandra is heavily involved with her missionary circle, and while on the surface this seems dignified and generous, it is truly hypocritical. Aunt Alexandra and her circle are willing to spend time and resources on impoverished people many miles away, yet cannot see the devastation of the blacks living blocks away from them. “Gertrude, I tell you there’s nothing more distracting than a sulky darky. Their mouths go down to here. Just ruins your day to have one of em’ in your kitchen”(309). This quote is extremely hypocritical; the women of the missionary circle are berating people of color, yet in the same breath they are sending money to poor people in Africa. Along with being hypocritical, Aunt Alexandra is also racist. She has little to no respect or blacks living in Maycomb. Not only is she a racist, she is not shy to let people know it. Her grandson Francis lets Scout know this, “Grandma says its bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s runnin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’”(105). Aunt Alexandra makes sure even her young grandson knows how she feels about the black population in Maycomb. She cares way more about her family than the treatment of blacks. Her racism is also accentuated by her accepting and fair brother Atticus. Although Alexandra Hancock is hypocritical and racist, she had many redeeming qualities, one of which being a loving heart. She cares so