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  • Essay / Calpurnia: a discussion of the character in To Kill a Mockingbird

    In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Calpurnia is the caretaker of Atticus Finch's children, Scout and Jem, as well as a cook and wife. household. Cal goes to great lengths to teach the children his morals and values. Cal shows kindness to many people throughout the novel. When the contagious dog arrives in the neighborhood, she makes sure to warn everyone. Cal's kindness causes Atticus to keep her as a housekeeper, and Atticus chooses to take Cal to tell Helen, Tom Robinson's wife, the news of his death after his trial which accused him of raping Mayella Ewell. Calpurnia's strength in caring for and helping other characters impacted Atticus' decisions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the novel, Calpurnia is often kind to everyone. He's a character you can always count on. Towards the middle of the novel, Calpurnia watches Scout and Jem while Atticus is at work. Jem and Scout tell Cal there's a dog on the street and he needs their help. When Cal examines the dog from a distance, she realizes that the dog does not need their help. It was maddening. Calpurnia tries to warn everyone in the neighborhood about the rabid dog. During the chaos, Scout says, “Calpurnia’s message had been received by the neighborhood. Every wooden door in our field of vision was securely closed” (124). In doing so, Cal wanted to make sure everyone in the neighborhood was protected from the dog. Even though Atticus was at work, Cal still wanted him to know that Jem and Scout were safe. Calpurnia didn't know some of the neighbors but still wanted to help them. Atticus had been greatly affected by Calpurnia's kindness. Atticus grew to understand Calpurnia and grew closer to her. Tom Robinson has just been shot 17 times while trying to flee the police station. Because Atticus was Tom's lawyer, he felt the need to inform Helen Robinson, Tom's wife, of Tom's death. Before going to tell Helen, Atticus returns home to announce the death to Scout, Miss Madi, Calpurnia and Aunt Alexandra. Add to kiss takes the cow into another room and says, “Cal, I want you to come with me and help me tell Helen” (315). Adding a kiss could have chosen anyone to accompany him to tell Helen the bad news, but he chose Calpurnia. Atticus trusts and knows what a dice Cal is. He wanted Helen Robinson to be comforted. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Cal has a positive impact on Atticus throughout the book through his kindness. Cal shows kindness when she tells everyone about the dog, even people who don't like him. Atticus realizes that Cal is very respected in the eyes of both whites and blacks. Cal's role in the novel helped Atticus realize the importance of kindness..