One of the biggest controversies to address in the psychological world is if humans have the ability to change. When being literal, the answer is obvious. Of course people grow taller, lose their hair, grow older, etc. But what of one’s personality? As this is plainly impossible to agree upon, people looking for an answer to this insatiable question have agreed upon a compromise. Whether the question is “Will my boyfriend cheat again?” Or “Will the serial killer kill again?” The compromise/answer is simple. Some people change and others don’t. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a character most popularly known as Scout Finch narrates the book. Scout Finch certainly changes in major ways. Although Scout remains a young girl by
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For instance, Mrs. Dubose was vicious and racist to Scout and Jem, yet she proved to be strong and courageous in her final days. At first, Scout and Jem bluntly hated her. When Mrs. Dubose said, “‘Your father’s is no better than the niggers and trash he works for!’”, the shot had gone home. Out of hurt and anger, Jem destroyed the old lady’s flower bushes. The punishment of reading to Mrs. Dubose every day was served. When she passed away, Atticus explains to the bitter Scout and Jem how Mrs. Dubose showed true courage; She battles her morphine addiction by listening to Jem read until a timer goes off. As the timer increases everyday, she waits to take the drug for a longer time. Mrs. Dubose was licked before she began but she began anyway; she was free as the mountain air, “she died beholden to nothing and nobody”(112). Scout learns how Mrs. Dubose had two completely different sides to her. Another important example is Aunt Alexandra who has an overbearing commitment to propriety and tradition, but shows her bravery by staying calm in the missionary circle. When she first comes to live with the family, she comes with the intention to give a “feminine influence”(127) causing extreme dislike from Scout. She constantly gives lectures on family, women and other topics Scout has no interest in. However, when Atticus interrupts the missionary circle and breaks the upsetting news of Tom Robinson’s death, Aunt Alexandra shows a trait she has never showed before--bravery. She calmly goes back to the circle and keeps her hospitality up. Scout admires Aunty Alexandria, “After all, if Aunty can be a lady at a time like this, so could I”(237). The final example is Dolphus Raymond; someone that appears to be the town drunk when in fact just wears a mask to live life the way he wishes. Dolphus Raymond is one of the few whites in that time period who prefers the company of blacks to
For instance, Mrs. Dubose was vicious and racist to Scout and Jem, yet she proved to be strong and courageous in her final days. At first, Scout and Jem bluntly hated her. When Mrs. Dubose said, “‘Your father’s is no better than the niggers and trash he works for!’”, the shot had gone home. Out of hurt and anger, Jem destroyed the old lady’s flower bushes. The punishment of reading to Mrs. Dubose every day was served. When she passed away, Atticus explains to the bitter Scout and Jem how Mrs. Dubose showed true courage; She battles her morphine addiction by listening to Jem read until a timer goes off. As the timer increases everyday, she waits to take the drug for a longer time. Mrs. Dubose was licked before she began but she began anyway; she was free as the mountain air, “she died beholden to nothing and nobody”(112). Scout learns how Mrs. Dubose had two completely different sides to her. Another important example is Aunt Alexandra who has an overbearing commitment to propriety and tradition, but shows her bravery by staying calm in the missionary circle. When she first comes to live with the family, she comes with the intention to give a “feminine influence”(127) causing extreme dislike from Scout. She constantly gives lectures on family, women and other topics Scout has no interest in. However, when Atticus interrupts the missionary circle and breaks the upsetting news of Tom Robinson’s death, Aunt Alexandra shows a trait she has never showed before--bravery. She calmly goes back to the circle and keeps her hospitality up. Scout admires Aunty Alexandria, “After all, if Aunty can be a lady at a time like this, so could I”(237). The final example is Dolphus Raymond; someone that appears to be the town drunk when in fact just wears a mask to live life the way he wishes. Dolphus Raymond is one of the few whites in that time period who prefers the company of blacks to