Chattahoochee River
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Keely Ryan - TKAM Section 2
As the story progresses, increasingly more children at school are making fun of Scout and Jem for having a father who is supporting a black man's case in court, and Scout feels as if there is nothing she can do as she has been forbidden to fight. In giving Scout a lesson on how exactly racism works in Maycomb, Atticus addresses the power of language, not only as a way to shame those who don't toe the racist line, but also to set the terms of the debate. Racists use "nigger-lover" to suggest that a person is trying to give African-Americans special rights, but Atticus points out that all he's arguing for is equality, loving everybody the same. Atticus gives Scout the general advice that is basically a grown-up version of "I'm rubber and you're glue," suggesting that schoolyard taunt actually has some merit—some insults do tell you more about the person throwing them than about their target. Later in the story, as chapter 12 unfolds, I thought it was interesting that Scout and Jem were almost objects of racism as well, and they were put into a sticky situation.
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Keely, great insights. Do you think the way Scout handles the taunts is the best way? Do you agree with Atticus's counsel? I feel like between the two characters, the internal conflict of many people is revealed. We would usually on the one hand like to hold our heads high when faced with opposition (like Atticus), but we would also like to get angry and lash out (like Scout).
ReplyDeleteI think for her age, Scout's actions are a justified way of acting and handling this situation. However, lashing out and becoming angry never results in anything constructive or positive. I admire Atticus for his counsel and taking the high road when he was constantly being belittled for his personal opinions. It isn't easy to back up someone who everyone looks down upon (Scout with Atticus). But I'm curious to see how this continues to play out throughout the story.
DeleteAll of the racist comments make me sad because it just means that their families are talking about Atticus and the case, because if they weren't then the kids wouldn't have any idea what is going on. I agree that the insults show more of who the person is and what their family is like. Atticus' choices are making him the target when really, he is simply doing what he feels is right. It makes me upset to think that the other families in town look down upon Atticus, but at least some of the adults can learn to hold their tongues; the kids don't know any better and are being influenced.
ReplyDeleteKeely--
ReplyDeleteI like that you note how Atticus clarifies what he is fighting for. He makes sure to define what he means by equality--not special rights, but fair treatment.