Author of To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee, set three women around Scout character to help her grow up - Calpurnia/Maudie/Alexandra - this model may have come from the Bible since the South has traditionally embraced it, but Harper Lee may have found a structure for supporting struggling families (with only one parent for example). This basic structure is also found in the natural environment; kingdoms of mineral/plant/animal; roots/branches/leaves of plants; animal head/body/limbs; growing period of formation/growth/completion; gas/liquid/solid forms of matter.
2007-02-14 08:00:39 · 3 answers · asked by clophad 2 in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
Adult readers may focus so much on the novel's politics that they neglect the coming-of-age story and the three women created by the author who function as mother figures to Scout and Jem...what if Mayella had such?
2007-02-14 08:34:13 · update #1
You are absolutely right, however you cannot leave out Atticus and the values that he inspired. Another novel which deals with excellent support systems for girls and women is, "The Bean Trees", by Barbara Kingsolver.
2007-02-14 09:30:12 · answer #1 · answered by Deirdre O 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lee demonstrates the attributes of a mother as three separate entities (actually 4 if you include Atticus). This is what is needed in the abscence of your real mother.
I don't see the extension into the natural environment as being Harper Lee's intention.
2007-02-14 16:09:56 · answer #2 · answered by Terracinese 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Based on this question and previous ones, you seem to be obsessed with "To Kill a Mockingbird." Yeah, that book was okay...BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL. They've published more challenging books since then. Go to the library sometime.
2007-02-14 16:07:44 · answer #3 · answered by Steve 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋