Calpurnia Heroic Traits

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Heroes can be seen in unusual ways. Southern literature is one of them. In To Kill Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the use of Southern Literature brings out the heroic traits of Calpurnia. Living and keeping up with the Finches is a difficult task but Calpurnia excels in it as their loyal housekeeper. Her heroic traits shine through loyalty, family, and race relationships in Southern Literature. Loyalty and honor are key to building good relationships. Calpurnia is a prime example of that. Ever since she took over the job of being the housekeeper for the Finches, she has provided nothing but her services, care and, devotion. Calpurnia has taken care of and protected the Finches for a long time. As shown here, she sticks up for Jem and Scout,”I agreed: they did not want us here....but when I looked up at Calpurnia there was amusement in her eyes...Lula was gone” (Lee 159). Calpurnia stood up to Lula when she said that white people were not allowed in First Purchase Church. A part of her loyalty is showing how proud she is of them, having them as her own. Before going to church, she made sure people were going to be aware of that, “‘I don’t want …show more content…

Tension was high and so were the stereotypes. Calpurnia proves some of those stereotypes wrong, such as having a good education. African Americans to white people were considered dumber than rocks and dirty like them too. Calpurnia contradicts that, “Atticus said Calpurnia had more education than most colored folks” (32). Not all colored people have a poor education. Calpurnia shows that. She also presents the differences of culture between the races. At First Purchase Church, she shows Scout and Jem a whole different world,”’They’s my comp’ny,’said Calpurnia. Again I thought her voice strange: she was talking like the rest of them” (158). Scout and Jem are seeing Calpurnia’s world for the first time, probably not realizing it was even

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