the Finch family being above everyone else. She tells the family that every other family in the county has a "streak," just to show that Finches are better than everyone else. Everything is based on heredity with Aunt Alexandra, which gets old to listen to.

"Everybody in Maycomb, it seemed, had a Streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak" (129).

Atticus kindly throws her "streaks" back in her face by suggesting that maybe the Finches have an incestuous streak because they are the first generation who didn't marry their cousins. Aunty is proud of her heritage and simply says that small hands are the only inheritance they received from "gentle breeding."

The situation in the Finch household escalates when Aunt Alexandra puts Atticus up to discussing heritage and the birds and the bees with the children. It doesn't work. It only makes things worse for Atticus because Scout starts crying. She cries because she feels the wind changing in her house and wants to know if they will have to live under Aunt Alexandra's domineering rule forever. Atticus sees that Aunt Alexandra's pushing and manipulating is disturbing the household's status quo in a negative way. Jem and Scout ask their father if he really wants them to remember everything Aunt Alexandra tells them. Atticus gives up and says, "I don't want you to remember it. Forget it" (134).

For the most part, then, the elements that bring a heightened sense of contrast to the Finch home are Aunt Alexandra's "preoccupation with heredity" and her manipulation of Atticus to support her ideas and teach the children what she believes. Fortunately, Atticus drops the effort, but unfortunately, Aunt Alexandra does not.

The contrasts are extreme.  Scout thinks her aunt finds her dull while she knows Atticus finds her interesting. Alexandra has "river boat boarding school manners," and while Atticus is a gentleman, he is also very relaxed and unpretentious. She feels she is better than others, while Atticus is quick to tell her that their "generation's practically the first in the Finch Family not to marry its cousins," noting they are as "common" as anyone else. Alexandra wants Scout to behave like a lady, and while Atticus tries to reinforce his sister's wishes, Scout knows that he loves her the way she is, which, at the time, is more of a tomboy than a lady.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are several elements that create a sharp contrast between Atticus and Aunt Alexandra.

First of all, Atticus is a man of few words. He does not socialize with people, though he is always polite and interested when speaking to others.

On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra is very sociable. She entertains women in various groups, and joins other groups. She has visitors over on a regular basis.

Atticus raises his children with intelligence, patience, good humor and flexibility. He leads by example, lets his conscience guide him rather than popular opinion, and recognizes the need for his children to see the world around them as it truly is rather than shielding them with ignorance. (We see this when he allows the children to know what is involved with Tom Robinson's case; Aunt Alexandra does not agree.)

Aunt Alexandra is concerned with appearances. Dressing correctly and acting in an appropriate fashion (especially with Scout wearing overalls instead of dresses) are very important details with Aunt Alexandra.

Lastly, Atticus does not have the same sense of familial history that Aunt Alexandra does. The children know stories of family members that their aunt would prefer they did not know; Aunt Alexandra's sense of family is not the same. Atticus is firmly rooted in his community, but is looking forward, hoping that Maycomb will be able to step out of the past and grow in a positive way.

For Aunt Alexandra the past is very important, especially the past of the Finches, a family which has been in the area for many years (as was introduced at the beginning of the novel). She is a genteel southern woman, and this can be seen in how she handles herself within the community. She is concerned that the children will have to sense of what it means to be a Finch, and even speaks to Atticus so he will talk to them.

Whereas Aunt Alexandra is concerned with appearances, Atticus is not, and will not allow himself, once again, to act in a way that does not follow his internal moral/ethical compass. Aunt Alexandra sins are more of omission: not telling the "whole truth," not recognizing the world as it truly is in order to maintain appearances.

Though they are brother and sister, Atticus and Aunt Alexandra are very different people.