symbol representing family can be found in Calpurnia's name.

Not only is Calpurnia the name of the Finch's cook who acts as a surrogate mother for the Finch children, Calpurnia is also the name of Julius Caeasar's third and last wife before his assassination. Calpurnia became stepmother to Caesar's daughter Julia and is especially celebrated for her faithfulness. Caesar is known to have been a man who carried out multiple affairs, yet, despite his infidelity, Calpurnia remained loyal. She was so loyal that she sought to protect him by begging him not to go to the senate meeting when she had what she felt was a premonition of his death, a premonition captured in Shakespeare's play titled Julius Caesar.

Similarly, Harper Lee's Calpurnia can symbolically be seen as the stepmother of Jem and Scout due to how much Atticus relies on her to help him raise them. Often, Atticus must leave the children to her sole care when he is called away on business, especially business with the state legislature. Throughout the years, Calpurnia has faithfully remained loyal to the Finch family, just as the historic Calpurnia remained faithful to Caesar. Also, just as the historic Calpurnia is tempted to disloyalty due to Caesar's infidelity, Harper Lee's Calpurnia is tempted to disloyalty when Aunt Alexandra joins the household and, due to her racist beliefs, tries to convince Atticus to let Calpurnia go. Regardless, Calpurnia remains faithful by remaining, and Atticus shows his faithfulnessto Calpurnia by telling Alexandra that Calpurnia doesn't leave the household until she wants to:

Alexandra, Calpurnia's not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn't have got along without her all these years. She's a faithful member of this family and you'll simply have to accept things the way they are. (Ch. 14)

The faithfulness symbolized by Calpurnia's name represents the closeness of the Finch family. The historic Calpurnia remained faithful to Caesar and her stepdaughter due to her ability to value family. Similarly, Calpurnia remains faithful to the Finch family while Atticus remains faithful to Calpurnia because they value family.

Harper Lee's depiction of the family in the deep South of the United States is certainly a realistic one, although in some ways the Finch family is not typical, especially with Atticus's leniency in how the children address him and in his liberal attitudes about many things. Yet, the importance of family loyalty is one trait that is greatly stressed in Southern families and the Finches clearly exemplify this attribute.  Even when she does not agree with her brother's action of defending Tom Robinson, for instance, Aunt Alexandra will hear no disparagement of him.  For, she is grateful when Miss Maudie cuts short the innuendos against Atticus by Mrs. Merriweather who attends the missionary tea.  Likewise, Scout and Jem's loyal actions of speaking up for their father at the jailhouse and when Atticus is in the front lawn with many men demonstrate the strong family ties that they have. The fondness for their maid Calpurnia, who acts as a surrogate mother to Jem and Scout is very credible, especially since the mother has died.  And, that she would scold and spank Scout is also within the realm of the norm for Southern families of the time of the setting.

Also, in the families such as the Finches, pride in their lineage is not untypical.  Aunt Alexandra's insistence upon Scout's wearing dresses and adhering to certain standards of behavior is consistent with the area and type of family in which the Finches live, as well.  Again, it is Atticus's more nonchalant attitude that is not typical.

In her depiction of families, Harper Lee, is certainly realistic in her illustration of the Cunninghams and even the Ewell family, too.  The poor, but honest Mr. Cunningham and his son Walter illustrate well the many American families that suffered during the Great Depression.  The dysfunctional Ewells who live by the garbage dump typlify the poor white trash family of the deep South.  These are probably the despicable progeny of the indentured servants and criminals who were sent or migrated from the British Isles to such places as Georgia's penal colony and its neighbor state, Alabama.

As a bildungsroman, a novel concerned with the development, education, and maturation of a young protagonist, To Kill a Mockingbird portrays an innocent Scout, who is eventually exposed to school, a veranda with a vituperative old woman, a church unlike her own, ladies' teas, mob scenes, courtroom trials, injustice, and raw hatred. Throughout the different challenges that Scout experiences, Atticus, her father, provides guidance and advice for his daughter. Consequently, Scout becomes wiser, more charitable, and more mature.

A thesis statement is the expression of the main idea of an essay. The driving points of Scout's maturation are her experiences that challenge her preconceived ideas or her lack of knowledge about others. With her father to advise and guide her about these experiences, Scout matures and acquires reasonable judgments. Therefore, a thesis statement that can express how Atticus guides Scout through her experiences will be effective. For example, students could compose something like the following: the character of Scout develops as she learns, from her father's words and brave actions, the dangers and implications of prejudging people, the importance of integrity and courage, and the evils of racism. 

Another way to pose this question is to ask how Scout and Atticus relate to the ideas of prejudice, racism, and courage in their development in the novel.

Scout demonstrates a growing awareness of the unfairness and injustice that is indemic to her society, yet resists any agreement with these tendencies. Early in the novel she is quick to judgement (see the example of her treatment of the young Cunningham) and participant in popular bias and prejudice.

As the novel goes on, Scout learns from her experiences and from Atticus that prejudice is often misguided and wrong-headed and that defeating poor judgement takes moral effort. Prejudice will not defeat itself. People have to do the work of changing their own behavior and their own thinking, then demonstrate those changes. 

Atticus provides an example of how this is done. Scout follows his lead. 

From her treatment of Walter Cunningham to her final understanding of Boo Radley, Scout demonstrates that her development has taken place along moral lines. 

Throughout the novel, Atticus is revealed through the eyes of Scout, his young daughter; Scout, the narrator, is telling the story from much later, though. That perspective affects how readers gain access to him.

Scout goes to him with questions, and how he handles these moments shows different aspects of his character. One constant in these interactions is Atticus listening to Scout and taking her very seriously. For example, when Scout asks him if their family is poor, Atticus replies, "We are, indeed." He then proceeds to explain to Scout how the Great Depression has affected different people differently. He proves to be caring, intelligent, and thoughtful. He later explains the case he is trying in court to his brother, and we learn something Scout learns years later: that Atticus meant for Scout to hear the whole explanation. This scene develops Atticus's wisdom.

Scout has great admiration for her father, but she also views him as old and somewhat removed. Harper Lee develops a world in Atticus his children do not know when the rabid dog comes to town. The threat is real, and in the moment, the sheriff puts the fate of the town in Atticus's hands, shocking Scout and Jem. When Atticus accurately shoots the ill and dangerous dog, saving the town, Scout and Jem see his hidden talents and more physical strength in him than they had previously thought possible. With this scene, Lee hints at what we readers (and in truth Scout as well) do not know about Atticus.

Lee also builds Atticus's compassion and sense of morality throughout his time as Tom Robinson's lawyer. He takes the racially charged case despite the difficulties to him; some in the town do turn against him, and he is almost attacked by a mob at the jail one night. He also treats Mayella Ewell with compassion, showing he sees the complexities of the social system in Maycomb. His clear moral compass, though, draws a line at pitying her at the expense of Tom's freedom.

Lee presents Atticus as a humble, wise, thoughtful man. He raises two children on his own (with Calpurnia's help) and teaches them the ways of the world as if he were teaching adults. Atticus is able to understand the different perspectives of different people in town. Although he does not approve of some, he forgives bad behaviors of others because he understands that behavior comes from a host of other problems. For instance, in Chapter 23, Atticus reveals that Bob Ewell spit on him at the post office. Jem is irate and worried about what Bob might do next. Atticus tells Jem to consider Bob's perspective of things. 

Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. 

Such wisdom and generosity makes Atticus sound close to a saint.

Atticus never brags about his skill as a marksman. He only uses when it is necessary. He is consistent. In other words, his words and behavior are the same no matter where he is or what situation he is in. In Chapter 9, Jem asks Atticus why he is defending Tom, even if there is little chance of winning. Atticus responds: 

The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again. 

In other words, Atticus always acts according to his principles. If he doesn't defend Tom (the right thing to do), he feels he would lose his credibility. Atticus always aims to do the right thing. He tries to teach Jem and Scout to do the same. 

Harper Lee, in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, addresses both issues of prejudice and tolerance by simply writing the novel. The novel drew great attention given it was released in 1960 (in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement). The United States was in the middle of social unease. Harper Lee's novel, in the midst of the turmoil, blatantly stated her position by presenting the issues in the novel itself.

Through the trial of Tom Robinson and the prejudice of the town of Maycomb, Lee showed the world the mentality of the South. Town like Maycomb littered the southern states. Atticus' character could have been created to illustrate what Harper Lee wished to happen in the South. Atticus' defending of Tom Robinson and his courage for going against the grain is most assuredly a mirroring of Harper Lee's own ideology regarding the racial inequality.

Poverty.  Virtually everyone in Maycomb is poor, and it leaves both whites and blacks in a similar predicament:

There was... nothing to buy and no money to buy it with...  (Chapter 1)

It is worse for the people of Old Sarum, who grow their own food but have no money in which to pay their bills, and they are reduced to a lower social status in the minds of people like Aunt Alexandra, who believe people like the Cunninghams and Ewells are "trash."

Crime.  Boo Radley is blamed for most of the "stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb." Although Maycomb seems to be a place where people can sleep safelyy without locking their doors at night, those who are found guilty are dealt with severely. Boo and his friends pay for their youthful night of frolic in different ways, and it leads to a sentence of permanent home confinement for Boo. Prowlers are shot at, children receive punishment when necessary (the stealing of Misses Tutti and Frutti's furniture), and Tom pays for his accused indiscretion with his life.

Racism.  Racism is a fact of life in 1930s Maycomb. African Americans are considered second-class citizens by most of the white people in the town, and their position is understood by the black inhabitants as well. The "N" word is used by many of the characters, including Atticus's own children; it is not always uttered in a hateful way, but often in a matter-of-fact manner, such as by Scout and Calpurnia. Atticus knows that this form of hatred will eventually come to a head:

"Don't fool yourselves--it's all adding up and one of these days we're going to pay the bill for it. I hope it's not in you children's time."  (Chapter 23)

Injustice.  Injustice comes in many different forms: racial prejudice against black people; second-class status toward women and children; and the social scorn aim at poor people and outsiders. It is also found in the jury verdict: In the "human institution" in which "all men are created equal," the jury turned its back on justice--"in the secret courts of men's hearts, Atticus had no case."