Aunt Alexandra differs greatly from her brother and is portrayed as a rather austere woman, who does not understand children and disapproves of Scout's lifestyle. Unlike Atticus, Alexandra is old-fashioned and values traditional Southern culture. She subscribes to the racist ideology of white superiority and is not shy about criticizing Atticus's choice to defend Tom Robinson. Heredity and family history are also important to Alexandra, and she even insists that Atticus teach his children about their family's upstanding reputation.

Alexandra fits neatly in Maycomb's society "like a hand into a glove" and hosts missionary circles at her brother's home, where she listens to women gossip about anything and everything. She is also a judgmental individual and prejudiced against lower-class families like the Cunninghams. Alexandra is significantly more adversarial than her brother and starts numerous arguments with him over the way he raises Jem and Scout.

In contrast, Atticus is a forward-thinking, tolerant man, who believes in racial equality and is not afraid to challenge Maycomb's racist culture. Unlike Alexandra, Atticus does not fit into Maycomb's society and is an outcast because of his progressive beliefs. He is not a hypocrite, does not judge others, and could care less about heredity. In regards to his relationship with his children, Atticus treats them fairly and Jem and Scout genuinely appreciate him.

Even though Alexandra and Atticus disagree about many things, they both want what is best for Jem and Scout and are positive role models in their lives. Alexandra shows Scout how to maintain her composure during difficult times while Atticus demonstrates the importance of protecting innocent beings. They also hope to instill positive Christian values in Jem and Scout. Atticus gives his children life lessons while Alexandra makes Scout attend the missionary circle. Alexandra and Atticus also enjoy spending time with their family and supporting each other when they need it the most.

Atticus and Alexandra are both loving, caring people who are devoted to their families and to each other. Both are strong people as well, in their different ways.

The two chiefly differ in their worldviews. Alexandra is a conventional and traditional Southern lady of her generation. She believes women should be demure and wear dresses and pearls. She also believes women should support male egos whenever they can, acting as sunbeams in men's life. Her implication is that the females are to smooth away the stresses for men, while repressing their own feelings. Alexandra would very much like Scout to be socialized into this way of being and disapproves of her niece's tomboy ways.

Alexandra also believes in the importance of teaching family pride, and in the Finch family knowing and talking about its heritage. She is distressed at how little Atticus has taught his children in this regard. She fits in smoothly with conventional Maycomb society when she arrives to live with Atticus: she immediately, for example, becomes a member of the Ladies Missionary Society and hosts a tea for them.

Atticus has a forward thinking worldview that rejects many Southern conventions Alexandria cherishes, such as pride in family lineage. He believes people should be judged on their own merits, not on who their ancestors were. He also has no interest in forming Scout into a docile and repressed Southern lady, preferring to allow her to blossom as the vibrant person she is. When Scout asks him if she should be a sunbeam in his life, he says no, there are already too many of those.

Despite their differences, Atticus and Alexandra support each other, and Atticus knows Scout can learn valuable life lessons from his sister's character, if not her ideas.

Both Atticus and Alexandra care about the well-being of Jem and Scout throughout the novel. While Atticus continually shares valuable life lessons with his children, Alexandra attempts to influence them into acting like respectable, well-mannered individuals. Atticus and Alexandra also want Jem and Scout to get along with the members of their community. Towards the beginning of the novel, Atticus is continually reminding Scout to keep her fists down, while Alexandra encourages her to get involved in social events like the missionary circle.

Despite their similarities and affection for the children, Atticus and Alexandra have drastically different personalities. Alexandra is portrayed as an arrogant, prejudiced individual who continually criticizes Scout for her tomboy lifestyle. In contrast, Atticus is depicted as an affectionate, understanding father who encourages his children to think and act independently. While Alexandra shares the community's racist ideology, Atticus values every human life, regardless of the person's race or ethnicity. Also, the children openly express their love for Atticus, while they go out of their way to avoid Aunt Alexandra.

Atticus and Alexandra are two very different people.  The only similarity I can think of is that they both care about others, but in very different ways.  Alexandra cares what others think...Atticus actually cares about the people themselves.  Alexandra seems to represent the old traditional South, clinging to her heritage (what little 'fame' she might have), social standing, prejudices, outward appearance, and southern hospitality/graces.  She is appalled that Scout acts so much like a little boy rather than being and dressing properly as she feels a lady should.  

Atticus on the other hand is progressive.  He is considered to be fair, just, and honest.  He has new ideas and new philosophies about life, and he raises Scout and Jem in this progressive manner.  He allows both Jem and Scout to express themselves and doesn't require that they behave in ways 'worthy' of the Finch name.  He is opposed to a false show of etiquette and behavior, and prefers to live openly and honestly with himself, his children, and his neighbors.

In the novel, Scout mentions that this drastic distinction between the two siblings is a result of gender.  She says that only a woman could raise them as Aunt Alexandra is trying to, but I think the reason for the difference also has to do with what the author is trying to show in the novel.  The differences between Atticus and Alexandra reveal the hypocrisy and prejudices to which some members of society cling.

Compare and contrast the relationship between Jem and Scout and Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Jem and Scout share a typical sibling relationship as they tend to bicker and argue at times yet share a mutual love for each other. Scout seems to revere her older brother, who is charismatic, enthusiastic, and intelligent. Jem understands that Scout looks up to him and tends to manipulate his younger sister into participating in games and schemes that she would rather not be involved in. Despite Scout's affinity for Jem, she does not appreciate it when he begins to neglect her in favor of playing with Dill and even physically attacks him when she feels like Jem is acting superior. As the children mature, Jem becomes more sympathetic and supportive of Scout. He comforts her when Aunt Alexandra makes her upset and encourages her following the Maycomb Halloween pageant. Despite their minor arguments and misunderstandings, Jem and Scout truly love and support each other.

Similarly, Atticus and Aunt Alexandra have their own misunderstandings yet share a genuine love for each other. Atticus disagrees with his sister's emphasis on their family history while Alexandra does not agree with Atticus's decision to defend a black man. She believes that he is disgracing their family and has many issues with how he is raising Jem and Scout. The two siblings fight over Calpurnia and Alexandra acts like she is disappointed in her brother. Despite their differences, Atticus trusts his sister and confides in her after hearing the news of Tom Robinson's death. Alexandra proves that she is a loving, supportive sister by privately expressing her respect for Atticus and helping his children in a time of need.

Compare and contrast the relationship between Jem and Scout and Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

JEM & SCOUT.  The two main characters of the novel are not only brother and sister but best friends as well. Except for Dill, neither of them have any close friends mentioned in the story, and aside from the summer months when Dill visits Maycomb, Jem and Scout spend most of their time together. Scout mentions several school friends in the story, but besides the one visit that Walter Cunningham makes to the Finch house for lunch, no other friends or children are mentioned as regular playmates. Scout mentions at the beginning of Chapter 12 that Jem, who had just turned 12, was becoming "difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody." They seem to be growing apart, but no other children actually appear to come between them in any way. Jem serves as Scout's older protector, and Scout is his loyal follower. Both of them seem to prefer the company of other adults--Atticus, Miss Maudie, Calpurnia--to children their own age.

ATTICUS & ALEXANDRA.  Like most siblings, the two occasionally argue. The two don't seem to have a relationship as close as Jem and Scout, but there is little mention of their own youth together. Alexandra shows her loyalty to Atticus when she comes to Maycomb to take care of the family, leaving her henpecked husband, Jimmy, behind at Finch's Landing. Alexandra is headstrong and opinionated unlike the quiet, fair-minded Atticus; but Atticus takes control of the household when necessary (such as when Alexandra wants to have Calpurnia fired), and Alexandra obviously has great respect for him as a lawyer and for his humane beliefs. Although she sometimes tries, Alexandra is not able to dominate Atticus as she does her own husband, probably because she respects her brother much more than Jimmy..

Compare and contrast the relationship between Jem and Scout and Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Jem and Scout have a fairly typical sibling relationship of love and rivalry.  Jem takes his role as older brother seriously,  in both teasing and protecting Scout.  For example, in Chapter 4,  Jem learns Scout has eaten a piece of the gum left by Boo in the hollow of the tree:

When Jem came home he asked where I got such a wad.  I told him I found it.

"Don't eat things you find, Scout."

"It wasn't on the ground, it was in a tree." 

...

"Spit it out right now!...Don't you know your'e not supposed to even touch the trees over there?  You'll get killed if you do! ... You go gargle right now...I'll tell Calpuria on you!"

Atticus and Alexandra have a much different relationship.  Having grown up, the two have parted ways both physically and ideologically.  Scout delineates their differences nicely in Chapter 13:

When Aunt Alexandra went to school, self-doubt could not be found in any textbook, so she knew not its meaning.  She was never bored, and given the slightest chance she would exercise her royal prerogative:  she would arrange, advice, caution, and warn. 

How different this is than Atticus!  Atticus taught the children to question everything.  Unlike Alexandra, Atticus feels superior to no one, not even children.  And while he too may "arrange, advi(s)e, caution, and warn," Atticus gives people free will, unlike his sister, who dictates from on high. 

Compare and contrast the relationship between Jem and Scout and Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, both brother and sister relationships of the Finch family share many characteristics, while, at the same time, there are some distinct differences:

From the beginning of the novel, it is apparent that Jem Finch and Scout are, like Atticus and his sister, loving siblings, although they do disagree with each other at times. When, for instance, Mrs. Dubose insults Scout as his "dirty little sister," Jem retorts to her insult. Likewise, Atticus insists that the children be respectful to their aunt and obey her. Both Atticus and Jem try to guide their younger sisters: Jem explains to Scout in the first chapters that her new teacher uses the new Dewey methods of education, while Atticus explains to Alexandra that he cannot face his children if he does not defend Tom Robinson and attempt to change "Maycomb's disease."

However, there is a difference between Atticus and Alexandra regarding their attitudes about the family name and its importance. For, while Alexandra feels that there is a distinct difference between the Finches and other families of Maycomb, Atticus is not so snobbish. Like Atticus, Jem and Scout agree with Scout's attitude that "There is only one kind of folks: Folks."

As the trial of Tom Robinson approaches, Jem and Scout do what they can to support their father such as come to the jail where the mob has assembled. Similarly, Aunt Alexandra is appreciative of Miss Maudie's defense of Atticus with her sarcasm toward the hypocritical Mrs. Merriweather after her remarks about Atticus's acting as defense attorney for Tom Robinson. Furthermore, Alexandra supports Atticus more as the trial progresses, and she becomes concerned for his welfare while Atticus explains to her the importance of upholding his commitment to justice.

In a parallel situation to Atticus's maintenance of moral integrity to his sister, Jem sets an example for his sister when he informs Atticus that Dill has hidden in their bedrooms on the night that he has run away from home. And, like Alexandra who tries to protect Atticus from insults, Jem defends Scout from Bob's Ewell's vicious attack.

The statement of Atticus Finch that the Tom Robinson case is "something that goes to the essence of a man's conscience" points to the greatest commonality of both pairs of brothers and sisters. For, they are all united in their sense of justice and morality and their love for one another.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how are Atticus and Aunt Alexandra different from each other?

While Atticus concerns himself with the pragmatics of any given situation, including child-rearing, Aunt Alexandra is more concerned with upholding the social customs and values of the time.

For instance, even though Atticus allows Scout to roam freely in overalls or pants, Alexandra considers such clothing and behavior to be "un-ladylike." Alexandra spends a good deal of her time in this novel trying to convert Scout from her tomboyish ways, and attempting to get her to transform into a more feminine girl, clad in dresses and lace rather than denim and leather.

Atticus's attitude toward Scout's personal development is a bit more open-minded, and he allows her to become her own person without the interference of outdated customs. He may be concerned with her manners and her interaction with others, but outside those two areas, Atticus takes a fairly "hands-off" approach to directing his kids. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how are Atticus and Aunt Alexandra different from each other?

As is often the case, these siblings differ very much from each other. Whereas Alexandra has automatically absorbed the value system of Southern society without question, Atticus challenges it. One must consider the difference in gender (women were not "supposed" to assert their opinions apart from gardening tips, neighbourhood gossip, and cooking recipes!). Also, Atticus has studied law and has spent a lot of time constructing his values, founded on an intrinsic ideal of justice already very present within him.

Their difference marks their individuality - a brother and a sister subjected to the same environment and influence have simply chosen to be the people they ultimately are. Despite other factors, each is the 'product' of personal choice.  

Compare Jem and Scout's relationship with Atticus to their relationship with Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Jem and Scout have an exceptional relationship with their father, Atticus, in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The children's mother died when Scout was young, so Atticus has been their only parent for four or five years. While they often get frustrated by the things he will not do (play football or teach them to shoot their air-guns) and are unimpressed by all the things he can do (make an air-tight will and play a Jew's harp), they love and respect their father.

When Atticus kills old Tim Johnson, the rabid dog, Jem says:

"Atticus is real old, but I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything—I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do a blessed thing.” Jem picked up a rock and threw it jubilantly at the carhouse. Running after it, he called back: “Atticus is a gentleman, just like me!”

Atticus is not a harsh man but he expects his children to be well behaved; on the other hand, he loves them very much. When Scout explains to Miss Caroline how she learned to read, we can visualize the scene:

I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory, listening to the news of the day, Bills to Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of Lorenzo Dow—anything Atticus happened to be reading when I crawled into his lap every night.

The children's relationship with Aunt Alexandra is nothing like their relationship with their father, primarily because she is everything Atticus is not, even though she is his sister. She is concerned about things that do not matter and takes things seriously which are not serious, such as their family heritage. While Atticus listens and reserves judgment, Aunt Alexandra is quite judgmental, as demonstrated by her vocal views about Calpurnia's influence on the children, her brother's decision to defend Tom Robinson, and Scout's dress and manners.

Atticus is steady and does not change throughout the novel, but Aunt Alexandra does soften her views toward blacks, her brother, and the children by the end of the story. It is not surprising that Jem and Scout have a better relationship with their father than they do with an aunt they do not see very often--and who is much more closed-minded than they are used to from the other adults in their lives (Atticus, Calpurnia, Miss Maudie). 

How can I compare and contrast the characters Atticus and Alexandra from To Kill A Mockingbird?

In Chapter 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout remarks that "There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb...." She adds that her aunt Alexandra fits into this system perfectly as she is at the top of the social system. Her dress is according to what is expected of a lady, her actions are what is expected of a lady, and her speech is in accordance with propriety. She entertains guests, and expects her niece and her nephew to act according to social expectations.

Her Missionary Tea sees some of the more socially elite arrive at the house.  Aunt Alexandra feels that she must make the teacakes, having forbidden Calpurnia to bake them.  When she speaks to Scout, unlike her brother, Alexandra calls her Jean-Louise and demands that she wear a dress. After a time, she requests that her brother talk with his children, informing them about the expected behavior. In addition, she objects to Atticus's including Calpurnia into the day-to-day instruction of the children; Alexandra, in fact, she suggests that he dismiss her.

In contrast to his sister Atticus is uninterested in social position and social facades; for instance, he sits alone in church. As a concession to his sister, however, he reminds Scout of their family tree and the name that they carry. He does, however, insist upon good manners as he demands that his son read to and be considerate of Mrs.Dubose, who suffers. 

Much more liberal and tolerant than his sister, Atticus defends Calpurnia as the teacher of Scout and a member of the family, and he explains that his defense of Tom Robinson is taken so that his children will not have to acquire "the usual disease" of Maycomb.  His integrity, however, gains the respect of his sister, who does worry for Atticus when he begins his defense of Tom.  She indicts the town:

"They're perfectly willing to let him do what they're too afraid to do themselves--it might lose 'em a nickel.  They're perfectly willing to let hims wreck his health doing what they're afraid to do, they're ____"

Thus, Alexandra displays the loyalty that Atticus possesses, as well. Nevertheless, appearances are of much more importantce to Alexandra that they are to Atticus.