Compare and contrast Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Aunt Alexandra is Atticus Finch's sister, while Uncle Jack is Atticus's younger brother. Uncle Jack went to Boston to study medicine when he was younger, but Aunt Alexandra stayed in Finch's Landing and married the nearly silent James Hancock, known to Scout as "Uncle Jimmy." Uncle Jack is a warm man who is kind and indulgent towards Scout and Jem, while Aunt Alexandra is colder and wants Scout to be more traditionally feminine.

Scout says of Uncle Jack, "He was one of the few men of science who never terrified me, probably because he never behaved like a doctor. Whenever he performed a minor service for Jem and me, as removing a splinter from a foot, he would tell us exactly what he was going to do, give us an estimation of how much it would hurt, and explain the use of any tongs he employed." Uncle Jack understands how Jem and Scout experience the minor tribulations of childhood, and he is compassionate and patient. He also showers them with gifts. He treats Scout's minor infractions with a sense of calmness. He gently tells Scout not to swear while he's around but does not punish her.

On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra has definite ideas about how Scout should behave, and she dislikes Scout's tomboyish dress and manners. Scout says, "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life." Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout should behave like a traditional girl, wearing dresses, playing with tea sets, and making her father happy. While Atticus largely discounts Aunt Alexandra's remarks, Aunt Alexandra continues to dispense  advice about how Scout should act to Atticus. While Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout's behavior should be guided by her gender and her membership in an aristocratic family, Atticus believes that Scout should be guided by humanity and kindness, meaning that she should treat all people in a fair way. 

What were Aunt Alexandra's views on Atticus's child-rearing methods in To Kill a Mockingbird?

This is a good question. Aunt Alexandra is a conservative woman who is very conscious about things like propriety and class. So she wanted Jem and Scout to grow up in a certain way - especially Scout. She was worried that Scout was too much of a tomboy and not a proper lady (in Alexandra's eyes). According to Scout, Alexandra was cold. Here is a memorable quote:

"Aunt Alexandra would have been analogous to Mount Everest: throughout my early life, she was cold and there."

Aunt Alexandra was also concerned that Atticus was too lax in his parenting. In her opinion, he allowed his kids to do whatever they wanted. She was also concerned that Calpurnia had too much say and authority over the lives of the children (in the absence of a mother). So, when the kids went to Calpurnia's church, Alexandra did not care for it too much. And when the children wanted to go to Calpurnia's house, Alexandra forbid it. 

Here is a quote that shows the tension between Alexandra and Atticus: 

"Atticus’s voice was even: “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. Besides, sister, I don’t want you working your head off for us—you’ve no reason to do that. We still need Cal as much as we ever did.”

Compare and contrast Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia, or Cal, are both strong-willed figures who play significant roles in the lives of the Finch children, Jem and Scout. Both are firm in their beliefs and want what's best for the children. From there, however, the differences between the two women are more compelling. Calpurnia, the Finch family's African American housekeeper, has acted as a surrogate mother to Jem and Scout for a considerable period of time and knows the family as well as anybody in Maycomb. Hers is a welcome presence for Atticus and his kids. Aunt Alexandra, previously a regular visitor to the Finch household, becomes a full time member of the household when she moves in with the express intent of imposing a more austere form of discipline on the children, especially on Scout, whom she views as insufficiently feminine.

From the beginning of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the story's young narrator, Scout, is very explicit in her dislike of her aunt, contrasting Alexandra with her father by commenting that "I was sure that she was swapped at birth and that my grandparents had gotten the wrong child." Whereas Calpurnia is open-minded about people, choosing to judge on the basis of character rather than ethnicity, Alexandra is the exact opposite, condemning young Walter Cunningham because of his background and exhibiting serious reservations about her brother's decision to defend Tom Robinson, the disabled African American man accused of raping a white woman. And, as noted, Alexandra is adamant that Scout act more like a girl and less like a boy, including addressing the latter by her formal name, Jean Louise.

Calpurnia and Alexandra are similar only in their love for the Finch children, and are both strong, independent women. Beyond that, they are as different as night and day, with Calpurnia exhibiting the more admirable qualities.

What are some similarities between Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus and Aunt Alexandra both have strong opinions about how the Finch children should be raised.  They want them to be raised morally.  However, each has a different idea of what that looks like.  Aunt Alexandra worries about Scout being a tomboy.

Atticus believes that children should be given some leeway to grow up.  This is demonstrated by his uniquely hands-off approach to child-rearing.

Jack, she minds me as well as she can. Doesn't come up to scratch half the time, but she tries. (ch 9)

Atticus and Aunt Alexandra argue about how he raises his children.  She objects to the fact that they have not been given to feel a sense of superiority because of their name.  She also does not like the way Scout is not very feminine.

 Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants. (ch 9)

In their own way, each has the children’s interests at heart.  Aunt Alexandria worries that Scout will not by lady-like enough.  She worries that others will look down on the children, and this will hurt their chances in society.  Atticus does not concern himself with such things.  He just wants his children to respect all kinds of people and have moral courage.

Compare and contrast the parenting methods of Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

In Chapter 9, Scout compares Aunt Alexandra to Mount Everest in that "she was cold and there." In the same chapter, Scout explains that Aunt Alexandra "was fanatical on the subject of (her) attire." Aunt Alexandra wants Scout to behave and look like a lady, which, as far as Scout can tell, involves "playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace" that her aunt gave her when she was born. In Chapter 13, Scout says that Aunt Alexandra "had river-boat, boarding-school manners; let any moral come along and she would uphold it."

Ostensibly then, Aunt Alexandra seems to practice a rather cold, old-fashioned style of parenting. She does, however, have a kind, well-meaning heart beneath the cold exterior. For example, in Chapter 24, she says about her brother, "I can't say I approve of everything he does . . . but he's my brother, and I just want to know when this will ever end . . . It tears him to pieces." Despite the exterior which may sometimes suggest otherwise, Aunt Alexandra genuinely loves her family. Her parenting style in relation to Scout and Jem is, despite its faults, motivated by a genuine love for them and a genuine concern for their wellbeing.

Atticus, by contrast, has a much more liberal parenting style. He teaches his children to empathize with other people, to be tolerant, and not to be judgmental. Whereas Aunt Alexandra is more concerned about Jem and Scout being good according to what society says is good, Atticus is more concerned about teaching his children to be moral. He tells Scout, for example, that one can "never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them." He also tells her that "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."

It's difficult to see past Atticus when considering who has the better parenting style between him and his sister, Aunt Alexandra. If Aunt Alexandra had had her way, Atticus never would have defended Tom Robinson, for fear of ruining the family reputation. Atticus's decision to defend Tom Robinson encapsulates why his parenting style is the better of the two. This decision shows Jem and Scout what real courage is and teaches them that one must always stand up for what is right. Society needs more people like this, and perhaps fewer of those people like Aunt Alexandra who know what's right but won't go to great lengths to stand up for it.

How does Aunt Alexandra feel about Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Aunt Alexandra does not approve of Scout's lifestyle and personality throughout the novel. Alexandra wishes that Scout would wear dresses and attend social functions with other females, instead of wearing overalls and playing outside with Jem and Dill. Alexandra is rather strict and does not hesitate to criticize Scout whenever she feels it is necessary. She also believes that children should have an understanding of their family's history, which is another thing that does not interest Scout. Scout has little in common with her aunt and purposely tries to avoid Alexandra. Alexandra also views Scout as being "dull" because Scout rarely speaks to her when the family gets together. Overall, Aunt Alexandra feels that Scout is an immature tomboy that needs to develop manners as well as social skills. 

How does Aunt Alexandra feel about Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Although Aunt Alexandra does come across as insensitive and harsh, she does truly care about Scout; however, Scout does not really realize how her aunt feels until nearly the end of the story. Aunt Alexandra often seems to be overly concerned with Scout's lack of ladylike qualities and makes her opinions known to all of those who will listen. Eventually, though, Aunt Alexandra's actions and words do reveal her love for her brother and his children.

What are the similarities and differences between Scout and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

On the surface, the two couldn't be more different.  Aunt Alexandra is horrified that Scout likes to wear pants and just doesn't act properly in so many ways.  Aunt Alexandra is all about custom and maintaining a certain image and doing everything right in terms of other people's opinions.

But underneath it all, both Scout and Aunt Alexandra are willing to recognize hypocrisy and to challenge some things when they are really pushed into a corner.  For Scout it happens more often, perhaps because she is more of an impetuous child, but Aunt Alexandra also shows her willingness to do so when she stands up to her missionary group by calling them out on their hypocritical attitude towards the black members of their town and the people they are trying to "save" in Africa.

What are the similarities and differences between Scout and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Both Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie are mother figures to Scout and Jem, and both are southern ladies who live in Maycomb, so they share a similar cultural background.

Beyond that, they are very different people, and Aunt Alexandra could be seen as the "bad" (or at least very conventional) mother figure in contrast to Miss Maudie's "good" mothering of the children.

Aunt Alexandra represents the conventional white middle class lady of Maycomb, and she quickly integrates into the heart of the community, becoming part of the Missionary Society and hosting ladies' teas. She shares the values of her neighbors: she wants to get rid of Calpurnia as a bad influence on Scout, she wants Scout to wear dresses and behave like a lady, and she is distressed that Atticus has not taught his children all about their Southern ancestors and taught them to have pride in their family heritage. She wants to repress the children, especially Scout, and turn them into typical specimens of their society.

Miss Maudie, on the other hand, is a generous, open-hearted, unconventional woman who does not share the racist values of her neighbors. She also doesn't care about the past, symbolized by her happiness when her house burns down, and she gets out from under it. She is a non-judgmental, wise adult who likes to bake cakes for the children. Scout can sit on the porch with her and learn from her wisdom. Miss Maudie is much like Atticus in believing Tom Robinson should have a fair trial and in being distressed at the verdict.

Aunt Alexandra represents the past and Miss Maudie the future: Scout is exposed to both influences as she makes her way through childhood.

What are the similarities and differences between Scout and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

I will be happy to provide some examples but will leave the essay writing to you.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MISS MAUDIE & AUNT ALEXANDRA

• Both grew up at or near Finch's Landing.
• Both are members of the Missionary Circle.
• Both of the women refuse to attend the trial of Tom Robinson.
• Both are excellent cooks.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MISS MAUDIE & AUNT ALEXANDRA

• Miss Maudie is a Baptist; Alexandra is a Methodist.
• Aunt Alexandra is "an incurable gossip"; Miss Maudie goes out of her way to mind her own business.
• Aunt Alexandra tries her best to change Scout's unladylike ways; Miss Maudie accepts Scout for who she is and the way she is.
• Aunt Alexandra always dresses immaculately, while Maudie wears coveralls most of the day while working in the yard.
• Miss Maudie is a widow; Aunt Alexandra is married (barely) to Jimmy Hancock.
• Miss Maudie is childless (apparently); Aunt Alexandra has a son and a grandchild.
• Miss Maudie has a great sense of humor; Alexandra never shows a humorous side during the entire novel.

How does Aunt Alexandra react to the incident in which Jem is attacked by Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird? 

Aunt Alexandra has certainly mellowed since her arrival in Maycomb. She apparently had plans to rule the roost when she first settled in with Atticus, but he slowly made his presence felt; first by defending Calpurnia's presence and later by allowing the children to attend the trial. After she refuses to allow Walter Cunningham to come and play with Scout, Alexandra sees a more ladylike side of Scout at the Missionary Circle tea. Just before the children leave for the Halloween pageant at the school, Alexandra has a premonition.

... she stopped short in the middle of her sentence. She closed her mouth, then opened it to say something, but no words came out.
     " 's matter, Aunty?" I asked.
     "Oh nothing, nothing," she said, "somebody just walked over my grave."  (Chapter 27)

Alexandra blamed herself for what happened to Jem and Scout, partly because she is too tired to accompany them to the school and also for not recognizing the "pinprick of apprehension" that she failed to act upon earlier. Alexandra ran to meet Scout when she returned home in her crumpled ham costume, and her

... fingers trembled as she unwound the crushed fabric and wire from around me. "Are you all right, darling?" she asked over and over as she worked me free.  (Chapter 28)

Alexandra's long-dormant motherly instincts reached a new height when she brought Scout clean clothes to put on.

... in her distraction, Aunty brought me my overalls. "Put these on, darling," she said, handing me the garments she most despised.  (Chapter 28)

Later, Alexandra blamed herself for the attack, telling Atticus that "I had a feeling about this tonight--I--this is my fault..." A different side of Alexandra's nature appeared that night, one of kindness, caring and motherly concern that had rarely been seen in the previous chapters.

Compare and contrast Aunt Alexandra's and Calpurnia's mothering in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia are similar in some ways in their approach to childrearing, but different in others. Calpurnia is the Finch’s African American cook and housekeeper who cares for Jem and Scout throughout the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Calpurnia differs from Aunt Alexandra in many ways, chiefly beginning with the fact she is of a different race and social class. Calpurnia’s child rearing techniques seem more sympathetic towards the children in comparison to Alexandra’s. She is more forgiving toward Scout’s “tomboyish” ways, and is more understanding of the children’s struggles. Calpurnia seems more concerned about teaching the children life lessons, like how to treat people with respect at all times, when compared to Alexandra’s mothering approach. Her ability to understand the children and dismiss feminine social conventions might be in part due to the fact that she occupies a lower social class.

Aunt Alexandra comes from a higher social class than Calpurnia, and is the sister of Atticus Finch. Alexandra is tough on Scout because she views Scout’s lifestyle with contempt. Scout says, “When I said I couldn't do anything in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants.” Alexandra is preoccupied with maintaining a prestigious family name. Her concerns for the children are from the perspective of a concerned relative who cares about the family name, which can come across as callous at times.

Both women are strict, in the sense that they intervene immediately when Jem and Scout misbehave. They are both positive role models who have the children’s best interests in mind. Both women are concerned with the children’s appearance, more so Alexandra than Calpurnia. Alexandra and Calpurnia both try to teach the children how to have character.

How does Atticus' moral code compare with Aunt Alexandra's in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Alexandra and Atticus both adhere to rather rigid moral codes. The main differences between the moral view of each character stems from what they view as the crux of good and bad behavior.

Each bases moral judgment on a different, basic criteria.

Atticus...bases his opinions of people on their behavior and not their background. Unlike Alexandra, who calls poor people like the Cunninghams "trash" because of their social station, Atticus tells his children that any white man who takes advantage of a black man's ignorance is "trash."

Where Atticus is concerned with fairness and justice, Aunt Alexandra is concerned with status. She has reasons for viewing the world as she does, but these are reasons that Atticus (and Scout) can find no agreement with. 

Alexandra...is a conservative woman concerned with social and class distinctions and bound to the traditions of the South.

Alexandra's concern with family distinction and with status is at odds with Atticus' humanism, a trait that by-and-large defines his character.

For Atticus, morality is defined by principle and action, not on appearance. This is why he is willing to sacrifice his stature in the eyes of his community to conduct a thorough defense of Tom Robinson in court. 

The principles of "right behavior" are bound to notions of fairness for Atticus. He gives up shooting so as not to enjoy an unfair advantage resulting from his gift. He strives not to use his position in his own favor. He aims for compromise with his children. In all these examples, we see a dedication to fairness as the basis for moral behavior and justice.

What is Aunt Alexandra's opinion of Jem and Scout?

Aunt Alexandra comes to stay with Jem and Scout during the trial. She is and always has been disapproving of the way Atticus has raised his children. She refers to Scout always as "Jean Louise" and thinks she is a tomboy, ruffian and unfeminine. She tells the children:

"Jem's growing up now and you are too," she said to me. "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys--"

She tries to get Scout to wear dresses and act more like a girl and even "encourages" her to attend her women's missionary tea.

She also thinks Scout is dumb:

It was plain that Aunty thought me dull in the extreme, because I once heard her tell Atticus that I was sluggish.

She also thinks Jem is wild and that he does not appreciate his lineage:

Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations' gentle breeding --' Atticus paused, watching me locate an elusive redbug on my leg.

"Gentle breeding," he continued, when I had found and scratched it, "and that you should try to live up to your name--

Read the helpful information here on eNotes. Also, Aunt Alexandra arrives in chapter 13, so you should go back over that chapter and find additional examples. Good luck!

In To Kill a Mockingbird, how are Calpurnia and Aunt Alexandra similar and different?

Aunt Alexandra and Calpurnia are both strong female figures in To Kill a Mockingbird. So, they both play a mother role, more for Scout than for Jem. Aunt Alexandra is conservative and although she shows some compassion with her missionary circle, she lectures Scout on the prestige of her family's history and this goes hand in hand with preserving social (and racial) class distinctions. However, Aunt Alexandra does get upset upon hearing news of Tom's death. There is the opinion that Aunt Alexandra was more of a traditionalist than an outright elitist. That is to say that any residual racism she exhibits is a product of her loyalty to those social traditions. 

Calpurnia is much more open-minded than Alexandra and makes a larger impression on Scout both as a mother figure and as a guide to the society and culture of Maycomb. Calpurnia is the bridge between the white and black worlds of Maycomb. When she takes the kids to her church, this is the first time Scout considers that Calpurnia has a life outside of the Finch household. This is a moment where Scout really begins to become aware of other people's lives rather than thinking only of the role they play in her (Scout's) own life.

“That Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me. The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one, to say nothing of her having command of two languages” (67).

Calpurnia scolds Scout for making fun of Walter Cunningham at the beginning of the novel. This is the first example of Calpurnia teaching Scout to put herself in other people's shoes. This is a lesson that Atticus instills in the children as well.

Calpurnia, like Atticus, is a voice of reason and represents the social separation or double-consciousness of living in a white and a black world. Aunt Alexandra represents a traditionalist of the south who is reluctant, but not totally unwilling, to give up social traditions even if they are in the spirit of an historical evolution towards equality.

What does Atticus disagree with Aunt Alexandra about in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus disagrees with Aunt Alexandra over how to raise Scout. 

Aunt Alexandra thinks Scout should be raised like a little lady.  Atticus, on the other hand, lets her wear overalls and go by a nickname, rather than her real ladylike name.

Aunt Alexandra's vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father's lonely life. (ch 9)

Alexandra feels that Scout and Jem do not understand their heritage.  They should appreciate that they are Finches, and they have an obligation to be upstanding members of society and protect their family name.  Atticus has raised his children to appreciate character more than status.

Scout does not understand or get along with Aunt Alexandra, because she feels that her aunt does not take the time to get to know her or appreciate her. 

What are the similarities in personality and views between Scout and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The similarities between Scout and her Aunt Alexandra are few, but Atticus' sister does mellow a bit later in the novel, and the two do have a few things in common.

• They are both dedicated to Atticus.
• They both love Jem. (Scout admires him as a sister cares for an older brother; Jem's injury in the final chapters bring out the best of Alexandra's nearly dormant motherly instincts.)
• They are both strong-willed.
• They both see the two-faced attitudes of several of the women at the Missionary Circle tea.
• They both dislike and even fear Bob Ewell.
• They were both upset at the news of Tom Robinson's death.
• They are both a bit superstitious. (Scout is young enough to believe any of Jem's tales about Haints and Hot Steams, and Alexandra believes that "somebody just walked over my grave" just prior to the Halloween pageant.)

What is Aunt Alexandra's impression of Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird? 

Atticus's sister rarely has anything to say about Jem, and she always seems to be concentrating her limited mothering skills on Scout, worrying that her tomboy antics will prevent her from ever becoming a lady or living up to the name of Finch. Scout is disappointed once again at Christmas when Alexandra places the two boys, Jem and Cousin Francis, at the adult dining table, relegating Scout to the children's table. 

Aunty had continued to isolate me long after Jem and Francis graduated to the big table. (Chapter 9)

Atticus explains to Scout that Alexandra doesn't necessarily dislike her, she just

... didn't understand girls much, she'd never had one.  (Chapter 9)

Jem agrees.

"... she's not used to girls... leastways, not girls like you. She's trying to make you a lady. Can't you take up sewin' or something?"  (Chapter 23)

He has learned not "to antagonize" Alexandra, a skill the younger Scout still needs to master. Alexandra seems to view Jem as a younger version of Atticus, and she gives him a free rein while concentrating on the more important goal of adding a touch of femininity to Scout. Alexandra bows to the trust and confidence that Atticus has in his children, trusting that Jem will carry on the male tradition of the family: He will look after his little sister and eventually play football. Jem will turn out okay, Alexandra knows; it is Scout who must be watched.

What is Atticus' reaction to Aunt Alexandra's request in To Kill a Mockingbird?

After Aunt Alexandra comes to stay with Atticus just before the start of the Tom Robinson trial, she makes it clear to him that the housekeeper, Calpurnia, will no longer be needed. Alexandra believes that she will serve as a better female presence in the home than Cal, and that there is no need for two women. But Atticus will hear none of it, telling his sister that Calpurnia will keep her job as long as she wants to stay. He tells Alexandra that he "couldn't have got along without her all these years," and that he considers Cal a member of the family.

     "Besides, I don't think the children have suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she's been harder on them in some ways than a mother would have been... she's never let them get away with anything, she's never indulged them... --and another thing, the children lover her."

No more was heard from Alexandra on the subject, but Scout could tell by the way she had returned to her knitting that "She was furious."