As the novel develops, Jem and Scout become increasingly aware of the hierarchy of social distinctions in Maycomb and struggle to figure out where everyone has been "placed," as opposed to where everyone truly belongs. Aunt Alexandra muddies the waters for them quite a bit with her talk of family history and "fine folks," but Atticus helps them untangle that later.
Jem and Scout are well aware that "colored people" play a role in Maycomb, but their knowledge and understanding of racism is nonexistent in the beginning. What they see in their town is simply the norm; that's just the way things are, and everybody seems happy enough as they go about their business.
Jem and Scout's visit to Cal's church makes them aware for the first time that a parallel universe exists within Maycomb. They realize that an entirely different daily life goes on below the surface of theirs. This new awareness contributes to their growing up as they leave the security of the known and venture into the wider world, and surprisingly, there is a wider right there in Maycomb. Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout lose their innocence in steps, some seemingly small and benign (like going to church with Cal) and others huge and ugly, such as coming to grips with Tom Robinson's fate.
No comments:
Post a Comment