Isn't that ironic?

For many of us, school is a burden. We find it boring or a waste of our time, this is exactly how the majority of the children who attend Scout's school feel. They take it for granted and how lucky they are compared to black people who basically have no chance at an education.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee makes fun of and ridicules the public school system through her characters. Scout is bored and hates school because she feels held back and her intelligence is stifled. She persistently tries to get out of school. Atticus is firm in his stance for her education. This is very unlike the Ewells and how they are lackadaisical about the people they are and their education. Even though the Ewells are white and are "fine" folks (at least in Aunt Alexandra's eyes), they still choose to be victims of society and continue to be illiterate.

To Calpurnia and her family, she chose to overcome this obstacle and educate herself and her children. They had less resources than the Ewells. They had no one pushing them like the Ewells. The Ewells had a social service workers push them, Calpurnia and her family had no one. They had no incentive to learn to read, most people in their community were illiterate. Calpurnia wanted a better life for them, she wanted a better future for her family. Unlike Mr. Ewell who would rather buy alcohol than feed his family, this is why he must hunt out of season. Calpurnia would never let that happen.

With all of the racism and discrimination, Calpurnia should be the victim, not the Ewells. Calpurnia understands her situation though and she rises above it. The Ewells succumb to it.