Sunday, April 25, 2010

TKAM Response

If you live in a toxic environment, you are most likely toxic. If a drug addict is living in a crack house, it is almost impossible for him to get clean. If you were brought up in the middle east and were taught to hate Christianity, it is unlikely that you will marry a baptist. And if you grew up in Maycomb, it's unlikely you'll see clearly what fine folks are. Where you live has a noticeable affect on your views and opinions. As do your parent's ways and views, which is odd that Atticus and Jack are so different from Aunt Alexandra. She is prejudiced against anything that is against her version of what "fine folks" (pg. 130) are.

Aunt Alexandra obviously feels very comfortable at Finch's Landing. She believes that everything should and will stay the same. Maycomb is so isolated, so set in it's ideas, that it will never change. Though Maycomb is interbred and no "radical " will come down and change it's society overnight, it will someday change, and that change was in the form of a Cunningham. A Cunningham, a family that Aunt Alexandra once exclaimed as," Trash" (pg. 225). The Cunningham's were part of the most rural, secluded parts of Maycomb and yet they were the ones that had changed, just because of that pivotal moment at the jailhouse. Scout had put Mr. Cunningham into Atticus' shoes, and something had sparked and he saw how wrong he was acting.

Though many people still think the way their ancestors did 100 years ago, the people in Maycomb will have to succumb to change, whether bad or good. Along with the Great Depression came pain and heartache, and after pain and heartache comes fulfilling times. The Depression came because of many problems, and many of those problems were fixed after it left. It brought societies together and they were stronger because of it.

Jack and Atticus escaped Finch's Landing and they were better because of it. Alexandra stayed and kept the legacy of racist and pessimistic Finchs alive. Atticus and Jack learned of the world outside Maycomb and they accepted. Soon Maycomb will have to do the same.

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