Saturday, May 7, 2011

What does Aunt Alexandra's obsession with heredity symbolize?

Aunt Alexandra's obsession with heredity symbolizes the deep rooted prejudiced beliefs shared by certain community members of Maycomb. Her views represent the old-fashioned, traditional Southern ideology that acknowledges and judges people based on their social status. She is quick to discriminate against an individual or family of a lower social class because she believes that her elite family heritage makes her better than others. These views symbolize the root of Maycomb's social issues and the community's inclination to encourage inequality and injustice. Aunt Alexandra argues with her brother Atticus over defending Tom Robinson. She even tells her grandson, Francis, that Atticus is "shaming" the family. Rather than judging people based on their character, accomplishments, and merit, Alexandra chooses to judge them based on their family's social status. Her beliefs contrast greatly with Atticus' views of equality and correspond with Maycomb's prejudiced nature.

No comments:

Post a Comment

How does author Elie Wiesel use symbolism to contribute to the meaning of Night?

In his book Night , Elie Wiesel uses symbolism throughout to enhance the text. First of all, the title itself is symbolic. The word "ni...