Role and Importance of Calpurnia.

Someday in the 1930s

Being a black woman serving a white family, Calpurnia is many times like a bridge between the two worlds through whom we get both perspectives. For example, we get to see how both the whites and the blacks live their daily life. (whites from the Finches, blacks from the Church outing in chapter 12) It is from her that Scout first learns of the contrast between the worlds of both parties.

She also is one of the only motherly figures in the childrens' life and cares about them, knowing what they like and don't. (she made crackling bread for Scout as she knew she loved it)
She fills up that gap that their mother left when she died. She is looked upon as a member of the Finch family by Atticus, Jem and Scout. "She's a faithful member of this family...Besides, I don't think the children've 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 the way most coloured nurses do......and another thing, the children love her." (pages 150/151) From the above lines, we can infer that she was a strict teacher and yet still loved them.

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Posted by Calpurnia at noon