In Chapter 10, Calpurnia spots Tim Johnson, the rabid dog, staggering down the middle of the street and begins to call and warn all of the neighbors. When Calpurnia asks Jem if the Radleys have a phone, Jem looks in the phone book and tells her that they don't. Calpurnia then runs over to the Radley front porch, bangs on their door, and warns them about the rabid dog. Scout looks at Jem and comments,
"She's supposed to go around in back" (Lee 124).
Scout is simply describing a societal norm, which simultaneously happens to be based on prejudiced ideologies. In 1930s Alabama, black people had to enter a white person's home using the back door. This custom was typical of Southern states which abided by Jim Crow laws that discriminated against black individuals.
In Chapter 12, Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to First Purchase African M.E. for Sunday service. After the service, Scout notices that Calpurnia is talking differently than she does at home. Scout candidly asks Cal,
"Why do you talk nigger-talk to the—to your folks when you know it's not right?" (Lee 167).
Scout unknowingly uses a racial slur when she refers to Calpurnia's speech as "nigger-talk." Scout clearly has heard this term used flippantly throughout her community, which reflects the prejudiced societal norms of Maycomb.
In Chapter 19, Dill begins to cry in the middle of the trial and Scout is forced to take him outside. When they get outside, Dill explains to Scout that he was extremely upset at the way that Mr. Gilmer was talking down to Tom. Dill tells Scout that Mr. Gilmer sneered at Tom and kept calling him "boy." Scout doesn't see what the big deal is and says,
"Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro" (Lee 266).
Mr. Gilmer's disrespectful attitude towards Tom doesn't bother Scout because she is used to seeing members of her community talk down to black people. In a way, Scout has conformed to her society's prejudiced beliefs by accepting Mr. Gilmer's rude behavior.
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