Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Using Francis and Scout as examples, whose method of upbringing in To Kill a Mockingbird was more successful, Alexandra's or Atticus'?

I should point out that Cousin Francis is actually
Alexandra's grandson. Francis is the son of Henry Hancock, "who left home as soon as was
humanly possible." Henry and his wife "deposit" Francis with Alexandra and her husband,
Jimmy, every Christmas, so Scout's cousin really does not spend as much time at Finch
Landing as one might assume. The fact that Henry left Finch's Landing as quickly as
possible indicates that he may have tired of his own parents' upbringing; the rural
atmosphere of the area may have also been a consideration. Scout does say that Francis
"enjoyed everything I disapproved of," so the two are about as unlike as Alexandra and
Atticus. Francis is obviously a spoiled brat, but that is probably due to his own
parents' upbringing than that of Alexandra. Francis thinks highly of Alexandra; he loves
her cooking (this is one thing that both Scout and her cousin can agree upon), but he
also takes Alexandra's word as gospel. He takes Alexandra's opinion that Atticus is a
"nigger-lover" to heart, but probably more to antagonize Scout than anything else.
Unlike Scout, Francis seems to enjoy spending most of his time with Alexandra in the
kitchen, displaying an effeminate side that is quite opposite that of the tomboy Scout.
Francis obviously fears Scout, hiding behind Alexandra after hurling insults at his
younger cousin. Scout does display an independent nature not found in Francis, and she
is wilier, luring Francis into the open so she can "split my knuckle to the bone on his
front teeth." 

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