Scout went to school for the first time, and things didn't end up quite as she expected. Miss Caroline, Scout's teacher, got mad at Scout for being able to read and write. Miss Caroline also got mad when Scout tried to help Miss Caroline with understand why Walter won't take the quarter. Scout explained that Miss Caroline was shaming Walter since he doesn't have enough money to pay her back. Miss Caroline even "whipped" Scout when Scout tried to explain why Walter won't take the quarter. I feel bad for the kids like Walter in Maycomb. Walter doesn't even have enough to bring a lunch to school. What is even worse is that Miss Caroline doesn't understand why Walter doesn't have a lunch or why he won't take the quarter. Even though Walter is very poor, his family and him never take anything that anyone offers them if they know they won't be able to pay it back. Walter and his family are very noble, because they would rather starve then be in debt to someone. One time, Atticus helped Walter's father, Mr. Cunningham, by being his lawyer, and Atticus told Mr. Cunningham not to worry about paying him. Mr. Cunningham didn't have any money to give Atticus, so he paid Atticus with all he had, which was vegetables, firewood, etc. I think this is amazing that the Cunninghams would rather starve then be in debt, and that they make sure that they pay someone back with whatever they have, even though they are very poor and have very little.
Scout meet her first grade teacher, Miss Caroline, and got into trouble with her. Miss Caroline has had a rough first day of teaching. She has cried twice on first day of teaching due to all the stress and due to one of the students. I feel very bad for Miss Caroline because she has gotten off on the wrong foot with her teaching. She gets mad at Scout for being able to read and write, but I don't get why. Miss Caroline should be happy that Scout is ahead of the group. I think that Miss Caroline should have tried to get to know each kid and family at least a little bit before she started her first day of school. Then she would understand why Walter didn't want to take the quarter and why he didn't have lunch. She would have also understood how Burris Ewell acts. Burris Ewell went into her classroom and started saying very bad things about her. She didn't know that the Ewell family only comes to school for the first day, and then don't come back. They are also very rude, just like Burris was very rude to Miss Caroline. Miss Caroline ended up crying after Burris said mean things about her. When Scout got home she talked about how she didn't want to go to school, but she made a compromise with Atticus that she would go to school if Atticus kept reading to her.
Reflections on Harper Lee's classic novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" from Blessed Trinity 8th graders.
I agree with you too with feeling bad for all people who are like the Cunninghams. They don't even have enough money to get food for lunch, but when someone offers them something they don't take it, because they are very noble, and I respect that. I also feel bad for Miss Caroline, because she misunderstands her students, and even though she wants to be the one to teach them to read and write, she should know that some kids may know how to read and write, and instead of shaming them, she should congratulate them.
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