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MollieReiter Ms.Boes English10 9October2013

WhoReallyisYourFamily? IntheMerriamWebsterDictionary,thedefinitionoffamilyisasfollows:agroupofpeople whoarerelatedtoeachotheroragroupofpersonswhocomefromthesameancestor.Thisistrue, yetitsalsonottrue.Ibelievethatfamilyiswhoyouwantittobe.Ithasbeendifferentoverthe centuries,butintodayssociety,theaveragefamilyhouseholdhasamom,dad,andthreefourchildren. AfterreadingToKillAMockingbird,therealizationthatfamilyissomuchmorethanwhatyou normallythinkitishitmeonceagain.InthebookToKillAMockingbird,familyisntalwayswhatit mayseemtobe.Familyisntjustyourbloodrelatives,itisntalwayswhoyouwantordontwant,like ordislike.Familyiswhoyoulove,carefor,andwhoyouletintoyourlife. TherearethreemainfamiliesinToKillAMockingbirdthatareperfectexamplesofwhat familyreallyis.ThefirstistheFinchfamily,whichthenarrator,Scout,isapartof.TheFinchfamilyis atightknitbunch.WhenScoutwasveryyoung,hermotherpassedawayleavingScoutsfather, Atticus,tolookafterScoutandherolderbrotherJem.Atticustakesonthisresponsibilitywithhishead heldhighanddoesanexcellentjob,inmyopinion,raisinghischildren.Hemakessuretohaveadeep connectionwithbothofthem,whetheritbeteachingScouthowtoreadeverynight,orteachingJem aboutthelaw.WithScoutsmothergone,Calpurnia,thehouseservant,isheronlyfemalefiguretolook upto.EventhoughCalpurniaisanegrowoman,sheislikeafaithfulmembertotheFinchfamily.When AuntAlexandracomestostaywiththem,CalpurniastilliswhoScoutlooksupto,mainlybecauseshe

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dislikesAuntAlexandria.Thisgoesalongwiththefactthateventhoughyoumaynotlikethem,ormay notgetalongwiththem,theyarestillyourfamily.HavingDillinthestory,alongwithCalpurniabeinga faithfulmemberofthefamily,supportstheideathatfamilyisntjustyourbloodrelatives.Itswhoyou love,carefor,andwhoyouletintoyourlife. ThesecondfamilythatIwanttomentionisthemysteriousRadleyfamily.Livingjustdownthe streetfromtheFinchfamily,theyareaquietbunchforthemostpart.ControlledbyMr.Radley,the familyrarelycomesoutside.Mr.Radleyhowever,willcomeoutandhasasetroutine.Beingcoopedup inthehouseallthetimehasgottoputstressontherestofthefamily.ThereisMrs.Radley,Nathan Radley,andthentheevermysteriousMr.BooRadley,asthekidscallhim.HisrealnameisArthur Radley,andafterstabbinghisdadinthelegwithascissoroneday,hehasbeenlockedinthehouseand neverstepsoutsidetotheknowledgeoftherestofthetownbecausetheyneverseehim.Weinferred thatMr.RadleybeatsMrs.Radley,andthatafterhedied,Nathantookoverthefamilyandnothing changed.Nathantakesupthesameroutinehisdadhad,andhekeepstherestofthefamilycoopedup inthehouse.Thisagainsupportstheideathatalthoughyoudontwantthemorlikethem,theyarestill yourfamily. ThelastfamilyIwanttomentionistheEwellfamily.TheEwellfamilyisafamilywithalotof children,theyarepoor,andtomakeitworsethefather,BobEwelldrinksalot.Intodayssociety, therearesomefamilieslikethis,justtoprovethepointthattherearecertainthingsthatdontchange overgenerations.OneofthemostdisturbingthingsisthatMr.Ewellmakeshisdaughterpressrape chargesagainstTomRobinson,andshegoesalongwithit.Theevidenceandcluesthroughoutthestory pointtoBobEwellbeingtheonewhobeathisdaughter,notTomRobinson.Tobeatyourchildand thensitbackandletaninnocentnegrotaketheblameiswrong,andthefactthathisdaughterwent

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alongwithitisevenworse.Throughoutthebook,therearesomanydifferentviewsonfamily,andI thinkthatthiswasoneoftheauthorsmainpointsthatshewantedtomake. Thebookexpressestomethatfamiliesallhavetheirownproblems,andwhetherrightor wrong,havetheirownwayofdealingwiththem.Duringthetimeperiodthisbookwaswrittenfor,and eventoday,therearedifferentviewsthroughoutsocietyonhowafamilyissupposedtobeandwhat theyarenottobe.WhenAtticuswasaccusedofbeinganiggerloverheheldhisheadhigh,andwhen AuntAlexandratoldhimtofireCalpurnia,heputastoptothatidearightaway.Hestuckupforhis family,includingCalpurnia,throughoutallthehardtimesanddidntbackdown.EvenwhenArthurhad stabbedhiminthelegwiththescissor,Mr.Radleystuckupforhimandkepthimathomeinsteadof sendinghimaway.WhenBobEwellsdaughterknewitwasntTomRobinsonsfault,shewaswillingto lethimtaketheblametosaveherfather,becauseheisfamily.Asyoucansee,throughoutthewhole book,theideaoffamilyiseverywhere.Notonlyjustthebasicideaoffamilythatyouthinkofeveryday, butthedeepconnectionwithothersandtheiractions.Inconclusion,inthismagnificentbookToKillA Mockingbird,familyisntalwayswhatitmayseemtobe.Familyisntjustyourbloodrelatives,itisnt alwayswhoyouwantordontwant,likeordislike.Familyiswhoyoulove,carefor,andwhoyoulet intoyourlife.Everyonehastheirownperspectiveonwhattheybelieveisfamily,butwhatisitreally?