The Standards of Love Anonymous 9th Grade

Every society has unwritten rules that everyone respects, and it is momentous when these boundaries are crossed. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee develops the argument that love creates a loyalty that can overcome any standards. The author explores this idea when Cal takes Jem and Scout to church, when Scout refrains from fighting for Atticus, and when Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson.

Love often develops in situations contrary to social norms, but when it does the resulting loyalty is even stronger. When Atticus leaves Jem and Scout for a weekend and forgets to tell Calpurnia directions about where the children should attend church, Cal decides to take them with her to the local black church. In times of segregation, this is a surprising decision. When the presence of two white children is questioned, Cal does not sway, asserting, “They’s my compn’y” (Lee 119). This decisiveness about a risky decision on her part demonstrates her loyalty towards the children and willingness to protect them no matter the circumstance. Cal clearly loves and trusts Jem and Scout enough to share an intimate part of her culture with them and never leaves their side even when put under fire by part of her own community. Cal also goes...