To Kill a Mockingbird

Chapter 12 - Close reading

In Chapter 12, Scout experiences the “modest double life” Calpurnia lives by going to church with her, and this spurs her on to question Calpurnia about her “command of two languages.” Summarize the reasons Calpurnia gives in response to Scout’s question about why she continues to use different language with other African Americans when she knows “it’s not right.

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Scout is surprised to hear Calpurnia speak in the same black dialect as the others, because at home, Calpurnia always speaks proper English. Jem asks Calpurnia why she doesn't speak with proper grammar around black people, and Calpurnia explains that it would be out of place, and that she would look pretentious. The others don't want to learn to speak the "right" way, she says, so she speaks their language. Scout asks if she can come over to Calpurnia's house sometimes to see how she lives at her own home, and Calpurnia says yes.

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