Hooked on YA books 2015 discussion

In "To Kill A Mockingbird," Scout's perception of Calpurnia - the way she communicates her to us, the readers - is a reflection of the way she internalizes the world. At first, Scout is callous towards Calpurnia, because she is a figure of authority, figures whom Scout generally runs up against. The way Scout communicates Calpurnia's character at first - "Calpurnia sent me through the swinging door to the diningroom with a stinging smack" - changes over the course of the novel as Scout begins to understand racism and injustice. But in the beginning of the novel, Scout doesn't know any better but to conceptualize Calpurnia's presence and Calpurnia as a person through a lens of racism, by skin color. I think that this can be considered a form of communication as it functions to shape the way Scout (and members of her community) understand the world around them. It is a worldview; it is a way of thinking, which becomes a way of communicating. Over the course of the novel and after Tom's trial and Scout's newfound affinity for Boo Radley, her perception changes, which then changes the way she negotiates and communicates with the world.

I also think this is a double-edged sword. I think in the beginning of the novel, Scout didn't recognize Calpurnia's skin color as much. Of course she noticed, but her focus was on Calpurnia's authority over her, as you said. However, after Tom Robinson's trial, Scout begins to notice Calpurnia as a black woman. But, it is also during this time that Scout develops an empathy for Cal's position in the family. It is definitely a growing experience for Scout, but her understanding comes with a cost - noticing the limitations of race during that time period.