As a Southern
lady, Aunt Alexandra's racial prejudice is more subtle than that of others in Maycomb since it
is connected to her social level of society as well as with race.
Alexandra's
haughtiness and disdain extends to "white trash" (e.g., she frowns on 's desire to
have Walter Cunningham come "home to dinner" in ) as well as the "Negroes."
So, when she expresses her distaste with the children's having attended Calpurnia's church,
there are elements both of class and racial bias. She believes that such behavior is "just
not done" by a Finch.
Likewise, whentakes the job of defender for Tom Robinson,
Alexandra views this task as somewhat below the status of an accomplished lawyer and member of
the political set of Alabama. She also it distasteful for a Southern gentleman to be involved
with the dealings of Negroes. She asks Atticus if there is any way he can avoid this
assignment.
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