There are ways in which her stories are swayed by her age ... she doesn't fully understand the meaning of rape even though Atticus explains that it is the carnal knowledge of a woman against the woman's will. The reader can guess that Scout doesn't understand the concept of rape because she doesn't seem to comprehend how babies are made (Dill tells her a fantastical tale about the process). Scout is young at the time of the story, but is recounting the events as an adult. That time lag can cloud the memory. We can also assume that Atticus is dead when Scout is recalling the events and that in death, his memory looms larger than life. Is Scout recalling Atticus in a glorified way?
There are also ways in which Scout's age crystallizes her telling of the stories. Her age gives her a unique perspective on the world. She is allowed to drift between the white and black worlds and into the adult world without people paying much attention to her. She grows a lot during the story and that growth allows her, as a storyteller, to see and comment on the change. Even though Scout is young, you could say that she is an "old soul." Her personality colors the story with an open mind.
The topic is pretty narrow for an entire essay, but it doesn't need to be confined to just Scout's age. You have the concept of personality to play with too and Scout certainly has a personality. She was not a conformist by any means.
|
