Miss Caroline Fisher: Friend or Foe?
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jean Louise Finch (Scout) is the main character and narrator. She is a young girl growing up in a meager small town in Alabama during the Great Depression, and Early Civil Rights Movement. Scout and many other characters are shown evolving throughout the novel. The theme is that things are not always as they first appear; this is illustrated through Miss Caroline Fisher, who at first seems kind; “she looks and smells like a peppermint drop (Lee, 21),” but she is actually ill-prepared, violent, and remorseful only after she realizes she has done bad.
In the beginning of the novel, Scout believes that Miss Caroline is a nice teacher from first impressions and rumor. To start off, Scout is one of the only persons in the first grade that can read, and Miss Caroline doesn’t like people being ahead. “Miss Caroline told me to tell my father not to teach me any more, it would interfere with my reading (22).” As referenced in the quote, Miss Caroline was unprepared for a child being able to read in her class, which would lead her to think that her whole school year plan has been ruined. Next, Miss Caroline hotheaded when she felt Scout was misbehaving. As Miss Caroline grew impatient, she “gave me half a dozen quick little pats, then told me to stand in the corner (28).” If things are not done Miss Caroline’s way, she may become agitated, as shown in the example with Scout. Lastly, Miss Caroline may seem guilt-ridden only after she realizes she has done something wrong or bad. “As I was last to leave, I saw her sink down into her chair and bury her head in her arms. Had her conduct been more friendly toward me, I would have felt sorry for her (29).” Scout realizes that even if Miss Caroline is penitent, she will not show her regret because of her prior actions. At what first thought to be a nice teacher, Miss Caroline Fisher ended up being the exact opposite of Scout’s first impressions....