They Get Along on What They Have

"The Cunninghams  never took anything they cant pay back-no church baskets and no script stamps. They never took anything off of anybody ,they get along on what they have. They don't have much but they get along on it."(pg 26)

 It was Scout's first year in school and their teacher Miss Caroline had asked the kids if they had their lunch; she then went by every kid and checked their food. When she reached Walter she asked "where's yours?" Scout stood and said, "He's a Cunningham."

    Scout in this part of the story seemed, to me, kinda both naive and heartfelt. Naive in assuming that by saying that he was a Cunningham would explain the situation he was in and heartfelt by saying that "They get along on what they have" like saying that they may not have much but they can deal on what have. The way I can relate this to our time is the problem with people judging what others have or don't have.

   Most people grew up with hand-me-down clothes and thrift store stuff and it was fine for a while but then the increase in jobs and new technology developments  gave a chance for families to make their home a more classy place. And give their kids phones or laptops and thinking that they don't want their kids going through whatever they went through, as if those times were unacceptable and shameful. I am one of those people who still gets stuff from the thrift store and wears the same shoes for two years. I consider those days as one of the most humble times we've had.

  I'm ashamed that people judge others for what they have or for the job their parents have. Personally I think as long they have a job, its fine, as long as they can provide for their family and live a satisfactory life without asking for more than what they can live with, then it's fine and their income doesn't define who they are. Making reference to what Scout said, people get along on what they have and that's not something shameful - it's something to be proud of.