Final answer:
Calpurnia leads a double life in To Kill a Mockingbird due to societal expectations and racial segregation. She behaves differently in front of white people compared to within her own black community.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia, the Finch family's housekeeper, leads a double life due to societal expectations and racial segregation. As an African American woman in a racially divided community, Calpurnia is expected to assimilate to the norms and values of the white population while also maintaining her own cultural identity within the black community.
This is evident in the way Calpurnia behaves differently in front of white people compared to when she is with her black community. She puts on a professional and deferential demeanor when interacting with the Finch family, adhering to the expectations placed upon her as a black woman working for a white family in the Jim Crow South.
However, when she is with her friends and family in the African American community, Calpurnia is able to express her true self and engage in activities that are culturally significant to her. This double life allows Calpurnia to navigate the racial divide and protect her own identity while still fulfilling her role as a black housekeeper in a white household.