In the classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are two families that are textbook examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder, and in the community. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two distinctly different reputations. The Cunninghams, although extremely poor, are highly respected throughout Maycomb County. The Ewells, being just as poor as the Cunninghams, are deeply despised. The Cunninghams are very respected by the citizens of Maycomb. They take nothing, unless they can pay it back, and that is virtually nothing. On the first day of school, the youngest of the Cunningham family, Walter, had no lunch. The new teacher didn't know the ways of Maycomb, or the Cunninghams. She tried to offer Walter money to buy lunch, and could not comprehend why he could not accept. Scout tries to explain to Ms. Caroline, "Walter's one of the Cunninghams, Ms. Caroline. They never took nothiin' they can't give back-no church baskets, no scrip stamps. They never took nothing off anybody, they get along with what they have. They don't have much, but they get along on it." Walter knew he could not pay back the quarter, so he did not take it. On that same first day of class, Bob Ewell's son Burris also had an altercation with Miss Caroline. She asked him to go home and wash his hair with lye soap, and then treat his scalp with kerosene to get rid of the "cooties." Burris would have none of it. He told Miss Caroline that he was on the virge of leaving anyway. When Miss Caroline questioned his response, one member of the class tried to explain, "He's one of the Ewells ma'am. Whole school's full of 'em. They come the first day every year and then leave. The truant lady gets 'em here 'cause she threatens 'em with the sheriff. You're supposed to mark 'em absent the rest of the year." Burris' father was a uncaring, jobless, drunk, who never even pretended to care about the education or well being of his many children.
