Miss Gates and Mrs. Merriweather are hypocrites because they are judging other cultures for the same type of segregation that they are demonstrating themselves. In Chapter 24, Mrs. Merriweather began bad-mouthing Atticus and talking about how his intentions were pure during the trial but in the end, he only stirred up the African American community. She was not saying Atticus’ name out loud but everyone in the room knew who she was talking about and she continued until Miss Maudie put an end to her snarky comments. In Chapter 26, Scouts class begins discussing current event topics from news paper clippings. Their teacher Miss Gates got really upset about Hitler's reign over the Jews. Scout doesn’t understand how she could be so sympathetic towards the Jewish community and can disregard the African American community in her own town, “I heard her say it’s time someone taught ‘em a lesson… how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-”(Lee 331). Scout has a strong sense of racial justice and equality because of her father's beliefs and how she was raised. However, many people in the community do not believe African American people deserve to have the same privileges that they have. Scout has trouble understanding their point of view due to her young age and minimal exposure to other adult views in her community. Harper Lee includes these incidents to show Scouts development into adulthood and her struggle to comprehend adults and their beliefs. Hypocrisy is judging someone else for something you have done. Miss Gates was being hypocritical because she was judging Hitler for oppressing an entire group of people, while she was doing the same thing right in her own community.
I agree, Miss Gates and Mrs. Merriweather are both displaying blatant signs of hypocrisy as they say talk badly about people for doing something, while doing that thing themselves. Miss Gates is talking about Hitler's persecution of Jews in Germany when she says, "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." (Lee 329) Miss Gates is being explicitly hypocritical here because she was just making fun of the less wealthy and fortunate kids for not having proper current events and lunches, then goes on to declare how she is not prejudiced in any way. She also talks badly about the African American population of Maycomb while she is not teaching, but the socioeconomic status of her class was another area I found evidence of her being a complete hypocrite in terms of prejudice.
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