The Finch family housekeeper, Calpurnia, teaches Scout many things during the course of To Kill a Mockingbird, but the visit to Cal's church may have been one of the most important. Calpurnia is responsible for teaching Scout how to write in cursive, and the housekeeper gives her advice on how to deal with Jem's growing pains. But when Calpurnia takes the Finch children to the Negro church, she wants them to see how her people worship. Afterwards, as they walk back to the Finch house, Scout asks Calpurnia about the way she talks.
"Cal, why do you talk nigger-talk to the--to your folks when you know it's not right?"
Cal explained that she would feel out-of-place if she spoke the same way at church as she did with the Finches.
"It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike--in the second place, folks don't like havin' somebody around knowin' more than they do. It aggravates 'em."
She wants Scout to understand humility--that although knowledge is a good thing, it's not always necessary to show others how much you know.
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