In Chapter 12 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most vivid descriptions is that of Calpurnia preparing the children to bring them with her as guests at her church that Sunday.
According to Scout, Cal put an extraordinary amount of effort into making the children look nice for church. Scout first noticed Cal's surprising actions during bathing. Wanting Scout to be super clean, she made Scout bathe twice and even rinse twice with fresh water in the tub. Cal also washed Scout's hair with two kinds of soap--Octagon and Castile. She even intruded on Jem's privacy to monitor his bathing, something she hadn't done for years.
Scout further notes that Cal stayed overnight just to help the children get ready for church. She also put extraordinary care into the children's clothing. Scout describes that Cal "had put so much starch into [her] dress it came up like a tent when [she] sat down." Cal even made Scout wear a petticoat, a pink sash around her waist, and ensured her patent-leather shoes were polished "until [Cal] saw her face in them."
When Jem asks what all the fuss is about, Cal replies, "I don't want anybody sayin' I don't look after my children." Cal's response shows how fond she is of the Finch children. It further demonstrates how much pride she takes in her job working for the Finch's and how proud she is of the Finch children. Her feelings towards her job and the children are further demonstrated when she proudly ushers them into her black-only church against any objections, saying the children were "her company."
All in all, this scene effectively reveals to us a lot about Cal's thoughts, feelings, and personal strength.
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