What are some quotes from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' that demonstrate how women were expected to act like proper ladies and not do anything considered...

There are several scenes throughout the novel that depict how women are expected to dress and act like ladies. Scout is known as a "tomboy" throughout the novel who enjoys playing with the boys and despises acting feminine. In Chapter 9, Scout mentions that her Aunt Alexandra is fanatical on the subject of her attire. Scout says,

"I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants" (Lee 108).

This quote demonstrates Alexandra's views on femininity and her ideas of how proper Southern women are supposed to behave.

In Chapter 11, Scout and Jem are walking past their ignorant, racist neighbor's house, when Mrs. Dubose makes several derogatory comments towards Scout. Mrs. Dubose yells at Scout for wearing overalls and says that she should be wearing a dress and a camisole. Mrs. Dubose also tells Scout that she'll grow up waiting tables at the O.K. Cafe if she doesn't change her ways. Throughout the novel, Scout challenges Maycomb's traditional views of women by wearing overalls and playing outside. Scout's predominant role models are males, which is the reason her Aunt Alexandra moves into their house. Alexandra introduces Scout into the world of Southern Belles by inviting Scout to her missionary circle later on in the novel.