Answer:
Harper Lee included the information about the Cunninghams in the classroom scene to provide a form of introduction to the family to the readers.
Explanation:
Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" tells the story of the town of Maycomb in the American south, where there are still traces of racist prejudices. The story also deals with the themes of isolation, prejudice, good and evil but most importantly the importance of moral education despite the majority opinion.
In Chapter 2 of the text, we are introduced to the classroom scene of the town where Miss Caroline tried to lend lunch money to Walter Cunningham. And in a bid to familiarize the teacher with the Cunninghams and their ways of living, the author through Jean "Scout" Finch, gave a look into the family. And with this act of making Scout talk about the Cunninghams to the teacher, we, the readers are also introduced to them indirectly.
Not only that, the author also included the conversation that Atticus Finch had with his family amidst the school scene. The two references about the Cunninghams, even though Scout admitted she <em>"could (not) have explained the things to Miss Caroline (that Atticus had told his children), I would have saved myself some inconvenience and Miss Caroline subsequent mortification, but it was beyond my ability to explain things as well as Atticus"</em>, gave a pretty good information about the Cunninghams for the readers to know.
