To kill a mockingbird notes

 

 Chapter 1

·         Deals with the family history.

·         Simon Finch made money from slavery and a cotton plantation.  Simon Finch is the first example of hypocrisy in the novel as despite being a Christian he behaves in an unchristian way by having slaves.  Hypocrisy is a main theme in the novel.

·         The novel starts with Scout, the narrator, talking about Jem’s injury.

·         The Finch family is an example of a family who lost their wealth in the Civil War.

·         Atticus breaks tradition and leaves Finch’s landing to study law leaving his sister at the family homestead.

·         We see Atticus is generous as he pays for his brother’s education in medicine.

·         Maycomb - is old, past its best and suffered economic depression

·        
There are lots of inbred families in Maycomb. Strangers are not welcome.

·         The Finch family has a cook, Calpurnia, a black woman.

·         Scout never knew her mother properly because she died when she was only two.  However, Calpurnia took on the role as the children’s mother.

·         When the novel begins Scout is six and Jem is nearly 10.

·         We get the impression that the children have an idyllic childhood although their town has suffered from poverty.

Boo Radley

We are introduced to Boo Radley, a man seen as a monster by the children and the rest of the neighbourhood.  Any strange incidents are blamed on Boo.  The neighbours think that the Radleys are strange because they do not go to church but instead worship at home.  They are unsociable and this is seen as odd because everyone knows everyone in Maycomb (small town America). 

Boo got into the wrong crowd as a teenager and began causing trouble.  The judge sent the boys to a special school.  Mr. Radley was ashamed of Boo and kept him locked in the house ever since.  Boo is an easy source of gossip for the rest of the neighbourhood.  Especially, a woman called Miss. Stephanie Crawford who loves making up stories about Boo Radley.  However, Atticus is different and keeps out of other people’s business.

The second example of hypocrisy is Mr. Radley who thinks himself as a religious man however he doesn’t let his son see the outside world.

Dill, a boy the children meet in Miss. Rachel’s cabbage patch, dares Jem to knock on the door of the Radleys place.  Jem tries to excuse himself saying that he has a little sister to take care of.  Dill then reduces the difficulty of the dare and says he only has to smack the wall.  Jem does so and the children run home.

Questions

1. What do we learn about Atticus Finch?

Atticus Finch is the main character in the story.  He’s the children’s father.  The Finch family first made their wealth from slavery.  His ancestor, Simon Finch, set up home at Finch’s landing.  Atticus and his brother, Jack, break tradition and leave home.  Atticus goes to Montgomery to study law and we see that he is generous because he pays for his brother’s education in medicine.  The children see Atticus as “satisfactory” but not exciting.  Atticus keeps himself to himself and is not prejudicial towards the black community.  He treats their black cook, Calpurnia well and he trusts her to discipline the children when he is not around.

2. What impression do you get of the town of Maycomb?

Maycomb is a small town that are seen better days as it is suffered through the great depression.  Everyone in the town knows each other and they treat outsiders with suspicion.  We get the impression that nothing exciting happens in this town and the days move slowly. “There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with.”

3. Describe the Finch’s cook, Calpurnia, as Scout sees her

Scout sees Calpurnia as strict and a tyrant.  She doesn’t particularly like her because she feels that she gets punished more than Jem does.  Scout says “Calpurnia was something else again.  She was all angles and bones” and “her hand was as wide as a bed slat and twice as hard.”

4. Where do Jem and Scout first meet Dill?

Jem and Scout first meet Dill when they hear a noise next door in Miss. Rachel’s (Dill’s aunt’s) house. They look over the fence and see Dill in the vegetable patch.

5. What impression do you get of Dill? 

We get the impression that Dill is a small child who likes to boast.  Also he likes to exaggerate things and has a vivid imagination. Scout says Dill was a “curiosity”.  He boasts about how his mother put his picture in a beautiful child competition and he won $5.00.  We don’t know how true this is because Dill likes to make things up. He also likes reading and going to the picture house.

6. What games did the children play? 

The children like to play games where they act out stories from Books they have read.  They don’t like to play far away from the house because they are too scared to go past the Radley place and Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose’s house.  They play a game when they try to make Boo come out.

7. Describe the Radleys place

The Radleys house is low with green shutters on the windows. It used to be white but has darkened to a dull grey.  We get the impression that the garden is dark and overgrown with weeds and giant oak trees which block out the sun. “A swept yards that was never swept -where Johnson grass and rabbit tobacco grew in abundance”

8. Why do the children avoid the Radleys place?

The children avoid the Radleys place because they are frightened of Boo.  The stories they have heard about Boo Radley have given them a stereotypical bogie-man picture in their minds.  The children have grown up being told never to go near the Radley place.

9. What kind of people were the Radley family?

The Radleys are reclusive and antisocial.  They keep their shutters closed all the time and never go to church but worship at home. The Maycomb community see this as strange because this was “Maycomb’s principal recreation”.

10. How did Arthur Radleys get in trouble as a teenager?

Boo Radley got into the wrong crowd and after a long period of causing trouble around town, one night they stole a car, backed into the town square, escaped arrest for Mr. Connor and locked him in the courthouse outhouse.  Also they were heard using bad language while in the presence of women which was seen as an offence.

11. What happened to him?

The gang were punished by being sent to a special school.  Mr. Radley saw this as a disgrace and although the other boys would get a really good education he took Boo away and locked him in the house for 15 years.

12. What impression due get of old Mr. Radley?

Old Mr. Radleys is a very stern man and is cruel for locking his son up for 15 years.

13. What does Calpurnia to say about old Mr. Radley?

When old Mr. Radleys died, Calpurnia says “there goes the meanest man God ever blew breath into.”

14. What happened when old Mr. Radley died?

When Mr. Radleys died his older son, Nathan came back from Pensacola to watch the house and take over old Mr. Radleys job of imprisoning Boo.

15. But what impression do you get of Miss. Stephanie Crawford?

Miss. Stephanie Crawford is the local gossip and we get the impression that she uses her fictitious stories to get attention.  She tells Scout and Jem that Boo Radley came to her window in the middle of the night.  She is obviously very insecure if she needs to start rumours.

16. How does Jem imagine Boo Radley looks?

Jem describes Boo and 6 ½ feet tall, he eats any squirrels or cats he can catch, his hands are always blood stained, his teeth are yellow and rotten, he drools, his eyes pop and he has a long jagged scar  on the side of his face.  However, this is just Jem’s overactive imagination. The picture Jem paints of Boo is not unlike that which someone would paint of a stereotypical monster.

17. How does Dill get Jem to go into the Radley place?

Dill gets Jem to go into the Radleys place by teasing him and saying he is too scared. He says that people in Meridian aren’t as scared as Maycomb folk.  This made Jem do the dare in order to protect his honour. He had never turned down a dare before and had a reputation to look after.

Chapter 2

·         Scout and her class are suspicious and have a prejudice against their teacher, Miss. Caroline, because she comes from Winston County which fought on the other side of the civil war.

·         Later she tells the children a story which they can’t appreciate because they have led such hard lives.  Scout talks about the children - “most of whom had chopped cotton and fed hogs from to the time they were able to walk.” They have already left childhood far behind.

·         We are introduced to the Cunningham’s who don’t ever take anything they can’t pay back.  They’re very poor and the “hit hard by the crash.” The Cunninghams pay people in goods from the land.  He won’t take a job because would lose his land and ability to vote.  Although they are poor they are very proud.  The Cunninghams illustrate the poverty of the time.

·         Walter Cunningham, a boy from Scout’s class, has no shoes and worms.  He is also malnourished.  However, Walter is wearing a clean shirt and freshly mended overalls.  This shows that he is cared for at home.  The poor boy cannot pass first grade because he has to help with the harve st every year.

·         Atticus is prepared to receive payment from Mr. Cunningham in a different way than the usual cash.  This shows how kind Atticus is.  He is also very honest and doesn’t simplify things for the children - He tells them what entailment is. Jem tries to explain but gives Scout the wrong definition. Atticus is very diplomatic and doesn’t undermine Jem although he is wrong. He doesn’t want to spoil Scout’s view of him.

·         Scout is apparently badly behaved in class and gets her hand smacked with a ruler by Miss. Caroline.  The rest of the children just burst out laughing because they are used to a more direct approach where discipline is concerned.  Another teacher comes in and threatens to burn them - this is what they are used to.

Questions

1.  Why was Scout looking forward to starting school?

Scout is looking forward to starting school because she has watched Jem at school from the tree house.  She thinks it looks fun; she has an active mind and is ready to learn.  Also she misses Jem.

2.  What instructions to Jem give Scout?

Jem tells Scout that she’s not allowed to bother him or ask him to play with her, embarrass him or follow him at breaks.

3.  Describe Scout’s new teacher, Miss. Caroline Fisher.

Miss. Caroline is very young with bright Auburn hair, pink cheeks and red nail polish.  Scout describes her - “she looked and smelled like a peppermint drop.” This is because she wears a red and white striped dress with high heeled pumps.  We also get the impression that she is very pretty because when Miss. Maudie introduced the children to her “Jem was in a haze for days”

4.   Why were the class apprehensive when they found that Miss. Caroline came from Winston County?

The class are apprehensive about Miss. Caroline because she comes from Winston County.  She is an outsider and is not from the small group of people in Maycomb.  This makes people wary of her because in Maycomb (small town America) any unfamiliar faces are treated with suspicion.  Also, in the American civil war, Winston County fought on the union’s side, not for the southern states’.  The children are being prejudicial towards her because Maycomb County history is very important to its residents.

5.  Why was the story Miss. Caroline read to the class inappropriate.

Miss. Caroline reads the children of childish story about cats.  This is inappropriate because the children cannot appreciate it as they have lent hard lives.  Most of them have adult responsibilities and have missed out on childhood and the chance to have an imagination.  For example most of the children “had chopped cotton and fed hogs from the time they were able to walk.”

6.  Why is Miss. Caroline annoyed that Scout can read?

When Miss. Caroline realises that Scout can read she’s annoyed because she thinks that she will have been taught wrongly and that this will disrupt her education.  Also she believes that the teaching she has learnt is the only way that is worthwhile and is reliable.  She calls Scout’s reading talent “damage” and says that her father, Atticus, doesn’t know how to teach.

7.  How did Scout learn to read?

Although Scout cannot remember learning to read, she must have learned somehow.  She says “I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory.” Atticus has taught her how to read Scout’s but she cannot remember because he did it so subtly.  He had made Scout enjoying reading with him and traced the words with his fingers so she could follow as he read every night.  Scout doesn’t see this as teaching because he didn’t actually he explain to her exactly how to read.

8.  How does Jem explain Miss. Caroline’s behaviour?

Jem explains to Scout why Miss. Caroline is acting so strangely.  He says that she is introducing a new way of teaching into the school that she learned in college and he calls this the Dewey decimal system.  Scout believes him because she trusts her older brother.  He says “you don’t have to learn much out of Books that way - it’s like if you want to learn about cows, you go milk one.”

9.  What does Miss. Caroline say about Scout’s writing?

When Miss. Caroline sees Scout writing a letter to Dill she tells her to tell Atticus to stop teaching her and that “we don’t write in the first year, we print.” However, Scout blames Calpurnia for this because it was her who set her writing tasks so she could learn.

10.  How did Scout learn to write?

Calpurnia taught Scout how to write because she made her copy out chapters from the Bible to keep her busy on rainy days and to keep her out of Calpurnia way.

11.  What point do you think the author is making here about the system of formal education?

The author is trying to suggest that the formal education system is very rigid and that the teachers will only teach in a certain way and any outside education is frowned upon. 

12.  What mistake to Miss. Caroline make with Walter Cunningham?

Miss. Caroline makes the mistake of offering Walter Cunningham money for his lunch.  She doesn’t realise as everyone else does that the Cunninghams are extremely poor and will never take any think that they can’t pay back as the whole family are very proud.

13.  What were the Cunningham family like?

The Cunninghams are extremely poor as Mr. Cunningham will not sell his land as he wants to keep his pride and ability to vote.  Atticus says “the crash hit them hardest.”  They paid people in goods from the land because they have no money. Although there are poor they are also very proud because they won’t accept anything from anyone unless they can pay it back in return. We can see that the children are loved and cared for unlike the Ewell children because Walter is dressed in a clean shirt and his overalls are neatly mended. 

14.  Why does Scout get her hands smacked?

Scout’s Scout gets her hand smacked because she tries to explain why Walter Cunningham won’t take Miss. Caroline’s quarter to buy some lunch.  Scout says “he’s a Cunningham, Miss.” and thinks that this is a good enough explanation because she is so naïve. She forgets that Miss Caroline doesn’t come from Maycomb.  When Miss. Caroline still doesn’t understand Scout explains a little further and says they won’t take anything that they cannot pay back.  Miss. Caroline jumps to conclusions and thinks that what Scout says was meant nastily so smacks her on the hand again.

15.  Why do you think the class laughed when Scout was smacked?

At first the class don’t realise that Scout has been whipped.  They then all laughed because they are used to more severe punishments at home.

16.  Why do you think the class shut-up when Miss. Blount came in?

When Miss. Blount that comes into the classroom, she threatened to burn the children if they are not quiet.  This is what the children are used to and they shut-up because they wouldn’t be surprised if she carried out this punishment

Chapter 3

·         Scout fights Walter Cunningham at break time because she feels it was his fault that she got in trouble.  This shows how much of a tomboy she is.  Jem feels sorry for him and invites him home for tea.  Walter hesitates at first but soon changes his mind.  He probably hasn’t had a cooked dinner in a long time.

·         Atticus makes him feel comfortable by talking about things he knows about. Atticus treats him with respect although he is poor.

·         Scout is tactless and embarrasses Walter.  She speaks her mind when he drenches his dinner in syrup she asks him what the Sam Hill he thought he was doing.

·         Calpurnia punishes Scout for this.  This shows that Calpurnia has the authority to discipline the children she gives Scout a “stinging smack”. She also teaches Scout an important lesson - “Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!”

·         We are introduced to the Ewell family as we meet Burris Ewell, a boy in Scout’s class.  The children are neglected and are not expected to go to school.  They only attend the first day.  This child, Burris, has repeated first grade three times.

·         We also hear about bob Ewell - “ Their paw’s right contentious”

·         Bob Ewell is a drunk, poor and gets money from unemployment benefits

·         “They were people, but they lived like animals.”

·         Burris Ewell is filthy and rude to the teacher as he doesn’t like being told what to do.  He calls her a “snot nosed slut of a schoolteacher.” This shows how rude he is and also his cowardice as he yells this from the door.

·         Little chuck little, a natural gentleman in Scout’s class, tries to protect Miss. Caroline as she is a woman. This show that the chivalrous attitudes of adults has rubbed off on the children.  Women are seen as being in need of protection and that they cannot look after themselves.  Little chuck little is prepared to fight Burris Ewell.

·         Miss. Caroline, who is now crying is comforted by the children.  This is a complete all role reversal.  They even ask her to read another story which they hated just to make her feel better.

·         When Scout arrives home from school, Calpurnia senses that she has had a hard day and is being very gentle with her.  Scout thinks this is because she has seen the error of her ways.

·        

Scout tells Atticus about Miss. Caroline’s mistakes during the day.  Atticus says

·         He uses the word skin which suggests that white people should climb into the skin of black people. (page 35)

·         Scout asks if she can stay at home like Burris Ewell does but Atticus says that he is a special case (but not in a good way)

·         By the end of chapter three, Scout now regards Atticus with more respect and he is now more than just satisfactory to her.  She says “Atticus was right.”

·         As Atticus talks to Scout about the Ewells, there is a comparison between the two fathers.  This shows how much of an amazing father Atticus really is.

·         Atticus always speaks to the children in legal language but never gets angry or impatient with them when they don’t understand. 

Chapter 4

·         Boo is leaving the children presents in the tree

·         We get an idea of the children’s idyllic childhood - summer, freedom, Dill, Childish tendency to create bogey man figures (Boo and Mrs Dubose)

1.  Scout thinks that her first year at school was a waste of time because she finds it dull and she is not learning anything or benefiting from it.  She says “as I inched sluggishly a longer the treadmill of the Maycomb County school system, I could not help receiving the impression but I was being cheated out of something.” She can already read and write so the lessons she has in school are pointless.

2.  Jem makes Scout spit out the gum she found in the Radley tree because of the location of the hiding place in which she found it. “Don’t eat anything you find Scout.” Also the fact that it came from a Radley tree makes the gum sound suspicious.  The children suspect that the gum is poisonous. “You’re not supposed to even touch the trees over there.  You’ll get killed if you do.” This shows that Jem cares for his sister’s safety although the trees are harmless.

3.  Than the last day of school, Scout and Jem find a purple velvet box in the Radley tree with “two scrubbed and polished pennies” inside.  Jem says they are Indian head’s her and that they are really old. 

4.  The children invent a new game called One Man’s Family.  They act out the life of Boo Radley and split it into Books and scenes. “It was a melancholy little drama, woven from bits and scraps of gossip and neighbourhood legend.”  They even add bits into the story themselves, such as “Mr. Radley had been beautiful until she married Mr. Radley and lost all her money.”  But she also lost most of her teeth, her hair and right forefinger (Dill’s contribution)

5. Scout is doubtful about this new game because she is scared of what Boo will do when he finds out about it.  She says “He can get out at night and were all asleep….” She knows that Atticus would disapprove of the game.

6.  Jem evades his father’s questions about the game because he knows that Atticus would disapprove and respects Atticus enough not to disappoint him.  However, Jem doesn’t like lying to his father and we know this because he goes red.  He wants to continue playing the game so doesn’t want Atticus to put a stop to it.

Chapter 5

·         We get to know Miss. Maudie - her role in the novel is to back up Atticus’s views so the Author gets her points across to the reader.

·         She says “Atticus is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” - he isn’t a hypocrite or two faced.

·         Dill is caught lying as he forgets that he said his daddy had a black beard. 

1.  Scout starts spending her evenings with Miss. Maudie Atkinson because the boys are beginning to leave her out and she feels that Jem is taking Dill away from her “Dill was becoming something of a trial anyway, following Jem about.” Scout feels neglected and is only called “when they needed a third party.”

2.  The children like Miss. Maudie because she lets them run in her garden, eat her scuppernongs and explore her back lot as long as they didn’t tread on her azaleas.  They obviously like her because she is kind and a good person unlike the other Maycomb women.  Scout calls her a “reasonable creature” and says “you’re the best lady I know.”  The children trust her “while no one with a grain of sense trusted Miss. Stephanie.” They like her for never telling on them, never playing cat and mouse with them and for keeping her nose out of their private lives.

3.  Miss. Maudie favourite pass time is gardening “she loved everything that grew in God’s earth even the weeds” This shows how different she is compared other Maycomb ladies who wouldn’t even think of getting their hands dirty.

4.  Miss. Maudie has known the Finch family since she was a child.  They grew up together at Finch landing as Miss. Maudie was the daughter of a neighbouring landowner, Dr. Frank Buford.  She and Jack Finch have been friends since they were children and they have a joke every Christmas when he asks her to marry him.

5.  Miss. Maudie explains that Mr. Radley behaves the way he doors because of his religion.  She calls him a “foot washing Baptist” which just means an extreme Baptist who takes the Bible literally as they wash each other’s feet just as Jesus washed his disciples’.  They think that anything that is pleasure is sin particularly women and this is why Nathan keeps Boo locked up.  He doesn’t want him having fun and therefore committing sins.  He is quiet and unsociable because “he is hankerin’ after heaven.”

6.  Scout is confused about religion and says that she has lost confidence in it because she now sees Miss. Maudie “burning in various protestant hells.” She is also confused as she thinks that Miss. Maudie doesn’t do any good in the neighbourhood “as did Miss. Stephanie.” This is ironic as Miss. Stephanie does no good at all.  In fact, all she does is gossip.  Scout also can’t understand why Miss. Maudie, “so reasonable or creature could live in peril of everlasting torment.” The innocent way she sees things shows that religion doesn’t always make sense.

7.  Atticus believes that you should always live by your ideas and practice what you preach.  He thinks that religion is dangerous and Miss. Maudie’s example is that “the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of-“Atticus.  Miss. Maudie backs up Atticus is believes again by saying that some people waste their lives worrying about the next world so “they’ve never learned to live in this one” like Mr. Radleys.  Miss. Maudie says that she knows that are fair is still alive because they haven’t carried him out yet she says that he just stays in the house because he doesn’t want to come out.  She tells Scout not to believe everything people say about Boo because he is actually really polite and he always “spoke as nicely as he knew how.” She tells Scout that if he’s not crazy he should be by now and that people don’t know what happens “behind closed doors.”

8.  Jem and Dill invent a new game when they plan to give a note to Boo Radley by putting it on the end of a fishing pole and sticking through the shutters of his window.  They note asks Boo to come out and to talk to them.  They promise not to hurt him and they offer to buy him an ice cream.  Dill’s says “it’s my idea; I figure if he’d come out and sit a spell with us he might feel better.” Scout doesn’t like this plan, she says “you’ve all gone crazy, he’ll kill us.”

9.  Atticus catches the children playing this game.  He tells Jem to “stop tormenting that man.”  He also tells the children that if he wanted to come out he would and that the normal way to talk to someone is to knock on the front door, not the window.  He orders the children to stay away from the house until they are invited and not to play the game or “make fun of anyone on the street or in this town.” He catches Jem out as he says “we weren’t makin’ fun of him…….we were just.” Although Atticus’s voice is firm he has to try really hard to keep his mouth in a straight line as if he is trying not to laugh. Jem realises that “he had been done by the oldest lawyers trick on record” and he waits until Atticus is out of ear shot before yelling “I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but I’m not so sure now!” Waiting until Atticus can’t hear shows that Jem and doesn’t want to disappoint Atticus because he respects him.

Chapter 6

1.  Mr. Avery boards across the street from Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose.  But apart from giving money to the collection plate on Sundays, Mr. Avery just sits on his porch every night.

2.  The children find him remarkable because every night at 9.00 PM he sneezes.  But they have only been privileged enough to see this once.  The boys are also impressed by how far you can urinate.

3.  Jem and Dill decide to have a look through the window of the Radleys place.  They have left it until Dill’s last night because if they die “they‘d miss school instead of vacation.” Scout doesn’t want to go at first.

4.  However, Jem accuses her of being a girl.  He says” I declare to the lord your getting’ more like a girl every day.” After that she says she had no choice but to go with them as she doesn’t want to be seen as girlish or cowardly.

5.  They crawl under the wire fence into the Radley place and creep to the gate into the yard spitting on the hinges to stop them from squeaking.  Jem stands in chicken poo which is humorous and they creep to the side of the house with the hanging shutter.  Jem and Scout give Dill a leg up but he cannot see anything but curtains.  They try a window at the back and a shadow moves across the porch towards Jem and passes him.  The children are terrified and run away.  Scout trips and they hear a shotgun which we later find out was Mr. Radleys trying to scare want he presumed was a Negro.  The children try to escape under the fence to the schoolyard. This is all very funny for us although the children are petrified. The obviously harmless shadow of Boo nearly causes the children to die with fright.

6.  Jem’s trousers get caught on the fence and he has to kick them off to get free - “He ran to the oak tree in his shorts.”

7.  When they get safely back to the front yard they see a circle neighbours in the street outside the Radley front gate.  They pretend that they don’t know what happened and Miss. Maudie fills them in.  But they soon realize That Jem is trouserless and Dill quickly invents that he won them off him playing strip poker.  Miss. Rachel is horrified that her nephew has been gambling so Jem says that they were only playing with matches as “matches were dangerous because were fatal.”

Atticus knows that they are lying and he says “go by Dill’s and get your pants, Jem” when he knows perfectly well that he can’t. Also “Atticus saved Dill from dismemberment” and later covers for them and explains to Miss. Rachel that gambling is a stage that they all go through.

8.  Scout and Jem can’t sleep and Harper Lee describes everything in great detail because the children are scared and every sound is “Boo Radley taking revenge.” Jem wants to go back to get his pants. He says that it is because he doesn’t want to be whipped by Atticus but the real reason is that he doesn’t want to disappoint Atticus.  He is prepared too (in his point of view) put himself in danger of death just to make sure he stays in Atticus’s good books because he values his approval.  Scout tries to persuade him to go back to sleep but Jem goes anyway and tells Scout to stay where she is.  But Scout is scared and can hear every tiny sound such as ripe China berries drumming on the roof.  When Jem returns he silently creeps into his cot and “for a while I heard his cot trembling.”  But “soon he was still”.  Jem is obviously even more scared than Scout after going to the Radley place alone.

How the writer creates Atmosphere

·         Night time setting, repetition of “moonlight”

·         Jem hushing Scout builds tension

·         Many verbs in a sentence builds up speed and excitement e.g leaped, galloped, flung, danced, shooed. Shows terror and fear. Urgency that the children get away.

·         During retreat - the sudden realisation that Jem is no longer with them.

·         A lot happens in only a few lines

·         Detail creates tension when Scout can hear everything magnified

·         Series of climaxes - relief…………CLIMAX………..relief………….CLIMAX

·         Alliteration and personification e.g. “the darkness was desolate”

·         Humour

a.       Not really very scary

b.      Strip poker (children don’t actually know what it is)

c.       Jem stands in chicken poo.

Chapter 7

·         Jem is moody so Scout takes Atticus’s advice and climbs “into Jem’s skin and walks around in it.” She then understands that it must have been terrifying for him to go to the Radleys place alone at 2:00 in the morning.

·         Jem confided in Scout that when he went back to retrieve his pants they had been crookedly stitched back together and folded. We as readers suspect Boo, of cause. Jem was disturbed by this because he feels as if someone has been reading his mind and knew that he was going to come back.

·         Scout and Jem find two miniature dolls carved out of soap in the Radley tree. They are replicas of the children.  Jem knows it was Boo.

·         They find many other treasures, a spelling be medal, gum, a broken watch.  Atticus lets Jem carry his grandfather’s watch once a week. This shows that he wants Jem to feel slightly superior to Scout as he is four years older.  Jem would rather have this new watch they found as it is less of a burden. 

·         They want to write a letter to who gives them these precious things but when they go to leave it in the tree they realize that the knot hole has been filled in with cement.

·         Mr. Nathan Radley tells them he did it because the tree was dying.  But when Jem asks Atticus if this is true he says “that tree is as healthy as you are, Jem.”

·         Jem goes quiet and sits on the porch until nightfall.  When he comes in as Scout sees that he is being crying. Jem knows that Mr Nathan spitefully filled in the hole in the tree to stop Boo leaving the children presents but Scout doesn't even realize that it was Boo leaving the gifts.  Jem has begun to see Boo as a friend not a monster and he cries because he is empathising with Boo (we now see he is a mockingbird). This shows that he is developing into a sensitive young man. Jem can see the cruelty of what Nathan Radley has done.

Chapter 8

·         It is winter in Maycomb - the coldest weather since 1885.

·         Mrs Radley died and the children are excited thinking that Boo finally got her but Atticus says that she died of natural causes, to their disappointment.

·         Mr. Avery blames the snow on bad children.

·         The children want to build a snowman and accidentally make a replica of Mr. Avery.  They give him a lady’s hat but Miss. Maudie is not fooled and called him a “morphodite.”

·         Miss. Maudie Atkinson leaves a fire burning to warm up her plants and her house burns down.  The whole community try to help her rescue her possessions.  At this point, Maycomb people seem very good and kind.

·         This includes Boo Radley, who creeps up unnoticed behind Scout as she watches the fire and wrapped her in a blanket.  Later, Scout is shocked when she realizes what happened.  This doesn’t, however, change her opinion and he still thinks Boo is a complete monster.

Chapter 9

·         Reality begins to dawn on Jem and Scout

·         Cecil Jacobs tells Scout that her “daddy defended niggers.” Although, Scout doesn’t know what this means she understands that it is an insult so she denies it.

·         Typically the author brings in difficult topics that innocent children don’t understand.  We see all of this through Scout’s eyes.

·         We see how the racist language is passed down from generation to generation as Cecil Jacobs says “my folk say……..”

·         Atticus corrects Scout when she says “nigger” as it is “common.”

·         He says that he has to defend Tom Robinson because

·         It would be against his morals not to defend Tom Robinson and he would be a hypocrite to order Jem and Scout to do as they’re told.

·         Scout asks Atticus whether he is going to win the case and he replies that “simply because we were licked (beaten) a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and win.” He knows that although there is not much of a chance of winning because of the racism at the time, he has to defend Tom because it is morally right.

·         We see that Tom Robinson is a “clean living” family man.

·         Scout is inclined to fight Cecil.  She shows us again that she is a tomboy.

·         Atticus tells Scout to “try fighting with her head for a change.” Next day, Scout faces the teasing and being called a coward. She walks away from a fight with Cecil for the first time in her life.  She says “somehow if I fought Cecil I would be letting Atticus down………  I felt extremely noble by having remembered.” This shows Atticus’s influence on the children.

·         Scout starts swearing because she thinks if Atticus realizes that she picked it up at school she won’t have to go any more.

·         Atticus buys the children air rifles for Christmas having put it off for a long time.

·         They go to finches landing for Christmas

·         Francis, Aunt Alexandra’s grandson, repeats racist language that he picked up from his parents or grandparents to Scout, he calls Atticus a “Nigger lover!” Again, Scout does not understand this but she knows that it is an insult.

·         Scout jumps on Francis calling him a whore lady (a term she doesn’t understand.) Uncle Jack catches her and beats her.  Scout yells at Jack that she hates him.  When they get home she locks herself in her room.

·         Scout is comparing Uncle Jack’s ways of disciplining children with how Atticus would have handled the situation.  She tells Jack that he doesn’t understand children and that he should have asked for her side of the story.  She obviously appreciates Atticus’s parenting.

·         She tells him what Francis really said and they make friends again.

·         Scout asks Jack what a whore lady is and he talks about something else.  This again shows how good Atticus is at parenting as he never avoids a question.

·         Later Atticus and Jack are talking and Scout overhears.  Atticus knows that she is listening and is hoping to pass on some of his morals to her.  Atticus tells Jack that Scout needs “to keep her head.” He also says “I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease.” By this he means the racism contaminating the town.

Questions

1.  Cecil Jacobson makes Scout angry by announcing in school that “Scouts daddy defended niggers.” Although she doesn’t know what this means she denies it and later asks Atticus who replies “of course I do.” Cecil also says “my folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that nigger oughta hang from the water tank!” This shows that the racism is passed down through generations by parents.

2.  Atticus tells Scout that he must defend Tom Robinson because if he didn’t “I couldn’t hold my head up in this town” as he would be ashamed of not sticking to what he knows he’s right, “I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature” as his job the would no longer mean anything to him as he would have gone against his morals and he “couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do was something again” as this would be hypocritical.  He could not represent an innocent man but still go on punishing his children for doing wrong as he would have done wrong himself.

3.  Atticus tells Scout “fight with your head for a change” instead of her fists as he expects that Scout will find it harder than Jem to resist a fight when teased at school about who their father is defending.  The next day, Scout walked away from a fight with Cecil Jacobs despite being called a coward.  Although she found this extremely hard she said she resisted because “somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down……..  I could take being called a coward for him.  I felt extremely noble having remembered.” This shows how much of an influence Atticus is on the children as they trust and respect him and don’t want to let him down.

4.  The Finches always spend Christmas at Finch’s landing, the family homestead.  Scout says “we went to finches landing every Christmas in my memory.” Unfortunately for Scout this means spending time with France’s Hancock, their cousin, who Scout hates.  She says “he enjoyed everything I disapproved of.”

5.  Atticus wrote to the children’s uncle Jack to tell him to get Jem and Scout air rifles for Christmas.  This is what they had asked for but a reluctant Atticus had put it off for a long time although all the other children already had guns.  They are forbidden to use them in the house or take them to Finch’s Landing.

6.  Scout gets into trouble at Christmas when she fights and calls Francis a “whore lady.” Francis provoked her by repeatedly calling Atticus a “nigger lover.” It is obvious that he had heard this from his grandmother, Alexandra, as he says “grandma says……. now he’s turned out a Nigger lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again.  He’s ruinin’ the family that’s what he’s doin’.” Scout gets whipped by Uncle Jack for fighting and swearing. Scout later tells him that he doesn’t understand children much and “in the first place you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you my side of it - you just lit right into me”

7.  Alexandra disapproves of the way Atticus brings up his children.  She doesn’t like Scout wearing overalls instead of dresses as a lady should.  Scout says “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire.  I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches.” And Alexandra wishes Scout would behave more like a lady.  She says that Scout “wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.” Francis hints to what his grandmother has been saying. “If Uncle Atticus let you go around with stray dogs, that’s his own business, like grandma says, so it aint your fault.” This shows that Alexandra thinks that Atticus doesn’t take care of his children well enough and doesn’t care about how they look to everyone else.

8.  Atticus is worried about his children because as he is defending a black man in the trial he expects that Scout and Jem “will have to absorb some ugly things pretty soon.” He knows that Jem will be able to keep calm but if provoked by the racial abuse “Scout’d just as soon as jump on someone as look at him if her pride’s at stake” as Scout has a tendency to fight.  Atticus hopes that Jem and Scout won’t catch “Maycomb’s usual disease.” By this he means that a racism in the town. All the time Atticus has been talking he knew that Scout was listening as he wanted to pass on some good morals to her.  This shows his good parenting skills.

Chapter 10

IMPORTANT CHAPTER

1. ATTICUS’S CHARACTER DEVELOPS

2. THE MOCKINGBIRD THEME

·         At the beginning of chapter, Scout is embarrassed that her father doesn’t hunt, play poker, or fish, drink or smoke.  This is ironic as these pass times are nothing to be proud of.

·         Scout thinks Atticus is “feeble” because he won’t tackle in football with Jem as he is “much older." He is also blind in his left eye and Scout thinks he is boring because he works in an office not in a garage, farm or driving a dump truck. 

·         She says “despite these attributes however, he would not remain as inconspicuous as we wished him to.” Scout is embarrassed that he is such a public character. She wishes he would blend into the background.

·         Scout even says “Atticus can’t do anything” but Miss Maudie says that Atticus can “make somebody’s will so airtight can’t anybody meddle with it.” She is saying that he is a great lawyer as well as a chequers champion and a player of the Jews harp.

·         Scout is unimpressed and Jem is upset when Atticus won’t play football for the Methodists.

·         Atticus isn’t keen on the children having rifles and he says

·        

This shows how strongly he feels about the subject as he never talks about religion and never says anything is a sin.

·         Miss Maudie explains to the children again and says “mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy”

·         The mockingbird stands for innocence and a helpless, harmless, vulnerable target yet worth preserving. 

·         A rabid dog is seen in the street so Calpurnia calls Eula May, the telephone operator to warn everyone about the danger.  It is not the season for crazy dogs and Scout says “I thought mad dogs foamed at the mouth, galloped leaped and lunged at throats and I thought they did it in August.”

·         Calpurnia shows her bravery by running her to warn the Radleys who do not have a phone.

·         As Tim Johnson, the dog, is making his way down the street, Scout notices that “the mockingbirds were silent.” The author is showing us that the mockingbirds are part of every day Maycomb Life. They represent happiness and are silent because this is a tense moment.

·         Sheriff Heck Tate hands the gun to Atticus.  The children cannot believe it.  Scout says “Jem and I nearly fainted.”

·         Atticus is not hesitant because he is scared but because everyone is watching and he is embarrassed.  The children discover Atticus’s prowess with a gun.  He was given the nickname “ol’ one shot” when he was a boy.  He kills the dog in one shot.  Atticus has saved the day.

·         Atticus gave up shooting “when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things.”  This shows that he is principled and fair minded as he doesn’t want to use his advantage to allow vulnerable people to suffer. This is why he warns Jem and Scout not to shoot mockingbirds.

·         Jem admires him for being modest about it. He says “I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything - I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do a blessed thing”. Jem now aspires to be like Atticus and says: “Atticus is a gentleman, just like me.” This shows Atticus’s influence on the children as he has passed on some of his morals by setting a good example.

·         However, Scout just admires the fact that Atticus can shoot and can’t wait to tell everyone at school. Jem stops her saying “if he was proud of it he’da told us.”

·         Miss Stephanie shows herself as ungrateful towards Atticus’s heroic act. In her malicious spiteful and narrow minded world she would prefer it if Harry Johnson was angry that Atticus killed his dog.

Chapter 11

CHAPTERS 10 AND 11 ARE LINKED - ATTICUS IS TEACHEING THE CILDREN WHAT COURAGE IS.

·         Mrs Dubose harasses the children.  She is from a completely different era and apparently has a gun from the Civil War hidden in her house.

·         Jem and Scout are scared to go past her house.  We see Atticus’s chivalrous character as he takes off his hat to Mrs Dubose, speaks nicely to her and complements her.

·         Jem is generous and uses his birthday money to buy Scout a twirling baton, something she really wants.  On their way home from town the children receive a lot of abuse about Atticus from Mrs. Dubose.  Jem loses his temper and pulls all the buds off Mrs Dubose’s camellias.  Scout cannot understand why Jem got so angry. The only explanation that she can think of is that “for a couple of minutes he simply went mad.”

·         The author presents Mrs Dubose in a gruesome way.  Her drooling and racist comments scare the children but it is because she’s ill.

·         When Atticus arrives home he is furious with Jem.  He sends Jem to apologise to Mrs Dubose and Scout thinks he will surely be murdered.

·         Jem offers to help Mrs Dubose’s flowers grow back and he has to read to her for 2 hours every day after school.

·         After a few visits Jem learns to control himself - “he had cultivated an expression of polite and detached interest.”

How Harper Lee presents Mrs. Dubose

a.         She uses short, snappy, meaningful sentences.  e.g. “She was horrible.” and “something had happened to her.”

b.         The author uses good verbs to allow us to picture Mrs Dubose’s stupor better. “Her mouth glistened with wet” and the saliva “inched.” This makes it sound as though it is moving and dribbling slowly and disgustingly.

c.          She also uses interesting comparisons.  For example “her face was the colour of a dirty pillowcase.” This gives the impression that she is old and her face was pale and ugly.  This phrase tells us a lot about Mrs. Dubose in only two words

d.         Harper Lee spends a lot of time describing her mouth which “had a private existence of its own.” The author also uses metaphors she says that her saliva is like “a glacier” which gives the impression that she cannot control it.

e.         Scout says “I didn’t look any more than I had to.” This tells us that she is disgusting

f.          She says “her tongue undulated faintly.” By word undulate shows us that she is very ill.

·         Every day Mrs Dubose says something cruel about Atticus.  Scout asks Atticus what a Nigger lover is and he explains that it is just a meaningless insult.  Scout says “You aren’t really a Nigger lover then, are you?” And Atticus replies “I certainly am.  I do my best to love everybody.”

·         By page 113 Mrs Dubose has gone into a state of stupor.  Her tongue lolls and she’s making groaning sounds.

·         The alarm clock goes off and Jessie, the maid shoos the children out the door saying “it’s time for her medicine”.

·         After a month of reading, Mrs Dubose’s fits discontinue and the children realize that the alarm clock has been going off a little bit later each day.

·         Mrs Dubose was a morphine addict and wanted to die “beholden to nothing and nobody.” She probably wasn’t concentrating on the story most of the time but was waiting for the alarm clock to ring so she could get her morphine dose.

Atticus made Jem read to her because:

1)      Mrs. Dubose needed some distraction from her morphine

2)      Atticus “I wanted you to see something about her - I wanted you to see what courage is, instead of the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.”

·         Atticus calls Mrs. Dubose a “lady” because she was courageous putting herself in severe pain and having the willpower to end her addiction.

·         Atticus knows that courage is “when you know that you’re licked before you begin but to begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”

·         There is a link between Mrs Dubose fighting her addiction and Atticus defending Tom Robinson because Mrs Dubose knows she will die anyway and Atticus knows there is no chance he will win the court case.

Questions

1.  Why were Scout and Jem reluctant to pass the house of Mrs Dubose?

The children hate passing Mrs Dubose’s house because they are scared of her as she often hurls needless abuse at them.  When the children walk by Mrs Dubose watches them and they would be “given a melancholy prediction on what we would amount to win by grew up, which was always nothing.” Mrs Dubose does nothing but criticise the children.  For example, Scout cheerily calls “hey, Mrs Dubose.” She receives a “don’t you say hey to me you ugly girl!” Further reason for their fear of Mrs Dubose is that it was rumoured that she has a pistol from the Civil War among her many shawls and wraps.

2.  How did the children behave towards her?

The children try not to retaliate to Mrs Dubose’s nasty insults and tried to avoid her by walking on the other side of the road.  However, Jem’s says that they must be brave and run past her house to meet Atticus.

3.  How did Atticus behave towards her?

Atticus is always polite and chivalrous towards Mrs Dubose as he understands that she is very ill and any racist abuse is due to her southern mentality. He “would sweep off his hat and wave gallantly to her” when they walked by.  He even compliments her saying “you look like a picture this evening.” Scout says “it was at times like these that I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars was the bravest man who ever lived.”Atticus visits the mad old woman and holds her hand even though he knows perfectly well that she has called him a nigger lover behind his back. 

4.  What did she say that particularly angered Jem?

Jem became angry when Mrs Dubose rants racistly about how Atticus it defending Tom Robinson.  She says “Your father’s no better than the nigger trash he works for!” She carried on even though she knew her “shot had gone home” and Jem was already angry.

5.  What did Jem do?

Scout explains Jem’s outburst by saying “for a few minutes he simply went mad.” He grabs Scout’s baton, runs on to her front porch and cuts off all the buds on her Camellias before snapping the baton in two.

6.  How did Jem make amends to the old lady?

Jem returns to her house and offers to help the buds to grow back and Mrs Dubose says he also must read to her for 2 hours every night after school.

7.  Why did Scout go with Jem?

Scout went with Jem to give him some moral support because she knew that he would be scared.

PART ONE RECAP

·         Central characters -

1.     Scout

2.     Jem

3.     Dill

4.     Atticus

5.     Calpurnia

·         Secondary characters -

1.     Boo and other family members

2.     Miss Maudie (Miss Stephanie and Miss Rachel)

3.     And Alexandra (Francis and uncle Jack)

·         Narration -

1.     Scout voice (1st person)

2.     Naivety

·         Plot -

1.     Charts children’s development the a series of events

2.     The Boo Radley curiosity

3.     Scout’s schooling

4.     The fire at miss Maudie’s

5.     Snow (rare in Alabama)

6.     Atticus shoots a rapid dog (gives a chance for Atticus to show his morals)

7.     Reading to Mrs Dubose

8.     Cecil Jacobs and Francis’s racist comments

·         Setting -

1.     Alabama - the deep south USA “small town America” (not aware of the outside world)

2.     Civil war and slavery

·         Racial division (segregation)

·         Black people always inferior

3.     The poor whites (the Cunninghams and the Ewells)

4.     The importance of family

·         Themes -

1.     Growing up

2.     Social class

3.     Parenting

Chapter 12

·         Scout is a miserable because Jem is maturing and seems distant.

·         Calpurnia comforts her but is unable to make up for Dill’s absence this summer.

·         Calpurnia takes the children to the black church.  They are made welcome.

·         Reverend Sykes praises Atticus.

·         We learn more about Tom Robinson when the collection is taken for his wife.

·         The children realize that Calpurnia has a life apart from them with the other black people in Maycomb.

·         She even speaks to a different language.

·         They learn the values of tolerance and sympathy.

·         Calpurnia’s retort to Lula “It’s the same God aint it” highlights the irony of prejudice in Maycomb where white Christians look down on their fellow black Christians.

·         The Black community is presented as poor and uneducated but they will make a personal sacrifice to help one another.

·         Calpurnia answers Scout’s question about her language by saying she uses what is appropriate in the situation.

·         Calpurnia’s tact is one reason she commands respect in both communities.

·         The presentation of the black community is an idealistic and therefore biased but it balances out the contempt of most of the white community towards them.

·         The chapter ends with the arrival of Aunt Alexandra. (cliff hanger)

Questions

1.  Explore the reasons why Scout feels miserable.  How does Calpurnia help her?

Scout feels miserable because she thinks Jem has changed overnight and has become “difficult to live with, inconsistent” and “moody.” Jem is just growing up but Scout doesn’t like him telling her what to do or imposing his new “alien set of values” on her.  Scout is also upset because Dill doesn’t come to Maycomb for summer but instead sends a letter and a picture of his new father.  Scout is happy for Dill but “with him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.” To make things worse, Atticus has gone away for two weeks.  This is one of the few references to the outside world.

Calpurnia attempts to cheer Scout up by explaining that now “Mister. Jem” is growing up and “he’s gonna want to be off to himself a lot now, doin’ whatever boys do” but in the ever she “feels lonesome” she can come and help and talk to her in the kitchen.

2.  Why does Calpurnia take the children to First Purchase church and why is this significant?

Calpurnia takes the children to First Purchase church because she is worried about letting the children go alone to their church (as Atticus is away for two weeks) because last time that Jem and Scout were left “both fatherless and teacherless” they tied a girl, Eunice Ann Simpson, to a chair and locked her in the boiler room.  The church service was interrupted when the poor child began banging on the radiator pipes.

This is significant because it was wrong for white people to attend a black person’s church and illegal for a black person to attend a white person’s church.  We see that some people think the Finch children are unwelcome as a woman called Lula confronts Calpurnia and asks “why you bringin white chillum to nigger church?” However, the rest of the congregation stick up for Calpurnia because she is respected. Also this church visit is significant because we can see the difference between the black and white communities and learn about Tom Robinson’s case and background.

3.  What to do with the children learn about:

a.      The black community

There we realise that the black and white communities are segregated and live in completely different parts of the town.

We Learn that the black people are a very close community when they sticks together to support Cal when she is confronted by Lula.  We learn that they speak differently and many of them can’t read or write except for 4 people (Calpurnia being one of them) as they don’t have hymn Books and cannot go to school.

The black people seemed very welcoming, except for Lula.  Reverend Sykes leads them to the front pew and Zeebo, Calpurnia’s son says “we’re mighty glad to have you all.” They also seem very grateful for Atticus defending Tom Robinson.  Reverend Sykes says “this church has no better friend than your daddy” to Jem and Scout.  The way that the black people are portrayed is somewhat biased.  Not all of the black people at this time would have stood up for Calpurnia but would have defended their dignity and realized that Lula had a point.

We can also tell that the black community are very poor but very clean as the church is described as “dim” and contained none of the usual church objects such as a “piano, organ, hymn Books, church programs” that Scout sees every Sunday in her church.

b.      Tom Robinson and his family

We learn that Tom Robinson is a God loving man, “a faithful member of First Purchase since he was a boy.” Reverend Sykes even calls him “Brother Tom.” We also get the impression that he is a family man as he is married to a woman called Helen and she and Tom had three children.  He must have been a good man as Reverend Sykes is very keen to raise money to help Tom’s wife because she cannot get work.  Mr. Link Deas, a cotton Farmer won’t hire her because no one wants anything to do with the Robinson family after Bob Ewell accused Tom of raping his daughter, Mayella. 

c.       The nature of prejudice

In general, the whites are prejudiced against the blacks.  For example, the church was worshipped in on Sundays by Negroes but “white men gambled in it on week days.” This shows that the white community uses its power to disrespect the black people’s church.

The children learn that prejudice does not just work one way but both ways.  For example, the hostility Lula a shows to Calpurnia when she sees she is accompanied by the Finch children shows that prejudice has contaminated the whole town are not just the white people.

Although employers are prejudicial towards Helen Robinson as they discriminate against her by not giving her a job because her husband has been accused of rape. 

Scout also notices the prejudice against women is also present in the black church as it is in hers.  She says “I was confronted with the impurity other women doctrine that seem to preoccupy all clergy men.” This shows that even supposedly religious people see women as inferior to men (hypocrites).

4.  How does the service differ from the church they normally attend and what similarities are there?

Scout notices some differences and some similarities between Calpurnia’s church and her own.  The first difference she notices is that Calpurnia’s church is a lot less decorative than hers, the only thing on the “unpainted walls” was a “faded pink silk banner proclaiming god is love” and a print of hunts’ life of the world.  Scout also notices that the usual “ecclesiastical impedimenta” (church things) such as an organ or hymn Books were missing.

Another difference is the way the church goers sing.  They cannot read so another who can such as Zeebo stands at the front and reads from the hymn Book “linin’” each line so it can be repeated by the congregation - “miraculously on pitch, 100 voices sang out Zeebo’s words.”

In this church, Rev. Sykes requests the morning offering which is new to Jem and Scout.  This week the money goes towards helping Helen Robinson look after her children.  When not enough money is provided he even tells someone to “shut the doors.  Nobody leaves here til we have ten dollars.”

A similarity is the Reverend “calling on the lord to bless the sick, and the suffering.” Another is the sermon where Scout recognises the familiar reference to the “impurity of women.” However, Reverend Sykes also used the pulpit to express his views.  For example “Jim Hardy has been absent from church for five Sundays, and he wasn’t sick” and “Constance Jackson had better watch her ways - she was in grave danger of quarrelling with her neighbours.  ”

5.  What does Scout notice about Calpurnia when they are at church and what conclusions can we draw from this?

Scout notices that Calpurnia talks differently with the black people then she does in the Finch household.  Scout says “that Calpurnia lead a modest double life never dawned on me.  The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one.” The children are shocked by her dialect and Jem even suggests that it is wromg by saying “that doesn’t mean you hafta talk that way when you know better.” We see that Calpurnia is considerate for using the right speech in the right company. She is very tactful.

However, we also get the impression that black people’s dialect or as Scout puts it “nigger talk” is looked down upon. “You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves.” By using the word “right”, the other way of speaking sounds wrong. 

The fact that the black people and white people have different ways of talking shows that they live completely separate lives as they are segregated and do not mix with the opposite race.

Chapter 13

1.    Why has Atticus invited Aunt Alexandra to stay and what does she see it as an opportunity to do?

Aunt Alexandra has come to stay at to look after the children while Atticus isn’t around. He says “this summer’s going to be a hot one.” and “I can’t stay here all day with you.” By this he means that the Tom Robinson case will need a lot of his attention and it will be a difficult time for the family.  Aunt Alexandra sees it as a good opportunity to instil some family pride into the children and to provide them with some “female influence.” She doesn’t approve of the way Atticus is bringing up the children and wishes Scout would behave in a more ladylike fashion.  “Aunt Alexandra had a way of declaring what is best for the family, and I suppose her coming to Live with us was in that category.”

2.    Why doesn’t Aunt Alexandra fit into Maycomb “like a hand into glove”?

Aunt Alexandra fits in well because she loves having the ladies over for coffee and Scout would often find her in the “living room, overrun with Maycomb ladies, sipping, whispering, fanning.” She loves playing hostess - “her missionary society refreshments added to her reputation as a hostess” and she, like the other Maycomb ladies, enjoys having a gossip.  Maybe this is why she gets on so well with Miss Stephanie. 

Aunt Alexandra is welcomed warmly by the rest of the community.  Miss Maudie baked her a lane cake and “Mr. Nathan Radley went so far as to come up in the front yard and say he was glad to see her.” She became part of the missionary ladies (a group of so thought “worthy” women) and we see later that this hypocritical bunch tried to do good things for the people in Africa but openly mistreat their black servants.  Similarly Aunt Alexandra disapproves of the Calpurnia and tries to get rid of her saying to Atticus “we don’t need her now.” Aunt Alexandra also shares the racism of the town; we have seen this before but when Francis repeats what his grandmother has been saying about Atticus defending Tom Robinson.  She follows the Maycomb caste system and picks out “streaks” in each family. As well as looking down on the black community, she also disapproves of most of the white community. She thinks that anyone who is not a Finch is of a lower class.

Maycomb is a small and close community, isolated and undeveloped. “It grew inwards. New people so rarely settled there.” Aunt Alexandra sees herself as at the top of the Maycomb “caste system” and is familiar with the stereotypical reputations of local families (streaks)

She likes to “point out the short comings of other tribal groups to the greater glory of our own.”

She offers herself as a hostess to the missionary society and became secretary of the Maycomb Amanuensis club. In both she could fully display her “riverboat boarding school manners” and indulge herself as an “incurable gossip.”

3.    What happens when Aunt Alexandra persuade Atticus to try to instil some family pride in his children?

When Scout doesn’t recognise her Cousin Lily Brooke and a Jem doesn’t appreciate the book written by his cousin Joshua who tried to shoot the president, Aunt Alexandra is unimpressed as she wants the children to be proud of their family as she is.  Atticus has obviously given the children the uncensored Finch family history.

Atticus does not share Aunt Alexandra’s reverence for the finch family, but sees he has offended her when Jem repeats the tale of Cousin Joshua who had tried to shoot the President. He is grateful to her for her care of Jem and Scout, even if he doesn’t share her values so he tries to explain.

Later that night Atticus finds Jem and Scout in Jem’s room and after a lot of fidgeting (he is very uncomfortable) he says “Aunt Alexandra asked me…..  Son, you know you’re a Finch don’t you?” Aunt Alexandra has obviously put him up to this - “you must behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are” and “she wants to talk to you about the family on what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly.”

Jem is “stunned” whereas Scout is confused and upset so begins to cry uncontrollably.  She says “this was not my father, my father never thought these thoughts.” She is worried that she will never be able to remember everything Finches as supposed to do.

Atticus can see that the way he has acted, behaving how his sister wants him to, has upset Scout so he quickly withdraws what he said - “I don’t want new to remember it, forget it.” He nearly slams the door on the way out because he is angry with himself for behaving in a certain way because it’s what his sister expects but he stops himself so as not to upset the children.

There is a contrast in his explanation with the way he handled the Miss Caroline situation. Then he had explained slowly and diplomatically whereas in this instance it seemed that he couldn’t get the words out quickly enough. This is because he was just following his sister’s instruction instead of explaining something he believes himself.

4.    This chapter contrasts Aunt Alexandra with the way Calpurnia is portrayed in the previous chapter.  Examine in detail the ways in which the two women differ.

Firstly, in the previous chapter Calpurnia is portrayed as very maternal; checking that the children a clean and dressed properly.  She even calls them her children - “I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children.” On the other hand Aunt Alexandra, a family member, may care about the children but doesn’t show it.  In fact she does the opposite and openly shows how the way Scout dresses disgusts her.

Scout says that conversations with her are “painful” - “I could never think of anything to say to her” whereas with Calpurnia, Scout opens up completely and gives her thoughts on Jem’s new characteristics.

In the previous chapter, Calpurnia is shown as very affectionate, always calling Scout “baby” or “honey” and comforting her when she bursts into tears after Jem told her “It’s time you started bein’ a girl and actin’ right.” This is later contrasted with “formidable” Alexandra who insists on calling Scout “Jean-Louise.”

The Calpurnia is kind and she tells Scout that if she is ever “lonesome” she can always come and talk to her in the kitchen.  She is also a generous as she gives Scout and Jem a dime each for collection in church insisting that they are her “comp’ny.” On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra is bossy.  The first thing she says is “put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia.” Also she thinks very highly of herself as the Finch and always points out stereotypical imperfections in other families to make hers sound superior. - “she never let a chance escape her to point out the short comings of other tribal groups to the greater glory of our own.”

Alexandra loves to gossip and Scout describes her as an “incurable gossip” whereas Calpurnia never talks about others behind their backs or jumps to conclusions.

Calpurnia is never prejudiced or racist.  She sticks up for Jem and Scout against Lula, a woman who doesn’t want white children at the black people’s church.  Calpurnia shows us the irony of the prejudice by saying “it’s the same god, aint it?” On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra is quick to criticise people and create stereotypes about people who aren’t part of her family.  Every other family seems to have a bad “streak” for example, “a drinking streak.” However, when Atticus asks her if the Finch family has an “incestuous streak” because they were “practically the first in the Finch family not to marry our cousins” she replies “no, that’s where we got our small hands and feet.” This shows that she is deluded and hypocritical.

 In contrast to Calpurnia, Alexandra is obviously racist because of her hatred for Calpurnia.  She tries to get Atticus to sack her as she thinks a black servant shouldn’t have so much to do with the childrens’ upbringing and does “not permit Calpurnia to make the delicacies required to sustain the society.” She has also previously called Atticus a “nigger lover.”

Calpurnia is well respected in both the black community and the Finch household. We know this because her fellow black friends stand up for her against Lula and Atticus trusts her and appreciates all that she does.  However, Aunt Alexandra is not so much respected but sociable and gains friendship in the other Maycombian women by exercising

“Her royal prerogative: she would arrange, advise, caution and warn.”

Calpurnia	Aunt Alexandra
Warm, human values	Sense of superiority makes her insensitive, patronising
Has had to overcome obstacles to educate herself and her son.	Expects people to agree with her - criticises everyone who is different from her and imposes rigid values on them.
Accepts people as they are and adapts to them
Treats the children with love (Motherly figure)	Looks after children out of sense of duty

Lee seems to be saying that for people to live in harmony it is Calpurnia’s qualities, lacking in Aunt Alexandra, which are needed. Her attitude reassures and binds people together while Aunt Alexandra’s rigid standards are divisive.  

Chapter 15 - (THE MOB CHAPTER)

The Chapter is somewhat cinematic

There is a false start to this chapter before the real drama begins. A group of men gather outside the Finch household. Jem thinks these men are a gang but Atticus is adamant that they are “our friends.” Perhaps this is a flaw in Atticus’s personality. Maybe he is too optimistic of people’s personalities.

Mr Link Deas says “you’ve everything to lose from this Atticus. I mean everything.” They are concerned for Atticus as friends would be but they fail to recognise how Atticus would feel if he didn’t defend Tom Robinson. However, they do warn Atticus of the mob.

As we are seeing this in the view of a child who does not understand exactly what is happening we have to work it out for our selves using the dialogue that Scout relays to us.

The children sneak out because Jem has a “feeling” and as they make their way to Atticus’s office (where they presume he will be) they pass Mrs Dubose’s house. This reminds us of her courage. It is not clear until after the event why she was included in this chapter. Atticus said that courage is “when you know that you’re licked before you begin but to begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” Mrs Dubose fighting her morphine addiction was an example of this, as is Atticus’s attempt to defend Tom Robinson and in this incident protecting him from an angry mob with the intention of killing him.

There is a comical description of the county jail - it was “venerable and hideous.” This reduces the tension slightly before bringing us back to reality with the sudden use of racist language.

Dill says nothing in this Chapter until the end when he offers to carry Atticus’s chair. This shows that he is a sensitive boy.

Questions

1.  How does the use of the child narrator make this chapter particularly effective?

Harper Lee wants to suggest that the adult world is complicated and that seeing things in the view of a child simplifies things.  Scout is young and therefore innocent and naïve.  She does not fully understand the situation so we get a different view on things than we would if it was an adult voice we were hearing.  It means that we have to work out what is happening as sometimes she describes it in a childlike way.  For example she says “I thought they must be cold natured as their sleeves were unrolled and buttoned at the cuffs.” Of course they aren’t cold but are disguising themselves.  Scout is not aware of the danger but we are. This creates tension as well as humour.

2.  Why is Jem afraid but not Scout?

Jem is afraid because he understands that this mob intends to hurt his father to get to Tom Robinson.  He is more mature as he is four years older than scout so he understands the seriousness of the situation.  He senses is something isn’t right - “I’ve just got this feeling.” He says “Scout….  I’m scared.” “Scared about Atticus.  Somebody might hurt him.” Jem is more aware of the way the world operates and how people are.  He understands the position that Atticus has put himself in.

3.  How are we given the sense of Atticus’s isolation?

Atticus seems isolated because it is just him stood between the mob and Tom Robinson.  Also he has no one to protect him.  He thinks that “Heck Tate’s around somewhere” the other mob or inform him that they “called ‘em off on a snipe hunt.” They begin to mock him saying “didn’t you think a’ that Mr. Finch?” All of these men hate Atticus which again makes him seem vulnerable.

Harper lee describes the “solitary light in the distance” which is Symbolic to Atticus’s isolation.

4. Why does Jem refuse to go home?

Jem stays because he realizes that Atticus is in trouble. He is imitating Atticus by putting himself in danger.

5. Why does Mr Cunningham all off the Lynch mob?

The members of the mob are being bolder than they normally would as they are drunk and acting as a single force, but when Scout singles out Mr. Cunningham and asks him about Walter she diffuses the tension and Mr. Cunningham has to answer for himself not on behalf of the mob. Mr. Cunningham comes back to humanity and realizes that Atticus is a father just like himself. Scout, an innocent child underlines the absurdity of the situation to the Adults and disperses the mob.

Scout has just put Atticus’s advice into action and has talked to Mr. Cunningham about things he knows about such as his son and his entailments. This shows Atticus’s influence on the children.

6. How do you know that Scout has still not fully understood the situation?

She does not realize the why her making conversation with Mr. Cunningham has had such an impact on the mob and Atticus who is now gaping. She says “wondering what idiocy I had committed……..”

Atticus is proud of Jem for taking his advice by being courageous enough to stand up for hat he knew was right. He wouldn’t go home even though he knew it would be impossible for a middle aged man and his 12 year old son to fight off the mob. (Link to Mrs Dubose)

Chapter 17 (START OF TRIAL)

1.       First prosecution witness is Heck Tate giving a brief summary of events.

More detailed cross examination from Atticus reveals that:

·         NO DOCTOR was called to verify Mayella’s injuries or to tend to them

·         Atticus elicits further detail of the assault - Mayella was mainly injured on the RIGHT side of her face and bruises were ALL AROUND her neck.

·         It is not yet evident why this is significant (builds tension)

Scout had expected the trial to be passionate but comments “Atticus was proceeding amiably, as if he were involved in a title dispute” (who owns land).

This shows that Scout does not fully understand.

Atticus is concerned that Tom should be proven that there is no way he could have raped Mayella.

2.       Second prosecution witness - Bob Ewell

We learn that his full name is Robert E Lee Ewell which was the name of a civil war general. This is ironic as he is not worthy of such a prestigious name.

He hopes to make the jury laugh and to put a black man in jail. He feels that it would be a heroic act that would earn him a great deal of respect.

The author includes some background information on the Ewells (p176-177.) We see that the Ewells are very poor and looked down upon by most people. “No economic fluctuations changed their status.”

They are dependent on relief money but they recognise no authority

There is a detailed description of their poor living conditions -

·         They are poorer than the black community. They live in a shack rather than a house.

·         They steal things from the dump to use in their house.

·         Harper Lee creates quite a comic picture of their house - “a playhouse of an insane child”.

·         Despite the terrible conditions in which the Ewells live, Mayella has planted and looked after geraniums.

·         There is a contrast with the Negro settlement. Although they are very poor they have self pride and respect. “their cabins looked neat and snug”

The narrative returns to Ewell’s testimony

He stirs up the court with his crude language but also shows ignorance and stupidity. “I’ve asked this county for 15 years to clean up that mess down yonder.” He accuses the Negro community of “devaluin’ my property.” This is ironic. He doesn’t realise that his home looks a whole lot worse than those of the black community.

Gilmer hurriedly stops him saying any more as he is getting on the judge’s nerves and turning the jury against him.

Atticus shows the jury that Ewell is left handed. Ewell does not realize the implication of revealing that he is left handed although even Scout, a child remarks “he could easily have done it.”

Chapter 18

3.       Third and final prosecution witness - Mayella Ewell

Gilmer again elicits a summary of what happened. Scout comments that Mayella seems confident but not in the same way as her father. “There was something stealthy about hers, like a steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail.”

Atticus elicits a picture of her impoverished life.

Details - p 189-190

E.g. Ewell’s relief money is spent on drink

       The children have tyres for shoes.

Mayella is evidently lonely. She does not admit it but it becomes clear that Mayella’s father beats her.

“He does tolerable except when….”

Her accusation against Tom is confused and severely weakened when he reveals his withered left arm.

Mayella accuses Atticus of trying to humiliate her (his courteous behaviour unnerves her as she has probably never been called Miss Mayella in her life) and as Atticus persists in doubting the truth of her accusation she refuses to answer any further questions. She is scared Atticus will try to force the truth out of her.

When Atticus asked if her father beat her up she accuses the court of cowardice. “Your fancy airs don’t come to nothin’.” This shows that she is aware of the white’s contempt for the family.

Mayella says that after doing a job for her, Tom Robinson followed her into the house and raped her but her “real tears” suggest that Atticus has shown her accusation to be false.

Atticus shows that

1.       Tom physically couldn’t have done it

2.       The Ewells are unreliable witnesses

3.       It could have easily have been Bob Ewell

None of Mr. Gilmer’s witnesses prove that Tom is guilty.

He is prosecuting “reluctantly” and just going through the motions because he does not believe Tom did it.

At the end of chapter 19, (see start in Tom Robinson part of table) Dill bursts into tears and Scout take him outside. He didn’t like the way Mr Gilmer treated Tom.

This outburst from Dill shows us that he is very sensitive and understands how Tom must feel to be looked down upon. Dill’s harsh family life has taught him this. Dolphus Raymond explains that he is also still naïve and innocent enough to understand the injustice.

Scout tries to comfort Dill but says “he’s just a Negro.”

It is this sort of reflex reaction prejudice that Atticus is fighting.

They meet Dolphus Raymond outside the court. He is an outsider, looked down upon by the whites because he has a black wife and mixed children yet his skin colour prevents him becoming a part of the black community. Everyone thinks he is an alcoholic but this is just a mask he uses to help people understand the way he lives. He knows that he is being dishonest but knows that people could never accept that he lives that way simply because he wants to.

Chapter 21

·         Calpurnia arrives at the court house with a note for Atticus from Aunt Alexandra. She hasn’t seen the children since noon.

·         She takes them home and is extremely angry with Jem for taking Scout to watch the trial. She repeatedly tells them that they should be “shamed of yourselves”

·         This domestic breaks up the tension but also makes us impatient to know the verdict of the trial.

·         Atticus allows the children to come back and Jem is convinced that his father has won the case.

 

·         They return an hour later but nobody has hardly moved.

·        

Waiting builds tension

Jem still believes that they’ve won. “Don’t fret, we’ve won it” he sad wisely.

·         The reverend tells him not to be so confident and Scout is not so sure either.

·         Jem discusses the laws regarding rape with Rev. Sykes

·         Scout insists that she understands so Jem shuts up.

·         There is still no verdict by 11:00 pm

·         Scout likens it to the mad dog incident - “A steaming summer night was no different from a winter morning”

·         It is similar because Scout does not know what will happen just as she didn’t when Heck Tate handed Atticus the gun to shoot the dog.

·         “The mockingbirds were still.” The absence of these comforting creatures which are a familiar part of Maycomb life shows the tension in this part of the novel as it did when the rapid dog was approaching the Finch household.

·         The convict Tom Robinson although he obviously never raped Mayella.

·         “Guilty…………….Guilty…………….Guilty” - Jem is devastated. “His shoulders jerked as if each guilty was a separate stab between them”

·         Atticus pushes all of his papers into his briefcase, says something to Tom and leaves via the South exit. (A short cut home)

·         As he passes everyone in the black balcony stands to show their respect for him. Rev. Sykes has to shove Scout to get her out of her dream like daze. “Miss Jean Louise. Your father’s passin’” This is very moving.

Chapter 22

·         Jem is crying and he feels strongly that the verdict wasn’t fair. He tells Atticus “It aint right”

·         Aunt Alexandra shows her concern - “I’m sorry brother”

·         Atticus goes to bed. In the morning he reassures Jem that it’s not time to worry yet and that there will be an appeal.

·         Calpurnia shows Atticus all the gifts the black community have sent as a way of saying thank you. Although Tom was found guilty they appreciate all the effort Atticus put into the case. This brings a tear to his eye.

·         Atticus leaves for town as Dill arrives and the children go outside. They meet Miss Stephanie, Miss Maudie and Mr Avery.

·         The end of the chapter gets us nervous. Bob Ewell spat in Atticus’ face on the post office corner. He also told him “he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.” Atticus says that he’d rather Bob Ewell took his rage out on him than on “that household of children out there.”

·         Ewell is angry because Atticus humiliated him proving him to be a liar, a drunk and a child abuser as well as showing his stupidity and ignorance.

Reactions to verdict

Jem -

“It aint right”

“How could they do it, how could they”

He cries as he knows that the jury, 12 of his neighbours did something morally wrong. He used to think that “Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world” but now he’s changed his mind.

Aunt Alexandra-

“They don’t have to go to the courthouse and wallow in it.”

She knew what the verdict would be but didn’t want to admit it as she herself is racist. It would be terrible to inflict the trivial matters of racism on her precious little Finches.

“I’m sorry brother”

She isn’t sorry about the trial’s outcome but feels sorry for Atticus’s failure and in her eyes, humiliation. However, we know that Atticus had not completely lost because he kept the jury out for over 4 hours.

Atticus-

“No son, it’s not right”

He agrees with Jem. They are both compassionate about it and know that the verdict being guilty was immoral.

This simplicity of his usual Lawyer language shows us that he is tired.

Black community-

“They ‘preciate what you did”

They are grateful that Atticus tried his very best to prove Tom innocent. They appreciate his bravery of taking on the case while other white lawyer would not.

Calpurnia-

“They aren’t overstepping themselves are they?”

She is worried that people will feel that they are getting to much initiative.

Miss Maudie-

She didn’t go to the trial whereas the rest of the neighbourhood did as a sort of entertainment.

“Don’t fret Jem things are never as bad as they seem.”

“We’re so rarely called on to be Christians but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus Finch to go for us.”

She knows that the town can always rely on Atticus to do the right thing.

“That judge Taylor might have had his reasons for naming him.”

Wise Miss Maudie understands that it was no accident that Atticus got this case. The judge wanted a fair trial so chose the most fair-minded man.

“Atticus won’t win, he can’t win but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long.”

She knew that the “heathen juries”, as Jem puts it, would never free Tom but Atticus’s determination has made a small step towards equality.

Miss Stephanie-

She is very curious about last night’s events. When she finds out that they were in the coloured balcony she says “wasn’t it right close up there with all those-“

Her nosiness and prejudicial comments are predictable. She cannot and never will understand the whole point of Atticus’ defending of Tom.

Miss Rachel-

“If a man wants to but his head against the wall, it’s his head.”

She feels that what Atticus did was pointless. She is indifferent.

She has no courage to do what is morally right.

This is the woman who looks after Dill and after as harsh a comment as that it is easy to understand why Dill would rather spend time at the Finch household than his own. Some of Atticus’s ethos which shaped his children into the people they are now has rubbed off on Dill.

Dill-

He says poignantly “there aint one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh.”

He has been influenced by the children and Atticus in their much more liberal household. He feels that there is nothing he can do to heal the unfairness of the world and he would rather laugh then cry. The result of the trial has obviously upset him too.

However, the author never completely strips the children of their innocence as Dill says he wants to be a clown forgetting that people laugh at clowns not clowns make people laugh.

How Harper Lee appeals to our emotions:

1. Events -

·   Jem cries -

o   We empathise with him as we also feel it was unfair.

o   We have become close to Jem as the book has progressed so we feel as though we know him.

o   “His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.” This comparison evokes anger in us as although children have cried over this injustice, grown men can’t realize their own bigotry. 

·   The black community bring gifts -

o   Is moving in its self

·   Atticus cries -

o   He is a strong and controlled person who hasn’t put a foot wrong so far but his tears make us see that he is only human.

2. Using the actual words to show us how the characters feel about the verdict.

3. Dill’s incomprehension

4. Miss Maudie’s speech. - She is not her usual brisk, blunt self but is quite emotional

5. The contrast between all the characters views highlights the differences in them and exaggerates them (juxtaposition)

Lessons Scout learns

1. ATTICUS - "Shoot all the bluejays you want if you can hit ' em but remember it's a sin to kill a mocking bird" Atticus is teaching the children that it is wrong to harm something innocent and defenceless. There is a link between the mockingbird and others who are vulnerable and easily targeted such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. This piece of moral advice does not have an affect on Scout until later in the book when she says "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?" When she understands what Mr Underwood meant when he likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.

The mockingbird helps the children understand the implications of society’s prejudice. As does Tom Robinson’s conviction which shows that the American justice system is not fair. It is both sexist and racist.

Scout and Jem realized that it was Boo Radley leaving them gifts in the tree and in the end he actually saves their lives. He was just a harmless mockingbird but his true character was masked by prejudice and rumour no thanks to his father and brother, Nathan as well as gossips like Miss Stephanie Crawford.  

2. ATTICUS - "I wanted you to see what real courage is; instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand" Atticus makes Jem read to Mrs Dubose. Jem thinks that this is part of his punishment for losing his temper and ripping all the bud off her camellia plants but Atticus said "If you hadn't lost your head I would have made you read to her." Atticus wanted him to see that Mrs Dubose was courageous as she put herself in a lot of pain to die free from her morphine addiction. This helps Scout appreciate the various meanings of courage.

3. ATTICUS -Atticus tells Scout not to use the word "nigger" even though everyone else does.

He tries to explain that if he didn't defend Tom Robinson, he wouldn't be able to hold his head up high as he would have done the wrong thing. This influence the children to do what's right not just follow the crowd.

4. ATTICUS - "try fighting with your head for a change."  He teaches Scout to restrain her fists as it is wrong to fight. Scout understands and the next day walks away from a fight with Cecil Jacobs despite being called a coward. She says "somehow if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down ....I could take being called a coward for him." - "I felt extremely noble having remembered"

He also helps her learn how to control her impetuosity (impulsiveness). She has problems controlling her temper and lunges on Francis at Finches Landing at Christmas when he calls Atticus a "nigger lover" Atticus intentionally lets Scout eavesdrop on his and Uncle Jack's conversation. "I'm not worried about Jem keeping his head but Scout'd just as soon jump on someone if her pride’s at stake."  This shows Atticus's good parenting skills as he knows Scout is more likely to obey him if she doesn't have to be told to her face.

Atticus helps Scout learn to turn the other cheek and ignore insults. Atticus doesn’t retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face. He is setting a good example.

5. ATTICUS - Scout is upset that Miss Caroline does not approve of her reading. Atticus says” You never really understand a person until you consider things from  his pint of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it". Atticus is trying to let Scout understand how Miss Caroline thinks and feels but he is also teaching her to empathise with people before making judgements. Scout acts on this at the very end of the novel when she looks around the town from Boo Radley’s porch and imagines what he must have thought.

"Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough. "

This helps Scout to learn tolerance. (Don’t expect everyone to be the same as you)

1. CALPURNIA - When Walter Cunningham comes to the Finch's for lunch he pours syrup all over his dinner. When Scout asks him what the Sam Hill he was doing Calpurnia leads her away to the kitchen and says "Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house's yo' comp'ny, and don't you let me catch you remarkin' on their ways like you was so high and mighty” She teaches Scout to respect other people no matter what their background is. She is saying that you should judge people by the quality of their character not on their background. Politeness should be shown to all people even if their manners differ from their own.

Scout

What impact does her background have on her?

o   BEING A FINCH

1.       She is unaware of prejudice because……….

i)        Calpurnia

a.         She is treated equally

b.        Atticus encourages Scout to believe that Calpurnia’s ideas should NOT be discarded. She has “Good lights”

ii)       Scout pays no attention to her prejudicial Aunt Alexandra because she doesn’t like her. Therefore her intolerance has thankfully not rubbed off on Scout.

2.       She is unaware of poverty because………..

i)        The Finches are a wealthy family. Her father teaches her about poverty through the Ewells and the Cunninghams.

3.       She begins to learn about social prejudice.

o   HER MOTHER DYING WHEN SHE WAS 2

1.         Lack of woman influence

i)        She behaves more boyish as her role models are her brother and father.

2.         Brought up by Calpurnia

i)        She loves the children but always from her role as an employee of Atticus

a.         E.g. when Jem doesn’t want his little sister tagging after him any more, Calpurnia does realise that Scout feels left out but does not give her the affection a mother would but occupies her in the kitchen.

ii)       She concentrates on impressing values on Scout that Atticus would want her to

iii)     Calpurnia teaches her about

a.         Race

b.        Poverty

c.         People in general. “it’s the same God aint it”

d.        Tolerance

iv)     She is a great role model to Scout

a.         Scout admires tact (her double life)

b.        She admires her skill in the kitchen. She realises “there was some skill involved in being a girl”

3.         Relationship with Jem

i)        Their loss of their mother has brought Scout and Jem closer.

ii)       However, Scout could be jealous of Jem for knowing their mother whereas Scout cannot even remember her.

a.       Harper Lee does not say this but just her mentioning of it shows that it has affected Scout.

4.         Other mother substitutes include

i)        Miss Maudie

ii)       Aunt Alexandra

Doesn’t do a good job

o   LIVING IN MAYCOMB

1.         She is contaminated by its prejudice

i)        “He’s just a Negro”

2.         Maycomb helps her learn that not all people are the same

3.         There are few outsiders to challenge Maycomb’s established ideas

i)        Maycomb is a close community full of narrow minded people

ii)       Scout will never experience any way of living that isn’t based on Maycomb’s fixed culture.

o   HOW HER CHARACTER PROGRESSES

1.         She comes to understand Atticus’s teachings

She realises that Boo and Tom are both mockingbirds as:

i)        Neither of them do any harm

ii)       Each of them try to do some good

2.         She grows up

As an older woman looking back on her childhood she has come to understand man’s inhumanity to man (prejudice)

i)        Racial prejudice

a.       TOM

ii)       Social prejudice

a.    Aunt Alexandra calls WALTER CUNNINGHAM “trash”

iii)     General inhumanity

a.    BOO- Locked up by his father making him “thin”, “white” and “timid”

         - Subjected to gossip

b.    DILL - somewhat neglected by his family (contrast with the Finch family)

c.     MAYELLA - Abused by her brute of a father

3.         She learns how to compromise

i)        With Miss Caroline

ii)       With Aunt Alexandra

iii)     With Jem (she has to accept his new grown up attitude)

4.         She learns that skills and attributes should be used to support a caring society

E.g. Atticus shoots the dog to save the community but otherwise he doesn’t show his prowess with a gun

5.         She learns courage

Courage is “when you know that you’re licked before you begin but to begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”

6.         She learns to understand other people

But slower than Jem who realises what Boo’s real existence is like after…………

i)        Gifts in the tree

ii)       His Trousers repaired

iii)     Tree hole filled with cement which makes him weep

Scout only understands when she meets Boo at the end

o   FIRST PERSON NARATION

1.         We learn with Scout but use our more mature judgement for greater awareness.

2.         This often produces humour

i)        which balances the serious of tragic events

ii)       The humour emphasises the absurdity of prejudice, which is learned by society. It is the society that must change.