Chapter 16 And 17: Explain Atticus' explanation about the mob dispersing. What is a mob made of? How was it broken up? How does his explanation relate to one of the themes of the book?

    Atticus believes that the mob had broken up because, "You children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute. That was enough." (Lee 210) Each and every mob is made up of people that you will know, and will recognize from around your little town. When Jem, Dill, and Scout, go out to meet Atticus and the mob, before she even notices the mood she gets them to leave. After realizing Mr. Cunningham is one of the men in the mob, she tries to make some small talk.  She says things like, "I go to school with Walter" (Lee 205) or "Entailments are bad" (Lee 205) ". After a minute or two, Mr. Cunningham decides to leave without taking Tom Robinson, and gets the rest of the mob to come too. What Atticus is saying about Walter Cunningham, or the mob in general, is that, "Mr. Cunninghams basically a good man, he just has his blind spots along with the rest of us." (Lee 210). He thinks that every person in an angry mob is normally one of the normal townspeople, and that it doesn't change who they are.

But who else is in the mob? And why is it that the mob simply follows Mr. Cunningham without a single complaint?

Chapters 14/15: Explain what Dill means in the last line of chapter 14. Is this surprising to you?

Scout, Jem and Dill have always questioned the ongoings within the Radley household and the situation with Boo Radley.  At the end of chapter 14 Scout asks Dill why he hasn't ran off.  "Maybe he doesn't have anywhere to run off to..."  (Lee 192).  Dill doesn't believe that Boo has anywhere to go.  Boo has been locked up in his house for years.  He doesn't know anyone or anywhere that he go to.  Mr. Radley has isolated Boo from the outside world for years.  If Boo should decide to leave the house he would have no one to help him.  Aside from maybe the Finches no one really feels bad for Boo.  They are scared off him.  They see him as just another mad dog.  They jump to the conclusion that Boo is a dangerous person when he may actually be a victim.  The town of Maycomb sees Boo in a different light.  They see him as a mad dog when the Finches see him as a mockingbird.  Boo has never really hurt anyone, he's just become a victim.

Explain what Dill means in the last line of chapter 14. Is this surprising to you?

When Dill says that "Maybe [Boo Radley] doesn't have anywhere to run off to," (Lee 192) he means that since Boo has been cut off from the community for so long, he probably doesn't have any places or  go to.  In chapter fourteen, Scout and Jem find Dill under Scout's bed.  "We watched Dill emerge by degrees." (Lee 186)  Dill had run away from his house, and come to Scout.  Scout asks him "Why do you reckon Boo Radley never run off?" (Lee 192)  and Dill says that Boo might not of had anywhere to run off to.  Dill and Boo Radley probably both wanted to run off from their houses because of their fathers.  In Dill's case, he didn't like his new father, and in Boo's case, his father had forced him to stay in his house and never come out.  Dill knew plenty of people that he could escape to and come to for help, but since Boo had been locked up for so long, there was no one that he could go to for help or comfort.  Everyone in Maycomb thought that Boo was a mad and mean person, and that they should be terrified by him.  Dill and Boo's cases are opposite because Dill has somewhere to go and Boo does not.  

Do you think that Boo wants to "run off"?  Do you think that Dill is right and that Boo has nowhere to go?

Chapters 14-15: What happens in this chapter that causes a fight between Jem and Scout? What does this reveal about their relationship? How is this furthered later in the chapter when Dill arrives?

Ever since Jem turned twelve, Scout has noticed that he has developed a “maddening superiority” and a strong sense of wisdom, and this has greatly affected his relationship with Scout. He has been pushing Scout away more than he used to and has been becoming more mature. When Scout was rude to Aunt Alexandra, Jem said, “Try not to antagonize Aunty, hear?  (Lee 183)”. Scout was surprised that Jem would talk to her like he did, and she became so furious with him that after she asked Jem, “You tryin’ to tell me what to do? (Lee 183)”, she started beating him up.  Later, after Atticus broke up the fight, the siblings found Dill under Scout’s bed, and with little hesitation, Jem told Atticus. “Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood, (Lee 187)”, Scout told the readers as Jem called for Atticus. These two scenes prove to us that Scout was correct in her statement in chapter 6 about how she was starting to part ways with Jem. Ever since then, Scout and Jem have been becoming more and more distant as they change and become their own people who do what they believe in as opposed to Scout following Jem’s every order. 

Besides the little things that show that Jem is growing older and becoming more mature, like how he has outgrown his tree house or how he reads all the time, we realize in these chapters that Jem is no longer the adventurer and rule breaker that he used to be. He is more like Atticus in the sense that he advises Scout on how to behave. He even broke his mutual understanding with Scout that they would never tell anyone about their rule-breaking activities when he tells on Dill. He is a more practical and empathetic thinker when he explains that Scout shouldn’t pester Aunt Alexandra because Atticus already has so much to deal with. This way of thinking has developed as Jem has gotten older, and this upsets Scout. That’s why she attacks him… she misses the days when they would always play together. She also feels as though Jem thinks he is more superior than her, so she tries to show him that they are still equal as she fights with him. As Jem has matured, we see that Jem and Scout have become less close and their relationship has changed even more from when Scout first realized it would in chapter 6.

Questions: Why do you think that Jem changed so suddenly after turning twelve? How has he become similar to Atticus? Do you think Scout will eventually be able to see things as Jem does?

Chapters 12-13/ What do you about Aunt Alexandra in chapter 13 in general, and what do you learn about her influence over Atticus and his family?

Aunt Alexandra clearly has an impact on Atticus and his family as soon as she arrives. Aunt Alexandra is Atticus Finch's sister. She has a very different outlook on life than her brother. To start Ms. Alexandra is true to her Southern hospitality. Throughout the chapter she is constantly entertaining guests and gossiping. She is sad to fit into the Maycomb community with her lady-like attitude and manners.  In chapter 13 the reader also finds out that Aunt Alexandra is very proud of her family. She is found constantly talking about her cousins and other relatives trying to get Jem and Scout to listen. "Your cousin wrote this," said Aunt Alexandra. "He was such a lovely character," (Lee, 176). In this quote she is speaking to Jem and Scout about one of her cousins. The context in which she says it seems as though she was trying to boast about her family to the children. "... Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion, obliquely expressed, that the longer a family had been squatting on one patch of land the finer it was," (Lee, 173). This quote also shows that Aunt Alexandra is not only proud of her family but she wants her surrounding community members to be proud of her family as well. She seems to pay attention to details that make her and her relatives appear well to others in her community. Aunt Alexandra is overall a semi stereotypical old fashion Southern lady, do to her attitude and views on how she wants others to see her.

Aunt Alexandra seems to have a very strong influence over her family. Atticus is a character known for having his own strong beliefs, and teaching his kids his own lesson. When his sister comes to visit he almost immediately changes his opinions on how to raise his kids, "Your aunt has asked me to try to impress you and Jean Louise that you are not from run-of the-mill people, that you are the produce of several generations' of gentle breeding-" ( Lee, 177). " ... and that you should try to to live up to your name," (Lee, 177). This is factual evidence that Atticus seems to have changed on how he wants his kids to be raised. Never has Atticus ever told his children to keep up to his name, but his sister on the other hand is constantly worried about her reputation and would want Jem and Scout to do the same and keep her reputation clean. Clearly Aunt Alexandra has a very strong character to have such an impact on Atticus and his children.

Do you feel that Atticus is changing because he thinks that with his sisters help his community members won't go against him for the Tom Robinson case?

12/13 What do you learn about Calpernia in these chapters? What does Scout learn about her?

                Seeing Calpernia speaking in a less educated way then is possible for her, puzzles Scout.  Calpernia takes Jem and Scout to a black church. While she is there, she interacts with her peers in a way much different then how she interacts with white people. She speaks in a less educated manner than she can. Scout is very startled by hearing the way Calpernia speaks to others. She has only ever heard intelligent Calpernia.  I think its so startling to Scout because never even considered that Calpernia really had a life outside of the family. She always thought that she knew Calpernia, that she understood who she was. Seeing her speaking "black" Scout considers that she might not know Calpernia as well as she always thought. "Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me”(Lee 167). The reason why Calpernia speaks like that at church is simply that she thinks it snobby and inappropriate to talk that way in a setting in which it is not required. "Suppose you and Scout talked colored folks talk at home, It'd be out of place wouldn't it" (Lee 167). This is just one more thing in changing things in Scout's life. 

Will this effect the way Scout see's Calpernia?

Is this a significant change in Scouts life or just one more thing in growing up?

                     

Chapters 12/13: What do you learn about Calpurnia in chapter 12? What does Scout realize about her?

Scout’s trip to church with Calpurnia made her see Calpurnia’s different personality around whites and blacks. Calpurnia brought Jem and Scout to her own church because Atticus was away on a business trip. When Scout went there she realized that Calpurnia lives different lives and says, “That Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me”(Lee 167). One of those lives is at the Finch’s home. The other is at the church. Scout notices that Calpurnia speaks differently in these two lives. At the Finch’s she is articulate with her words, speaking in complete sentences and saying every syllable. On the contrary, at the church her words are contracted and missing syllables like, “They’s my comp’ny”(Lee 158). Scout’s view on Calpurnia changes when she sees the different lives that Calpurnia lives, surprising Scout who thought that she knew Calpurnia very well.

Chapters 10-11: Explain Atticus' definition of courage

The general population of Maycomb County clearly has different views than Atticus concerning the matter of civil rights. Jem and Scout have understandable confusion about why their father is defending Tom Robinson, and his reasoning is that he "wouldn't be able to hold his head high if I didn't (defend this case)" (Lee 100). However, many citizens are ridiculing his defense, including Ms. Dubose, who insults Jem and Scout repeatedly by saying that "Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works for" (Lee 135). Jem loses his cool, and his punishment is having to read to her each day for a month. When Ms. Dubose passes away, Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that "I wanted you to see something about her- 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." (Lee 149) He goes on to show Jem and Scout that Ms. Dubose was courageous because "she died beholden to nothing and nobody." (Lee 149) While there is still confusion among Jem and Scout, it is clear to the reader that Atticus stresses understanding in his life, as he understands everybody and their views. He is the most mature character we have been introduced to in this book, and he tries to pass his views on to Jem and Scout. While his actions lead to public disapproval, his maturity is remarkable, as he has not lost his head, while enduring some fierce insults.

Chapters 10/11: Explain Atticus' Definition of Courage

Atticus, having more liberal views than most of Maycomb County, has a different definition of courage than most during the Great Depression in the South.  When Mrs. Dubose passes away, Atticus explains to Jem that "she was the bravest person [he] ever knew" (Lee 149).  He knew that her dying wish was to overcome her morphine addiction and being the strong woman that she was, Mrs. Dubose did "break herself of it" (Lee 148).  Atticus explains how he wanted Jem to "see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand" (Lee 149).  To Atticus, Mrs. Dubose was courageous because even though she knew how nearly impossible her goal was, she pushed to overcome her addiction no matter how challenging it may be for her mentally and physically.  To Atticus, Mrs. Dubose won.  She won when other's have failed.  I think that Mrs. Dubose was a huge inspiration to Atticus.  Similar to her, Atticus is going to have to face many challenges in the future regarding his trial coming up in the summer.  Defending a black man's word against a white woman's is not only nearly impossible, but will cause major controversy among his community and hate against Atticus and his children.  Like Mrs. Dubose, Atticus is brave enough to try however, even though he knows he might fail.  His passion to do the right thing and be a positive role model for his children pushed him to help Tom Robinson in his plead for innocence.  He must match Mrs. Dubose's determination in order to succeed, and in order to do so, he must follow her example and let her acts of courage inspire him to be courageous himself.

I wonder however if Atticus' efforts to try and help Tom Robinson are worth it in the end.  Is he putting his children in too much danger? Are the hateful remarks toward himself and his children going to do any harm to Jem and Scout?  Do you think that the trial will change his family negatively in any way?

Chapters 10-11: Why is it appropriate to kill a mad dog but not a mockingbird? Explain.

One day after Christmas, Jem and Scout go out to look for some small prey to hunt with their air rifles. Jem is alarmed when he looks down the road to see a neighborhood dog walking "erratically, as if his right legs were shorter than his left legs," (Lee 123). Jem and Scout run to tell Calpurnia, and she immediately calls Atticus and has Eula May call the neighbors to warn them that a mad dog is on the loose. Atticus shows up with Mr. Heck Tate, the sheriff, and they wait for the dog to come within shooting distance. Atticus, to the surprise of Jem and Scout, is asked to shoot the dog, and he  kills the mad mongrel with a shot right above the left eye. Atticus had told the children earlier that they should never shoot a mockingbird, but then he goes and shoots a diseased canine. The difference is that mockingbirds "don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy," (Lee 119). The mad dog could've been a threat to the community, and might have attacked a human. It's okay to defend yourself against something that might attack you, but it is not okay to go out of your way to harm something that has never done anything wrong. I think part of the bigger picture with this situation is that rules change depending on who's playing the game. Everybody has a different background and reasons, so you can't determine right or wrong without knowing the background. If the dog hadn't been mad and Atticus had shot it, he would've been in trouble. If a child shot a bird that was about to peck it's eyes out, that could probably be understood. That's why it's okay for Atticus to kill a dog that was dangerous, but it's not appropriate for children to kill an innocent mockingbird just for fun.

One question I have is how this relates to the rest of the book. Will Tom Robinson be the innocent mockingbird that Mayella Ewell decides to prosecute, or will he be the dog that didn't hurt her, but there was a strong possibility he might've if she hadn't done anything? Is he even one of the two or something completely different?

Chapter 8/9: How did Scout end up with a blanket across her shoulders? Why would Harper Lee include this moment in the book?

             Scout was woken up in the middle of the night for a peculiar reason that is unknown. Atticus tells her to put her robe on and hurry outside. Scout soon realizes that something has gone horribly wrong. "I knew when there was trouble in our street. Soft taffeta-like sounds and muffled scurrying sounds filled me with helpless dread."(p.78) As Scout reaches her front door she is quick to see an inferno of fire blazing throughout Miss Maudie's house. Scout and Jem are given specific instructions by their father, Atticus, not to move an inch from in front of the Radley Place's gates. Scout and Jem watch in horror as Miss Maudie's house slowly gets consumed by the monstrous flames. Though the flames bursted out with a hot roar, Scout felt extremely cold, due to the temperature outside being below freezing. Scout watched as the whole town came to try and help Miss Maudie, but they were no match for the blazing flames. Firemen also came to try and save the house, but there was nothing they could do. The house came to a trembling crescendo, as it collapsed to the ground. Fire gushed from the house falling to its ruins and Miss Maudie's house collapsed.
             As Scout and Jem returned home from their terrified experience, Atticus is slightly annoyed at Scout for moving from the Radley gate. Scout wonders why Atticus would think that they had left the area. She soon realizes that she has a blanket hung over her neck! Atticus is quick to assume that the mysterious Boo Radley had given Scout the blanket and that maybe if she had turned around she would have been able to see him there.
            Scout ended up with the blanket across her shoulders because Boo Radley had seen her shivering in the dark in the front of the Radley Place. At the time Boo Radley was the only person in the Radley Place, Mr. Nathan Radley was trying to help with the fire and had gone out, and Boo's mother had died recently, so Boo would be able to leave the house without being caught by his father.
            Harper Lee included this moment in the book as she wanted to show that Boo Radley is a kind person, who was willing to give Scout a blanket to keep her warm.

       
by Irfan Chaudhuri

Chapters 8/9: How did Scout end up with a blanket across her shoulders? Why would Harper Lee include this moment in the book?

            To show Arthur Radley’s caring feelings for Scout, Harper Lee has him place a blanket across her shoulders as a symbol of protection and warmth. In the middle of the night, Atticus wakes Scout and Jem up when he notices Miss Maudie’s house on fire. He tells the two children to stand in front of the Radley house and not move at all while he helps out to try to stop the fire.  The brother and sister are so focused on the fire, that they don’t notice when someone comes up behind them and gently places a blanket over Scout’s shoulders. Once they get home, after the fire is put out, Atticus points out the blanket and the three of them figure that it had to be Arthur Radley, as all the other town citizens were helping with the fire.

            Arthur Radley has been looking out for Jem and Scout. As said by Scout, “I became aware that I was slowly freezing where I stood. Jem tried to keep me warm, but his arm was not enough” (Lee, 94). Arthur noticed that Scout was cold, and he tried to help her by giving her the blanket to give her extra warmth. He wants to make sure that the kids are okay and happy, as they are the only ones who notice him and want to meet him. The kids are the only ones who pay attention to him. It seems as if he likes them and wants to be kind in return. By giving Scout the blanket, Arthur is looking out for Jem and Scout almost like a guardian angel would.

How will the blanket event change Jem and Scout’s opinion of Arthur Radley?

How will Arthur’s guardian angel persona play out with the community’s negative reactions to the Finch family with Atticus’ defense of Tom Robinson? 

Chapters 8/9: Discuss Atticus' explanation of the case to Scout. What does Atticus mean by "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win?"

    When Atticus and Scout are talking about Atticus defending a Negro (Tom Robinson) at a trial, Atticus says that, "Just because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win" (Lee 101) to explain that just because something was basically decided already, doesn't mean that you shouldn't try and win it still. They were talking about this because Tom Robinson is a Negro accused of a crime, so the jury is going to be prejudiced and call him guilty just for the color of his skin. Even so, Atticus wants to try, for that small, small chance that they will win. The town of Maycomb thinks that Atticus should not try very hard to defend Tom, but he is still going to attempt to win, hence the insults thrown by Cecil Jacobs (Lee 102) and Francis(Lee 110 and 112). It shows that Atticus is a one of a few people that have no problem with others based on race. The rest of Maycomb is not so nonchalant about it though. But why do Aunt Alexandra and Francis, think differently? What is it that makes African-Americans so bad, that they shouldn't even be defended correctly?  And what did Tom Robinson do?

Chapter 6/7: What does Scout mean by "It was then that Jem and I first began to part company?"

      Scout and Jem had always been extremely close growing up, but when Scout tells the readers that, "It was then that Jem and I first began to part company," (Lee, 75) it is clear that they are beginning to drift apart. Before Scout's realization, she is arguing with Jem about whether or not he should try to go back to the Radley's house to get the pants that got caught in the fence when Dill, Scout, and Jem were running away from Nathan Radley's shotgun. Scout is begging Jem not to go after his pants because she is afraid that Mr. Radley will keep to his promise that he's "got the other barrel waitin' for the next sound he heard in that patch," (Lee, 72) which frightens Scout into thinking that if Jem leaves, he won't come back. Jem insists that he has to get his pants because he can't risk losing Atticus's respect and trust since he admires him very much. Jem shouts at Scout to shut up and then nearly chokes her when she promises that she'll wake Atticus up.  He then leaves, and after Scout lies awake in terror, he eventually returns.
       Throughout the book, we see how Jem's and Scout's relationship transforms with their age as their two personalities begin to change. On the first day of school, Jem tells Scout that she can't play with him in front of his classmates, and when Scout protests, Jem explains that, "We'll do like we always do at home, but you'll see- school's different." (Lee, 21) This is the first time we see Jem reject Scout, and she gets a little taste of what happens in later chapters when Dill and Jem are up in their tree house alone not including her in the games that they always used to play together. Then, things change even more. Jem starts accusing Scout of being a girl, and whenever this happens, Scout automatically seems to follow anything the boys say blindly. "Scout, I'm tellin' you for the last time, shut your trap or go home- I declare to the Lord you're gettin' more like a girl everyday!" (Lee, 69) This seems to be the beginning of a theme that will have more significance later in the book: girls vs. boys. Jem and Dill seem not to care about breaking the rules unless they get caught, and Scout is definitely more cautious. Also, as each sibling grows older, their ideas of right and wrong change until they are two completely different people, which causes Scout to think that they were slowly starting to "part company" or drift apart while they literally part ways as Jem goes off on a Radley adventure for the first time without Scout. Because of their age and gender difference, Scout and Jem are becoming less and less alike every day, and Dill, Jem, and Scout are becoming less like the 3 musketeers that they used to be as they begin to develop more of their own individual personalities.

Questions: How do you think Scout and Jem's relationship will change in the future? What themes/ ideas are you beginning to notice as Scout and Jem grow apart? How does this have to do with the time period and how each gender was viewed?

Chapters 6/7: Explain Jem's statement: "When I went back they were folded across the fence… like they were expectin' me."

After Scout, Dill and Jem's encounter with Mr. Radley Jem goes back to retrieve his pants and finds them folded up on the fence.  Harper Lee used this instance to show that there is someone aware of Jem and Scout and that they have been sneaking around the Radley residence constantly.  After Jem, Dill and Scout narrowly escape the gunshot of Mr. Radley Jem realizes that he had lost his pants and has to get them back.  He finds his pants neatly folded across the fence.  Jem informs Scout about the night and how he found his pants, "They'd been sewed up… Its almost like" - "Somebody knew you were coming back for them."(Lee 78) Harper Lee is using this quote to show the reader that someone is aware of Jem and Scout.  Weather it Mr. Radley or not it shows that someone knows what they've been up to.  This could possibly be foreshadowing later encounters with someone that knows of them.  Jem needs to be more careful creeping around the Radley residence because it is now clear that someone knows that they're there and is looking for them.

Chapter 6/7: Explain Jem's Statement: "When I went back they were folded across the fence... like they were expectin' me."

After Jem finds his pants mended and folded over the Radley yard gate, he knows that someone was expecting him to come and retrieve them.  Jem, Scout and Dill had gone to the Radley house to see if they could get a look at Boo Radley.  Then they saw a shadow, so they ran away.  Jem got caught on the gate though, and had to kick of his pants to get loose.  He didn't want Atticus to find out that he had gone to the Radley house, so he went to get back his pants and found them mended and folded over the gate.  A week later, Jem and Scout are talking about the incident on the way back from school an Scout says "somebody knew you were comin' back for 'em (Lee 78)."  Jem says "When I went back they were folded across the fence... like they were expectin' me (Lee 78)."  Jem means that someone expected him to come back and get them, and this creeps Jem out a little.  He wonders how the person knew he was going to come back, and who the person was.  Someone saw Jem's pants and knew Jem was coming back for them.

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