Chapter 26, Pg. 326: “There was one odd thing though, that I never understood: in spite of Atticus’s shortcomings as a parent, people were content to re-elect him to the state legislature that year, as usual, without opposition. This is one of the things Scout is wondering about while she is looking back on the events of the summer. I believe that this quote shows how uncaring the people of Maycomb are. Even though, during the summer everyone hated Atticus, they still re-elect him because no one cares enough to run and they know that Atticus is the best to represent them. I don’t think it is fair to Atticus that one minute everyone hates and the next they want him to do all of their hard work. I think the people of Maycomb respect Atticus, but they sure didn’t show it when he was representing a black man. In the minds of the Maycombians it is almost like if you are black if you are associated with them. Maybe this if why Mr. Dolphus Raymond pretends he is a drunk, because he doesn’t want to be treated like trash for hanging out with black people. In my life I have seen people dislike someone one minute for some reason and the next minute they like them and let them do the hard work.
Jonah, I agree on what you said, despite that he tried to defend a black man, people at town still respect him, because he's kind, fair and thoughtful.
I don't understand it either and people are so confusing. They say one thing and do another and I don't think it is fair that Atticus is treated in such a fashion.
Chapter 26, Although I did not pick a specific quote I would like to discuss the whole scene where Scouts class is talking about Hitler. When I read this and saw all these young children questioning Hitler, questioning his motives and why is he is doing what he is doing. It makes me wonder...how can children be looking at this man and see the horrible things he is doing to the jews, but not realizing that this is what the racists of Maycomb County are doing to the African Americans. They're persecuting them and obviously what is going on is not a genocide taking thousands of innocent lives. But it is a "superior" group pushing another group to the outcasts of society. I can't believe that these children can look at foreign problems but not realize their own. I hope looking at this will remind them of all the work they need back home on defeating racism. This reminds me of American Imperialism. America was so occupied with foreign affairs they let things at home spiral out of control.
I think it id because people are blind to the problems right in front of there face. I know I have not noticed problems right in front of me while not as big as the one your talking about. Also i don't even think the kids think being mean to blacks is wrong so that is part of the problem.
Sam, I really like the way you brought this up. It’s a good point, and a clear one. I would say the same. Zach, I also agree with what you’re saying. The kids are so used to looking at their parent’s actions, which make them do the same as them. I believe that the parents are defiantly not being good "role models" for their kids. They need to open up and see the big picture. Yet again, like I’ve been always asking, how would they like it if that was them being treated like that?
I think it's hard for anyone to look at their own problems right in front of them and it's much easier to look somewhere else for problems. It really intrigues me how they can be so oblivious that this is what they're doing to African Americans in Maycomb County.
Ch. 26 p. 278 'At the same time I marveled at Atticus. This was the first he had let us know he knew a lot more about something than we thought we knew.' After Atticus tells Scout more about the Radley family she realizes Atticus knows more about the Radleys then he is telling us. This shows the theme of growing up because as you mature parents explain new things to you because you have turned a certain age or are mature enough. Atticus telling Scout more about the Radleys shows she is growing up, which means Atticus can enlighten her with more mature topics. I can connect to this because as I grew older my parents explained more things to me. They explained that there is bad people in the world and to never talk to strangers. As we grow older, we learn more and understand more. That is all part of growing up.
i agree that growing up is a big theme but its not even that atticus is telling her more, she is able to pick up on subtle hints and start to understand more.
I agree that as we get older our parents decide to let us in on more than before. I think this is an important moment in our oife because if we arent ready for the information giving to us it can be very upsetting. For example Jem gets upset when ever he learns of evil in the world.
ch.26 p. 328 "i mean how can hitler just put alot of folks in a pen like that, looks likethe govamint'd stop him." this was said by someone in scouts third grade class. they are discussing current events and the holocoust. i think it was great that they talked about the holocaust because it really gave me a much better time frame. when the class talked about this event, scouts teacher said that persecuting the Jews was awful. many of scouts classmates didnt understand how he could do this and get away with it. the guilelessness of her classmates made it hard for them to understand. i can relae to scouts teacher because sometimes it can be very difficult to explain something when the other person really just doesnt get it. once she gets home, Scout asks Jem why her teacher, Miss Gates, would say persecuting the Jews is awful when she seemed so happy after Tom Robinson got convicted.this shows the theme of racism. Maycomb’s blindness is once again made visible. The people criticize the Nazis murderous prejudice, but don’t even recognize their own.
Meredith, I completely agree with what you are saying. I believe that sometimes we are horrified by the cruel actions of others, but become blind when it comes to our own actions. To me, this is simply being hypocritical. It's shocking to me that the people of Maycomb can really be that naive when it comes to how racist they really are, yet be so sensitive to current events like the Holocaust.
i think that it could be that african americans were not involved in the holocaust. that is their biggest problem in maycomb and by then not being involved, it changes things for them.
Chapter 26 Page 329 "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudice". Miss Gates explains to her class that persecution only occurs because of prejudice people in Maycomb. This part of the chapter reminds me of The Sneetches by Dr.Seuss. The Sneetches is a story that contains two kinds of characters, ones with stars on their stomachs and ones with out stars. The Sneetches with stars think they are better than the ones with out. This can relate to the whites and blacks of Maycomb. I think being prejudice has an effecet on how the whites treat the blacks. Most of the population isn't accepting of blacks.
Chapter 27 page 335 "It might be because he knows in his heart that very few people in Maycomb really believed his and Mayella's yarns." Aunt Alexandra brings to Atticus' attention that Mr.Ewell seems to be causing trouble and holding grudges with people that were involved in the trial. Atticus then lets Alexandra know that Mr.Ewell is just unhappy that no one believed his sob story. Mr.Ewell shows that he doesn't know how to handle the situation. He is now bothering Helen Robinson, Tom's wife. The only thing he seems to be good at is causing trouble.
Response Chapter 27: Eileen i back what you are saying. Mr Ewell was just looking for fame wwhen he accused Tom Robinson of rape and since all he got was disrespect he is very angry and decides to take it out on Helen. That is one of Bob Ewells biggest traits. He always takes out his anger on other. For example, Tom Robinson, his kids, Helen robinson, Scout, jem, Aticus and many more. Mr. Ewell is a hopeless person that doesn't deserve to be on the face of the earth.
Chapter 28 Page 343 "What are you doing way out here by yourself, boy? Ain't you scared of Boo Radley?" Cecil wonders why Jem and Scout are attending the pageant by themselves in the dark, he also ask if they're afraid of Boo. This demonstrates that Boo is a character that not many understand. He is curiosity for everyone. Boo seems like a scary, strange person to children. Because Boo has been imprisoned by his family in his home, the people in Maycomb don't know him. This isn't Boo's fault. This is his family's fault. No one really knows who Boo is.
Eileen, I like what you said, I agree that it wasn’t Boo’s fault. I just don’t understand why in Maycomb , people such Miss Stephanie Crawford like to make up things about him.
Janny, many of the townspeople in Maycomb have shown that they are not always the most mature or have the best morals. At the end of the book, Scout looks back on the way she used to pretend to be Boo with Jem and is saddened by how immature she was. Scout is a child and realizes that gossip is wrong, but sadly many adults in Maycomb have not. This may be why they talk about Boo. Also, people always try to understand things that are different. By telling stories about Boo, the townspeople understand why he's always inside. This is similar to how Mr. Raymond is thought to be a drunkard, explaining why he lives with a colored woman and has mixed children.
Eileen, I agree that it is not fair to think boo as a scary person. Although kids have crazy imaginations, they should get to know people before judging them. Their views of Boo end up being totally wrong, since he ends up being a nice and caring person.
Chapter 26- "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-." This chapter really expressed how much Scout is growing up. She was in class and the topic of Hitler came up. She went home and told Jem that after the trial during the summer, she saw Miss Gates her teacher, saying rude things about blacks. She proceeded to ask Jem why she can hate Hitler so much for killing innocent people, and then support the torture of people in her own town. This showed that Scout is beginning to be less sheltered. As we mature, we begin to question society and the world we are living in. It takes a lot to question what you know and wonder if things aren't right. This really proved that Scout is getting a better understanding of life and that people aren't always fair and nice.
Alyssa, I strongly agree with you because as we grow up we become aware of many new things that we once didn't notice. Scout is finally realizing that people may say something, but their actions are really what matter and unlike Miss Gates, she says she hates Hitler, yet she discriminates blacks.
Chapter 27 Summary/Analysis- Throughout this chapter, we see Bob Ewell continue to struggle. It's clear that he is unable to get his life together. After the end of the trial and the death of Tom Robinson, he can't seem to let go of the events that happened. He got a job working for the WPA, but was quickly fired due to his laziness. As if Helen Robinson isn't going through enough after the death of her husband and having to take care of her children, she is now terrified of taking the public road to work because she has to pass the Ewells house. One day as she was walking to work, Bob proceeded to follow behind her and whisper rude things to her. It was pretty apparent through this chapter that Bob Ewell simply can't get out of his own way and continue on with his life. It's clear that he holds a grudge towards Helen Robinson. As much as I dislike Bob for all that he has put innocent people through, in a way I feel bad for him. I believe it's really sad that he continues to live in the past and isn't strong enough to move on and make improvements in hi life.
When I read this chapter, I was more afraid for Helen. I thought that Bob might do something to seriously hurt her. Although, now I have a little sympathy for Bob. I agree that it is sad that he cannot move on. It's also very upsetting that even he won't even try to improve his life for his children. I wonder if maybe some one reached out to him earlier on, instead of letting him get stuck in bad habits like depending on a relief checks, if things would be different for him and his family.
Chapter 27, Pg. 333: “Mr. Link Deas made a job for Helen. He didn’t really need her, but he said he felt right bad about the way things turned.” Scout says this when she if describing the few changes in Maycomb. When I read this it showed me what a nice and considerate person Mr. Link Deas. Most people in the town wouldn’t have given a job to a white person in need, let alone a black person. Mr. Deas showed me that he wasn’t devoted to helping Helen Robinson because he gave her a job and stopped Mr. Ewell from harassing her. I believe that there are more people like Link in Maycomb, but are afraid to show how they really feel because they think people will hate them. In our world today there are not many people like Mr. Deas that would give a job to someone in need, even though they don’t need them. The way Mr. Ewell is acting shows that he is doing everything he does because he wants attention. He thought that by going to court against Tom Robinson would make him famous, but instead it made him look like a fool. In my life I know a few people like Mr. Ewell that do crazy things just for the attention. They don’t realize that people really don’t like them.
Ch. 27 p. 286 "If I hear one more peep out of my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road I'll have you in jail before sundown," said Link Deas. I think Link Deas is symbolic in the novel because he is not racist or prejudice. In fact, he was even willing to yell in court that Tom was a kind and hard working man. This qoute refers to Link screaming at Mr. Ewell not to bother Helen, Tom's wife, when she walks by his house. I respect Link as an individual because he doesn't care what color your skin is. He judges you depending on your morals, like Tom being a hard worker. If everyone in Maycomb learned from link, then the racism would end in the town. I can connect to Link Deas because I don't judge people by how they look but on their character and how they act. I think we all need to be more like Link Deas.
Tony, I also think that Link Deas is a very respectable character in the novel because he stands up for what he believes in. It was very generous of him to hire Helen even though he didn't really need to. Link is one of the only people in Maycomb who respect colored people. While other people who employ negroes are cruel to them, Link treats them equally as well as he treats whites. He's a very unique and brave character for protecting Helen from Bob.
Chapter 26 page 331, Atticus said, "Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he really was doing was storing it away for a while, until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out. When he was able to think about it, Jem would be himself again." I think Jem is trying to sort out why Tom was found guilty when obviously there wasn't enough evidence to prove Tom guilty. He was very upset and angry that the jury and the people accused an innocent man of something he hadn't done. What I think Atticus is trying to say is that Jem is in the phase of growing up and he is having a hard time grasping the idea that there are bad situations such as racism in the world. I also think that as Jem grows up he will eventually learn to accept this fact and learn to deal with it, when he is able to accomplish this, he will be himself again and he will be more relaxed. This relates the theme of growing up.
Jem is definetly growing up and beginning to really see the world for what it is, not what you are told it is as a child. Although, I think that even if he was older, Tom's situation would still be hard to grasp. Death is never easy to understand or move on from. I can barely watch the news because of all the death they mention. Even though I don't know the people they mention, it still sickens me to my core. This quote shows that Atticus is very wise because he is aware that the problem isn't that Jem is trying to come to terms with Tom's death, the problem is that he's trying to forget it.
Chapter 27 page 334, "You don't have to touch her, all you have to do is make her afraid, an' if assault ain't enough to keep you locked up awhile, I'll get you in on the Ladies' Law," said Mr. Link to Bob Ewell. Mr. Link threaten Mr. Ewell to lock him up for sure this time if he scared or did anything to Helen, Tom Robinson's wife. I think this was a very noble thing of Mr. Link because if he were like a lot of other white men during this time he wouldn't of cared what happened to Helen because she was a colored women, but he was very sweet to her. He offered her work even though he didn't really need anyone and he stood up for her, when this was very rare. This reminds me of the baby steps Miss Maudie mentioned earlier in the book, that Atticus was taking to try to end racism. Mr. Link was defending a colored women which many did not do and he was illustrating that he was brave and loyal because he was doing what he though was right and he did something he could of been judged by. This relates to the theme of discrimination.
Jocelyn, I liked the quote you picked and also agree with what you said, Mr. Link Deas is a very brave and kind person, and he’s not like the other people who judges based on the color.
Chapter 26, page 331: “How can you hate Hilter so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home.” From what Scout told Jem about Miss Gates doesn’t like Hilter for the persecuting the Jews. Hilter judges people on their religions, but it’s funny how Miss Gates herself judges based on color of other’s skin, what I think is that Miss Gate is a hypocrite. The only difference between them is that one’s judge on other’s religion , the other judge on other’s skin color don’t get why people even judge on those things, those things aren’t important to me, what’s important to me is their personality. So how can you hate someone so badly, when you are doing the same things?
I agree with everything you are saying. Miss gates is a total hypocrite. She is not being a good role models for the kids because she is making like racism is ok. Luckilyfor Jem and Scout they have an amazing role model in Atticus, at home.
Miss Gates appears to be a hypocrite. Yes she hates Hitler, but she goes and insults other people. The people of Maycomb reflect people all over the world. We all say we're nice people, that live in a nice community, and we've never bullied, but in reality everyone is mean. By participating in the smallest things like gossiping, we are not doing what is right.
Chapter 27, page 334:”now hear me Bob Ewell: If I hear one more peep outta my girl Helen about not bein’ able to walk this road, I’ll have you in jail before sundown!” This is what Mr. Link Deas told Bob Ewell. I thought it was really nice of him to try to protect and look after Helen after Tom’s dead. I remember that, when Tom was still alive when he was at court, Mr. Link Deas was trying to tell everyone some positively things about Tom. He yelled out, for many years, tom didn’t get into any trouble when he was working for him. I think Mr. Link Deas is an awfully nice person, he even got Helen the job when he doesn’t even need her help that much.
I agree with you Janny because I also think that Mr. Link is a very nice person because like you said he offered Helen a job when he really didn't need of her assistant. I would also consider him as a brave person for standing up for a colored person.
Chapter 28, page 353: “Aunt Alexandra’s fingers trembled as she unwound the crushed fabric and wire from around me. “Are you all right darling? ” she asked over and over as she worked me free.” Scout had a good description of Aunt Alexandra; I can tell she is panicked and scared. She worries about the kids, Jem was unconscious, and Scout got wrapped around with the wire and fabric. As Aunt Alexandra was doing all that, she kept asking is Scout is okay. I felt the love of a nice Aunt and the family affection, how she was concern and really cares about the two kids.
At this part of the book, I actually have full respect for Aunt Alexandra. Like I said on my past blogs, I never thought I would end up liking her. When Aunt Alexandra asks the kids if they're alright, while she helps them out, I also felt like that was a family love. The interesting part to me was how she kept her main focus on Scout. She has always been bothered on how Scout is as a person, but now just wants her to be okay. This shows that no matter what goes on in her family, she loves them and wants them to be safe and sound.
Chapter 29 page 362: “I looked from his hands to his stained skhaki pants; my eyes traveled up his think frame to his torn denim shirt. His face was as white as his hands…his cheeks were thin to hollowness… and his gray eyes so colorless I thought he was blind.” From Scout’s description, I believe everyone can guess who that man was, it was Boo. His face and hands were white as if he has never seen the sun, the torn shirt was probably really old and has worn some many times, and the cheeks were hollow. I felt the loneliness and sadness just by the way Scout describes him. Boo stayed in the house for so many years, the gray eyes were colorless. The whole town was full of gossips about him, but from what Scout said, he’s just as normal as the other countryman to me, he’s a human being just like everyone else.
Chapter 30, page 366: “I don’t want anybody saying, ‘Jem finch … his daddy paid a mint to get him out of that.’ Atticus doesn’t want to have any rumors about him and the Jem going around in Maycomb, all this time he tried to be fair, to be a good dad. Atticus doesn’t want to be a hypocrite, no one knows it was actually Jem who was the one stabbed Bob Ewell or Bob Ewell himself did it. Despite that Jem is his son, he still wants to be fair to everyone, and he doesn’t want to just “cover up” the whole thing for anyone.
I agree and I also think it also relates to the fact that Atticus is a lawyer and lives an honest life. Also he is a little rattled by the whole incident that had just occurred.
Chapter 31, Page 373: “his fingers found the front doorknob. He gently released my hand, opened the door, went inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again.” I like this quote, I thought It was cute when Boo asked Scout if she will take him home, also when he wanted to pet Jem , I can feel the his kindness toward the children. I feel bad that all this time, people have made up rumors about him. It’s sad how Scout had never seen him again after that. Maybe Boo liked to stay inside, although he really likes the kids. Maybe Boo doesn’t want to face/deal with all those people in the town.
Chapter 26, page 328: “I mean how can Hitler just put a lot of folks in a pen like that, looks like the govamint’d stop him,” said the owner of the hand. This takes place in Scout’s third grade classroom when they were discussing current events. One of the other students in Scout’s class asked this question. I find it extremely ironic and hypocritical that the students in Scout’s class and other people in and around Maycomb are so caught up with Hitler and the Holocaust. It is basically what is happening in Maycomb, just not in Maycomb. Hitler persecuting the Jews is almost the same thing as the treatment the blacks received. Maycomb is avoiding their own problems, and focusing on someone else’s problems. I can relate to this, because I have avoided my own problems and focused on other people’s problems, sometimes to just escape from what was happening to me, and worry about something else. While I, and I’m sure many other people can relate to this, it still does not make it right.
Sophie, I find it very ironic too. I think Harper added this chapter to show us that people in Maycombdon't even know how racist they are. They said Hilter shouldn't have prosecuted the Jews, but they're proving an innocent man, guilty.
I agree with you Tony, I do believe she added this in to create an ironic situation to make the reader realize how the people of Maycomb don't even aknowledge what they're doing.
told me about. “What do you think it means, Jean Louise?” “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none,” I quoted. Scout is going to school, once a week she has a Current Events period. Miss Gates is trying to explain to her class about democracy. Scout raises her hand and says her point the view about it. I think Scout would like a place where everyone is treated the same way, like Scout I strongly feel that there should be equal rights for everyone no matter if you are black or white. Even though USA Always has been a democratic country, at that time there was no equal rights for everyone, the principal factor was the racism. At least, now there are equal rights for all.
I agree Danny! Scout feels their should be equal right for all, which shows Atticus' influence on his children. Only a few people in Maycomb believed that black and whites were equal, and Scout was one of them.
Chapter 28 the scene where Scout keeps asking if Jem is dead, she asked her dad, her aunt Alexandra and Dr. Reynolds. This scene demonstrates how small Scout still is and doesn't understand what is happening. She acts pretty childish when she asks the same question many times and the responds is the same every time. I also think at this moment Scout was in shock because she couldn't believe what had just happened to her and her brother. She was very worried about Jem and his health, she was being like any family member would feel if their relative was injured. This showed me how important family is and how much Scout valued her brother.
Chapter 29 page 361, Atticus said, "I thought he got it all out of him the day he threaten me. Even if he hadn't, I thought he'd come after me." Atticus told this to Mr. Heck Tate when Scout was explaining what had happened to her and Jew as they walked home from school. What Atticus was trying to figure out why had Mr. Ewell gone after his children and not come directly to him if Mr. Ewell had a problem with him. I think Mr. Ewell wasn't bold enough to say anything to Atticus face, so this night while he had alcohol in his system, he felt capable of doing anything, even hurting Atticus children. This quote also relates to the importance of family because Atticus feels that if he could of done something to stop Mr. Ewells, he would of done it, in order to protect his kids.
Chapter 26, page 329: "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." Miss Gates, Scout's teacher, says this after Cecil Jacobs brings up the Holocaust. Miss Gates says that in the U.S. no one is persecuted, but what world is she living in? In the small town of Maycomb alone, negroes are constantly persecuted because of the color of their skin. The majority of people living in the town are extremely prejudiced, Tom Robinson's case made that abundantly clear. Racism ran rampant during this time period and, with Hitler gaining so much power in Europe simultaneously, you'd think that people would be fearful that the same thing could happen to them. There was nothing positive about Hitler in our eyes and yet, we moved at a snail's pace to make changes. There are many hypocrites in Maycomb. How could they say they are against Hitler when, in reality, they support his idea that some people are better than others?
I think it is a sad time in our history in which people are so hypocritical and such bad role models for the people they teach. It is also sad that someone who is supposed to be able to teach is so ignorant.
Leah and Zach, I agree with both of you. Leah, I completely agree with you when you said how the people could say they are against Hitler, when they still support his idea. This is a very hypocritical idea, and I don't understand how people could be this way. Zach, it is true that Miss. Gates is really very ignorant, and serves as a poor role model. I wish that she could see what was actually happening.
Chapter 28 Summary/Analysis- Just like the previous couple of chapter, this chapter emphasizes Jem maturing. While Jem and Scout are walking home from the pageant, they hear suspicious noises behind them, which eventually leads to someone chasing them. While I'm sure Jem was absolutely terrified, he proceeded to try his best to protect Scout. This really proves that he is maturing. The ability to care for another during a difficult situation really shows that he is growing up. He risked his safety for his little sister, which is an important quality for a big brother to have. Having two older brothers myself, I know that they would look after me if I needed them. It's important to stick by your siblings.
Alyssa, I liked how you connected Jem's actions to your own brothers. While Jem may not always want to play with Scout anymore, he's still going to be there for her when she really needs him. One of the best qualities of the Finches is how strong of a relationship they have. In their family, it's all for one and one for all.
Alyssa I totally agree with you. It took great courage for Jem to not show fear and that reminds me of Atticus. It shows me that Jem is learning a lot from Atticus and someday maybe Jem will end up like him. I agree that sibling have to look after eachother.
Chapter 27, page 335: "That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case." "I proved him a liar but John made him look like a fool." These words are exchanged between Aunt Alexandra and Atticus after some suspicious events happen around town. Bob Ewell is the suspected culprit instead of the mysterious Boo Radley because everyone victimized was connected to Tom Robinson's trial. Atticus explains that even though the Ewells won the trial, they won because of the wrong reasons. They won because they are white and Tom is black even though there was enough evidence to set him free. After his fifteen minutes of fame are over and Bob realizes this, he is determined to get back at the people who made him look stupid. When I read these lines, a line from the book Jane Eyre popped into my head. She said, "Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs." This means that life is precious and you shouldn't spend it holding grudges. Sadly, Bob is too ignorant to realize this.
Ch. 26 pg. 282 "but that ain't no cause to prosecute 'em. they're weight, ain't they?" this comment by one of scout's classmates in response to a short talk about Hitler prosecuting the jews shows that racism has already Subconsciously penetrated the minds of the young. it is ironic that this statement is made (and the racism not objected to by anyone) just after the teacher said that none was persecuted in the U.N. especially in the light of Tom Robinson's trial.
Chapter 28, page 353: She [Aunt Alexandra] tugged at me anxiously. "I'm all right, Aunty." I [Scout] said. Aunt Alexandra seems to have grown up herself since she moved in with the Finches. When she first moved in, she was rude to Cal and the children. She was constantly trying to change Scout into a girly girl and butting heads with Atticus. Although, after going through the trial with her brother, I think she now understands him better. After Scout is attacked by Bob Ewell, Aunt Alexandra frantically makes sure Scout is alright before calling the doctor for Jem. This shows that she truly does care for Scout, even if it's not always obvious. Even if you may sometimes doubt it, you family will always be there for you. This is a lesson that I think nobody is too old to learn. Aunt Alexandra is an adult, but she has just realized that even family members she may not have originally liked are precious to her.
Chapter 28, Pg. 357: “Bob Ewell’s lying on the ground under the tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch.” This is what Heck Tate tells Atticus that he found on his search for evidence. When I read this quote it explained many things for me. I knew Mr. Ewell was going to get back at Atticus but I never thought he would try and hurt the kids. I am happy that he is dead though. I believe that when Mr. Ewell was attacking the kids, Boo heard the screaming and came to help. I think he was the one who killed Mr. Ewell because it was right in front of his house and he didn’t want his only friends to be killed. If my prediction is right, then the man standing in Scout’s living room is Boo Radley. It is ironic that the person that Scout and Jem once feared has now saved their lives. This reminds me of the movie Home Alone, in which the “scary” neighbor ends up saving Kevin’s life. After the events of the mugging get out to the people of Maycomb, Boo will no longer be feared; instead he will be a hero.
Jonah, great prediction! Boo Radley was the man in the room, but no ones knows who killed Mr. Ewell. I wouldn't doubt if Boo did killed him because he once stabbed his father with scissors. Also, if Harper Lee ever wrote a sequel I think Boo would be considered a hero. He did a courageous thing that he didn't have to do. Boo could have just stayed in his house, but he saved Jem and Scout, I will always wonder why he did it.
I really like your connection to Home Alone, Jonah. I think that is a really great example that connects to this book very well. While the neighbor in Home Alone (for the life of me I can't remember his name), is "scary" and feared by Kevin, in the end he saves Kevin from Harry and Marv. He turns out to be a really nice guy. If he didn't come, Kevin might have wound up dead. Same thing in "To kill a Mockingbird." If it wasn't for Boo, Jem and Scout may have died.
Chapter 29, Pg. 361: “Then all of a sudden somethin’ grabbed me an’ mashed my costume…that’s all I know.” This is from when Scout is telling Atticus and Heck Tate what she remembered from the night before. When I read this it showed me again what a shallow and cruel person Bob Ewell is. Who is so low that they decide to take out their anger on kids? Obviously Bob Ewell is, chapter by chapter I have forgiven his kids more and more because of what they have to go through at home. Bob Ewell beating his kids during his drunken tirade and treats them the way no child deserves to be treated. Although I don’t know of anyone who’s parent beat them I know it is a big problem. Parents can’t just take out their anger on their kids because life isn’t great for them. I am thankful that this doesn’t happen to me but I know how hard it is for children that are beaten. That is why I forgive the Ewell kids for their bad deeds and I think since their father is now dead life will be better for them. The people of Maycomb should forget about what they have done and wipe the slate clean. It’s only fair.
Ch 26 Pg 325 "You aren't starting that again are you?" Said Atticus..."If you are i'll tell you right now:stop it. I'm too old to go chasing you off the Radley property. Besides it's dangerous.You might get shot..." This shows the high concern Atticus has for the kids going on the Radley property. Atticus is a good dad because he shows concern for kids trespassing. The part that really sticks out to me is that he didn't scream at them. It shows that he is concerned but he doesn't want to yell because yelling does not solve problems. Sometimes when me and my parents argue one of us yells and it really changes the tone and mood of the environment.
Joe i fully agree with you. It is amazing how good a father Atticus is. Not many people could get their kids to listen to them without yelling. I think everything would be much more productive if people didn't yell at eachother.
I agree with you both. Atticus sure is one of a kind. I think it's good that he doesn’t raise his voice at the kids, because it causes less tension and shows that he's not trying to argue with them, but tell them something important. Even though Atticus had told his kids more than once not to go on the Radley's property, telling them with a firm voice, will warn them not too.
Chapter 26 summary. In this chapter Scout points out Miss gates hypocrisy in this quote on page 331: 'it's time somebody taught 'em a lesson, they were gettin' way above themselves". This is hypocrisy because she is speaking poorly about blacks and just before this she taught a lesson on how bad Hitler was. Scout seems to be starting to pick up on the same things that Jem did. Jem seems to already know about some of the racist things that go on in Maycomb. Scout on the other is picking up pieces along the way. This is some evidence though that Scout to is starting to see the ugly side of town.
Chapter 30, Pg. 365-367: “You heard what Scout said, there’s no doubt about it…I can’t live one way in town and another in home.” This is what Atticus says when Heck Tate says that Mr. Ewell killed himself. This is like the icing in the cake for Atticus being a great father. He didn’t want a rumor that Atticus got Jem out of a fix, so he is trying to push that they go to court and prove it was self-defense. This also showed what a close relationship Jem and Atticus have. Since Jem looks up to Atticus for everything, hearing that his dad got him out of trouble would possibly make him lose respect for his father. All of the lessons on always being truthful would go to waste if Jem found out that his role model lied to. If I were in Atticus’s shoes I know I would do the same thing but it would be very hard going to court with my own son in a murder case. Atticus is such a dedicated father that he is willing to overcome the pain of having to defend his son in court. After reading this book I would say Atticus is one of the most dedicated fathers of all time.
Chapter 31, pg. 374: “Atticus was right…Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” This is when Jem is recalling the past year and she is able to put herself into Boo Radley’s shoes. In this moment I think Scout realizes how different Boo’s life must’ve been and she feels bad for being afraid of him and imitating him. All of her life Scout has been dying to meet Boo and now that she has, she realized that he is just a regular person who was deprived of a childhood and adulthood. Her questions are now put to rest and I think she is in a very calm, peaceful state of mind. If I were her I would still be in shock that I just survived a murder attempt and met the person that I was only able to imagine my whole life. The ending to the book wrapped it up perfectly. I didn’t want it to end but new that it was best. I can’t wait to see the movie and relive the adventure
Chapter 27, page 334. Helen went to work next morning and used the public road... she looked around and saw Mr. Ewell walking behind her." Mr. Ewell seems to have a everlasting grudge with anyone who was involved with the trial. Mr. Ewell is a sinister man and there is no way of knowing when he might become irrational. His lack of education and racist ways make him unable to handle situations like these. If only Mr. Ewell knew that education was the key to success and could solve his problems. In his mind he must think that the best way to solve his problems is to be hostile, which is not correct at all.
I don't think its only Mr.Ewells lack of education and his racism that make him unable to handle these situations. I think Mr.Ewells background is the reason for his ways. He is single, has a lot of children, and I'm assuming he had a rough home life due to the fact that he had no education. I think its everything that's happened to him that makes him this way.
I agree with both of you, but I think it's that he knows that Mayella wasn't raped and that he beat her to a pulp. I think he was so angry at Atticus for trying to exploit the truth that he was willing to try to kill his children. Also, his horrible life has caused him to become an alcoholic. He probably doesn't think clearly under the influence of alcohol.
Yes Eileen you are right, he has had a harsh backround and I should take that into account, but if he started to educate his children then he might be able turn his family around.
I agree with Eileen I don't think it has anything to do with that he had no education but the direction his life went in. i also agree with you Tony i think Mr. Ewell didn't want Mayellas lies being exploited around Maycomb because family already doesn't have a good name around Maycomb.
Chapter 26 (Scout speaking) "Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Miss Gates was .. talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say it’s time somebody taught ’em a lesson, they were gettin‘ way above themselves, an’ the next thing they think they can do is marry us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an‘ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home" This quote by Scout to Jem. I loved the point that Scout brought up. I too think that this instance is confusing because why would she hate and be prejudice towards the blacks, but when the Jews were being persecuted my the jews she showed digest towards Hitler and supported the Jews. Another reason i find this confusing is because side she is a teacher you would most likely picture her as advocating peace and not showing hate, but in this case she is showing the exact opposite and is showing it right in front of kids she is supposed to teach and be a mentor for them. The one reason that i can think of that made her show racism and hate towards the blacks is that she felt peer pressure from others in Maycomb. The reason i think this is because since the whole town basically showed hate towards blacks she felt like an outcast and felt afraid that is someone saw her defending a balck her life would be in danger or her family's. A common similarity to this is when some teens are forced to make bad decisions they don't want to and their so called friends make them. This is similar to Miss Gates in my opinion.
Chapter 26 page 329, "Well I don't know for certain," he said, "they're supposed to change money or somethin', but that ain't no cause to persecute 'em. They're white, ain't they?" This was said by Cecil Jacobs during a class discussion about Hitler. I thought it was very sad that when the kids thought of racism, they thought of hurting blacks. Persecuting white people didn't fit right in their brains. It does connect to that theme of racism though. It was a rough time for Jews back then. Segregating the blacks here in the U.S. was bad but Hitler definitely took it to a new level against the Jews.
Chapter 27 page 334, "You don't have to touch her, all you have to do is make her afraid..." Link Deas tirade goes on a little more after this. He was yelling at Mr. Ewell who had been threatening Helen Robinson. This also relates to the theme of racism but finally in a positive way. Mr. Ewell was angry at all the people who were connected to Tom Robinson because everyone knows that Bob lied in court. He is very mean to Helen and Link stands up for her. Link is protecting a black woman from a white man. I am very glad to see this in the book. I also think that even though Tom was killed, it made people think about race more and realize that racism isn't as true as they thought it was. In most cases back then, it was just wrong.
Chapter 28 page 357, "Bob Ewell's lyin' on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He's dead, Mr Finch." This was said by sheriff Heck Tate to Atticus after the fight after the pageant. It was all in the dark and I wasn't quite sure what went on until almost the end of the book. This was actually very surprising to me. I didn't even expect Bob to be there. Also, this may sound bad, but Bob deserved what he got. For how he treated other people and even his family, for what he did to other people, and for how he threatened and lied about other people. All these things add up to people hating Bob.
Chapter 29 page 362: This page is basically about Boo Radley. It describes him in detail and how he acts. We also learn that Boo had a part to play in the fight outside of the Radley Place. I thought it was interesting that Boo appears now. I thought he was going to appear much earlier in the book or hide out and send messages like earlier in the book. He does appear at a very important time but I'm not entirely sure why Harper Lee chose this moment in the book.
Chapter 30 page 369, "Let the dead bury the dead this time Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead." This was said by Heck Tate to Atticus while they are discussing To and Mr. Ewell. This is originally said by Jesus. "Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead." -Matthew 8:20. This quote means that someone should just take a break from the world of death and just move on. This really applies to Atticus because he is worrying about his children and Mr. Ewell's death. Many things are not right in Maycomb and everyone in town should follow this quote.
Chapter 31 page 376: the last page of the book deals with a story called The Gray Ghost. It is a scary story that Atticus reads to Scout. The story deals with someone who is wrongly accused of a crime. When they catch them though, they find out that the person who supposedly comitted the crime is innocent and did nothing wrong. I think another theme in this book is innocence. We see a lot of innocence especially in the case of Tom Robinson. Tom's trial was very similar to The Gray Ghost and I think that this was a great way to end the book and sum it up in general.
Chapter 27 "...Mr. Link Deas made a job for Helen. He didn’t really need her, but he said he felt really bad about the way things turned out. I never knew who took care of her children while Helen was away. Calpurnia said it was hard on Helen, because she had to walk nearly a mile out of her way to avoid the Ewells, who, according to Helen, 'chunked at her' the first time she tried to use the public road...." This was said by Scout acting as the narrator. This agin shows how much a coward Bob Ewell really is. Just when you think he count get any worse after his interactions with Tom Robinson he becomes to get really mean and nasty to Tom's wife Helen Robinson. Despite the efforts of Link Deas to stop Ewells actions, he fails in doing so and he continues to show disrespectful and down right mean behavior towards someone who especially now is going through a hard time. Bob's actions are not only noticable to people around him but also others in the town. The one person out to stop it is Scout. The way I connect to this is personally i think that some people don't change and sometimes when they aren't nice to you even when you try to fix it, you give them some room and in the end they are the ones that are in loss not the innocent person that hasn't done anything wrong.
Ch. 28 pg. 306 "Bob Ewell's lyin' on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He's dead, Mr. Finch." this is Mr. Heck Tate's report after going to see what was left of the crime sean. this is an unexpected turn of events because this means that whoever saved scout and jem might be a murderer, although under the circumstances I believe that whoever did it will be forgiven based on the fact that the deceased person in question was attempting to murder two children.
Chapter 27, page 335: “I think I understand,” said Atticus. “It might be because he knows in his heart that very few people in Maycomb really believed his and Mayella’s yarns….” Here, Atticus is talking to Aunt Alexandra about Bob Ewell, after some suspicious activities occurred around Maycomb. Two of the suspicious activities that had occurred were Bob Ewell following and verbally abusing Helen Robinson, and also, at Judge Taylor’s house, there was an unidentified person scratching at his back door and cutting off the screen. While Boo Radley would usually get blamed for incidents like this, I feel like some people may be questioning if Bob Ewell actually did it, or if maybe even another character did. Bob and Mayella Ewell won the case against Tom Robinson only because of their skin color. All the evidence proved Tom innocent. Atticus proved that Mr. Ewell was a liar, and he was also made to look like a fool. Now that the case is over and his few minutes of popularity are up, he is no better off than where he was before. If anything, he is worse off. He is trying to make everyone who made him look stupid, pay. I think that this can connect to the theme of racism, because Mr. Ewell is obviously racist, and I think that one of the reasons behind the trial in the first place was racism. If you think about it, if it weren’t for racism, these characters would not be put into these positions now, and also there would not have been a trial in the first place.
Ch. 28 p. 303 'Aunty brought me overalls. "Puts these on, darling," she said handing me the garments she most depised.' This is after the encounter with Mr. Ewell and the children are being cared for in the house. Aunt Alexandra gets Scout her overalls even though Alexandra considers them not to be "proper girls cloths". I think Aunt Alexandra getting Scout overalls shows, in the heat of the moment, she values her family members more then her families reputation. The incident with Bob Ewell shows that Aunt Alexandra cares a lot about her family and, she may not show it, but is willing to go agianst her morals to aid them. I can personally connect to this because I have friends who act cool and tough, but when someone is emotionaly or physically hurt, they will comfort them.
Tony, I agree that in that moment, Aunt Alexandra values her family members over the family reputation. I also agree that she does care a lot about her family, even though it may not really show all of the time. This quote from the book is very strong, and it really stands out.
Chapter 27 "if I hear one more peep more peep outa my girl Helen bout not bein' able to walk this road...I'll have you in jail before sun down!" Mr.Link says this to Mr.Ewell concerning his mistreatment of Helen Robinson. I love this because it shows a white man looking out for a black man and his family. Mr.Link didn't need that help but he offered to help keep Helens head above water. Also how he stood up to Mr.Ewell like that was truly inspiring. I am glad we finally have some non-racist white characters in the book (besides the obvious ones)
I completely agree with you Sam. Mr. Link was a very brave person for standing up to Mr. Ewell because he stood up for a black person, which was very rare in this time period.
I think after the trial Atticus inspired people to stand up for people no matter the color of their skin. It shouldn’t matter what color skin you have it everything should revolve around who’s right and who’s wrong. When Mr. Link stood up for a black person I felt like this showed how Atticus inspired people and that maybe Maycomb is getting better.
I don't necissiarly know if Atticus inspired Mr.Link to do this(he was already fond of the Robinsons) but Atticus 100% changed the town for the better. Just being brave enough to back Tom up is enough to rock the boat.
Chapter 28 "Aunty Is Jem dead?" "Atticus is Jem Dead" "Dr.Reynolds is Jem Dead" The fact that Scout says this multiple times shows that it is extremely important. Well yes obviously she would want to know this but it show the importance of family to her. Atticus, Jem and Scout are really a close tight family unit. They grew up only having one another, and Jem was really Scouts parter in crime. The fact that she is making her concern so aparent and clear is that this is very important to her. This also reveals alot about her personality. Again, she is wise beyond her years. She knows how to get answers and she's like a worried mother getting answers. Also, the way she goes about her self revels a lot about Scout.
Sam, I agree that they are a very close family and know everything about each other. They rely on each other for everything and are concerned about each other as well. Almost everything they do is a lesson to learn from. Each of them look to each other for these lessons and for help in everything they do and everything that happens.
Chapter 26, page 328: On this page the teacher asks the class what a democracy is. Scout answers: “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none.” Miss Gates says she is right, and has the whole class repeat: “We are a democracy.” This is very contradictory. Miss Gates says that democracy is equal rights for all, and then goes to say that we are a democracy? This cannot be true. If they were democratic, then why were blacks being prosecuted? That surely does not agree with Scouts definition of democracy… If it was true, then all blacks should have be treated just as any other person in Maycomb.
Jared, I agree that it is incorrect for Miss Gates to have the kids say that they are a democracy. In a democracy, everyone is treated equal. With proof of the trial, we can definitely see that not everyone is treated equally in this society.
Jared I really like that you bring up Miss Gates. Miss Gates seems to be a character that brings up the topic of racism. Wether she is talking about Hitler, or she is making comments about people in Maycomb, she does bring it up a lot. I do not believe they have a Democracy or else Tom would have won the trial.
I have to agree, if they were a democracy Tom Robinson would have never been convicted cause he obviously had the information that was the truth not Mayella. Mrs. Gates shouldn’t have said they are a democracy when they aren’t.
Ch. 29 p. 310 "Hey, Boo," said Scout. Finally, we meet the famous Boo Radley! The paragraph before describes him as a normal adult but he is very pale. I suspect that is from his many years suck in his house. I am glad we finally meet Boo and he seems "normal". This disproves all of the rumors or tales made up about him. I can't imagine how happy Scout is to be finally seeing Boo. She spent most of her childhood wondering and believing crazy things about him. Also, this shows Scout has matured a lot since her childhood because she isn't reanacting Boo life or touching his house. Her experience can connect an adopted child meeting her birth parents because she has never seen them and only know stories about them.
Tony, I agree that Scout has matured about the situation. I was surprised she didn't run out in horror of seeing Boo. Instead, she stood by him and was very polite and respectful. She spoke the truth when she was talking to him like he was a friend. Especially when was saying/thinking how jealous Jem would be that she saw Boo and he didn't.
Chapter 28 "His stomach was soft but his arms were like steel. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him ... The scuffling noises were dying; someone wheezed and the night was still again. ... heard him groan and pull something heavy along the ground. It was slowly coming to me that there were now four people under the tree. ... I found it and looked down to the street light. A man was passing under i"... This quote was said by Scout when they were by the old oak tree late at night when they shouldn't have been. What happened when both Scout and Jem went under and passed the tree a mysterious attacker camera up behind them and grabbed them as if to hurt them. Later When the kids returned home to their father Atticus they went to the sheriff and began discussing who could had wanted to danger Atticus and the well being of his children. The one person that came to my mind is Bob Ewell. The reason that i think it was him is because since Bob is a coward he wouldn't never go up to Atticus and hurt him, but what he would do is hurt something he knows Atticus loves which in this case is his children. Also something very interesting that happened was not only did Jem get home but someone who is unidentified carried him home. From previous mysteries in this book the one person that everyone first thinks of is Boo Radely. I think of Boo as a suer hero or something along those lines that when duty call's he is always there and gets the job done without anyone knowing he is there. That is what is so great about how the mystery of Boo in this novel really is. For Mr.Ewell my words can not describe my level disgust and hatred towards him and how he can pick on people like 45 years younger than him but he can't be a real man and mess with someone like Atticus who he wouldn't have a chance with. What i would like to say to him is "Pick on someone your own size you coward."
Ch 27 Pg 334 "Now hear me Bob Ewell; if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road, I'll have you in jail before sundown!" said Link Deas. This is a perfect example of the hateful atmosphere of the time. Bob Ewell is hated by a lot of people, and people think he is not smart and a bad person. I can understand the tension by Link Deas but people don't do that anymore. People don't yell in a stranger's face. It should be Helen's responsibility to stay away from the area if she is scared.
I agree with this but also want to say that Helen's route was originally to walk an extra mile out of the Ewell's way. Link just tried to make it easier on her by protecting her from Bob. Also, I believe the Ewell's would have gotten much more threatening as time passed and it is good that Link did what he did.
Chapter 29 "Hey, Boo....." This quote was spoken by Scout. Finally the moment we have all been waiting for the coming out of Boo! These will be one of those days that Scout and Jem will never forget seeing the person that was only being represented by symbols such as coins and bubble gum has finally come out and greeted in person. In my mind Boo is a heroic person or his two good deeds throughout the book. The first deed in the book was when the fire broke loose at Miss Maudies house and the person who secretly put the blanket on top of the kids was Boo. He protects those kids as if they were his own and in that instance he not only saved the kids lives but he leo risked his own. The next instance in which Boo shows a heroic deed is when he stops the attacker at the oak tree who i think was Bob and then carries the injured Jem back to the house where the sheriff and Atticus can access the situation. At this point in the novel not only am I personally filled with excitement and joy but i also can't imagine how emotionally and physically existing it must be seeing someone that you thought you knew but you never saw him for the first time. Great stuff, and remember those so called rumors and tales about Boo? Well i think it is safe to say that they were not only wrong but Boo ended up doing the exact opposite of what people portrayed him as being.
Chapter 26, Page 330,"But its okay to hate Hitler?","Its not okay to hate anybody.", As brought up in the conversation between Cecil and Ms.Gates. This statement spoken out during Current Events explains what kind of different views and thoughts on humanity and what they believe is crossing the line. I can relate this to Holden Caufield and how he views the world. Holden is most likely a pessimistic person and by this i mean he views life as if everything had no hope or purpose. Also, by this kind of actions he makes himself physically sick from all his misery. Furthermore, his view of certain people, for example Jane make him feel good inside as compared to his close family which make him sad and lost at some points. Through reactions of others towards other people, we can better understand what kind of views differ.
Chapter 26 page 331, "'...I mean have mean thoughts about anybody, even, is it?'...'Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home--'" This is said by Scout when she is talking to Jem about their conversation with Miss Gates at school that day. Scout overheard Miss Gates speaking to Miss Stephanie Crawford when they were coming out of the courthouse after the trial. When Scout mentions that people hate Hitler and then are ugly about folks right at home, I thought of it as though she was seeing that people in town are comparing someone who is doing something horrible, like Hitler, versus the people of the town who they know personally and didn't do anything to harm anyone, such as Tom Robinson. I was very surprised Scout caught this because if i was in her situation, I would never have even thought of that. Scout is a lot smarter than she looks, especially for someone so young, she knows so much and picks up on things many adults wouldn't even notice.
Chapter 27 page 335, "'That man seems to have grudge against everybody connected with that case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one--he had his way in court, didn't he?'" This is said by Aunt Alexandra when she is complaining to Atticus about how Bob Ewell was following Helen Robinson on her way to work. During this scene, I gained respect for Aunt Alexandra because she was being very respectful towards people who she is not particularly too fond of. Lately, Aunt Alexandra hasn't been causing problems at all, and actually has been helping solve them. For example, when we learned Tom Robinson had been shot and killed, I was actually surprised to find that Aunt Alexandra was torn up about it. Aunt Alexandra has grown in ways others haven't, such as being more accepting of others. Now she can be added to the long list of characters that have connected somehow to the theme of growing up.
Chapter 28 page 357, "'He's dead, Mr. Finch'" Said by Mr. Tate after coming back from the scene where Scout and Jem were attacked. Chapter 28 was a very eventful chapter and there were so many good quotes to choose from, but this was probably the most important. Surprisingly, I was not shocked to hear that Bob Ewell stabbed himself while trying to kill Scout and Jem. After all this time, Bob Ewell has died and in many ways, he certainly deserves it. For example, Bob Ewell was trying to harm, and possibly kill, two innocent children who had never done anything to hurt him and who were helpless at the time. As Aunt Alexandra said in the previous chapter, Bob Ewell got his way in court, so why is he still holding a grudge on everyone who was in the courthouse? The simple answer is that he can't live up to the fact that he was the guilty one and he is angry and is taking it out on everyone else. Now that Bob is dead, there will be no issues with the people of Maycomb and feeling unsafe, but there will be issues in his own home. It is no ones fault but his own.
Chapter 29 page 358, "Somehow, I could think of nothing but Mr. Bob Ewell saying he'd get Atticus if it took him the rest of his life. Mr. Ewell almost got him, and it was the last thing he did." This is said by Scout after Jem and she get back from being attacked by Bob Ewell. I'm glad Scout mentioned this, if she didn't, i would i have never even realized. When someone usually says they will do something until the day they die, it is only used as a figure of speech. In this case, it was accidentally meant literally. Bob did say he would get Atticus, even if it took him the rest of his life. Although Bob did not get Atticus, he almost did and he died trying. Jem and Scout were very lucky that Boo was there to save them. Boo is a great person because he has been there multiple times for the children. It seems strange that he is always around and there for them but Jem and Scout are the closest to friends he has and it is sad but true. I've really begun to like Boo lately, even though he is not described as the person he really is.
Chapter 30 page 363, "'There's a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it's dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead.'" This is said by Mr. Heck Tate when he and Atticus are arguing about who really killed Bob Ewell. When i first saw this quote, I thought it meant what it literally said. However, when I really thought about it, I realized it really meant so much more. It meant that it's time to move on and not worry about the past, just let it be and let the past be the past. Also, let the past cover itself up. It means that it is time to move on and worry about the present and future, forget the negative parts of the past. Now that the big problem of Maycomb is over, it is time to go back to the normal days when everyone was innocent and there was no gossip, secrets, or mystery.
Chapter 31 summary. During this last chapter, I was very content with the way it was written and how the book ended. It ends with Scout walking Boo home from the Finch home which I loved because I felt that Scout really connected with Boo as if they knew each other for awhile. It was like what Scout was hoping for. Also in this chapter, Scout reminisces on the past and what times were like before the trial and before Maycomb was a dark and twisty town. I also really loved how at the end, Atticus was reading the book, "The Gray Ghost" to Scout and she fell asleep. When she woke up and was brought to bed, she describes what happened in the book and it almost perfectly relates to the situation with Boo. When I read this part, it took me a little while to realize where Scout was going with it and as soon as I realized, I felt sad. I was sad because I realized that Boo is really a little kid stuck inside an older mans body and all he wanted was someone to talk to and someone to connect with. If only Scout and Jem got up the nerve to go to the Radley home and communicate with Boo better, the story would have been much happier, I would say. Harper Lee did an amazing job ending this story and honestly, it got to me which is something I love because it is rare for me to find a book that I feel like I can emotionally connect with.
Chapter 26 (328) "Miss Gates printed DEMOCRACY in large letters............ I raised my hand,remembering an old campaign slogan Atticus had once told me about.“what do you think it means, Jean Louise?” “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none," I quoted............... Miss printed WE ARE A.“Now class,say it all together, “We are a democracy." IThink that the meaning of those words is to strong to be true because they know the meaning but they don't practice it, they don't even see what is happening in the town there weren't equal rights for all and specials privileges were for white people is the opposite of what the definition says.
Chapter 28 page (356)“Mrs. Tate sniffed. He glanced sharply at the man in the corner, nodded to him, then looked around the room—at Jem,at Aunt Alexandra, then at Atticus” that misterious mean in the corner who had saved their lifes,caught scout's attention she wanted to know who was that man because she had never seen him before for scout that was a big question why did he do that? Why he saved our lifes ,perhaps was just a man who was passing by, but there was something that disturbed her.
Chapter 28, page 348: “You can get the Janitor to let you in… Scout?” “Hm?” “Nothing.” After the pageant, Jem and Scout are walking back home in the dark. There isn’t anybody else around, and they can’t really see where they are going. Jem thinks that he hears something, and he tells Scout at some points to stop walking or to stop talking. They would only hear something shuffling behind them as they were walking. I think that this part of the book, along with when Jem and Scout are getting attacked by Bob Ewell, show how Jem is maturing. He is standing up for and protecting Scout the best that he can. Jem got the rougher beating of the two; he was knocked unconscious and broke his left arm, and Scout had a bump on her head. I think that this shows Jem’s maturity, but it also connects to the theme of importance of family. Jem is protecting and taking the brunt of the beating upon himself, instead of having Scout, his little sister, get hurt. A little after this quote was said by Jem, and the person behind them (later identified as Bob Ewell), breaks out into a run and chases them, Jem even tells Scout to run, yet another sign of him trying to protect her. As an older sister, I can connect to Jem. I have two younger brothers, and especially when they were younger, I needed to look out for them. My mom always says to us, ‘you guys are family. Family sticks together and looks out for one another. Take care of each other.’ I think that everyone can take away and learn from this.
Chapter 29, page 360: “I wondered why he had those marks on him. His sleeves were perforated with little holes…” “This thing probably saved her life.” This is said by Heck Tate when he was in the Finch household talking to Scout about what happened. Scout was saying how she was in her ham costume when she and Jem were walking home. Mr. Tate asked to see it, and then he understood why Bob Ewell had strange puncture wounds in his arm. When he grabbed Scout, her costume stabbed him. Her costume most likely did save her. Jem on the other hand didn’t make out as well. He was knocked unconscious and had a broken left arm. Scout’s ham costume could almost be considered a symbol in my opinion. Just like the snowman that was mentioned earlier on in the book, Scout’s ham costume could represent the same thing. The snowman represents how on the outside, (snow) everything in Maycomb looked okay, but you have to dig deeper, (dirt) to see all of the problems and imperfections. The ham costume could show how on the outside, (fabric) everything looked nice and cute, but you have to go deeper, (wire) to see a different, harsher side of it. Also, I made another connection. When we were going over the symbol sheet in class, the first thing that came to mind when we talked about the snowman was the Gilded Age. I remember learning about it last year in social studies. The Gilded Age was given its name by I believe Mark Twain. It meant that on the outside, (gilded) America looked wonderful, and everyone wanted to come over. But if you dug deeper, you would reveal how unsanitary, poor, unsuitable for living America was.
Chapter 30, page 364: “Won’t you have a seat, Mr. Arthur? This rocking-chair’s nice and comfortable.” This is said by Scout after the attack by Mr. Ewell, when both she and Jem are back home. Arthur Radley, (Boo) was the person who carried Jem back to the house after he was knocked unconscious and broke his left arm. Atticus, Heck Tate, Scout and Arthur are walking down to the front porch to talk while Dr. Reynolds takes care of Jem. Scout is being extremely nice to him, especially after she embarrassed herself by calling him Boo before. She escorted him down the stairs, and now she is offering him a seat. I think that this shows a level of maturity that we have not really seen from Scout before. Not that she was being rude or anything before this necessarily, but I think that she has matured enough to realize that even though Arthur Radley has been inside his house for such a long time, and no one has really seen him, he still deserves to be treated fairly and respectfully. Also, knowing that trying to get him to come out of his house was Scout, Jem and Dill’s goal for quite awhile, I think that Scout did a great job of not being overly enthusiastic or anything. Whether she likes it or not, I think she is becoming more lady like. She is showing more maturity and manners, and I think that this shows how she has grown throughout the book. Many people say that they never want to grow up, but in the end, they all do anyways. I think that Scout is growing up faster than she may think, but she is still retaining the qualities that make her who she is.
Ch 28 Pg 347 "You all want a ride home?" someone asked. "No sir, thank you, it's just a little walk." Jem Said. This is a great example of Jem maturing. Jem rejecting a ride home from some stranger was a very mature choice. He could have said yes and gotten a ride in a car home. But since he knows the risk of taking a ride from a stranger he takes the right road and says no and he wants to walk home. They teach us things like this at a young age but at the time and place, it's probably something they didn't teach. So Jem was smart and mature enough to know not to take a ride from strangers. Kids get kidnapped and something strangers ask to kids walking is if they need a ride home because some of them are naive enough to say yes. He could have saved himself and Scout from a lot of trouble.
Ch. 30 p. 314 "I'm all they've got. Before Jem looks at anything else, he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can squarely look back at him...and the day I can't do that I know I've lost him. I don't want to lose him and Scout," said Atticus to Heck Tate. Atticus saying this shows how important he knows his influence is on Jem and Scout. If they can look up to Atticus and see a good example of a parent, then they will follow that example. This is why I respect Atticus so much because he will go out of his way to set a good example for his children to follow. That is why he is a great teacher and parent. I think Atticus can connect to parents now today. They try to set good example for their children because they want them to grow up and live a healthy life. Also, people who read the novel may want to be a better parent because of Atticus' influence throughout the book.
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." The last page of the book when Scout is going to sleep, Atticus tell this to her. This qoute shows the theme of prejudging. After Scout sees Boo Radley, she realizes he is not a monster or a cerial killer. He is a gentle yound man who has been sheltered from the world. If Scout gets into Boo shoes, she can see he is innocent and gentle. This can connect to our everyday lives. I we judge people based on what we hear, then we will never consider them to be nice. Scout realizes this and we can learn from her. We shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
Ch 29 ph 362 (Whole page) "Hey Boo" YAYYY It's finally time to meet boo. he has been very mysterious the whole entire book. Now we finally meet him get to know him. Although most of that will take place in the next chapter, the initial meet is in this chapter. a child is always curious about someone when he appears to be mysterious. Us as readers are very curious about him because he doesn't appear very often in the book, he doesn't talk, and he is always in his house. Children are always curious about presents because you don't know what is inside them.
Ch 30 pg 366 "Bob Ewell fell on his knife, he killed himself." This is a moment where some people are happy and some people are sad. Bob Ewell was a man of poor decisions and poor usage of money. he wasn't liked a lot . There are always some people who try to find the good in people. Finding the good in people is probably better than finding negatives. This is a new theme in the book. Mayella and his family probably hate him sometimes like us as readers do but they still find room for positives to remember him.
Ch 31 Pg 371 ""You'd like to say good night to Jem wouldn't you Mr. Arthur?" This is another example of the good in people. People always thought in Maycomb and us as readers originally thought as Mr. Radley as a crazy person. Now we see that he is a sweet man who was just left out of the world for a long time. Boo is a good person who had a rough childhood, but he never got to show his good side because he was seldom seen as a child, and never got to show that he is a good person.
You're exactly right Joe! And I liked how you worded it, " a sweet man who was just left out of the world for a long time." Check out this thing on tumblr...its A quote from To Kill A Mockingbird
Chapter 26, Pg. 329 "When you get to high school, Cecil, you'll learn that the Jews have been persecuted since the beginning of history, even driven out of their own country. It's one of the most terrible stories in history." After Cecil says his current events about Hitler and his persecution on Jews, the class and Cecil get into a conversation about how terrible it is that Jews were singled out by groups that Hitler said to say that they were different. As I read this quote, it made me come to think of how it was very ironic and how interesting it was that it was first, ironic that the class was discussing that Jews were persecuted by other groups. It was also interesting of how I found that since racism played a huge role in the Maycomb community, the class discussed how Jews were different and were looked down upon by other people. I think in this case, this discussion was very close to one of the themes of the negative effects of racism on an individual, community, and the legal system. The class talked about Jews being different, but it is also in similarity that Blacks were thought to be different in Maycomb. They were looked down upon by other people, persecuted in court where most of the time they were found guilty because of racism taking place, and just blamed for everything. Same thing with the Jews back in World War 2. Many Jews were killed because of Hitler putting in a hard persuasion of why differentiated people should be treated differently. I think that the racism in the town of Maycomb of how Blacks are treated differently, is the same for how Jews were treated back in World War 2.
James, i totally agree that the Jews and the Blacks share similar concept which is segregation and a sense of division. The mistakes of yesterday are meant to be learned and not to be done again in the past.
Chapter 26 Page 331 “Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Mrs. Gates… and be ugly about folks right at home.” Scout is telling Jem about Mrs. Gates and how she hates Hitler but yet talks bad about black folks in Maycomb. To me this fits the theme of growing up perfectly. Scout sees something strange someone is saying one thing while doing another, what we would call a hypocrite, and it bother her that someone could be like that. This also attests to Scouts acute sense of what’s going on around her and if she doesn’t understand it she asks. I know that’s how I am my parents complain that I never used to shut up was I was younger I was asking so many questions. It doesn’t bother me though because now I understand a lot I think asking questions is a great thing you can’t know everything in world so asking for help isn’t a big deal.
Chapter 27 Page 334 “ First thing you can do, Ewell, is get your stinkin’ carcass of my property… Second thing you can do is stay away from my cook or I’ll have you up for assault.” I love this part because someone is standing up for Helen Robinson and that person is none other than Tom’s previous employer and Helen’s new employer. It is almost refreshing to see a person who is white besides Atticus stand up for the black population of Maycomb. This shows both parts of the theme of negative effects of racism. Here Bob Ewell is harassing Helen, using racial slurs and following her and then you have Link Deas who is protecting Helen from these effects. This reminds me of the Holocaust in which people put their reputation and even life on the line to help others. Whenever I see acts of extreme kindness like this it reminds me that there is still kindness the world. I am interested to see if you agree that there is still kindness in the world and that we shouldn’t look for the worst in people like Holden Caulfield did
Chapter 28 Page 353 “Are you all right, darling?” While this doesn’t show the emotion that Aunt Alexandra is conveying this makes me like Aunt Alexandra even more now. In my opinion I think that Aunt Alexandra is an example for us judging people to quickly. I thought that she was a disturbance to the family but she is actually trying to help. Which to me is funny since she is quick to judge people based on their families. It reminds me of Holden at first I saw a pretentious kid who would automatically make judgments for no reason, but as I kept reading you figure out that there is a deep reason for his actions. It surprises me how quickly Aunt Alexandra has seemed to change, it seems as if the trial has made her rethink her priorities. I wonder if Harper Lee knew someone like Aunt Alexandra and decided to make a character of her and wanted to teach us a lesson.
Chapter 29 Page 362 “Hey, Boo” These two words said by Scout to Sheriff Heck Tate bring up so many questions. Where did Boo come from? How did Mr. Nathan Riley not stop him? Is he the reason Mr. Ewell is dead? It is interesting that someone who is considered a hermit has done what most regular people wouldn’t do save the children from a knife wielding attacker. The fact the Boo risked his life to save another just totally disproves any gossip that had ever been circulating about him being a bad person. Its sad that in society we get most of what we know about a person from peers around us I know I have done this and from what I have heard I decide to make a choice. Do I get to know this person further or not. Our society is so wrapped up in appearances that someone who looks out of the ordinary is mistreated even though they could have been the person you fell in love with or helped you through a tough time. While I think judging people can sometimes help you, I think it can also have the opposite effect. I would like to know what you guys think?
Chapter 30 Page 366 “Mr. Finch, Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself.” Here we see Sheriff Heck Tate trying to convince Atticus that Jem didn’t kill Bob Ewell. I have trouble understanding why Atticus is having such a hard time getting his head around that fact. He saw Jems arm himself how could he think Jem over powered a grown man and killed him. I mean I have experienced a similar phenomenon in which I believe something so much that I wont let someone else tell me otherwise. But this is weird if anything I would be talking as fast as I could to get my son out of the picture. I don’t think I will ever fully understand this. If any one could give me insight into this and show me what I’m missing I would appreciate it.
well atticus thinks that heck tate is just trying to cover up for jem. this is hard for atticus because he has so much dignity and doesnt want to be lying.
Chapter 31 Page 374 “He’d be so made he missed it he wouldn’t speak to me for days.” Scout is talking about seeing Boo and how Jem wasn’t up to see it. While I’m not sure if Harper Lee meant for this but I think its symbol that Jem has grown up. As a child he has tried his entire life to see Boo and the one time that he can he is asleep he didn’t see him. It shows that Jem has grown up and no longer needs to fulfill the fantasy of seeing Boo. Which also says something to the fact that Scout saw Boo, she was still so young that she still wanted to see him and she ended up being able too. I know that as a kid I was very prying and wanted to do things or know things my parents told me not to know. To me this was one of the best books I have ever and I think why we still read it is because of what we have shown in these blogs we can relate to the topics. Though it doesn’t say for sure I don’t Jem will have cared that he didn’t see Boo, I think he would have moved on from such childish activities. Jem has come a long way from the beginning of the book.
I love this quote. Jem has waited his entire life to see Boo. I feel that in the begining of the novel Jem didn't understand Boo, and that's why his curiosity to meet him was so high. Now, that Jem is more mature, I think Harper Lee is trying to show us that unlike Scout, Jem now understands more. Jem understands that Boo was imprisoned by his own family.
Chapter 27, Page 334 "Now hear me, Bob Ewell: if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road I'll have you in jail before sundown!" Here is Link Deas showing that he is not racist and also showing that he is not going to let Bob Ewell be tyrannical towards another person in the Robinson family. Mr. Link Deas is said that he employed Tom for eight years and is shown that he is an honest, hard worker. He has hired Tom's wife, Helen Robinson, by hiring her to do work in his store. Some of the townspeople think he is a "n***** lover" for hiring Helen to do work in his store. While this is all said to be true, I view Link Deas differently. During this chapter, Link Deas plays a somewhat huge role to Helen Robinson. He shows that he cares for her and wants to protect her since Tom is not there because of his trial. I think Link in this chapter shows that Tom should have been innocent in his trial by telling Bob Ewell off in a way of not to bother Helen, for if he does, he would send Bob into jail the same way he sent Tom to jail, by accusing him for doing something that he really did not do. I guess what I am trying to say is that Link Deas is trying to show some Karma towards Bob because of what he did to Tom. This could come to connection of how Karma, plays a concept of today and also how it shows in this book.
Chapter 29 Page 359" Atticus,i had a feeling about this tonight-i-this is my fault". Alexandra feels guilty for what happened to Jem and Scout in chapter 28. It wasn't until this quote that I actually started to like Aunt Alexandra. I think we can all feel sympathy for her. She is a strong women trying to help her brother raise his kids. I never actually thought she cared about Jem and Scout but I'm proved wrong. When Jem and Scout return form the pageant she is very kind and worried about them. It is a good thing after all that Aunt Alexandra is helping out Atticus.
Chapter 30 Page 363 "Mr.Arthur, honey," said Atticus. When I read this quote, I almost cried. I was so excited for Scout to finally talk about her and Boo. In the beginning of chapter 30, Atticus is correcting Scout for calling Arthur Radley, Boo. Boo was the one who brought Jem home. Boo is a hero. He is not a hero like Odysseus, but he is a hero like Pilot Sully. Although Boo, didn't save over 100 lives, he brought Jem home. To me that's a true hero. Someone who has no interaction with the outside world, but cares so much about children and doesn't leave him in danger.
Chapter 31 Page 375" Atticus, I wasn't Afraid." Atticus refuses to read Scout the Book "The Gray Gohst" because it is too scary. He believes Scout has been frightened enough and doesn't need to be scared anymore. Scout argues that she was not scared. As I read the ending of the novel, I realize how much Jem and Scout have matured. I personally feel a connection with these children. I know that as a child I had to face personal problems that many children couldn't handle, like my younger siblings. Jem and Scout can handle many things. They are a family of three, they understand their father's job, and lastly they comprehend what many kids can't.I admire these fictional characters.
i agree with you so much,eileen. they have truly have matured so much by the end. the amount of emotional pain they have faced and dealt with, is truly astonoshing. not only do they understand atticus they really appreciate him and are grateful for him.
Chapter 28, Page 345 "You all right in there, Scout? asked Cecil. "You sound so far off, like you was on the other side of a hill." "You don't sound any nearer," I said." As I recall, Scout seems to be wearing a heavy costume of ham for the Halloween Pageant. It seems that she can't see very well or can't hear that well with her wearing the costume. For me, this piece of "evidence" helps because of when Jem and Scout get attacked later on in the chapter. I think this piece of evidence is really helpful because during the time of the attack of Jem and Scout, Scout says later on to Heck Tate that she was felt to be squeeze the breath out of her. Even though the attacker who attacked Jem and Scout is never said to be who it is, I think it is Bob Ewell trying to attack the both of them. With the ham costume that Scout wears and never takes it off, I think it saves her life because of how it if she didn't wear the heavy ham costume, she would have been either stabbed by the accused attacker of Bob or severely injured. The costume seemed to be a bulletproof vest in a way, by how it saved her life of not being injured. If you were to look at Jem, he wasn't wearing any heavy clothing, and yet got a broken arm at the end of the attack. I can relate to this of how I wear a rib-cage protector every time I play a game in baseball because of how I try to be cautious if I were to get hurt. The vest helps me not get hurt, the same way with Scout's ham costume.
ch. 27 page 340 " after that, it didnt matter whether they went or not. jem said he would take me." this is said by scout about going to her pagent because neither atticus or alexandra could go. i can most definatly relate to scout in this scene. my mother struggled raising three children on her own. she relied a lot on my older brothers to help me and take me places when she just couldnt be there. i understand what scout is feeling. she looks up to jem like i look up to my brothers. just knowing that somebody is there for you is a very reasuring feeling, especially one of the people you care most about.
Chapter 29, Page 361 "He had guts enough to pester a poor colored woman, he had guts enough to pester Judge Taylor when he thought the house was empty, so do you think he'da met you to your face in daylight?" Heck Tate explains to Atticus of how Bob Ewell had some guts or being impolite of showing his behavior to these people. Heck Tate explains what Bob Ewell did to show Judge Taylor and I think Helen Robinson up of what he did to them, but in a way implies that he might have been scared to face Atticus face to face in daylight. For one is for sure, Atticus compared to Bob, people will be in favor of Atticus instead of Bob. Atticus is shown to be a very kind man and very well educated. In relation to the book and towards today, Bob Ewell's attitude that he shown towards Atticus of him spitting in his face is connected to today of how people behave today. For example, people write nasty things all over the internet, but the majority of them who right nasty things towards other people, won't have the guts to say those things to the person they were saying it to face to face. This is similar to Bob Ewell in a way of how he says harsh things towards Atticus, but later does something that is not really directly to him, but is involved with him. One example would be Bob attacking Atticus' kids. He didn't do it to him directly, but it sure involved him.
ch.28 pg. 341 "the weather was unusually warm for the day last of october" i really like this statement. this weird thing that his happening with the weather is forshadowing that something bad will happen. after that reading this chapter and finding out what happened in the woods proved my theory correct. this also reminds me of us here now. we had that bizzare snow storm in the last few days of october. in maycomb, they had unusually warm weather but in bedford, we had unusually cold weather.
You're right Meredith! Harper Lee uses out of the ordinary weather to foreshadow something bad is coming. We can support this by the incident with Mr. Ewell attacking Scout and Jem
Chapter 30, Page 366 "If this thing's hushed up it'll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I've tried to raise him. Sometimes I think I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they've got." In this quote I would really like to just admire Atticus as a parent towards Scout and Jem. He seems to be a doing a very bad job or seems to be a failure as a parent towards Scout and Jem, but really he has done a fantastic job as a parent and should be a role model for parents or fathers everywhere. The way he teaches Scout and Jem lessons on ways to grow up, impacts me as a reader and shows that both Scout and Jem really take his sayings into consideration of how it is the way of growing up. This really connects to me of how I admire my mom and dad of how they taught me how to grow up and be mature and how I admire them of how they really much care for me, the same way as Atticus feels to Scout and Jem. Another to add to is that, Atticus was not alone teaching Scout an Jem to grow up, there were many people around the neighborhood and around town that taught them how to be mature. These people could be Calpurnia, Miss Caroline, Miss Dubose, Aunt Alexandria, Little Chuck Little, and so much more. Atticus though out the whole novel has shown to be the perfect role model for both Scout and Jem.
ch. 29 pg. 362 "hey, boo," i said. this was said by scout as she realized who the quiet man standing in the corner was. it was boo radley. boo was the was that picked up, carried and brought jem home while he was unconcious. when scout said this, i thought it demonstrated a great deal of maturity. the way scout was so calm showed that he had realized there was nothing to be afraid of. boo was just a man who helped, a human being even.
ch. 30 pg. 365 "...but dont start anything like that....nobodys hushing this up. i dont live that way" when atticus heard that bob ewell was dead, he thougt it was jem, defending himself. when the sherrif told atticus that it wasnt jem, atticus didnt want him to cover anything up for him. he wanted jem to live his life without being worried about the whispering that would go around the town and the way people would judge him. this shows a theme of dignity. the way atticus said no, thats not right, it said a lot about his character and the type of guy he is. even the fact that it his own son who could potentially be getting in trouble, he still knows right from wrong.
ch. 31 pg. 376 "...atticus he was real nice." " most people are scout, when you finally see them" i am so happy that the book ended this way. scout is talking of the charater in the book atticus was reading, but atticus meant boo radley. atticus taught the lesson of stepping into someone elses shoes again. and to not judge a book its cover. scout finally saw the real boo radley and that he was nice, once she got to know him. she know understands boo just a little better than she did before because she finally met him and had a real face-to-face experience with him.
Chapter 31, Page 373 "Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was out neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and out lives. But neighbors give in return." Scout says that she never gave back to Boo Radley because of what the things he has given them. I would respectfully disagree with Scout. For sure, both Jem and Scout never gave back to Boo Radley of items, but they both gave him something of how they communicated with him by the tree. They both gave Boo a feeling to communicate with the outside world, for how he was trapped in his home for seven years. Both Jem and Scout gave Boo friendship and also entertainment of how they use to play games outside the Radley house, and how Boo was watching them. I could agree that Jem and Scout never gave anything back as an item, but really gave something back in a "mental" way. With Scout also saying the neighbors bringing food and flowers with sickness, I think Scout was referring to Miss Maudie's food-the pies and Ms. Dubose flowers that came with her sickness. The neighbors bringing food with death and flowers with sickness act as a symbol of the White Camellia representing peace, forgiveness, and appreciation throughout the community and the symbol of the Mockingbird. It represents the innocence of the characters of Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Jem, and Scout of how they were all innocent during one point in the novel. As for Jem and Scout's last name, Finch, I think their last name indicates that they were vulnerable to the racism in the town of Maycomb. Like a real bird, a Finch is vulnerable comapared to something that is bigger than they are. This comes to similarity of racism being bigger than the family of Finch and innocence.
chapter 26 "So many things had happened to us, Boo Radley was the least of our fears. Atticus said he didn't see how anything else could happen, that things had a way of settling down, and after enough time had passed people would forget that Tom Robinson's existence was ever brought to their attention." i think is foreshadowing
chapter 27 'I don't like it Atticus, I don't like it at all,' was Aunt Alexandra's assessment of these events. 'That man seems to have a running grudge against everyone connected with the case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one-he had his way in court, didn't he?'
bob ewel dont like atticus because atticus made him look like a fool in the court.
chapter 28 Shuffle foot had not stopped with us this time. His trousers swished softly and steadily. Then they stopped. He was running running toward us with no child's steps.
'Run, Scout Run Run Jem screamed
I took one giant step and found myself reelingmy arms useless, in the dark I could not keep my balance.
'Jem, Jem, help me, Jem
i think lee tells this story with alot of clues, lee dont tell the story with direct statements
chapter29 When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears. scout is not longer afraid of bob. because she knows that he saved her life. chapter 30
Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. 'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.'
Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?'
'Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?
she compares mrs arthur with a mockingbird and this suprise atticus.
chapter 31 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."
i thik he is saying that you never have to judge a person, before you know what really is happen with them. and knowing the point of view of that person.............
Chapter 31, page 373: ‘We came to the street light on the corner, and I wondered how many times Dill had stood there hugging the fat pole, watching, waiting, hoping.’ This is thought by Scout, as she is walking Arthur Radley back home. She is thinking about Dill hugging the pole outside of the Radley house, and how many times she and Jem had passed the house. Once Arthur went inside, she never saw him again. Scout is also thinking about how she never gave Arthur anything in return for what he did; he gave them soap dolls, pennies, a watch, some other various objects in the tree, but he also gave Jem and Scout their lives. If it weren’t for Arthur, there is a good chance that Jem and Scout would be dead, and if not dead, then severely injured. Jem and Scout must be so thankful for Arthur. He saved their lives. I think that after this point, any chance of Jem, Scout and Dill acting out a skit about Arthur will not happen. They have too much to thank him for, and he deserves respect. He came out of his house to put little gifts into the tree for Jem and Scout, and he also came out of his house to save them. I think that this must have taken him a lot of courage, and I think that he should be looked highly upon for that. He was just trying to be nice and helpful, which he was. I think that this connects to the reoccurring theme of getting into someone’s skin. If you were to get into Arthur’s skin, I think that you would be able to realize how courageous he must have been to do what he did for Jem and Scout. I think that anyone who risks their life in order to protect someone is a very admirable person, and I believe that Arthur deserves more credit then he gets.
In chapter 26, page 329, Miss Gates says, "There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me." I find what Miss Gates said to be very ironic because she’s basically telling these kids that racism is unbelievable and it shouldn't change the way you treat a person. This is probably the last thing you would expect to hear from a Maycomb citizen. When people from Maycomb discriminate about others characteristics in the SAME community, it just shows how hypocritical they are. Why would you send a man to jail that’s innocent and then later, judge Hitler about his hate against another race? THAT’S BEING A HYPOCRITE! It upsets me when stuff like this happen, because even in today’s generation, it’s still happening. I’m not going to lie but I’ve been through a situation that had made me become a hypocrite. I’ve learned my lesson and know to just stay quite. Like my sister always told me “if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say it at all.”
Chapter 29 page 362 "Hey Boo" says Scout. I know it is short, and it is simple but it really does contribute a lot to the story.This story for the longest time revolved around Boo. PLaying games about Boo, Talking about the Radleys. So many of childhood memories revolve around him. It's like when we were younger and had these obsession and eventually we get older and the illusion is shattered. That is what is happening here. I feel like The fact that Boo has come out is a symbol that they have grown up beyond belief. The Finches went from young naive children to more mature adolecents and Boo represents the end of an era.
Chapter 26, page 331: "how can you hate Hitler so bad an then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home--" this is what scout says to Jem about Ms. Gates, her teacher. During school, Scout notices Ms. Gates getting really mad about what Hitler was doing to the Jews in Germany. He was putting Jews in concentration camps. Hitler separated Jews because he thought that they were lesser people then everyone else. He was prejudice towards them. But, Scout is really confused. She heard Ms. Gates talking poorly about black people before. Scout doesn't understand how she can hate what Hitler's doing, but then do the same thing to black people IN HER COMMUNITY! Ms. Gates is treating black people lesser then everyone else, just like Hitler does to the Jews. This shows the reoccurring theme of racism. Some people are so racist they don't even realize what they are doing. Ms. Gate clearly didn't know she was kind of being a "Hitler" towards black people.
I agree with you Katie. I especially agree with your statement of how Ms. Gates sort of acts as a "Hitler" towards black people. I think that this is very sad, but true. Even though she might not realize what she is doing, it is still evident through her actions and words.
Wow, it goes to show that Maycomb really is like a snowman... seems like a nice town with nice people and teachers. And then all of the sudden you hear THIS. Even in the eyes of a child what they say is wrong.
Chapter 30 page 367 "If they don't trust me they won't trust anybody" This is another example of the strength of the Finch family unit. Atticus realizes the maturity of his children at this moment, because he trusts them and know they deserve to know the truth. I also love this because he realizes how crucial his relationship with his children is right now. I really love and admire Atticus as a parent. This is just another reason why. Also you don't trust anyone as much as you trust your family. They are your support system and Atticus realizes that nothing can break that.
Really good point Sam on how you said your family is your support system and I really liked how you put yourself in Atticus' shoes for a minute of how you said that he knows that his children are maturing and that he knows that they deserve the truth. It also shows how strong their family relationship is between Atticus and Jem and Scout. Really nice response Sam.
Chapter 26, Page 324-325: “And yet I remembered. Two Indian-head pennies, chewing gum, soap dolls, a rusty medal, a broken watch and chain. Jem must have put them away somewhere. I stopped and looked at the tree one afternoon; the trunk was swelling around its cement patch. The patch itself was turning yellow.” Scout says this about the tree where Boo used to use to communicate with the children. Although it seems as though it’s simply a list of items given to the kids, I think it has a symbolic meaning. I think that the tree represents life and the cement put in by Mr. Nathan Radley makes me think of trying to block or stop something. The tree represents Boo’s life and the cement represents Mr. Nathan Radley trying to stop him from living it the way he should. The fact that the tree is beginning to cover the cement also symbolizes that life can over come great challenges.
Wow, what a great thought. I hadn't thought of it that way. I think you're exactly right Kathryn, and without the communication...Boo was pretty much dead.
As I was reading chapter 27, it seems to me that Bob Ewell just wants attention! On page 335, Aunt Alexandra says, “That man seems connected with that case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don’t understand why he should harbor one - he had his way in court, didn’t he?” I don’t understand what more he want!? He got Tom to be guilty, but just doesn’t want to let go of the people involved the case. It’s like revenge. First, he accuses Atticus of stealing his job, like NO! That’s your fault for being ignorant. I’m glad he got fired, he deserves it. Second, they say that he killed Judge Taylor. They say one night when Judge Taylor’s wife was at church, he was sitting in his bedroom reading, and the next thing you know, she finds him dead. Lastly, he assaulted Helen Robinson. In this chapter, Link Deas shows great support towards Helen, when Bob gets smart with him. This shows that he’s not going to let Bob get away this time. He’s going to prove him wrong. This chapter reminded me of a kid story I read with my little cousins. These two kids were tired of being bullied and wanted to report the kid, but couldn’t without evidence. So one day they made sure an adult was standing by, so they could prove him wrong and catch him. In all honesty, when you prove someone wrong, the feeling I get is great. Feels like I can actually fight for something. (Not physically fight though.)
Chapter 27, Page 334: “‘I know every last one of you’s in there a-layin’ on the floor! Now hear me, Bob Ewell: if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein’ able to walk down this road I’ll have you in jail before sundown!’” Mr. Link Deas says this after Helen continuously tells him that she is afraid to walk to work on the street where the Ewells lived in fear that she would get hurt. I think that it is both brave and very kind of him to defend Helen and to give her a job, which was especially kind because she didn’t have a husband to help her provide for her family. I think it’s brave because Mr. Ewell seems like the kind of man that enjoys getting revenge on people that have betrayed him or have done something to him.
Chapter 30 page 361, "I can't live one way in town and another way in my home," said Atticus. Atticus was telling Mr. Tate that he would take Jem to court to clear things and make them right because he believed Jem had killed Mr. Ewell. Atticus said this because he doesn't want to be a hypocrite. He wants to teach his children to be the same person in any kind of situation. In this case, if Jem had killed Mr. Ewell, Atticus would take his child to court and act as if Jem was another of his defendants. He doesn't want to show the impression that just because Jem is his kid, means its alright to do it and not take responsibility for his actions. This is why Atticus says that he must act the same way he would act in court or in town as he would act at home. He is a very noble person that no matter the situation he is always trying to do right, I think this also relates to the theme of letter by the law.
Chapter 31 page 376, "Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things... Atticus, he was real nice...," said Scout and then Atticus replied, "Most people are Scout, when you finally see them." Scout was getting under her covers getting ready for bed and she was talking to Atticus about the book he had been reading in Jems room. I really like this quote because I think he was talking about Boo Radley. He was trying to prove to Scout that you shouldn't judge someone by what you hear about them, but you should get to know them first before you start talking and opinion about them. I also think that Scout began to realize this lesson because she finally met Boo and turned out that he wasn't what a lot of people said he was like, he turned out to be really nice. This illustrates how great of a parent Atticus is and the theme of value of family because Atticus has influence Scout.
Chapter 30 I"'m not a very good man, sir, but I am sheriff of Maycomb County. Lived in this town all my life an' I'm goin' on forty-three years old. Know everything that's happened here since before I was born. There's a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it's dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead. This quote is said by Heck Tate who is the sheriff in the town of Maycomb. In the town of Maycomb the responsibility of Heck Tate is to maintain law and deliver justice to those who deserve it. In this quote Heck Tate is describing how he has been around in this town for as long as he can remember, and he will not leave this town forever. I also think that Heck Tate is trying to explain to Atticus is that not only was Tom innocent but he shall rest in peace and be acknowledged for his humble life that he led. As for Bob Ewell who made a innocent black mans life go away shall not be remembered but be forgotten due to his cowardliness and selfishness towards himself and his family. This can relate to when Hitler died it wasn't sad but people were happy because they knew the man he really was and that was the same thing for Bob Ewell.
chapter 26 page 326 "So many things had happened to us, Boo Radley was the least of our fears. Atticus said he didn't see how anything else could happen, that things had a way of settling down, and after enough time had passed people would forget that Tom Robinson's existence was ever brought to their attention." Scout says this. I think that she means that Boo is and was the least of their worries. It also uses a literary element: foreshadowing. I believe it foreshadows that, ultimately, Boo will come back. This statement also shows that Scout has grown up a lot through the book. I can tell this because her outsight in the beginning of the book is not how it is in this speech.
chapter 27 page 335 "'I don't like it Atticus, I don't like it at all,' was Aunt Alexandra's assessment of these events. 'That man seems to have a running grudge against everyone connected with the case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one-he had his way in court, didn't he?'" In this part of the book, Aunt Alexandra is referring to Bob Ewell. She is worried because Bob wants to fight Atticus for making him look bad in the courtroom. However, Atticus thinks that Bob Ewell won't actually fight him. I think that Atticus is right, but should still be careful around Bob.
chapter 28 page 341 "The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October. We didn't even need jackets. The wind was growing stronger, and Jem said it might be raining before we got home. There was no moon." I think that this was a fantastic way to start this chapter. It symbolizes that things are not how they should be in Maycomb, Alabama. It is also shows how observant Scout is and that is, definitely one of the themes of the book. Everyday, Scout shows growth and maturing. Coming of age is a definite theme in To Kill A Mockingbird.
chapter 29 page 362 "When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears. 'Hey, Boo,' I said." This is the first time that Boo and Scout interact, directly. It is easy to tell that Scout now trusts Boo. He saved her's and Jem's life, which allows her to have faith in Boo. Scout begins to cry at this part, but she is still extremely mature about it.
chapter 30 page 370 "Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. 'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.' Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?' 'Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?'" I feel that this must have been very rewarding for Atticus. This truly shows that he got his message across to Scout. His message was and is to never harm something that has never harmed you. I love how Scout did this.
chapter 31 page 374 "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." I love how Scout shows the lessons that she has learned while growing up. I feel that these lessons will only help her to grow older and understand more topics that way beyond her years. Hopefully, someday everything will make sense.
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Lauryn, I definitely agree that the mentioning of Boo Radley in chapter 26 was in coincidence, it was definitely foreshadowing. I absolutely love that the author acts as though the whole Boo storyline is coming to an end and then shocks you with him when Mr. Ewell is about to attack the children.
Chapter 26, page 324 “I was now in the third grade, and out routines were so different I was only walked to school with Jem in the mornings and saw him at mealtimes.” I don’t think Scout likes change. I think she in same way wishes everything could just stay the same. She can see changes in Jem and I think she just wishes her brother could be the way he used to when he was always there with her. I can connect to Scout because my brothers going to collage next year and I know I’m going to miss him sometime when he’s gone. When he left to visit his collage I could already feel the change with him not there and I didn’t really like it.
Chapter 27page 335: “You don’t know if Bob Ewell cut the screen, you don’t know who did it,” said Atticus I think this shows how people in Maycomb just assume things by the way someone is. This also shows that Atticus is a good man and always thinks of others and always wants the best for people. Atticus didn’t just assume Bob Ewell cut the screen since there was no evidence of it. This quote reminded me of when people say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” What you think isn’t always true.
Ch. 26 p. 325 “I’m too old to go chasing you off the Radley property…..you were lucky not to be killed.” I’m agree with Atticus, that he is too old to do that, because now Scout and Jem are not kids as before, they grow up and now they can think more better the things that pass in the world and they can protect themselves from bad things.
Ch. 27 p. 335 “That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case…he had his way in court, didn’t he?" i think what Scout is trying to say is that Bob only want to revenge because he lost the case, so , sometimes this happen in the people to because they think that they were humbled and they will be humiliated by the rest of their life, so that is a good reason why the people want revenge.
Ch. 28 p. 357 “Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch.” I think this is unfair, what Bob Ewell did, because, he wanted to hurt the most precious treasure that Mr. Fich or the people in the world have, who are their sons. Why them, they not have the blame to what happened with adult people. i think this is the punishment that God give to Bob, giving him the death. Sorry for him.
Ch. 29 p. 362 “It was impolite point” this happened when Scout is telling to Mr. Tate what happened when they were attacked by Bob Ewell, so she sees a man leaning against the wall and she was going to point him with her finger to know who was that person who was leaning against the wall but she remembered what Atticus said, do not point someone with the finger. this is one rule, we learned when we were kids because to point someone with the finger is from bad education, this is only used to point to animals.
Ch. 30 p. 366 “I don't want to lose him and Scout, because they’re all I’ve got.” this is a good example of a father love because they are the only thing, to remember their mother and is the only treasure that no one never want to lose. They are the best gift that God give to the people in the world.
Ch. 31 p. “He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” this is a good example that means that, the parents always would be there in the good times and in the bad time and they feel more safe because Atticus is caring them.
Chapter 31 Scout walks Arnold "Boo" Radley to his porch. (Scout) "He gently released my hand, opened the door, went inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again. ..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." Let me start off by saying that reading this book was a pleasure for me, and it is sad to see it end but you know what they say all good things don't last forever. As for this quote i loved it because not only did Scout get to connect with Boo, but he also got to spend some time with someone she always wished to hang out with. I think for Scout it was probably almost unreal standing on Boo's porch and communicating with him. In my opinion Boo seems like a really nice guy and who knows what he would have already accomplished in his life if he wasn't stuck inside his house.
Mike, I think you mean Arthur and I really liked when you wrote all good things don't last forever. What a good saying. I definitely agree with the fact that that moment seemed unreal for Scout.
As I read chapter 28, I was in shock. I never thought Scout and Jem would have been attacked. But I’m not talking about Cecil; I’m talking about their walk home. They had both been hurt, but Jem was mostly injured. He was unconscious and had a broken arm, while Scout was tangled in wire. As Heck Tate came, he said that Bob Ewell was found under the tree with a knife in his rib. I believe it was Bob, who else would it be!? But the thing that surprised me the most was who saved them!
I definitely agree that Boo came into the story at exactly the right time. However, I have to admit that I wish that Miss Harper had written a sequel to this story, perhaps one with a little more Boo and a lot less Bob Ewell.
It was only a fantasy. We would never see him. He probably did go out when the moon was down and gaze upon Miss Stephanie Crawford. Chapter 26 This is Scout , giving up, she believes that they aren't going to see Boo anymore.
Chapter 31 page 376 "He was real nice...most people are, Scout when you finally see them." This just another great moment in Atticus's parenting.Scout is finally coming to terms with seeing Boo and processing the emotions of seeing him. She is very stunned to the fact that he is a nice respectable man. Atticus is here backing up his constant message of "getting into someone else's shoes", because now Scout is learning to look beyond gossip and speculation. It's just like when you hear rumors about something and instantly dislike them but then finally meet them and they're totally diffrent from what you exspected.
Chapter 26, page 331. "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-." Scout claims that she heard Miss Gates and Miss Crawford talking about how they hate Hitler and how he persecutes. Yet, they support the fact that Tom Robinson is being persecuted! This scene demonstrates how people in life are hypocritical; even the ones you learn from. This quote seems to be pretty significant to this chapter. I also believe that it can mean that adults are not always right, and you do not have to have the same opinion as adults. Surely, Scout doesn’t support the persecution of blacks. And she isn’t going to let her teachers’ opinion get in the way of her own. I wanted to make a connection to a vocabulary word from class, “myopic”… the way the teachers are thinking here is very myopic; they realize that Hitler is wrong but they are myopic and fail to see the big picture- they are also wrong for supporting the persecution of Tom Robinson.
Chapter 27, page 335. “That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case.” This is said by Aunt Alexandra to Atticus about Mr. Ewell. I’m not sure if this is a direct lesson from the story, but this reminded me of the modern saying from our world today, “two wrongs don’t make a right” . Looking at the big picture here, Bob Ewell isn’t doing any good for himself or the town by being all grumpy and creepy and what not. Also, he was wrong of accusing Tom of the terrible crime. Although Bob Ewell has hit pretty much rock bottom, he might as well lighten up because things aren’t going to change if he continues to do wrong.
Chapter 28, page 353. “Agnes, is your father home? Oh God, where is he? Please tell him to come over here as soon as he comes in. Please, its urgent!” In the midst of all the action going on in the Finch household, Aunt Alexandra is found acting very maternal here. Although most would react the way she did in this situation, I think this scene may symbolize her and how she has acted like a mother to Jem and Scout. I read this quote out loud and I also pictured her saying it. It made me feel as if she would do anything for Jem and Scout. This reminded me of my science class. We are learning about how gorillas care about their young. The reason why they care about young is because they are the closest thing the parents have and they want to pass on their genes. And this is true because Scout and Jem are almost like Aunt Alexandra’s kids. Also found throughout the book, Aunt Alexandra was trying to make Scout girlier, which is like Aunt Alexandra’s “genes” in a way.
Chapter 29, page 362. “Hey, Boo,” Although this quote seems insignificant, I thought it was very important. It felt like the climax of the story. I think it also says something about Boo. He only cares about others; not of himself. Looking back into the book, I remember the mysterious part where the blanket was put over the kids by Boo. After that Boo just left, not even allowing them to thank or acknowledge him. The same thing occurred here. He brought Jem home and didn’t even wait to be thanked. I realize that I talk a lot about lessons, but I do think that this is a theme/ lesson in the story: Doing things out of the kindness of your heart; not for any possession or anything. Not only did Boo do this, but Atticus also did. He defended Tom, when he knew there wasn’t much hope.
Chapter 30, page 370. “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird?” Yes, finally. What a great way to end the chapter. As we all know, mockingbirds are a major part of this novel. I believe that when Scout said this to Atticus regarding Bob’s death, I think she meant that Bob himself KILLED the mockingbird. I’m not sure if I’m right but is it possible that Tom Robinson was the mockingbird and Bob, being the sick man he is, killed Tom when he was clearly innocent. How malevolent! This reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events because Count Olaf is cruel to the children even thought they did nothing wrong.
Chapter 31, page 372. “I was beginning to learn his body English. His hand tightened on mine and he indicated that he wanted to leave.” Reading this made me surprisingly sad. It made me realize of how awkward Boo is. With no contact to the outside world, he loss sense of communication with others. When Scout says this she makes it seem like it’s his only way of communicating. I guess when you’re locked in the basement for a long period of time, things happen. It makes me wonder what Boo would be like if he wasn’t locked up. Once again Boo did everything for others. For some reason it reminded me of Spongebob because he cares so much for Patrick and Squidward and The Krusty Krab. He is not selfish at all!
Chapter 28, page 340: “The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October….” I remember talking about something like this in class with snow in Maycomb. We said that the snow was a sigh that something not being right in Maycomb, which was the trail of Tom Robinson. So when I read this line it stood out to me.
Chapter 29, 362: “His face was as white as his hands, but for a shadow on his jutting chin. His cheeks were thin….” “Hey Boo,” I said. This was Scouts description of Boo Radly, then her saying hi to him. This made me feel sad to think that Boo never got a chance to see the world or make any friends. He was locked up for all those years and never got any color; even his eyes were colorless. When Scout said hi to him, she wasn’t thinking about what others have said about him. She was just saying hi to him like he was a friend and I think Boo really needs a friend that treats him like a friend should. Chapter 30,page 366: I don’t want him growing up with a whisper about him, I don’t want anybody saying, ‘Jem Finch…his daddy paid a mint to get him out of that.’…” Atticus says this. This made me think of how good of a dad he is to his children. He thinks of their future and doesn’t want them to be like one of those people in Maycomb that gets this said about them. People just talk to gossip and if anything gets out about Jems dad helping him people will say anything.
Chapter 31, page 372 “His hand tightened on mine and he indicated that he wanted to leave.” When I read this it showed how long Boo has been away from people. He felt awkward and didn’t even know how to react to them. When they said Jems asleep you can touch his head he didn’t know what to do, he was uncomfortable. I feel bad that he was locked up for so long that he doesn’t even know how to react to another person. I know I have one of those moments when someone has said something I didn’t know how to react to it.
Chapter 29- "...our neighbors image blurred with my sudden tears." "Hey Boo." This was a really exciting point in the story. It's the first time that Scout has ever seen Boo Radley and I feel like she handled it with maturity and grace. I was quite surprised that she actually began to cry. While I obviously don't know for sure, I feel like maybe she was crying because she was thankful for him. Maybe she realized that he isn't just a crazy mysterious guy, but one with a really good heart. He saved not only her life, but her brothers life too. I feel that her reaction was appropriate and really nice. I'm sure that if she had freaked out, it would have made Boo uncomfortable, so Im glad she handled it with maturity.
Chapter 28 summary. Jem and Scout are assaulted by Bob Ewell but are then saved by Boo in this chapter. From previous chapters you can tell that Bob Ewell is starting to act up. Bob Ewell wanted revenge but did not have enough guts to face Atticus (the best shot in town) so instead he targeted his innocent kids. This just comes to show how malevolent Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell was also drunk so he most likely didn't fully comprehend what he was doing. This does not give him an excuse though because it was his decision to drink
In chapter 29 Scout soon starts to describe what happened as she walked home to Heck Tate. She then realizes the man at the corner, the one who saved them. On page 362, Scout describes the mans appearance, and then comes to a conclusion that IT’S BOO RADLEY! OHMYGOD! She then says “Hey, Boo.” Although this is only the begging of what is to come, it’s very exciting to see that he finally came out of his house and did something good!
Chapter 28, Page 341: “The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October. We didn’t even need jackets. The wind was growing stronger, and Jem said it might be raining before we got home. There was no moon.” I think that this is a symbol similar to the unusual snowfall we discussed in class. The weather being unusually warm for the last day of October is similar to the unusual snow fall because they both symbolize something “out of sync” or kind of bizarre and something that’s not really normal. Basically, it shows that something’s out of place. It also shows that something is about to occur that will probably be important and a big event in the book (and it does).
Chapter 29 summary. We are learn that the man who rescued Scout was actually Boo Radley. Harper Lee describes him as, "His face was as white as his hands... His cheeks were thin to hollowness." Boo Radley appears ghostly and thin. It is fitting for him though because all of the other people in the community think of him as some type of ghost or myth. Him saving Scout and Jem shows how innocence can prevail through cruelty. Scout and Jem seemed doomed but were than saved by a man who really didn't know this world but still knew what was the right thing to do.
Wow Tim, I didn't even think of his paleness as a symbol, but he is somewhat of a ghost in Maycomb. He isn't really ever present in town and I don't think he has many "bizarre" features, so I don't suppose he's easily recognizable and he can probably blend in with the crowd if he really ever had to.
Great connection Tim! I liked how your analysis on Boo deal with his pigment in his skin for being kept in his house for such a long period of time and I guess your knowledge of science came to the conclusion that Boo really appears to be a ghost because of his pigment and not going out too often. I guess what the rumors said that he was ghost was somewhat correct.
Tim, I completely agree innocence can prevail over cruelty. This kind of person Boo is is a person with a sense of honor and pride through good deeds and actions.
Chapter 30 Summary/Analysis- This chapter showed me a side of Atticus I have never seen. While he has always been honest, the type of honesty he displayed in this chapter was different. He almost refused to believe that it wasn't Jem who stabbed Bob Ewell, which is very strange for a parent to think. This was really weird to me, but i do understand why he did this. He said that wanted no secrets, he wanted his kids to know the truth. He didn't want people to talk about Jem, and for Jem to be completely oblivious. I think that this was the first time that Atticus ever expressed the slightest bit of fear. He was fearful that if he didn't tell what he thought was the truth, even if it put Jem in a bad light, that his kids would want nothing to do with him. He stated that they were all he had. This was the first time that I saw Atticus not as a hero, but as a normal dad.
On page 370, Scout says “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” I remembered how in class we discussed what amazing abilities a mockingbird has. A mockingbird has the ability to mock any call of any other bird. I also remember how Miss Maudie said it would be a sin to kill one. I noticed that Scout compared Mr. Arthur Radley (Boo) to a mockingbird. Just like a mockingbird, Boo has never harmed a soul. It would be a sin to bring him to trial for the death of Mr. Bob Ewell, who he killed to protect her and Jem. I can honestly say that Scout has a phenomenal understanding of life, and has matured throughout the novel. This relates to Tom and his innocence.
Chapter 27,Page 336,"You tell Cecil i'm about as radical as Cotton Tom Heflin." In this conversation between Atticus and Scout, we see what kind of attitude Atticus has. He describes himself as Tom Heflin which may give us an idea that he is strong willed but does not go to extremes with what he believes in. Furthermore, in the courtroom we don't see him inflecting his voice or yelling over questioning, but rather a calm person with an open mind as well as soft spoken. Relating this to Dad would most likely make sense because he is yet very aware of situations going on in the world, but he does not try to change others, he sets himself to be an example of what he believes in and what beliefs may be intact. Overall, Atticus Finch may be a great lawyer with much honor, but does not deal with situations aggressively, he uses his facts to explain his thoughts.
Chapter 28,Page 357,"Bow Ewell's lying' on the ground under the tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up his ribs. He's dead, Mr. Finch." As said by Mr.Tate. This tragic remark by Mr.Tate could again explain whether or not Boo Radley was their to accompany them. The mystery of Boo still remains in the story. Also, Jem and Scout are both by the secret savior who may have killed Bob Ewell. This mystery also relates to what had happened in the book the Kane Chronicles. In the beginning of the book the two teens Carter and Sadie have difficulty figuring out who the man stalking them and their father is. The mystery remained until they were saved at the museum by him and soon revealed that his is their fathers brother, but into relation to them, uncle. This connection between the Kane Chronicles and To Kill a Mocking Bird are both different in ways, but share a common story plot which is a mystery.
Chapter 29,Page 358,"He's good and dead. He won't hurt these children again." As said by Mr. Tate. This statement is true mostly because following Bob Ewells death, the injury by Jem and the concerns of Scout, Atticus, and Aunt Alexandra both explain the situations in which put these two in danger. In spite of that, due to Atticus fighting for Tom Robinson, many people of the town especially Bob Ewell are using this and threatening the lives of Jem and Scout. As we had seen in this last chapter the attempt to kill Jem and Scout by Bob Ewell is a great example of tension in the town. I can relate this to Bob Ewell's full name which is Robert E. Lee which in fact was a general of the Confederate army in the Civil War which may best fit his character due to his attitude toward Tom Robinson and in a more general sense African American.
Chapter 30,Page 362,"Boo saw me run instinctively to the bed where Jem was sleeping, for the same shy smile crept across his face." As we see here the revealing of Mr. Arther "Boo" Radley, we also see his true personality which in this case is kind hearted and nice which explains why he helped the two children both in time of the fire and when Bob Ewell attacked. Boo is much like a happy ending to a good mystery because the rumors and stories in the beginning of the story look most likely false as compared to him now which is fun loving and a hero. I can relate this to Odysseus because he was a large ego kind of person in the beginning of the story, but as tragic events took place he learned that a true hero is unsung and should be honored with true greatness.
Chapter 31,Page 376,"He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning." As said by Scout. This statement by Scout explains the recovery of Jem and the great thing to know that life is precious and should not be wasted. The recovery of Jem most definitely is good to known in side and most certainly is a good ending to a book, but this line could also must likely relate to Ms. Dubose. I say this because she had a problem of morphine addiction which mostly was meant to be a pain killer which actually drugged her up in order for her to not feel the pain, but that last scene before her death which symbolized going drug free is most like Jem in the sense of not going down without a fight. This relation between the two is most uncommon because in truth, these two were not very fond of each other in the beginning of their relationship.
Reply to Chapter 30, Page 363: Great Connection Harrison! I like how you connected two (male) characters from different types of novels and compared in a way their attitude or behavior. Both characters show a great growth throughout their novels. For Odysseus, his large ego changed to a real, not cocky-type hero. As for Arthur "Boo" Radley, his behavior is seen to change throughout the novel of how he goes outside during Miss Maudie's house fire and puts a blanket over Scout to make her warm. Boo changes from a shy, nervous character, to a less shy, courageous man that helps Jem and Scout from danger.
Chapter 29, Page 362: “‘Hey Boo,” I said.” I think this is one of the most powerful lines in the entire book. I think this because Boo is the main focus of Jem and Scout for quite a while. What I think is incredible about this is that it seems as though Boo knows exactly when to make his entrance back into the world. He comes in when the children need help the most, when someone is trying to kill them. I think it’s amazing that Scout doesn’t get emotional or anything, she just says “hi”, as if she isn’t shocked at all to see him sitting in her living room. It’s like she knew he was a good person who would do good things when they were needed.
As I read the final chapter of this book, I was in shock to see the outcome. Scout says on page 374, "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 relates to the one of the themes we discussed in class “Getting into someone else’s skin.” I think that Scout finally understood Boo and where he’s coming from. She has a better look on things, even her street. Standing on the Radley porch allowed her to see the world from Boo’s point of view. I remember how she was terrified every time she passed the house, but now she recognizes how much she has grown and how much she has learned. This book has been a journey full of many obstacles that has affected everyone. I know that after reading this book, I will be more open-minded on things, and try to see others point of view, just like Scout. I also learned that the littlest things, and/or people can make a big difference. I also hope Jem’s arm gets better! (:
Chapter 29, page 360: "He was out of his mind." said Atticus. "Don't mean to contradict you Mr. Finch-wasn't crazy, mean as hell. Low down skunk with enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children. He'd never have met you face to face. After Jem and Scout are nearly killed by Bob Ewell on Halloween, Atticus has this conversation with Sheriff Heck Tate. Bob Ewell was found dead with a kitchen knife stabbed through his chest by Mr. Tate and when he returns to the Finches house and examines the costume Scout was wearing when she was attacked, he discovers a clean cut line where it was stabbed. It's lucky Scout wasn't hurt. If Bob's motives weren't clear already, the cuts in Scouts costume make illustrate his intentions. This leaves Atticus bewildered, he never thought Bob would go so low. Even Atticus, with all his wisdom, education and life-experience, doesn't understand everything. It had never occured to him that Bob would go after the children. Atticus didn't know that there were people who kill children. His realization of this is similar to how Scout and Jem are now being subjected to more mature topics now that they are getting older. This is also the first time that we see Atticus completely confused, even when assigned Tom's trial he was able to grasp the situation, but this is too much for him. This shows that you never really "grow up" and know everything. I like how Mr. Tate says that Mr. Ewell was brave enough to kill children but not meet Atticus face to face. Trying to murder children isn't really something that we think about as "brave" but in Bob's situation it was. He was too afraid to go after Atticus so he went after what Atticus holds dearest to his heart, his children. Although, I still don't understand how people can be that evil. Maybe if Bob had some sense of responsibility and the law didn't look the other way for him, he would be a different person.
Chapter 30 Summary/Analysis- Personally, I think this was a really great ending to the book. It continues to emphasize Scout maturing and becoming a really amazing person. She walks Boo home and she realizes all that he has done for her and her family. She them realizes that they have never given anything back to him, which makes her sad. She begins to recall some of her fond childhood memories and how lucky she is to live in a place where she is surrounded by people who love her. I was really proud to see that she was remembering some of the lessons Atticus has taught her, and she even began to apply them to the people in her life. She realizes what an amazing father Atticus is. This final chapter did an outstanding job at expressing how far Scout has come from the beginning of the book.
Chapter 30, Page 365: “Heck, it’s mighty kind of you and I know you’re doing it from that good heart of yours, but don’t start anything like that.” Atticus says this after him and Mr. Heck Tate are discussing what happened on the porch and Atticus is talking about Jem having to go to court. I find it somewhat strange, but it’s also quite understandable because Atticus is a lawyer and was taught to obey the law. Later, him and Mr. Heck Tate get into somewhat of a heated argument about how Jem really didn’t kill Mr. Ewell. He kind of ended up doing it himself. I think that this is somewhat like karma, he got a completely innocent man killed.
Chapter 30, page 368: "I won't have it," Atticus said softly. "I'm not thinking of Jem!" Mr. Tate's boots hit the floorboard so hard the lights in Miss Maudie's bedroom went on. When Heck Tate testified for the Ewells in court, I thought he was a racist, mean character. How could he side with the Ewells, who had no relatable evidence? Although, when he says this it makes me think that when he testified for Mayella he just didn't know the other side of the story. This line shows that he does care and will protect EVERYONE in Maycomb, not just the whites who think they're superior. Mr. Tate tries to convince Atticus to say that Mr. Ewell fell on his knife in the scuffle, not that he was stabbed. Atticus isn't really putting two and two together and thinks that Jem was the one who stabbed Bob and he says that he will not hide his son's mistakes because it goes against the morals by which Atticus raised him. When Mr. Tate yells that it isn't Jem he's trying to cover up for, it is implied that he means Arthur Radley who really saved the children. After this is said, Atticus realizes that Mr. Tate doesn't want the real story getting out because he doesn't want Boo to be rumored about or get in trouble with Mr. Nathan Radley because he left the house. This is exactly like the blanket incident when Arthur left the house to give Scout a blanket and Atticus told them to keep it a secret. It all clicks for Atticus after that and he agrees to Mr. Tate's story about Bob falling on his knife. In the movie The Lincoln Lawyer, the client guilty of murder who was double crossed by his own lawyer goes after the lawyer's children just like Bob did to Atticus. For me, these lines were some of the strongest in the entire novel.
Chapter 31, Page 372: “Will you take me home?” Boo Radley asks Scout to walk him home. I think he’s doing this for a few reasons. One of the reasons is that he probably doesn’t want to be alone like he usually is. He doesn’t want someone to talk to, he just wants some company. Another reason is that he may not know the way back to his house. He hasn’t been out of it in years and I’m not completely sure that I’d know where to go either. I think that Scout agrees to walk him home because she appreciates that he helped her brother and that he’s safe at home.
Kathryn, I strongly agree with you and you do make a great point of how Boo would either be lonely or wouldn't be able to find his way home because of how he was kept in his home for seven years. I too would be in the same situation, of asking someone who is somewhat a stranger to me if I was locked in my house for seven years. I also like how you said in a way that it was a "Thank You" from both Jem and Scout for Boo saveing their lives.
chapter 31, page 372: I led him to the front porch, where his uneasy steps halted. He was still holding my hand and he gave no sign of letting me go. "Will you take me home?" When I read this, I actually cried. These few words are barely whispered and are all we hear out of Arthur Radley, yet they say so much. As Scout holds his hand and takes him home, you really get a sense of how detrimental being inside has been for Arthur. He is an adult being towed around by Scout as if she was his mother. This short sentence also shows how scared Arthur is to be outside his home, and maybe how scared he is to return to it. Mr. Nathan took the time to fill a tree with cement so that Arthur wouldn't be able to communicate with the outside world. What will Mr. Nathan Radley do if he learns Arthur was outside? Arthur is definitely my favorite character in the novel. I love how Harper Lee describes him as sheet white and shaky. The imagery is very strong in this chapter. Even though he isn't outspoken, his actions and features give you a better insight into his life than some of the characters who do speak. It's like they say, actions speak louder than words. This may be one of my favorite stories of all time.
Leah, I'm not completely sure that he will be punished for leaving, because how would Mr. Nathan find out? He might find out in town, but no one knows except for Scout, Jem, Atticus, Alexandra, and Heck, so I don't think it will. I definitely agree that the imagery in this chapter is incredible. You can truly see the scenes and imagine you're standing right there with him.
chapter26 page 329 "There are no better people in this world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me." Now, while this may seem like a very insignificant quote to some people, i found to be very intresting. This is a very biased statement especially for a teacher. i dont know if Harper Lee did this on purpose but it's not something i'd expect to see in the book. I could be over thinking this, but it is intresting to see al the hatred toward the black community, and to hear this statement about how there are "no better people in this world" then the Jews. So to me this was quite intresting.
I agree with you completely Erik, on how this quote is interesting. I also found that it was ironic that the class discussed this subject because of how like you said in your blog, that there are "no better people in this world". If you think about it, the people in the town of Maycomb really say the same things about Blacks. They are looked down upon and face racism almost everyday.
Chapter 26- Page 324 “Jem was in seventh grade and went to high school…” When I first read this, I had to re read it a few times. It was right at the beginning and really stood out. I found it strange that seventh grade was high school. If I had to go to High School in seventh grade, I would not have been ready. Some people by ninth grade aren’t even really ready for high school, I could never imagine being ready in seventh grade, with no transition from Elementary school. It would be interesting to go back then, to see just how different their lives were form ours toady.
Chapter 27- Page 332 “…fired from the WPA for laziness.” Here, Scout explains one of the three ‘out of the ordinary’ things that happen in Maycomb at the time, is that Bob Ewell got a job and lost it almost as quick as he got it. I found this quote very important to Bob’s character and his family in general. It is a great example of how Bob is a very bad role model for his many kids. It is obvious then learn many lessons, bad ones, form their father. They must have been proud he got a job, but it just made it worse than before that he couldn’t hold it for being lazy. Bob is just setting his kids up to live a bad life and get nowhere.
Chapter 28- Page 343 “…the whole town was there except… the usual outcasts and shut-ins…” This is where Scout is explaining how almost everyone was in the auditorium. This particular part reminded me of a part in a book I’ve read a few times, called “Switched”. At the beginning of the book, there is a school dance, and even though it’s pretty lame, almost everyone goes, but the kids who don’t really fit in. It must be hard for the outcasts, not being able to go to such a social event. Especially like something in Maycomb, where the town is so small, everyone knows everything about everyone. Bedford may be a small town, but not nearly the same as Maycomb.
Chapter 29- Page 358 “His age was beginning to show, his one sign of inner turmoil…” This is describing Atticus at the beginning of chapter 29. Atticus may be older, but I think that helped him be an even better father. My own parents are a little older then most, but I think it was good. They will always do the right thing. Atticus is an excellent father, and teaches Scout and Jem things that younger parents couldn’t or would do wrong. He will never make a stupid decision, and will always be there as a role model.
Chapter 30- Page 369 “Let the dead bury the dead.” This is said by Heck Tate about how Bob Ewell was the one who ended up being responsible for Tom Robinson’s death, and now he is dead. This quote in itself was just amazing. But the reasoning before it was an example how racism can be ironic. Bob Ewell may have felt he got justice, winning the case and tom eventually dying, but it backfired on himself. I feel like it might be some sort of karma, or consequences for blaming an innocent man. It just shows how bad racism is, and really doesn’t accomplish anything.
Chapter 31 “The main part of this short chapter is about Boo and Scout. He never says anything, but he walks around with Scout as she talks to him. Even though Boo came from a horrible and strict family, he still came out. He may have made some bad decisions in his life, but this was a part of him that followed what he wanted to do and htought was wrong, unlike his brother. His little visit with Scout, even though he went back home after, would change his life forever. He would feel that he did something, and may even come out again some day since he knows he has the courage. Scout was also changed forever, because she realized that Boo wasn’t some crazy murder or like his brother. He was a special person with his own personality, and they would both never be the same.
Chapter 27 page 338 "Jem considered himself too old for halloween anyway; he said he wouldn't be caught anywhere near the highschool at something like that." Here is yet another case of Jem showing his maturity and how he continues to become more like a man. His maturation as a man in the book has been great to see and it really shows a lot about his character and about Atticus and how he's raised him. Also, Jem and Scouts relationship has been very close but i think as Jem gets older he starts to dismiss doing activities with Scout but still have a very stong relationship.
chapter 28 page 341 "THE WEATHER WAS unusually warm for the last day of October...and Jem said it might start raining before we got home. There was no moon." I feel like this is another instance in which it's almost forshadowing something strange. We've had these kind of things before, like when it unusually snowed in Alabama. Many things have happened in Maycomb and i think there is still some tension around so i would hope by the end of the book, everything starts to become a normal town again.
chapter 29 summary/analasis. This chapter didnt seeme to answer many questions to me. It seems like they formally introduce you to Boo, but everyone says the person is only Mr. Radley. Scout is the only person to see what happened to Mr.Ewell so i have a feeling that if she saw Boo, then it may be true. There isn't much to take from this, because its a lot of empty questioning, but soon we should see what happens
Chapter 26, Pg. 326: “There was one odd thing though, that I never understood: in spite of Atticus’s shortcomings as a parent, people were content to re-elect him to the state legislature that year, as usual, without opposition. This is one of the things Scout is wondering about while she is looking back on the events of the summer. I believe that this quote shows how uncaring the people of Maycomb are. Even though, during the summer everyone hated Atticus, they still re-elect him because no one cares enough to run and they know that Atticus is the best to represent them. I don’t think it is fair to Atticus that one minute everyone hates and the next they want him to do all of their hard work. I think the people of Maycomb respect Atticus, but they sure didn’t show it when he was representing a black man. In the minds of the Maycombians it is almost like if you are black if you are associated with them. Maybe this if why Mr. Dolphus Raymond pretends he is a drunk, because he doesn’t want to be treated like trash for hanging out with black people. In my life I have seen people dislike someone one minute for some reason and the next minute they like them and let them do the hard work.
ReplyDeleteJonah, I agree on what you said, despite that he tried to defend a black man, people at town still respect him, because he's kind, fair and thoughtful.
DeleteI don't understand it either and people are so confusing. They say one thing and do another and I don't think it is fair that Atticus is treated in such a fashion.
DeleteI agree with you guys. People like that are just so annoying and honestly a waste of time. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like to be treated the same.
DeleteI've also met similar people and agree with everyone else. It really is unfair that Atticus is treated this way.
DeleteChapter 26, Although I did not pick a specific quote I would like to discuss the whole scene where Scouts class is talking about Hitler. When I read this and saw all these young children questioning Hitler, questioning his motives and why is he is doing what he is doing. It makes me wonder...how can children be looking at this man and see the horrible things he is doing to the jews, but not realizing that this is what the racists of Maycomb County are doing to the African Americans. They're persecuting them and obviously what is going on is not a genocide taking thousands of innocent lives. But it is a "superior" group pushing another group to the outcasts of society. I can't believe that these children can look at foreign problems but not realize their own. I hope looking at this will remind them of all the work they need back home on defeating racism. This reminds me of American Imperialism. America was so occupied with foreign affairs they let things at home spiral out of control.
ReplyDeleteI think it id because people are blind to the problems right in front of there face. I know I have not noticed problems right in front of me while not as big as the one your talking about. Also i don't even think the kids think being mean to blacks is wrong so that is part of the problem.
DeleteSam, I really like the way you brought this up. It’s a good point, and a clear one. I would say the same. Zach, I also agree with what you’re saying. The kids are so used to looking at their parent’s actions, which make them do the same as them. I believe that the parents are defiantly not being good "role models" for their kids. They need to open up and see the big picture. Yet again, like I’ve been always asking, how would they like it if that was them being treated like that?
DeleteI think it's hard for anyone to look at their own problems right in front of them and it's much easier to look somewhere else for problems. It really intrigues me how they can be so oblivious that this is what they're doing to African Americans in Maycomb County.
DeleteCh. 26 p. 278 'At the same time I marveled at Atticus. This was the first he had let us know he knew a lot more about something than we thought we knew.' After Atticus tells Scout more about the Radley family she realizes Atticus knows more about the Radleys then he is telling us. This shows the theme of growing up because as you mature parents explain new things to you because you have turned a certain age or are mature enough. Atticus telling Scout more about the Radleys shows she is growing up, which means Atticus can enlighten her with more mature topics. I can connect to this because as I grew older my parents explained more things to me. They explained that there is bad people in the world and to never talk to strangers. As we grow older, we learn more and understand more. That is all part of growing up.
ReplyDeletei agree that growing up is a big theme but its not even that atticus is telling her more, she is able to pick up on subtle hints and start to understand more.
DeleteI agree that as we get older our parents decide to let us in on more than before. I think this is an important moment in our oife because if we arent ready for the information giving to us it can be very upsetting. For example Jem gets upset when ever he learns of evil in the world.
DeleteTony I agree, this is just another example of how much of a coming of age novel this is.
Deletech.26 p. 328
ReplyDelete"i mean how can hitler just put alot of folks in a pen like that, looks likethe govamint'd stop him." this was said by someone in scouts third grade class. they are discussing current events and the holocoust. i think it was great that they talked about the holocaust because it really gave me a much better time frame. when the class talked about this event, scouts teacher said that persecuting the Jews was awful. many of scouts classmates didnt understand how he could do this and get away with it. the guilelessness of her classmates made it hard for them to understand. i can relae to scouts teacher because sometimes it can be very difficult to explain something when the other person really just doesnt get it. once she gets home, Scout asks Jem why her teacher, Miss Gates, would say persecuting the Jews is awful when she seemed so happy after Tom Robinson got convicted.this shows the theme of racism. Maycomb’s blindness is once again made visible. The people criticize the Nazis murderous prejudice, but don’t even recognize their own.
Meredith, I completely agree with what you are saying. I believe that sometimes we are horrified by the cruel actions of others, but become blind when it comes to our own actions. To me, this is simply being hypocritical. It's shocking to me that the people of Maycomb can really be that naive when it comes to how racist they really are, yet be so sensitive to current events like the Holocaust.
Deletei think that it could be that african americans were not involved in the holocaust. that is their biggest problem in maycomb and by then not being involved, it changes things for them.
DeleteChapter 26 Page 329 "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudice". Miss Gates explains to her class that persecution only occurs because of prejudice people in Maycomb. This part of the chapter reminds me of The Sneetches by Dr.Seuss. The Sneetches is a story that contains two kinds of characters, ones with stars on their stomachs and ones with out stars. The Sneetches with stars think they are better than the ones with out. This can relate to the whites and blacks of Maycomb. I think being prejudice has an effecet on how the whites treat the blacks. Most of the population isn't accepting of blacks.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27 page 335 "It might be because he knows in his heart that very few people in Maycomb really believed his and Mayella's yarns." Aunt Alexandra brings to Atticus' attention that Mr.Ewell seems to be causing trouble and holding grudges with people that were involved in the trial. Atticus then lets Alexandra know that Mr.Ewell is just unhappy that no one believed his sob story. Mr.Ewell shows that he doesn't know how to handle the situation. He is now bothering Helen Robinson, Tom's wife. The only thing he seems to be good at is causing trouble.
I really love the Dr. Seuss reference, it's a good fun connection.
DeleteResponse Chapter 27: Eileen i back what you are saying. Mr Ewell was just looking for fame wwhen he accused Tom Robinson of rape and since all he got was disrespect he is very angry and decides to take it out on Helen. That is one of Bob Ewells biggest traits. He always takes out his anger on other. For example, Tom Robinson, his kids, Helen robinson, Scout, jem, Aticus and many more. Mr. Ewell is a hopeless person that doesn't deserve to be on the face of the earth.
DeleteI definetley agree with your blog on chapter 26 and it is interesting to see such a big topic in something as innocent as a picture book
DeleteChapter 28 Page 343 "What are you doing way out here by yourself, boy? Ain't you scared of Boo Radley?" Cecil wonders why Jem and Scout are attending the pageant by themselves in the dark, he also ask if they're afraid of Boo. This demonstrates that Boo is a character that not many understand. He is curiosity for everyone. Boo seems like a scary, strange person to children. Because Boo has been imprisoned by his family in his home, the people in Maycomb don't know him. This isn't Boo's fault. This is his family's fault. No one really knows who Boo is.
ReplyDeleteEileen, I like what you said, I agree that it wasn’t Boo’s fault. I just don’t understand why in Maycomb , people such Miss Stephanie Crawford like to make up things about him.
DeleteJanny, many of the townspeople in Maycomb have shown that they are not always the most mature or have the best morals. At the end of the book, Scout looks back on the way she used to pretend to be Boo with Jem and is saddened by how immature she was. Scout is a child and realizes that gossip is wrong, but sadly many adults in Maycomb have not. This may be why they talk about Boo. Also, people always try to understand things that are different. By telling stories about Boo, the townspeople understand why he's always inside. This is similar to how Mr. Raymond is thought to be a drunkard, explaining why he lives with a colored woman and has mixed children.
DeleteEileen, I agree that it is not fair to think boo as a scary person. Although kids have crazy imaginations, they should get to know people before judging them. Their views of Boo end up being totally wrong, since he ends up being a nice and caring person.
DeleteChapter 26- "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-." This chapter really expressed how much Scout is growing up. She was in class and the topic of Hitler came up. She went home and told Jem that after the trial during the summer, she saw Miss Gates her teacher, saying rude things about blacks. She proceeded to ask Jem why she can hate Hitler so much for killing innocent people, and then support the torture of people in her own town. This showed that Scout is beginning to be less sheltered. As we mature, we begin to question society and the world we are living in. It takes a lot to question what you know and wonder if things aren't right. This really proved that Scout is getting a better understanding of life and that people aren't always fair and nice.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa, I strongly agree with you because as we grow up we become aware of many new things that we once didn't notice. Scout is finally realizing that people may say something, but their actions are really what matter and unlike Miss Gates, she says she hates Hitler, yet she discriminates blacks.
DeleteChapter 27 Summary/Analysis- Throughout this chapter, we see Bob Ewell continue to struggle. It's clear that he is unable to get his life together. After the end of the trial and the death of Tom Robinson, he can't seem to let go of the events that happened. He got a job working for the WPA, but was quickly fired due to his laziness. As if Helen Robinson isn't going through enough after the death of her husband and having to take care of her children, she is now terrified of taking the public road to work because she has to pass the Ewells house. One day as she was walking to work, Bob proceeded to follow behind her and whisper rude things to her. It was pretty apparent through this chapter that Bob Ewell simply can't get out of his own way and continue on with his life. It's clear that he holds a grudge towards Helen Robinson. As much as I dislike Bob for all that he has put innocent people through, in a way I feel bad for him. I believe it's really sad that he continues to live in the past and isn't strong enough to move on and make improvements in hi life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this chapter, I was more afraid for Helen. I thought that Bob might do something to seriously hurt her. Although, now I have a little sympathy for Bob. I agree that it is sad that he cannot move on. It's also very upsetting that even he won't even try to improve his life for his children. I wonder if maybe some one reached out to him earlier on, instead of letting him get stuck in bad habits like depending on a relief checks, if things would be different for him and his family.
DeleteChapter 27, Pg. 333: “Mr. Link Deas made a job for Helen. He didn’t really need her, but he said he felt right bad about the way things turned.” Scout says this when she if describing the few changes in Maycomb. When I read this it showed me what a nice and considerate person Mr. Link Deas. Most people in the town wouldn’t have given a job to a white person in need, let alone a black person. Mr. Deas showed me that he wasn’t devoted to helping Helen Robinson because he gave her a job and stopped Mr. Ewell from harassing her. I believe that there are more people like Link in Maycomb, but are afraid to show how they really feel because they think people will hate them. In our world today there are not many people like Mr. Deas that would give a job to someone in need, even though they don’t need them. The way Mr. Ewell is acting shows that he is doing everything he does because he wants attention. He thought that by going to court against Tom Robinson would make him famous, but instead it made him look like a fool. In my life I know a few people like Mr. Ewell that do crazy things just for the attention. They don’t realize that people really don’t like them.
ReplyDeleteCh. 27 p. 286 "If I hear one more peep out of my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road I'll have you in jail before sundown," said Link Deas. I think Link Deas is symbolic in the novel because he is not racist or prejudice. In fact, he was even willing to yell in court that Tom was a kind and hard working man. This qoute refers to Link screaming at Mr. Ewell not to bother Helen, Tom's wife, when she walks by his house. I respect Link as an individual because he doesn't care what color your skin is. He judges you depending on your morals, like Tom being a hard worker. If everyone in Maycomb learned from link, then the racism would end in the town. I can connect to Link Deas because I don't judge people by how they look but on their character and how they act. I think we all need to be more like Link Deas.
ReplyDeleteTony, I also think that Link Deas is a very respectable character in the novel because he stands up for what he believes in. It was very generous of him to hire Helen even though he didn't really need to. Link is one of the only people in Maycomb who respect colored people. While other people who employ negroes are cruel to them, Link treats them equally as well as he treats whites. He's a very unique and brave character for protecting Helen from Bob.
DeleteChapter 26 page 331, Atticus said, "Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he really was doing was storing it away for a while, until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out. When he was able to think about it, Jem would be himself again." I think Jem is trying to sort out why Tom was found guilty when obviously there wasn't enough evidence to prove Tom guilty. He was very upset and angry that the jury and the people accused an innocent man of something he hadn't done. What I think Atticus is trying to say is that Jem is in the phase of growing up and he is having a hard time grasping the idea that there are bad situations such as racism in the world. I also think that as Jem grows up he will eventually learn to accept this fact and learn to deal with it, when he is able to accomplish this, he will be himself again and he will be more relaxed. This relates the theme of growing up.
ReplyDeleteJem is definetly growing up and beginning to really see the world for what it is, not what you are told it is as a child. Although, I think that even if he was older, Tom's situation would still be hard to grasp. Death is never easy to understand or move on from. I can barely watch the news because of all the death they mention. Even though I don't know the people they mention, it still sickens me to my core. This quote shows that Atticus is very wise because he is aware that the problem isn't that Jem is trying to come to terms with Tom's death, the problem is that he's trying to forget it.
DeleteChapter 27 page 334, "You don't have to touch her, all you have to do is make her afraid, an' if assault ain't enough to keep you locked up awhile, I'll get you in on the Ladies' Law," said Mr. Link to Bob Ewell. Mr. Link threaten Mr. Ewell to lock him up for sure this time if he scared or did anything to Helen, Tom Robinson's wife. I think this was a very noble thing of Mr. Link because if he were like a lot of other white men during this time he wouldn't of cared what happened to Helen because she was a colored women, but he was very sweet to her. He offered her work even though he didn't really need anyone and he stood up for her, when this was very rare. This reminds me of the baby steps Miss Maudie mentioned earlier in the book, that Atticus was taking to try to end racism. Mr. Link was defending a colored women which many did not do and he was illustrating that he was brave and loyal because he was doing what he though was right and he did something he could of been judged by. This relates to the theme of discrimination.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn, I liked the quote you picked and also agree with what you said, Mr. Link Deas is a very brave and kind person, and he’s not like the other people who judges based on the color.
DeleteChapter 26, page 331: “How can you hate Hilter so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home.” From what Scout told Jem about Miss Gates doesn’t like Hilter for the persecuting the Jews. Hilter judges people on their religions, but it’s funny how Miss Gates herself judges based on color of other’s skin, what I think is that Miss Gate is a hypocrite. The only difference between them is that one’s judge on other’s religion , the other judge on other’s skin color don’t get why people even judge on those things, those things aren’t important to me, what’s important to me is their personality. So how can you hate someone so badly, when you are doing the same things?
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you are saying. Miss gates is a total hypocrite. She is not being a good role models for the kids because she is making like racism is ok. Luckilyfor Jem and Scout they have an amazing role model in Atticus, at home.
DeleteMiss Gates appears to be a hypocrite. Yes she hates Hitler, but she goes and insults other people. The people of Maycomb reflect people all over the world. We all say we're nice people, that live in a nice community, and we've never bullied, but in reality everyone is mean. By participating in the smallest things like gossiping, we are not doing what is right.
DeleteChapter 27, page 334:”now hear me Bob Ewell: If I hear one more peep outta my girl Helen about not bein’ able to walk this road, I’ll have you in jail before sundown!” This is what Mr. Link Deas told Bob Ewell. I thought it was really nice of him to try to protect and look after Helen after Tom’s dead. I remember that, when Tom was still alive when he was at court, Mr. Link Deas was trying to tell everyone some positively things about Tom. He yelled out, for many years, tom didn’t get into any trouble when he was working for him. I think Mr. Link Deas is an awfully nice person, he even got Helen the job when he doesn’t even need her help that much.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Janny because I also think that Mr. Link is a very nice person because like you said he offered Helen a job when he really didn't need of her assistant. I would also consider him as a brave person for standing up for a colored person.
DeleteChapter 28, page 353: “Aunt Alexandra’s fingers trembled as she unwound the crushed fabric and wire from around me. “Are you all right darling? ” she asked over and over as she worked me free.” Scout had a good description of Aunt Alexandra; I can tell she is panicked and scared. She worries about the kids, Jem was unconscious, and Scout got wrapped around with the wire and fabric. As Aunt Alexandra was doing all that, she kept asking is Scout is okay. I felt the love of a nice Aunt and the family affection, how she was concern and really cares about the two kids.
ReplyDeleteAt this part of the book, I actually have full respect for Aunt Alexandra. Like I said on my past blogs, I never thought I would end up liking her. When Aunt Alexandra asks the kids if they're alright, while she helps them out, I also felt like that was a family love. The interesting part to me was how she kept her main focus on Scout. She has always been bothered on how Scout is as a person, but now just wants her to be okay. This shows that no matter what goes on in her family, she loves them and wants them to be safe and sound.
DeleteChapter 29 page 362: “I looked from his hands to his stained skhaki pants; my eyes traveled up his think frame to his torn denim shirt. His face was as white as his hands…his cheeks were thin to hollowness… and his gray eyes so colorless I thought he was blind.” From Scout’s description, I believe everyone can guess who that man was, it was Boo. His face and hands were white as if he has never seen the sun, the torn shirt was probably really old and has worn some many times, and the cheeks were hollow. I felt the loneliness and sadness just by the way Scout describes him. Boo stayed in the house for so many years, the gray eyes were colorless. The whole town was full of gossips about him, but from what Scout said, he’s just as normal as the other countryman to me, he’s a human being just like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, page 366: “I don’t want anybody saying, ‘Jem finch … his daddy paid a mint to get him out of that.’ Atticus doesn’t want to have any rumors about him and the Jem going around in Maycomb, all this time he tried to be fair, to be a good dad. Atticus doesn’t want to be a hypocrite, no one knows it was actually Jem who was the one stabbed Bob Ewell or Bob Ewell himself did it. Despite that Jem is his son, he still wants to be fair to everyone, and he doesn’t want to just “cover up” the whole thing for anyone.
ReplyDeleteI agree and I also think it also relates to the fact that Atticus is a lawyer and lives an honest life. Also he is a little rattled by the whole incident that had just occurred.
DeleteChapter 31, Page 373: “his fingers found the front doorknob. He gently released my hand, opened the door, went inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again.” I like this quote, I thought It was cute when Boo asked Scout if she will take him home, also when he wanted to pet Jem , I can feel the his kindness toward the children. I feel bad that all this time, people have made up rumors about him. It’s sad how Scout had never seen him again after that. Maybe Boo liked to stay inside, although he really likes the kids. Maybe Boo doesn’t want to face/deal with all those people in the town.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26, page 328: “I mean how can Hitler just put a lot of folks in a pen like that, looks like the govamint’d stop him,” said the owner of the hand. This takes place in Scout’s third grade classroom when they were discussing current events. One of the other students in Scout’s class asked this question. I find it extremely ironic and hypocritical that the students in Scout’s class and other people in and around Maycomb are so caught up with Hitler and the Holocaust. It is basically what is happening in Maycomb, just not in Maycomb. Hitler persecuting the Jews is almost the same thing as the treatment the blacks received. Maycomb is avoiding their own problems, and focusing on someone else’s problems. I can relate to this, because I have avoided my own problems and focused on other people’s problems, sometimes to just escape from what was happening to me, and worry about something else. While I, and I’m sure many other people can relate to this, it still does not make it right.
ReplyDeleteSophie, I find it very ironic too. I think Harper added this chapter to show us that people in Maycombdon't even know how racist they are. They said Hilter shouldn't have prosecuted the Jews, but they're proving an innocent man, guilty.
DeleteI agree with you Tony, I do believe she added this in to create an ironic situation to make the reader realize how the people of Maycomb don't even aknowledge what they're doing.
Deletetold me about.
ReplyDelete“What do you think it means, Jean Louise?”
“Equal rights for all, special privileges for none,” I quoted. Scout is going to school, once a week she has a Current Events period. Miss Gates is trying to explain to her class about democracy. Scout raises her hand and says her point the view about it. I think Scout would like a place where everyone is treated the same way, like Scout I strongly feel that there should be equal rights for everyone no matter if you are black or white. Even though USA Always has been a democratic country, at that time there was no equal rights for everyone, the principal factor was the racism. At least, now there are equal rights for all.
I agree Danny! Scout feels their should be equal right for all, which shows Atticus' influence on his children. Only a few people in Maycomb believed that black and whites were equal, and Scout was one of them.
DeleteChapter 28 the scene where Scout keeps asking if Jem is dead, she asked her dad, her aunt Alexandra and Dr. Reynolds. This scene demonstrates how small Scout still is and doesn't understand what is happening. She acts pretty childish when she asks the same question many times and the responds is the same every time. I also think at this moment Scout was in shock because she couldn't believe what had just happened to her and her brother. She was very worried about Jem and his health, she was being like any family member would feel if their relative was injured. This showed me how important family is and how much Scout valued her brother.
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 page 361, Atticus said, "I thought he got it all out of him the day he threaten me. Even if he hadn't, I thought he'd come after me." Atticus told this to Mr. Heck Tate when Scout was explaining what had happened to her and Jew as they walked home from school. What Atticus was trying to figure out why had Mr. Ewell gone after his children and not come directly to him if Mr. Ewell had a problem with him. I think Mr. Ewell wasn't bold enough to say anything to Atticus face, so this night while he had alcohol in his system, he felt capable of doing anything, even hurting Atticus children. This quote also relates to the importance of family because Atticus feels that if he could of done something to stop Mr. Ewells, he would of done it, in order to protect his kids.
Chapter 26, page 329: "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced."
ReplyDeleteMiss Gates, Scout's teacher, says this after Cecil Jacobs brings up the Holocaust. Miss Gates says that in the U.S. no one is persecuted, but what world is she living in? In the small town of Maycomb alone, negroes are constantly persecuted because of the color of their skin. The majority of people living in the town are extremely prejudiced, Tom Robinson's case made that abundantly clear. Racism ran rampant during this time period and, with Hitler gaining so much power in Europe simultaneously, you'd think that people would be fearful that the same thing could happen to them. There was nothing positive about Hitler in our eyes and yet, we moved at a snail's pace to make changes. There are many hypocrites in Maycomb. How could they say they are against Hitler when, in reality, they support his idea that some people are better than others?
I think it is a sad time in our history in which people are so hypocritical and such bad role models for the people they teach. It is also sad that someone who is supposed to be able to teach is so ignorant.
DeleteLeah and Zach, I agree with both of you. Leah, I completely agree with you when you said how the people could say they are against Hitler, when they still support his idea. This is a very hypocritical idea, and I don't understand how people could be this way. Zach, it is true that Miss. Gates is really very ignorant, and serves as a poor role model. I wish that she could see what was actually happening.
DeleteChapter 28 Summary/Analysis- Just like the previous couple of chapter, this chapter emphasizes Jem maturing. While Jem and Scout are walking home from the pageant, they hear suspicious noises behind them, which eventually leads to someone chasing them. While I'm sure Jem was absolutely terrified, he proceeded to try his best to protect Scout. This really proves that he is maturing. The ability to care for another during a difficult situation really shows that he is growing up. He risked his safety for his little sister, which is an important quality for a big brother to have. Having two older brothers myself, I know that they would look after me if I needed them. It's important to stick by your siblings.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa, I liked how you connected Jem's actions to your own brothers. While Jem may not always want to play with Scout anymore, he's still going to be there for her when she really needs him. One of the best qualities of the Finches is how strong of a relationship they have. In their family, it's all for one and one for all.
DeleteAlyssa I totally agree with you. It took great courage for Jem to not show fear and that reminds me of Atticus. It shows me that Jem is learning a lot from Atticus and someday maybe Jem will end up like him. I agree that sibling have to look after eachother.
DeleteChapter 27, page 335: "That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case."
ReplyDelete"I proved him a liar but John made him look like a fool."
These words are exchanged between Aunt Alexandra and Atticus after some suspicious events happen around town. Bob Ewell is the suspected culprit instead of the mysterious Boo Radley because everyone victimized was connected to Tom Robinson's trial. Atticus explains that even though the Ewells won the trial, they won because of the wrong reasons. They won because they are white and Tom is black even though there was enough evidence to set him free. After his fifteen minutes of fame are over and Bob realizes this, he is determined to get back at the people who made him look stupid. When I read these lines, a line from the book Jane Eyre popped into my head. She said, "Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs." This means that life is precious and you shouldn't spend it holding grudges. Sadly, Bob is too ignorant to realize this.
Ch. 26 pg. 282 "but that ain't no cause to prosecute 'em. they're weight, ain't they?" this comment by one of scout's classmates in response to a short talk about Hitler prosecuting the jews shows that racism has already Subconsciously penetrated the minds of the young. it is ironic that this statement is made (and the racism not objected to by anyone) just after the teacher said that none was persecuted in the U.N. especially in the light of Tom Robinson's trial.
ReplyDeleteChapter 28, page 353: She [Aunt Alexandra] tugged at me anxiously. "I'm all right, Aunty." I [Scout] said.
ReplyDeleteAunt Alexandra seems to have grown up herself since she moved in with the Finches. When she first moved in, she was rude to Cal and the children. She was constantly trying to change Scout into a girly girl and butting heads with Atticus. Although, after going through the trial with her brother, I think she now understands him better. After Scout is attacked by Bob Ewell, Aunt Alexandra frantically makes sure Scout is alright before calling the doctor for Jem. This shows that she truly does care for Scout, even if it's not always obvious. Even if you may sometimes doubt it, you family will always be there for you. This is a lesson that I think nobody is too old to learn. Aunt Alexandra is an adult, but she has just realized that even family members she may not have originally liked are precious to her.
Chapter 28, Pg. 357: “Bob Ewell’s lying on the ground under the tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch.” This is what Heck Tate tells Atticus that he found on his search for evidence. When I read this quote it explained many things for me. I knew Mr. Ewell was going to get back at Atticus but I never thought he would try and hurt the kids. I am happy that he is dead though. I believe that when Mr. Ewell was attacking the kids, Boo heard the screaming and came to help. I think he was the one who killed Mr. Ewell because it was right in front of his house and he didn’t want his only friends to be killed. If my prediction is right, then the man standing in Scout’s living room is Boo Radley. It is ironic that the person that Scout and Jem once feared has now saved their lives. This reminds me of the movie Home Alone, in which the “scary” neighbor ends up saving Kevin’s life. After the events of the mugging get out to the people of Maycomb, Boo will no longer be feared; instead he will be a hero.
ReplyDeleteJonah, great prediction! Boo Radley was the man in the room, but no ones knows who killed Mr. Ewell. I wouldn't doubt if Boo did killed him because he once stabbed his father with scissors. Also, if Harper Lee ever wrote a sequel I think Boo would be considered a hero. He did a courageous thing that he didn't have to do. Boo could have just stayed in his house, but he saved Jem and Scout, I will always wonder why he did it.
DeleteI really like your connection to Home Alone, Jonah. I think that is a really great example that connects to this book very well. While the neighbor in Home Alone (for the life of me I can't remember his name), is "scary" and feared by Kevin, in the end he saves Kevin from Harry and Marv. He turns out to be a really nice guy. If he didn't come, Kevin might have wound up dead. Same thing in "To kill a Mockingbird." If it wasn't for Boo, Jem and Scout may have died.
DeleteChapter 29, Pg. 361: “Then all of a sudden somethin’ grabbed me an’ mashed my costume…that’s all I know.” This is from when Scout is telling Atticus and Heck Tate what she remembered from the night before. When I read this it showed me again what a shallow and cruel person Bob Ewell is. Who is so low that they decide to take out their anger on kids? Obviously Bob Ewell is, chapter by chapter I have forgiven his kids more and more because of what they have to go through at home. Bob Ewell beating his kids during his drunken tirade and treats them the way no child deserves to be treated. Although I don’t know of anyone who’s parent beat them I know it is a big problem. Parents can’t just take out their anger on their kids because life isn’t great for them. I am thankful that this doesn’t happen to me but I know how hard it is for children that are beaten. That is why I forgive the Ewell kids for their bad deeds and I think since their father is now dead life will be better for them. The people of Maycomb should forget about what they have done and wipe the slate clean. It’s only fair.
ReplyDeleteCh 26 Pg 325 "You aren't starting that again are you?" Said Atticus..."If you are i'll tell you right now:stop it. I'm too old to go chasing you off the Radley property. Besides it's dangerous.You might get shot..." This shows the high concern Atticus has for the kids going on the Radley property. Atticus is a good dad because he shows concern for kids trespassing. The part that really sticks out to me is that he didn't scream at them. It shows that he is concerned but he doesn't want to yell because yelling does not solve problems. Sometimes when me and my parents argue one of us yells and it really changes the tone and mood of the environment.
ReplyDeleteJoe i fully agree with you. It is amazing how good a father Atticus is. Not many people could get their kids to listen to them without yelling. I think everything would be much more productive if people didn't yell at eachother.
DeleteI agree with you both. Atticus sure is one of a kind. I think it's good that he doesn’t raise his voice at the kids, because it causes less tension and shows that he's not trying to argue with them, but tell them something important. Even though Atticus had told his kids more than once not to go on the Radley's property, telling them with a firm voice, will warn them not too.
DeleteChapter 26 summary. In this chapter Scout points out Miss gates hypocrisy in this quote on page 331: 'it's time somebody taught 'em a lesson, they were gettin' way above themselves". This is hypocrisy because she is speaking poorly about blacks and just before this she taught a lesson on how bad Hitler was. Scout seems to be starting to pick up on the same things that Jem did. Jem seems to already know about some of the racist things that go on in Maycomb. Scout on the other is picking up pieces along the way. This is some evidence though that Scout to is starting to see the ugly side of town.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, Pg. 365-367: “You heard what Scout said, there’s no doubt about it…I can’t live one way in town and another in home.” This is what Atticus says when Heck Tate says that Mr. Ewell killed himself. This is like the icing in the cake for Atticus being a great father. He didn’t want a rumor that Atticus got Jem out of a fix, so he is trying to push that they go to court and prove it was self-defense. This also showed what a close relationship Jem and Atticus have. Since Jem looks up to Atticus for everything, hearing that his dad got him out of trouble would possibly make him lose respect for his father. All of the lessons on always being truthful would go to waste if Jem found out that his role model lied to. If I were in Atticus’s shoes I know I would do the same thing but it would be very hard going to court with my own son in a murder case. Atticus is such a dedicated father that he is willing to overcome the pain of having to defend his son in court. After reading this book I would say Atticus is one of the most dedicated fathers of all time.
ReplyDeleteChapter 31, pg. 374: “Atticus was right…Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” This is when Jem is recalling the past year and she is able to put herself into Boo Radley’s shoes. In this moment I think Scout realizes how different Boo’s life must’ve been and she feels bad for being afraid of him and imitating him. All of her life Scout has been dying to meet Boo and now that she has, she realized that he is just a regular person who was deprived of a childhood and adulthood. Her questions are now put to rest and I think she is in a very calm, peaceful state of mind. If I were her I would still be in shock that I just survived a murder attempt and met the person that I was only able to imagine my whole life. The ending to the book wrapped it up perfectly. I didn’t want it to end but new that it was best. I can’t wait to see the movie and relive the adventure
ReplyDeleteChapter 27, page 334. Helen went to work next morning and used the public road... she looked around and saw Mr. Ewell walking behind her." Mr. Ewell seems to have a everlasting grudge with anyone who was involved with the trial. Mr. Ewell is a sinister man and there is no way of knowing when he might become irrational. His lack of education and racist ways make him unable to handle situations like these. If only Mr. Ewell knew that education was the key to success and could solve his problems. In his mind he must think that the best way to solve his problems is to be hostile, which is not correct at all.
ReplyDeleteI don't think its only Mr.Ewells lack of education and his racism that make him unable to handle these situations. I think Mr.Ewells background is the reason for his ways. He is single, has a lot of children, and I'm assuming he had a rough home life due to the fact that he had no education. I think its everything that's happened to him that makes him this way.
DeleteI agree with both of you, but I think it's that he knows that Mayella wasn't raped and that he beat her to a pulp. I think he was so angry at Atticus for trying to exploit the truth that he was willing to try to kill his children. Also, his horrible life has caused him to become an alcoholic. He probably doesn't think clearly under the influence of alcohol.
DeleteYes Eileen you are right, he has had a harsh backround and I should take that into account, but if he started to educate his children then he might be able turn his family around.
DeleteI agree with Eileen I don't think it has anything to do with that he had no education but the direction his life went in. i also agree with you Tony i think Mr. Ewell didn't want Mayellas lies being exploited around Maycomb because family already doesn't have a good name around Maycomb.
DeleteChapter 26 (Scout speaking) "Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Miss Gates was .. talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say it’s time somebody taught ’em a lesson, they were gettin‘ way above themselves, an’ the next thing they think they can do is marry us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an‘ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home" This quote by Scout to Jem. I loved the point that Scout brought up. I too think that this instance is confusing because why would she hate and be prejudice towards the blacks, but when the Jews were being persecuted my the jews she showed digest towards Hitler and supported the Jews. Another reason i find this confusing is because side she is a teacher you would most likely picture her as advocating peace and not showing hate, but in this case she is showing the exact opposite and is showing it right in front of kids she is supposed to teach and be a mentor for them. The one reason that i can think of that made her show racism and hate towards the blacks is that she felt peer pressure from others in Maycomb. The reason i think this is because since the whole town basically showed hate towards blacks she felt like an outcast and felt afraid that is someone saw her defending a balck her life would be in danger or her family's. A common similarity to this is when some teens are forced to make bad decisions they don't want to and their so called friends make them. This is similar to Miss Gates in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26 page 329, "Well I don't know for certain," he said, "they're supposed to change money or somethin', but that ain't no cause to persecute 'em. They're white, ain't they?" This was said by Cecil Jacobs during a class discussion about Hitler. I thought it was very sad that when the kids thought of racism, they thought of hurting blacks. Persecuting white people didn't fit right in their brains. It does connect to that theme of racism though. It was a rough time for Jews back then. Segregating the blacks here in the U.S. was bad but Hitler definitely took it to a new level against the Jews.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27 page 334, "You don't have to touch her, all you have to do is make her afraid..." Link Deas tirade goes on a little more after this. He was yelling at Mr. Ewell who had been threatening Helen Robinson. This also relates to the theme of racism but finally in a positive way. Mr. Ewell was angry at all the people who were connected to Tom Robinson because everyone knows that Bob lied in court. He is very mean to Helen and Link stands up for her. Link is protecting a black woman from a white man. I am very glad to see this in the book. I also think that even though Tom was killed, it made people think about race more and realize that racism isn't as true as they thought it was. In most cases back then, it was just wrong.
Chapter 28 page 357, "Bob Ewell's lyin' on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He's dead, Mr Finch." This was said by sheriff Heck Tate to Atticus after the fight after the pageant. It was all in the dark and I wasn't quite sure what went on until almost the end of the book. This was actually very surprising to me. I didn't even expect Bob to be there. Also, this may sound bad, but Bob deserved what he got. For how he treated other people and even his family, for what he did to other people, and for how he threatened and lied about other people. All these things add up to people hating Bob.
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 page 362: This page is basically about Boo Radley. It describes him in detail and how he acts. We also learn that Boo had a part to play in the fight outside of the Radley Place. I thought it was interesting that Boo appears now. I thought he was going to appear much earlier in the book or hide out and send messages like earlier in the book. He does appear at a very important time but I'm not entirely sure why Harper Lee chose this moment in the book.
Chapter 30 page 369, "Let the dead bury the dead this time Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead." This was said by Heck Tate to Atticus while they are discussing To and Mr. Ewell. This is originally said by Jesus. "Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead." -Matthew 8:20. This quote means that someone should just take a break from the world of death and just move on. This really applies to Atticus because he is worrying about his children and Mr. Ewell's death. Many things are not right in Maycomb and everyone in town should follow this quote.
ReplyDeleteChapter 31 page 376: the last page of the book deals with a story called The Gray Ghost. It is a scary story that Atticus reads to Scout. The story deals with someone who is wrongly accused of a crime. When they catch them though, they find out that the person who supposedly comitted the crime is innocent and did nothing wrong. I think another theme in this book is innocence. We see a lot of innocence especially in the case of Tom Robinson. Tom's trial was very similar to The Gray Ghost and I think that this was a great way to end the book and sum it up in general.
Chapter 27 "...Mr. Link Deas made a job for Helen. He didn’t really need her, but he said he felt really bad about the way things turned out. I never knew who took care of her children while Helen was away. Calpurnia said it was hard on Helen, because she had to walk nearly a mile out of her way to avoid the Ewells, who, according to Helen, 'chunked at her' the first time she tried to use the public road...." This was said by Scout acting as the narrator. This agin shows how much a coward Bob Ewell really is. Just when you think he count get any worse after his interactions with Tom Robinson he becomes to get really mean and nasty to Tom's wife Helen Robinson. Despite the efforts of Link Deas to stop Ewells actions, he fails in doing so and he continues to show disrespectful and down right mean behavior towards someone who especially now is going through a hard time. Bob's actions are not only noticable to people around him but also others in the town. The one person out to stop it is Scout. The way I connect to this is personally i think that some people don't change and sometimes when they aren't nice to you even when you try to fix it, you give them some room and in the end they are the ones that are in loss not the innocent person that hasn't done anything wrong.
ReplyDeleteCh. 28 pg. 306 "Bob Ewell's lyin' on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He's dead, Mr. Finch." this is Mr. Heck Tate's report after going to see what was left of the crime sean. this is an unexpected turn of events because this means that whoever saved scout and jem might be a murderer, although under the circumstances I believe that whoever did it will be forgiven based on the fact that the deceased person in question was attempting to murder two children.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27, page 335: “I think I understand,” said Atticus. “It might be because he knows in his heart that very few people in Maycomb really believed his and Mayella’s yarns….” Here, Atticus is talking to Aunt Alexandra about Bob Ewell, after some suspicious activities occurred around Maycomb. Two of the suspicious activities that had occurred were Bob Ewell following and verbally abusing Helen Robinson, and also, at Judge Taylor’s house, there was an unidentified person scratching at his back door and cutting off the screen. While Boo Radley would usually get blamed for incidents like this, I feel like some people may be questioning if Bob Ewell actually did it, or if maybe even another character did. Bob and Mayella Ewell won the case against Tom Robinson only because of their skin color. All the evidence proved Tom innocent. Atticus proved that Mr. Ewell was a liar, and he was also made to look like a fool. Now that the case is over and his few minutes of popularity are up, he is no better off than where he was before. If anything, he is worse off. He is trying to make everyone who made him look stupid, pay. I think that this can connect to the theme of racism, because Mr. Ewell is obviously racist, and I think that one of the reasons behind the trial in the first place was racism. If you think about it, if it weren’t for racism, these characters would not be put into these positions now, and also there would not have been a trial in the first place.
ReplyDeleteCh. 28 p. 303 'Aunty brought me overalls. "Puts these on, darling," she said handing me the garments she most depised.' This is after the encounter with Mr. Ewell and the children are being cared for in the house. Aunt Alexandra gets Scout her overalls even though Alexandra considers them not to be "proper girls cloths". I think Aunt Alexandra getting Scout overalls shows, in the heat of the moment, she values her family members more then her families reputation. The incident with Bob Ewell shows that Aunt Alexandra cares a lot about her family and, she may not show it, but is willing to go agianst her morals to aid them. I can personally connect to this because I have friends who act cool and tough, but when someone is emotionaly or physically hurt, they will comfort them.
ReplyDeleteTony, I agree that in that moment, Aunt Alexandra values her family members over the family reputation. I also agree that she does care a lot about her family, even though it may not really show all of the time. This quote from the book is very strong, and it really stands out.
DeleteChapter 27 "if I hear one more peep more peep outa my girl Helen bout not bein' able to walk this road...I'll have you in jail before sun down!" Mr.Link says this to Mr.Ewell concerning his mistreatment of Helen Robinson. I love this because it shows a white man looking out for a black man and his family. Mr.Link didn't need that help but he offered to help keep Helens head above water. Also how he stood up to Mr.Ewell like that was truly inspiring. I am glad we finally have some non-racist white characters in the book (besides the obvious ones)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Sam. Mr. Link was a very brave person for standing up to Mr. Ewell because he stood up for a black person, which was very rare in this time period.
DeleteI think after the trial Atticus inspired people to stand up for people no matter the color of their skin. It shouldn’t matter what color skin you have it everything should revolve around who’s right and who’s wrong. When Mr. Link stood up for a black person I felt like this showed how Atticus inspired people and that maybe Maycomb is getting better.
DeleteI don't necissiarly know if Atticus inspired Mr.Link to do this(he was already fond of the Robinsons) but Atticus 100% changed the town for the better. Just being brave enough to back Tom up is enough to rock the boat.
DeleteChapter 28 "Aunty Is Jem dead?" "Atticus is Jem Dead" "Dr.Reynolds is Jem Dead" The fact that Scout says this multiple times shows that it is extremely important. Well yes obviously she would want to know this but it show the importance of family to her. Atticus, Jem and Scout are really a close tight family unit. They grew up only having one another, and Jem was really Scouts parter in crime. The fact that she is making her concern so aparent and clear is that this is very important to her. This also reveals alot about her personality. Again, she is wise beyond her years. She knows how to get answers and she's like a worried mother getting answers. Also, the way she goes about her self revels a lot about Scout.
ReplyDeleteSam, I agree that they are a very close family and know everything about each other. They rely on each other for everything and are concerned about each other as well. Almost everything they do is a lesson to learn from. Each of them look to each other for these lessons and for help in everything they do and everything that happens.
DeleteIt's apparent that nothing in this book is stronger than the sense of family and growing up.
DeleteChapter 26, page 328: On this page the teacher asks the class what a democracy is. Scout answers: “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none.” Miss Gates says she is right, and has the whole class repeat: “We are a democracy.” This is very contradictory. Miss Gates says that democracy is equal rights for all, and then goes to say that we are a democracy? This cannot be true. If they were democratic, then why were blacks being prosecuted? That surely does not agree with Scouts definition of democracy… If it was true, then all blacks should have be treated just as any other person in Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteJared, I agree that it is incorrect for Miss Gates to have the kids say that they are a democracy. In a democracy, everyone is treated equal. With proof of the trial, we can definitely see that not everyone is treated equally in this society.
DeleteJared I really like that you bring up Miss Gates. Miss Gates seems to be a character that brings up the topic of racism. Wether she is talking about Hitler, or she is making comments about people in Maycomb, she does bring it up a lot. I do not believe they have a Democracy or else Tom would have won the trial.
DeleteI have to agree, if they were a democracy Tom Robinson would have never been convicted cause he obviously had the information that was the truth not Mayella. Mrs. Gates shouldn’t have said they are a democracy when they aren’t.
DeleteCh. 29 p. 310 "Hey, Boo," said Scout. Finally, we meet the famous Boo Radley! The paragraph before describes him as a normal adult but he is very pale. I suspect that is from his many years suck in his house. I am glad we finally meet Boo and he seems "normal". This disproves all of the rumors or tales made up about him. I can't imagine how happy Scout is to be finally seeing Boo. She spent most of her childhood wondering and believing crazy things about him. Also, this shows Scout has matured a lot since her childhood because she isn't reanacting Boo life or touching his house. Her experience can connect an adopted child meeting her birth parents because she has never seen them and only know stories about them.
ReplyDeleteTony, I agree that Scout has matured about the situation. I was surprised she didn't run out in horror of seeing Boo. Instead, she stood by him and was very polite and respectful. She spoke the truth when she was talking to him like he was a friend. Especially when was saying/thinking how jealous Jem would be that she saw Boo and he didn't.
DeleteChapter 28 "His stomach was soft but his arms were like steel. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him ... The scuffling noises were dying; someone wheezed and the night was still again. ... heard him groan and pull something heavy along the ground. It was slowly coming to me that there were now four people under the tree. ... I found it and looked down to the street light. A man was passing under i"... This quote was said by Scout when they were by the old oak tree late at night when they shouldn't have been. What happened when both Scout and Jem went under and passed the tree a mysterious attacker camera up behind them and grabbed them as if to hurt them. Later When the kids returned home to their father Atticus they went to the sheriff and began discussing who could had wanted to danger Atticus and the well being of his children. The one person that came to my mind is Bob Ewell. The reason that i think it was him is because since Bob is a coward he wouldn't never go up to Atticus and hurt him, but what he would do is hurt something he knows Atticus loves which in this case is his children. Also something very interesting that happened was not only did Jem get home but someone who is unidentified carried him home. From previous mysteries in this book the one person that everyone first thinks of is Boo Radely. I think of Boo as a suer hero or something along those lines that when duty call's he is always there and gets the job done without anyone knowing he is there. That is what is so great about how the mystery of Boo in this novel really is. For Mr.Ewell my words can not describe my level disgust and hatred towards him and how he can pick on people like 45 years younger than him but he can't be a real man and mess with someone like Atticus who he wouldn't have a chance with. What i would like to say to him is "Pick on someone your own size you coward."
ReplyDeleteCh 27 Pg 334 "Now hear me Bob Ewell; if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road, I'll have you in jail before sundown!" said Link Deas. This is a perfect example of the hateful atmosphere of the time. Bob Ewell is hated by a lot of people, and people think he is not smart and a bad person. I can understand the tension by Link Deas but people don't do that anymore. People don't yell in a stranger's face. It should be Helen's responsibility to stay away from the area if she is scared.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this but also want to say that Helen's route was originally to walk an extra mile out of the Ewell's way. Link just tried to make it easier on her by protecting her from Bob. Also, I believe the Ewell's would have gotten much more threatening as time passed and it is good that Link did what he did.
DeleteChapter 29 "Hey, Boo....." This quote was spoken by Scout. Finally the moment we have all been waiting for the coming out of Boo! These will be one of those days that Scout and Jem will never forget seeing the person that was only being represented by symbols such as coins and bubble gum has finally come out and greeted in person. In my mind Boo is a heroic person or his two good deeds throughout the book. The first deed in the book was when the fire broke loose at Miss Maudies house and the person who secretly put the blanket on top of the kids was Boo. He protects those kids as if they were his own and in that instance he not only saved the kids lives but he leo risked his own. The next instance in which Boo shows a heroic deed is when he stops the attacker at the oak tree who i think was Bob and then carries the injured Jem back to the house where the sheriff and Atticus can access the situation. At this point in the novel not only am I personally filled with excitement and joy but i also can't imagine how emotionally and physically existing it must be seeing someone that you thought you knew but you never saw him for the first time. Great stuff, and remember those so called rumors and tales about Boo? Well i think it is safe to say that they were not only wrong but Boo ended up doing the exact opposite of what people portrayed him as being.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26, Page 330,"But its okay to hate Hitler?","Its not okay to hate anybody.", As brought up in the conversation between Cecil and Ms.Gates. This statement spoken out during Current Events explains what kind of different views and thoughts on humanity and what they believe is crossing the line. I can relate this to Holden Caufield and how he views the world. Holden is most likely a pessimistic person and by this i mean he views life as if everything had no hope or purpose. Also, by this kind of actions he makes himself physically sick from all his misery. Furthermore, his view of certain people, for example Jane make him feel good inside as compared to his close family which make him sad and lost at some points. Through reactions of others towards other people, we can better understand what kind of views differ.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26 page 331, "'...I mean have mean thoughts about anybody, even, is it?'...'Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home--'" This is said by Scout when she is talking to Jem about their conversation with Miss Gates at school that day. Scout overheard Miss Gates speaking to Miss Stephanie Crawford when they were coming out of the courthouse after the trial. When Scout mentions that people hate Hitler and then are ugly about folks right at home, I thought of it as though she was seeing that people in town are comparing someone who is doing something horrible, like Hitler, versus the people of the town who they know personally and didn't do anything to harm anyone, such as Tom Robinson. I was very surprised Scout caught this because if i was in her situation, I would never have even thought of that. Scout is a lot smarter than she looks, especially for someone so young, she knows so much and picks up on things many adults wouldn't even notice.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27 page 335, "'That man seems to have grudge against everybody connected with that case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one--he had his way in court, didn't he?'" This is said by Aunt Alexandra when she is complaining to Atticus about how Bob Ewell was following Helen Robinson on her way to work. During this scene, I gained respect for Aunt Alexandra because she was being very respectful towards people who she is not particularly too fond of. Lately, Aunt Alexandra hasn't been causing problems at all, and actually has been helping solve them. For example, when we learned Tom Robinson had been shot and killed, I was actually surprised to find that Aunt Alexandra was torn up about it. Aunt Alexandra has grown in ways others haven't, such as being more accepting of others. Now she can be added to the long list of characters that have connected somehow to the theme of growing up.
Chapter 28 page 357, "'He's dead, Mr. Finch'" Said by Mr. Tate after coming back from the scene where Scout and Jem were attacked. Chapter 28 was a very eventful chapter and there were so many good quotes to choose from, but this was probably the most important. Surprisingly, I was not shocked to hear that Bob Ewell stabbed himself while trying to kill Scout and Jem. After all this time, Bob Ewell has died and in many ways, he certainly deserves it. For example, Bob Ewell was trying to harm, and possibly kill, two innocent children who had never done anything to hurt him and who were helpless at the time. As Aunt Alexandra said in the previous chapter, Bob Ewell got his way in court, so why is he still holding a grudge on everyone who was in the courthouse? The simple answer is that he can't live up to the fact that he was the guilty one and he is angry and is taking it out on everyone else. Now that Bob is dead, there will be no issues with the people of Maycomb and feeling unsafe, but there will be issues in his own home. It is no ones fault but his own.
Chapter 29 page 358, "Somehow, I could think of nothing but Mr. Bob Ewell saying he'd get Atticus if it took him the rest of his life. Mr. Ewell almost got him, and it was the last thing he did." This is said by Scout after Jem and she get back from being attacked by Bob Ewell. I'm glad Scout mentioned this, if she didn't, i would i have never even realized. When someone usually says they will do something until the day they die, it is only used as a figure of speech. In this case, it was accidentally meant literally. Bob did say he would get Atticus, even if it took him the rest of his life. Although Bob did not get Atticus, he almost did and he died trying. Jem and Scout were very lucky that Boo was there to save them. Boo is a great person because he has been there multiple times for the children. It seems strange that he is always around and there for them but Jem and Scout are the closest to friends he has and it is sad but true. I've really begun to like Boo lately, even though he is not described as the person he really is.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30 page 363, "'There's a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it's dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead.'" This is said by Mr. Heck Tate when he and Atticus are arguing about who really killed Bob Ewell. When i first saw this quote, I thought it meant what it literally said. However, when I really thought about it, I realized it really meant so much more. It meant that it's time to move on and not worry about the past, just let it be and let the past be the past. Also, let the past cover itself up. It means that it is time to move on and worry about the present and future, forget the negative parts of the past. Now that the big problem of Maycomb is over, it is time to go back to the normal days when everyone was innocent and there was no gossip, secrets, or mystery.
Chapter 31 summary. During this last chapter, I was very content with the way it was written and how the book ended. It ends with Scout walking Boo home from the Finch home which I loved because I felt that Scout really connected with Boo as if they knew each other for awhile. It was like what Scout was hoping for. Also in this chapter, Scout reminisces on the past and what times were like before the trial and before Maycomb was a dark and twisty town. I also really loved how at the end, Atticus was reading the book, "The Gray Ghost" to Scout and she fell asleep. When she woke up and was brought to bed, she describes what happened in the book and it almost perfectly relates to the situation with Boo. When I read this part, it took me a little while to realize where Scout was going with it and as soon as I realized, I felt sad. I was sad because I realized that Boo is really a little kid stuck inside an older mans body and all he wanted was someone to talk to and someone to connect with. If only Scout and Jem got up the nerve to go to the Radley home and communicate with Boo better, the story would have been much happier, I would say. Harper Lee did an amazing job ending this story and honestly, it got to me which is something I love because it is rare for me to find a book that I feel like I can emotionally connect with.
Chapter 26 (328) "Miss Gates printed DEMOCRACY in large letters............ I raised my hand,remembering an old campaign slogan Atticus had once told me about.“what do you think it means, Jean Louise?”
ReplyDelete“Equal rights for all, special privileges for none," I quoted............... Miss printed WE ARE A.“Now class,say it all together, “We are a democracy." IThink that the meaning of those words is to strong to be true because they know the meaning but they don't practice it, they don't even see what is happening in the town there weren't equal rights for all and specials privileges were for white people is the opposite of what the definition says.
Chapter 28 page (356)“Mrs. Tate sniffed. He glanced sharply at the man in the corner, nodded to him, then looked around the room—at Jem,at Aunt Alexandra, then at Atticus” that misterious mean in the corner who had saved their lifes,caught scout's attention she wanted to know who was that man because she had never seen him before for scout that was a big question why did he do that? Why he saved our lifes ,perhaps was just a man who was passing by, but there was something that disturbed her.
ReplyDeleteChapter 28, page 348: “You can get the Janitor to let you in… Scout?” “Hm?” “Nothing.” After the pageant, Jem and Scout are walking back home in the dark. There isn’t anybody else around, and they can’t really see where they are going. Jem thinks that he hears something, and he tells Scout at some points to stop walking or to stop talking. They would only hear something shuffling behind them as they were walking. I think that this part of the book, along with when Jem and Scout are getting attacked by Bob Ewell, show how Jem is maturing. He is standing up for and protecting Scout the best that he can. Jem got the rougher beating of the two; he was knocked unconscious and broke his left arm, and Scout had a bump on her head. I think that this shows Jem’s maturity, but it also connects to the theme of importance of family. Jem is protecting and taking the brunt of the beating upon himself, instead of having Scout, his little sister, get hurt. A little after this quote was said by Jem, and the person behind them (later identified as Bob Ewell), breaks out into a run and chases them, Jem even tells Scout to run, yet another sign of him trying to protect her. As an older sister, I can connect to Jem. I have two younger brothers, and especially when they were younger, I needed to look out for them. My mom always says to us, ‘you guys are family. Family sticks together and looks out for one another. Take care of each other.’ I think that everyone can take away and learn from this.
ReplyDeleteChapter 29, page 360: “I wondered why he had those marks on him. His sleeves were perforated with little holes…” “This thing probably saved her life.” This is said by Heck Tate when he was in the Finch household talking to Scout about what happened. Scout was saying how she was in her ham costume when she and Jem were walking home. Mr. Tate asked to see it, and then he understood why Bob Ewell had strange puncture wounds in his arm. When he grabbed Scout, her costume stabbed him. Her costume most likely did save her. Jem on the other hand didn’t make out as well. He was knocked unconscious and had a broken left arm. Scout’s ham costume could almost be considered a symbol in my opinion. Just like the snowman that was mentioned earlier on in the book, Scout’s ham costume could represent the same thing. The snowman represents how on the outside, (snow) everything in Maycomb looked okay, but you have to dig deeper, (dirt) to see all of the problems and imperfections. The ham costume could show how on the outside, (fabric) everything looked nice and cute, but you have to go deeper, (wire) to see a different, harsher side of it. Also, I made another connection. When we were going over the symbol sheet in class, the first thing that came to mind when we talked about the snowman was the Gilded Age. I remember learning about it last year in social studies. The Gilded Age was given its name by I believe Mark Twain. It meant that on the outside, (gilded) America looked wonderful, and everyone wanted to come over. But if you dug deeper, you would reveal how unsanitary, poor, unsuitable for living America was.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, page 364: “Won’t you have a seat, Mr. Arthur? This rocking-chair’s nice and comfortable.” This is said by Scout after the attack by Mr. Ewell, when both she and Jem are back home. Arthur Radley, (Boo) was the person who carried Jem back to the house after he was knocked unconscious and broke his left arm. Atticus, Heck Tate, Scout and Arthur are walking down to the front porch to talk while Dr. Reynolds takes care of Jem. Scout is being extremely nice to him, especially after she embarrassed herself by calling him Boo before. She escorted him down the stairs, and now she is offering him a seat. I think that this shows a level of maturity that we have not really seen from Scout before. Not that she was being rude or anything before this necessarily, but I think that she has matured enough to realize that even though Arthur Radley has been inside his house for such a long time, and no one has really seen him, he still deserves to be treated fairly and respectfully. Also, knowing that trying to get him to come out of his house was Scout, Jem and Dill’s goal for quite awhile, I think that Scout did a great job of not being overly enthusiastic or anything. Whether she likes it or not, I think she is becoming more lady like. She is showing more maturity and manners, and I think that this shows how she has grown throughout the book. Many people say that they never want to grow up, but in the end, they all do anyways. I think that Scout is growing up faster than she may think, but she is still retaining the qualities that make her who she is.
ReplyDeleteCh 28 Pg 347 "You all want a ride home?" someone asked. "No sir, thank you, it's just a little walk." Jem Said. This is a great example of Jem maturing. Jem rejecting a ride home from some stranger was a very mature choice. He could have said yes and gotten a ride in a car home. But since he knows the risk of taking a ride from a stranger he takes the right road and says no and he wants to walk home. They teach us things like this at a young age but at the time and place, it's probably something they didn't teach. So Jem was smart and mature enough to know not to take a ride from strangers. Kids get kidnapped and something strangers ask to kids walking is if they need a ride home because some of them are naive enough to say yes. He could have saved himself and Scout from a lot of trouble.
ReplyDeleteCh. 30 p. 314 "I'm all they've got. Before Jem looks at anything else, he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can squarely look back at him...and the day I can't do that I know I've lost him. I don't want to lose him and Scout," said Atticus to Heck Tate. Atticus saying this shows how important he knows his influence is on Jem and Scout. If they can look up to Atticus and see a good example of a parent, then they will follow that example. This is why I respect Atticus so much because he will go out of his way to set a good example for his children to follow. That is why he is a great teacher and parent. I think Atticus can connect to parents now today. They try to set good example for their children because they want them to grow up and live a healthy life. Also, people who read the novel may want to be a better parent because of Atticus' influence throughout the book.
ReplyDelete"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." The last page of the book when Scout is going to sleep, Atticus tell this to her. This qoute shows the theme of prejudging. After Scout sees Boo Radley, she realizes he is not a monster or a cerial killer. He is a gentle yound man who has been sheltered from the world. If Scout gets into Boo shoes, she can see he is innocent and gentle. This can connect to our everyday lives. I we judge people based on what we hear, then we will never consider them to be nice. Scout realizes this and we can learn from her. We shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
ReplyDeleteCh 29 ph 362 (Whole page) "Hey Boo"
ReplyDeleteYAYYY It's finally time to meet boo. he has been very mysterious the whole entire book. Now we finally meet him get to know him. Although most of that will take place in the next chapter, the initial meet is in this chapter. a child is always curious about someone when he appears to be mysterious. Us as readers are very curious about him because he doesn't appear very often in the book, he doesn't talk, and he is always in his house. Children are always curious about presents because you don't know what is inside them.
Ch 30 pg 366 "Bob Ewell fell on his knife, he killed himself." This is a moment where some people are happy and some people are sad. Bob Ewell was a man of poor decisions and poor usage of money. he wasn't liked a lot . There are always some people who try to find the good in people. Finding the good in people is probably better than finding negatives. This is a new theme in the book. Mayella and his family probably hate him sometimes like us as readers do but they still find room for positives to remember him.
ReplyDeleteCh 31 Pg 371 ""You'd like to say good night to Jem wouldn't you Mr. Arthur?" This is another example of the good in people. People always thought in Maycomb and us as readers originally thought as Mr. Radley as a crazy person. Now we see that he is a sweet man who was just left out of the world for a long time. Boo is a good person who had a rough childhood, but he never got to show his good side because he was seldom seen as a child, and never got to show that he is a good person.
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right Joe! And I liked how you worded it, " a sweet man who was just left out of the world for a long time." Check out this thing on tumblr...its A quote from To Kill A Mockingbird
DeleteChapter 26, Pg. 329 "When you get to high school, Cecil, you'll learn that the Jews have been persecuted since the beginning of history, even driven out of their own country. It's one of the most terrible stories in history." After Cecil says his current events about Hitler and his persecution on Jews, the class and Cecil get into a conversation about how terrible it is that Jews were singled out by groups that Hitler said to say that they were different. As I read this quote, it made me come to think of how it was very ironic and how interesting it was that it was first, ironic that the class was discussing that Jews were persecuted by other groups. It was also interesting of how I found that since racism played a huge role in the Maycomb community, the class discussed how Jews were different and were looked down upon by other people. I think in this case, this discussion was very close to one of the themes of the negative effects of racism on an individual, community, and the legal system. The class talked about Jews being different, but it is also in similarity that Blacks were thought to be different in Maycomb. They were looked down upon by other people, persecuted in court where most of the time they were found guilty because of racism taking place, and just blamed for everything. Same thing with the Jews back in World War 2. Many Jews were killed because of Hitler putting in a hard persuasion of why differentiated people should be treated differently. I think that the racism in the town of Maycomb of how Blacks are treated differently, is the same for how Jews were treated back in World War 2.
ReplyDeleteJames, i totally agree that the Jews and the Blacks share similar concept which is segregation and a sense of division. The mistakes of yesterday are meant to be learned and not to be done again in the past.
DeleteChapter 26 Page 331 “Well, coming out of the courthouse that night Mrs. Gates… and be ugly about folks right at home.” Scout is telling Jem about Mrs. Gates and how she hates Hitler but yet talks bad about black folks in Maycomb. To me this fits the theme of growing up perfectly. Scout sees something strange someone is saying one thing while doing another, what we would call a hypocrite, and it bother her that someone could be like that. This also attests to Scouts acute sense of what’s going on around her and if she doesn’t understand it she asks. I know that’s how I am my parents complain that I never used to shut up was I was younger I was asking so many questions. It doesn’t bother me though because now I understand a lot I think asking questions is a great thing you can’t know everything in world so asking for help isn’t a big deal.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27 Page 334 “ First thing you can do, Ewell, is get your stinkin’ carcass of my property… Second thing you can do is stay away from my cook or I’ll have you up for assault.” I love this part because someone is standing up for Helen Robinson and that person is none other than Tom’s previous employer and Helen’s new employer. It is almost refreshing to see a person who is white besides Atticus stand up for the black population of Maycomb. This shows both parts of the theme of negative effects of racism. Here Bob Ewell is harassing Helen, using racial slurs and following her and then you have Link Deas who is protecting Helen from these effects. This reminds me of the Holocaust in which people put their reputation and even life on the line to help others. Whenever I see acts of extreme kindness like this it reminds me that there is still kindness the world. I am interested to see if you agree that there is still kindness in the world and that we shouldn’t look for the worst in people like Holden Caulfield did
ReplyDeleteChapter 28 Page 353 “Are you all right, darling?” While this doesn’t show the emotion that Aunt Alexandra is conveying this makes me like Aunt Alexandra even more now. In my opinion I think that Aunt Alexandra is an example for us judging people to quickly. I thought that she was a disturbance to the family but she is actually trying to help. Which to me is funny since she is quick to judge people based on their families. It reminds me of Holden at first I saw a pretentious kid who would automatically make judgments for no reason, but as I kept reading you figure out that there is a deep reason for his actions. It surprises me how quickly Aunt Alexandra has seemed to change, it seems as if the trial has made her rethink her priorities. I wonder if Harper Lee knew someone like Aunt Alexandra and decided to make a character of her and wanted to teach us a lesson.
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 Page 362 “Hey, Boo” These two words said by Scout to Sheriff Heck Tate bring up so many questions. Where did Boo come from? How did Mr. Nathan Riley not stop him? Is he the reason Mr. Ewell is dead? It is interesting that someone who is considered a hermit has done what most regular people wouldn’t do save the children from a knife wielding attacker. The fact the Boo risked his life to save another just totally disproves any gossip that had ever been circulating about him being a bad person. Its sad that in society we get most of what we know about a person from peers around us I know I have done this and from what I have heard I decide to make a choice. Do I get to know this person further or not. Our society is so wrapped up in appearances that someone who looks out of the ordinary is mistreated even though they could have been the person you fell in love with or helped you through a tough time. While I think judging people can sometimes help you, I think it can also have the opposite effect. I would like to know what you guys think?
ReplyDeleteChapter 30 Page 366 “Mr. Finch, Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself.” Here we see Sheriff Heck Tate trying to convince Atticus that Jem didn’t kill Bob Ewell. I have trouble understanding why Atticus is having such a hard time getting his head around that fact. He saw Jems arm himself how could he think Jem over powered a grown man and killed him. I mean I have experienced a similar phenomenon in which I believe something so much that I wont let someone else tell me otherwise. But this is weird if anything I would be talking as fast as I could to get my son out of the picture. I don’t think I will ever fully understand this. If any one could give me insight into this and show me what I’m missing I would appreciate it.
ReplyDeletewell atticus thinks that heck tate is just trying to cover up for jem. this is hard for atticus because he has so much dignity and doesnt want to be lying.
DeleteChapter 31 Page 374 “He’d be so made he missed it he wouldn’t speak to me for days.” Scout is talking about seeing Boo and how Jem wasn’t up to see it. While I’m not sure if Harper Lee meant for this but I think its symbol that Jem has grown up. As a child he has tried his entire life to see Boo and the one time that he can he is asleep he didn’t see him. It shows that Jem has grown up and no longer needs to fulfill the fantasy of seeing Boo. Which also says something to the fact that Scout saw Boo, she was still so young that she still wanted to see him and she ended up being able too. I know that as a kid I was very prying and wanted to do things or know things my parents told me not to know. To me this was one of the best books I have ever and I think why we still read it is because of what we have shown in these blogs we can relate to the topics. Though it doesn’t say for sure I don’t Jem will have cared that he didn’t see Boo, I think he would have moved on from such childish activities. Jem has come a long way from the beginning of the book.
ReplyDeleteI love this quote. Jem has waited his entire life to see Boo. I feel that in the begining of the novel Jem didn't understand Boo, and that's why his curiosity to meet him was so high. Now, that Jem is more mature, I think Harper Lee is trying to show us that unlike Scout, Jem now understands more. Jem understands that Boo was imprisoned by his own family.
DeleteChapter 27, Page 334 "Now hear me, Bob Ewell: if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein' able to walk this road I'll have you in jail before sundown!" Here is Link Deas showing that he is not racist and also showing that he is not going to let Bob Ewell be tyrannical towards another person in the Robinson family. Mr. Link Deas is said that he employed Tom for eight years and is shown that he is an honest, hard worker. He has hired Tom's wife, Helen Robinson, by hiring her to do work in his store. Some of the townspeople think he is a "n***** lover" for hiring Helen to do work in his store. While this is all said to be true, I view Link Deas differently. During this chapter, Link Deas plays a somewhat huge role to Helen Robinson. He shows that he cares for her and wants to protect her since Tom is not there because of his trial. I think Link in this chapter shows that Tom should have been innocent in his trial by telling Bob Ewell off in a way of not to bother Helen, for if he does, he would send Bob into jail the same way he sent Tom to jail, by accusing him for doing something that he really did not do. I guess what I am trying to say is that Link Deas is trying to show some Karma towards Bob because of what he did to Tom. This could come to connection of how Karma, plays a concept of today and also how it shows in this book.
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 Page 359" Atticus,i had a feeling about this tonight-i-this is my fault". Alexandra feels guilty for what happened to Jem and Scout in chapter 28. It wasn't until this quote that I actually started to like Aunt Alexandra. I think we can all feel sympathy for her. She is a strong women trying to help her brother raise his kids. I never actually thought she cared about Jem and Scout but I'm proved wrong. When Jem and Scout return form the pageant she is very kind and worried about them. It is a good thing after all that Aunt Alexandra is helping out Atticus.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30 Page 363 "Mr.Arthur, honey," said Atticus. When I read this quote, I almost cried. I was so excited for Scout to finally talk about her and Boo. In the beginning of chapter 30, Atticus is correcting Scout for calling Arthur Radley, Boo. Boo was the one who brought Jem home. Boo is a hero. He is not a hero like Odysseus, but he is a hero like Pilot Sully. Although Boo, didn't save over 100 lives, he brought Jem home. To me that's a true hero. Someone who has no interaction with the outside world, but cares so much about children and doesn't leave him in danger.
Chapter 31 Page 375" Atticus, I wasn't Afraid." Atticus refuses to read Scout the Book "The Gray Gohst" because it is too scary. He believes Scout has been frightened enough and doesn't need to be scared anymore. Scout argues that she was not scared. As I read the ending of the novel, I realize how much Jem and Scout have matured. I personally feel a connection with these children. I know that as a child I had to face personal problems that many children couldn't handle, like my younger siblings. Jem and Scout can handle many things. They are a family of three, they understand their father's job, and lastly they comprehend what many kids can't.I admire these fictional characters.
i agree with you so much,eileen. they have truly have matured so much by the end. the amount of emotional pain they have faced and dealt with, is truly astonoshing. not only do they understand atticus they really appreciate him and are grateful for him.
DeleteChapter 28, Page 345 "You all right in there, Scout? asked Cecil. "You sound so far off, like you was on the other side of a hill." "You don't sound any nearer," I said." As I recall, Scout seems to be wearing a heavy costume of ham for the Halloween Pageant. It seems that she can't see very well or can't hear that well with her wearing the costume. For me, this piece of "evidence" helps because of when Jem and Scout get attacked later on in the chapter. I think this piece of evidence is really helpful because during the time of the attack of Jem and Scout, Scout says later on to Heck Tate that she was felt to be squeeze the breath out of her. Even though the attacker who attacked Jem and Scout is never said to be who it is, I think it is Bob Ewell trying to attack the both of them. With the ham costume that Scout wears and never takes it off, I think it saves her life because of how it if she didn't wear the heavy ham costume, she would have been either stabbed by the accused attacker of Bob or severely injured. The costume seemed to be a bulletproof vest in a way, by how it saved her life of not being injured. If you were to look at Jem, he wasn't wearing any heavy clothing, and yet got a broken arm at the end of the attack. I can relate to this of how I wear a rib-cage protector every time I play a game in baseball because of how I try to be cautious if I were to get hurt. The vest helps me not get hurt, the same way with Scout's ham costume.
ReplyDeletech. 27 page 340
ReplyDelete" after that, it didnt matter whether they went or not. jem said he would take me."
this is said by scout about going to her pagent because neither atticus or alexandra could go. i can most definatly relate to scout in this scene. my mother struggled raising three children on her own. she relied a lot on my older brothers to help me and take me places when she just couldnt be there. i understand what scout is feeling. she looks up to jem like i look up to my brothers. just knowing that somebody is there for you is a very reasuring feeling, especially one of the people you care most about.
Chapter 29, Page 361 "He had guts enough to pester a poor colored woman, he had guts enough to pester Judge Taylor when he thought the house was empty, so do you think he'da met you to your face in daylight?" Heck Tate explains to Atticus of how Bob Ewell had some guts or being impolite of showing his behavior to these people. Heck Tate explains what Bob Ewell did to show Judge Taylor and I think Helen Robinson up of what he did to them, but in a way implies that he might have been scared to face Atticus face to face in daylight. For one is for sure, Atticus compared to Bob, people will be in favor of Atticus instead of Bob. Atticus is shown to be a very kind man and very well educated. In relation to the book and towards today, Bob Ewell's attitude that he shown towards Atticus of him spitting in his face is connected to today of how people behave today. For example, people write nasty things all over the internet, but the majority of them who right nasty things towards other people, won't have the guts to say those things to the person they were saying it to face to face. This is similar to Bob Ewell in a way of how he says harsh things towards Atticus, but later does something that is not really directly to him, but is involved with him. One example would be Bob attacking Atticus' kids. He didn't do it to him directly, but it sure involved him.
ReplyDeletech.28 pg. 341
ReplyDelete"the weather was unusually warm for the day last of october"
i really like this statement. this weird thing that his happening with the weather is forshadowing that something bad will happen. after that reading this chapter and finding out what happened in the woods proved my theory correct. this also reminds me of us here now. we had that bizzare snow storm in the last few days of october. in maycomb, they had unusually warm weather but in bedford, we had unusually cold weather.
You're right Meredith! Harper Lee uses out of the ordinary weather to foreshadow something bad is coming. We can support this by the incident with Mr. Ewell attacking Scout and Jem
DeleteI do notice that authors tend to do that. wow, what a good observation mer!
DeleteChapter 30, Page 366 "If this thing's hushed up it'll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I've tried to raise him. Sometimes I think I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they've got." In this quote I would really like to just admire Atticus as a parent towards Scout and Jem. He seems to be a doing a very bad job or seems to be a failure as a parent towards Scout and Jem, but really he has done a fantastic job as a parent and should be a role model for parents or fathers everywhere. The way he teaches Scout and Jem lessons on ways to grow up, impacts me as a reader and shows that both Scout and Jem really take his sayings into consideration of how it is the way of growing up. This really connects to me of how I admire my mom and dad of how they taught me how to grow up and be mature and how I admire them of how they really much care for me, the same way as Atticus feels to Scout and Jem. Another to add to is that, Atticus was not alone teaching Scout an Jem to grow up, there were many people around the neighborhood and around town that taught them how to be mature. These people could be Calpurnia, Miss Caroline, Miss Dubose, Aunt Alexandria, Little Chuck Little, and so much more. Atticus though out the whole novel has shown to be the perfect role model for both Scout and Jem.
ReplyDeletech. 29 pg. 362
ReplyDelete"hey, boo," i said.
this was said by scout as she realized who the quiet man standing in the corner was. it was boo radley. boo was the was that picked up, carried and brought jem home while he was unconcious. when scout said this, i thought it demonstrated a great deal of maturity. the way scout was so calm showed that he had realized there was nothing to be afraid of. boo was just a man who helped, a human being even.
ch. 30 pg. 365
"...but dont start anything like that....nobodys hushing this up. i dont live that way"
when atticus heard that bob ewell was dead, he thougt it was jem, defending himself. when the sherrif told atticus that it wasnt jem, atticus didnt want him to cover anything up for him. he wanted jem to live his life without being worried about the whispering that would go around the town and the way people would judge him. this shows a theme of dignity. the way atticus said no, thats not right, it said a lot about his character and the type of guy he is. even the fact that it his own son who could potentially be getting in trouble, he still knows right from wrong.
ch. 31 pg. 376
"...atticus he was real nice." " most people are scout, when you finally see them"
i am so happy that the book ended this way. scout is talking of the charater in the book atticus was reading, but atticus meant boo radley. atticus taught the lesson of stepping into someone elses shoes again. and to not judge a book its cover. scout finally saw the real boo radley and that he was nice, once she got to know him. she know understands boo just a little better than she did before because she finally met him and had a real face-to-face experience with him.
Chapter 31, Page 373 "Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was out neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and out lives. But neighbors give in return." Scout says that she never gave back to Boo Radley because of what the things he has given them. I would respectfully disagree with Scout. For sure, both Jem and Scout never gave back to Boo Radley of items, but they both gave him something of how they communicated with him by the tree. They both gave Boo a feeling to communicate with the outside world, for how he was trapped in his home for seven years. Both Jem and Scout gave Boo friendship and also entertainment of how they use to play games outside the Radley house, and how Boo was watching them. I could agree that Jem and Scout never gave anything back as an item, but really gave something back in a "mental" way. With Scout also saying the neighbors bringing food and flowers with sickness, I think Scout was referring to Miss Maudie's food-the pies and Ms. Dubose flowers that came with her sickness. The neighbors bringing food with death and flowers with sickness act as a symbol of the White Camellia representing peace, forgiveness, and appreciation throughout the community and the symbol of the Mockingbird. It represents the innocence of the characters of Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Jem, and Scout of how they were all innocent during one point in the novel. As for Jem and Scout's last name, Finch, I think their last name indicates that they were vulnerable to the racism in the town of Maycomb. Like a real bird, a Finch is vulnerable comapared to something that is bigger than they are. This comes to similarity of racism being bigger than the family of Finch and innocence.
ReplyDeletechapter 26
ReplyDelete"So many things had happened to us, Boo Radley was the least of our fears. Atticus said he didn't see how anything else could happen, that things had a way of settling down, and after enough time had passed people would forget that Tom Robinson's existence was ever brought to their attention."
i think is foreshadowing
chapter 27
'I don't like it Atticus, I don't like it at all,' was Aunt Alexandra's assessment of these events. 'That man seems to have a running grudge against everyone connected with the case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one-he had his way in court, didn't he?'
bob ewel dont like atticus because atticus made him look like a fool in the court.
chapter 28
Shuffle foot had not stopped with us this time. His trousers swished softly and steadily. Then they stopped. He was running running toward us with no child's steps.
'Run, Scout Run Run Jem screamed
I took one giant step and found myself reelingmy arms useless, in the dark I could not keep my balance.
'Jem, Jem, help me, Jem
i think lee tells this story with alot of clues, lee dont tell the story with direct statements
chapter29
When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears.
scout is not longer afraid of bob. because she knows that he saved her life.
chapter 30
Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. 'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.'
Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?'
'Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?
she compares mrs arthur with a mockingbird and this suprise atticus.
chapter 31
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."
i thik he is saying that you never have to judge a person, before you know what really is happen with them. and knowing the point of view of that person.............
Ch. 27, I'm agree with you Edisson, because, Bob never said the true and he looks like a fool in court.
DeleteCh. 31, I'm agree with you to not judge someone before know what really is happened with them. is more better think, before act.
Chapter 31, page 373: ‘We came to the street light on the corner, and I wondered how many times Dill had stood there hugging the fat pole, watching, waiting, hoping.’ This is thought by Scout, as she is walking Arthur Radley back home. She is thinking about Dill hugging the pole outside of the Radley house, and how many times she and Jem had passed the house. Once Arthur went inside, she never saw him again. Scout is also thinking about how she never gave Arthur anything in return for what he did; he gave them soap dolls, pennies, a watch, some other various objects in the tree, but he also gave Jem and Scout their lives. If it weren’t for Arthur, there is a good chance that Jem and Scout would be dead, and if not dead, then severely injured. Jem and Scout must be so thankful for Arthur. He saved their lives. I think that after this point, any chance of Jem, Scout and Dill acting out a skit about Arthur will not happen. They have too much to thank him for, and he deserves respect. He came out of his house to put little gifts into the tree for Jem and Scout, and he also came out of his house to save them. I think that this must have taken him a lot of courage, and I think that he should be looked highly upon for that. He was just trying to be nice and helpful, which he was. I think that this connects to the reoccurring theme of getting into someone’s skin. If you were to get into Arthur’s skin, I think that you would be able to realize how courageous he must have been to do what he did for Jem and Scout. I think that anyone who risks their life in order to protect someone is a very admirable person, and I believe that Arthur deserves more credit then he gets.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 26, page 329, Miss Gates says, "There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me." I find what Miss Gates said to be very ironic because she’s basically telling these kids that racism is unbelievable and it shouldn't change the way you treat a person. This is probably the last thing you would expect to hear from a Maycomb citizen. When people from Maycomb discriminate about others characteristics in the SAME community, it just shows how hypocritical they are. Why would you send a man to jail that’s innocent and then later, judge Hitler about his hate against another race? THAT’S BEING A HYPOCRITE! It upsets me when stuff like this happen, because even in today’s generation, it’s still happening. I’m not going to lie but I’ve been through a situation that had made me become a hypocrite. I’ve learned my lesson and know to just stay quite. Like my sister always told me “if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say it at all.”
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 page 362 "Hey Boo" says Scout. I know it is short, and it is simple but it really does contribute a lot to the story.This story for the longest time revolved around Boo. PLaying games about Boo, Talking about the Radleys. So many of childhood memories revolve around him. It's like when we were younger and had these obsession and eventually we get older and the illusion is shattered. That is what is happening here. I feel like The fact that Boo has come out is a symbol that they have grown up beyond belief. The Finches went from young naive children to more mature adolecents and Boo represents the end of an era.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26, page 331: "how can you hate Hitler so bad an then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home--" this is what scout says to Jem about Ms. Gates, her teacher. During school, Scout notices Ms. Gates getting really mad about what Hitler was doing to the Jews in Germany. He was putting Jews in concentration camps. Hitler separated Jews because he thought that they were lesser people then everyone else. He was prejudice towards them. But, Scout is really confused. She heard Ms. Gates talking poorly about black people before. Scout doesn't understand how she can hate what Hitler's doing, but then do the same thing to black people IN HER COMMUNITY! Ms. Gates is treating black people lesser then everyone else, just like Hitler does to the Jews. This shows the reoccurring theme of racism. Some people are so racist they don't even realize what they are doing. Ms. Gate clearly didn't know she was kind of being a "Hitler" towards black people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Katie. I especially agree with your statement of how Ms. Gates sort of acts as a "Hitler" towards black people. I think that this is very sad, but true. Even though she might not realize what she is doing, it is still evident through her actions and words.
DeleteWow, it goes to show that Maycomb really is like a snowman... seems like a nice town with nice people and teachers. And then all of the sudden you hear THIS. Even in the eyes of a child what they say is wrong.
DeleteChapter 30 page 367 "If they don't trust me they won't trust anybody" This is another example of the strength of the Finch family unit. Atticus realizes the maturity of his children at this moment, because he trusts them and know they deserve to know the truth. I also love this because he realizes how crucial his relationship with his children is right now. I really love and admire Atticus as a parent. This is just another reason why. Also you don't trust anyone as much as you trust your family. They are your support system and Atticus realizes that nothing can break that.
ReplyDeleteReally good point Sam on how you said your family is your support system and I really liked how you put yourself in Atticus' shoes for a minute of how you said that he knows that his children are maturing and that he knows that they deserve the truth. It also shows how strong their family relationship is between Atticus and Jem and Scout. Really nice response Sam.
DeleteChapter 26, Page 324-325: “And yet I remembered. Two Indian-head pennies, chewing gum, soap dolls, a rusty medal, a broken watch and chain. Jem must have put them away somewhere. I stopped and looked at the tree one afternoon; the trunk was swelling around its cement patch. The patch itself was turning yellow.” Scout says this about the tree where Boo used to use to communicate with the children. Although it seems as though it’s simply a list of items given to the kids, I think it has a symbolic meaning. I think that the tree represents life and the cement put in by Mr. Nathan Radley makes me think of trying to block or stop something. The tree represents Boo’s life and the cement represents Mr. Nathan Radley trying to stop him from living it the way he should. The fact that the tree is beginning to cover the cement also symbolizes that life can over come great challenges.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great thought. I hadn't thought of it that way. I think you're exactly right Kathryn, and without the communication...Boo was pretty much dead.
DeleteAs I was reading chapter 27, it seems to me that Bob Ewell just wants attention! On page 335, Aunt Alexandra says, “That man seems connected with that case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don’t understand why he should harbor one - he had his way in court, didn’t he?” I don’t understand what more he want!? He got Tom to be guilty, but just doesn’t want to let go of the people involved the case. It’s like revenge. First, he accuses Atticus of stealing his job, like NO! That’s your fault for being ignorant. I’m glad he got fired, he deserves it. Second, they say that he killed Judge Taylor. They say one night when Judge Taylor’s wife was at church, he was sitting in his bedroom reading, and the next thing you know, she finds him dead. Lastly, he assaulted Helen Robinson. In this chapter, Link Deas shows great support towards Helen, when Bob gets smart with him. This shows that he’s not going to let Bob get away this time. He’s going to prove him wrong. This chapter reminded me of a kid story I read with my little cousins. These two kids were tired of being bullied and wanted to report the kid, but couldn’t without evidence. So one day they made sure an adult was standing by, so they could prove him wrong and catch him. In all honesty, when you prove someone wrong, the feeling I get is great. Feels like I can actually fight for something. (Not physically fight though.)
ReplyDeleteChapter 27, Page 334: “‘I know every last one of you’s in there a-layin’ on the floor! Now hear me, Bob Ewell: if I hear one more peep outa my girl Helen about not bein’ able to walk down this road I’ll have you in jail before sundown!’” Mr. Link Deas says this after Helen continuously tells him that she is afraid to walk to work on the street where the Ewells lived in fear that she would get hurt. I think that it is both brave and very kind of him to defend Helen and to give her a job, which was especially kind because she didn’t have a husband to help her provide for her family. I think it’s brave because Mr. Ewell seems like the kind of man that enjoys getting revenge on people that have betrayed him or have done something to him.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30 page 361, "I can't live one way in town and another way in my home," said Atticus. Atticus was telling Mr. Tate that he would take Jem to court to clear things and make them right because he believed Jem had killed Mr. Ewell. Atticus said this because he doesn't want to be a hypocrite. He wants to teach his children to be the same person in any kind of situation. In this case, if Jem had killed Mr. Ewell, Atticus would take his child to court and act as if Jem was another of his defendants. He doesn't want to show the impression that just because Jem is his kid, means its alright to do it and not take responsibility for his actions. This is why Atticus says that he must act the same way he would act in court or in town as he would act at home. He is a very noble person that no matter the situation he is always trying to do right, I think this also relates to the theme of letter by the law.
ReplyDeleteChapter 31 page 376, "Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things... Atticus, he was real nice...," said Scout and then Atticus replied, "Most people are Scout, when you finally see them." Scout was getting under her covers getting ready for bed and she was talking to Atticus about the book he had been reading in Jems room. I really like this quote because I think he was talking about Boo Radley. He was trying to prove to Scout that you shouldn't judge someone by what you hear about them, but you should get to know them first before you start talking and opinion about them. I also think that Scout began to realize this lesson because she finally met Boo and turned out that he wasn't what a lot of people said he was like, he turned out to be really nice. This illustrates how great of a parent Atticus is and the theme of value of family because Atticus has influence Scout.
Chapter 30 I"'m not a very good man, sir, but I am sheriff of Maycomb County. Lived in this town all my life an' I'm goin' on forty-three years old. Know everything that's happened here since before I was born. There's a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it's dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch. Let the dead bury the dead. This quote is said by Heck Tate who is the sheriff in the town of Maycomb. In the town of Maycomb the responsibility of Heck Tate is to maintain law and deliver justice to those who deserve it. In this quote Heck Tate is describing how he has been around in this town for as long as he can remember, and he will not leave this town forever. I also think that Heck Tate is trying to explain to Atticus is that not only was Tom innocent but he shall rest in peace and be acknowledged for his humble life that he led. As for Bob Ewell who made a innocent black mans life go away shall not be remembered but be forgotten due to his cowardliness and selfishness towards himself and his family. This can relate to when Hitler died it wasn't sad but people were happy because they knew the man he really was and that was the same thing for Bob Ewell.
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ReplyDeletechapter 26 page 326 "So many things had happened to us, Boo Radley was the least of our fears. Atticus said he didn't see how anything else could happen, that things had a way of settling down, and after enough time had passed people would forget that Tom Robinson's existence was ever brought to their attention." Scout says this. I think that she means that Boo is and was the least of their worries. It also uses a literary element: foreshadowing. I believe it foreshadows that, ultimately, Boo will come back. This statement also shows that Scout has grown up a lot through the book. I can tell this because her outsight in the beginning of the book is not how it is in this speech.
ReplyDeletechapter 27 page 335 "'I don't like it Atticus, I don't like it at all,' was Aunt Alexandra's assessment of these events. 'That man seems to have a running grudge against everyone connected with the case. I know how that kind are about paying off grudges, but I don't understand why he should harbor one-he had his way in court, didn't he?'" In this part of the book, Aunt Alexandra is referring to Bob Ewell. She is worried because Bob wants to fight Atticus for making him look bad in the courtroom. However, Atticus thinks that Bob Ewell won't actually fight him. I think that Atticus is right, but should still be careful around Bob.
chapter 28 page 341 "The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October. We didn't even need jackets. The wind was growing stronger, and Jem said it might be raining before we got home. There was no moon." I think that this was a fantastic way to start this chapter. It symbolizes that things are not how they should be in Maycomb, Alabama. It is also shows how observant Scout is and that is, definitely one of the themes of the book. Everyday, Scout shows growth and maturing. Coming of age is a definite theme in To Kill A Mockingbird.
chapter 29 page 362 "When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears.
'Hey, Boo,' I said." This is the first time that Boo and Scout interact, directly. It is easy to tell that Scout now trusts Boo. He saved her's and Jem's life, which allows her to have faith in Boo. Scout begins to cry at this part, but she is still extremely mature about it.
chapter 30 page 370 "Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. 'Yes sir, I understand,' I reassured him. 'Mr. Tate was right.' Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. 'What do you mean?' 'Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?'" I feel that this must have been very rewarding for Atticus. This truly shows that he got his message across to Scout. His message was and is to never harm something that has never harmed you. I love how Scout did this.
chapter 31 page 374 "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." I love how Scout shows the lessons that she has learned while growing up. I feel that these lessons will only help her to grow older and understand more topics that way beyond her years. Hopefully, someday everything will make sense.
Plus, check out this cool website that shows what Maycomb looks like!!!
http://zsp417.tripod.com/id4.html
Lauryn, I definitely agree that the mentioning of Boo Radley in chapter 26 was in coincidence, it was definitely foreshadowing. I absolutely love that the author acts as though the whole Boo storyline is coming to an end and then shocks you with him when Mr. Ewell is about to attack the children.
DeleteChapter 26, page 324
ReplyDelete“I was now in the third grade, and out routines were so different I was only walked to school with Jem in the mornings and saw him at mealtimes.” I don’t think Scout likes change. I think she in same way wishes everything could just stay the same. She can see changes in Jem and I think she just wishes her brother could be the way he used to when he was always there with her. I can connect to Scout because my brothers going to collage next year and I know I’m going to miss him sometime when he’s gone. When he left to visit his collage I could already feel the change with him not there and I didn’t really like it.
Chapter 27page 335:
“You don’t know if Bob Ewell cut the screen, you don’t know who did it,” said Atticus I think this shows how people in Maycomb just assume things by the way someone is. This also shows that Atticus is a good man and always thinks of others and always wants the best for people. Atticus didn’t just assume Bob Ewell cut the screen since there was no evidence of it. This quote reminded me of when people say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” What you think isn’t always true.
Ch. 26 p. 325 “I’m too old to go chasing you off the Radley property…..you were lucky not to be killed.” I’m agree with Atticus, that he is too old to do that, because now Scout and Jem are not kids as before, they grow up and now they can think more better the things that pass in the world and they can protect themselves from bad things.
ReplyDeleteCh. 27 p. 335 “That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case…he had his way in court, didn’t he?" i think what Scout is trying to say is that Bob only want to revenge because he lost the case, so , sometimes this happen in the people to because they think that they were humbled and they will be humiliated by the rest of their life, so that is a good reason why the people want revenge.
Ch. 28 p. 357 “Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch.” I think this is unfair, what Bob Ewell did, because, he wanted to hurt the most precious treasure that Mr. Fich or the people in the world have, who are their sons. Why them, they not have the blame to what happened with adult people. i think this is the punishment that God give to Bob, giving him the death. Sorry for him.
Ch. 29 p. 362 “It was impolite point” this happened when Scout is telling to Mr. Tate what happened when they were attacked by Bob Ewell, so she sees a man leaning against the wall and she was going to point him with her finger to know who was that person who was leaning against the wall but she remembered what Atticus said, do not point someone with the finger. this is one rule, we learned when we were kids because to point someone with the finger is from bad education, this is only used to point to animals.
Ch. 30 p. 366 “I don't want to lose him and Scout, because they’re all I’ve got.” this is a good example of a father love because they are the only thing, to remember their mother and is the only treasure that no one never want to lose. They are the best gift that God give to the people in the world.
Ch. 31 p. “He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” this is a good example that means that, the parents always would be there in the good times and in the bad time and they feel more safe because Atticus is caring them.
Chapter 31 Scout walks Arnold "Boo" Radley to his porch. (Scout) "He gently released my hand, opened the door, went inside, and shut the door behind him. I never saw him again. ..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." Let me start off by saying that reading this book was a pleasure for me, and it is sad to see it end but you know what they say all good things don't last forever. As for this quote i loved it because not only did Scout get to connect with Boo, but he also got to spend some time with someone she always wished to hang out with. I think for Scout it was probably almost unreal standing on Boo's porch and communicating with him. In my opinion Boo seems like a really nice guy and who knows what he would have already accomplished in his life if he wasn't stuck inside his house.
ReplyDeleteMike, I think you mean Arthur and I really liked when you wrote all good things don't last forever. What a good saying. I definitely agree with the fact that that moment seemed unreal for Scout.
DeleteAs I read chapter 28, I was in shock. I never thought Scout and Jem would have been attacked. But I’m not talking about Cecil; I’m talking about their walk home. They had both been hurt, but Jem was mostly injured. He was unconscious and had a broken arm, while Scout was tangled in wire. As Heck Tate came, he said that Bob Ewell was found under the tree with a knife in his rib. I believe it was Bob, who else would it be!? But the thing that surprised me the most was who saved them!
ReplyDeleteIt surprised me too Natalie. But I mean, I think we were going to see Boo again in the story. He came into the story at just the right time.
DeleteI definitely agree that Boo came into the story at exactly the right time. However, I have to admit that I wish that Miss Harper had written a sequel to this story, perhaps one with a little more Boo and a lot less Bob Ewell.
DeleteIt was only a fantasy. We would never see him. He probably did go out when the moon was down and gaze upon Miss Stephanie Crawford.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26
This is Scout , giving up, she believes that they aren't going to see Boo anymore.
Chapter 31 page 376 "He was real nice...most people are, Scout when you finally see them." This just another great moment in Atticus's parenting.Scout is finally coming to terms with seeing Boo and processing the emotions of seeing him. She is very stunned to the fact that he is a nice respectable man. Atticus is here backing up his constant message of "getting into someone else's shoes", because now Scout is learning to look beyond gossip and speculation. It's just like when you hear rumors about something and instantly dislike them but then finally meet them and they're totally diffrent from what you exspected.
ReplyDeleteChapter 26, page 331. "Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-." Scout claims that she heard Miss Gates and Miss Crawford talking about how they hate Hitler and how he persecutes. Yet, they support the fact that Tom Robinson is being persecuted! This scene demonstrates how people in life are hypocritical; even the ones you learn from. This quote seems to be pretty significant to this chapter. I also believe that it can mean that adults are not always right, and you do not have to have the same opinion as adults. Surely, Scout doesn’t support the persecution of blacks. And she isn’t going to let her teachers’ opinion get in the way of her own. I wanted to make a connection to a vocabulary word from class, “myopic”… the way the teachers are thinking here is very myopic; they realize that Hitler is wrong but they are myopic and fail to see the big picture- they are also wrong for supporting the persecution of Tom Robinson.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27, page 335. “That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case.” This is said by Aunt Alexandra to Atticus about Mr. Ewell. I’m not sure if this is a direct lesson from the story, but this reminded me of the modern saying from our world today, “two wrongs don’t make a right” . Looking at the big picture here, Bob Ewell isn’t doing any good for himself or the town by being all grumpy and creepy and what not. Also, he was wrong of accusing Tom of the terrible crime. Although Bob Ewell has hit pretty much rock bottom, he might as well lighten up because things aren’t going to change if he continues to do wrong.
Chapter 28, page 353. “Agnes, is your father home? Oh God, where is he? Please tell him to come over here as soon as he comes in. Please, its urgent!” In the midst of all the action going on in the Finch household, Aunt Alexandra is found acting very maternal here. Although most would react the way she did in this situation, I think this scene may symbolize her and how she has acted like a mother to Jem and Scout. I read this quote out loud and I also pictured her saying it. It made me feel as if she would do anything for Jem and Scout. This reminded me of my science class. We are learning about how gorillas care about their young. The reason why they care about young is because they are the closest thing the parents have and they want to pass on their genes. And this is true because Scout and Jem are almost like Aunt Alexandra’s kids. Also found throughout the book, Aunt Alexandra was trying to make Scout girlier, which is like Aunt Alexandra’s “genes” in a way.
Chapter 29, page 362. “Hey, Boo,” Although this quote seems insignificant, I thought it was very important. It felt like the climax of the story. I think it also says something about Boo. He only cares about others; not of himself. Looking back into the book, I remember the mysterious part where the blanket was put over the kids by Boo. After that Boo just left, not even allowing them to thank or acknowledge him. The same thing occurred here. He brought Jem home and didn’t even wait to be thanked. I realize that I talk a lot about lessons, but I do think that this is a theme/ lesson in the story: Doing things out of the kindness of your heart; not for any possession or anything. Not only did Boo do this, but Atticus also did. He defended Tom, when he knew there wasn’t much hope.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, page 370. “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird?” Yes, finally. What a great way to end the chapter. As we all know, mockingbirds are a major part of this novel. I believe that when Scout said this to Atticus regarding Bob’s death, I think she meant that Bob himself KILLED the mockingbird. I’m not sure if I’m right but is it possible that Tom Robinson was the mockingbird and Bob, being the sick man he is, killed Tom when he was clearly innocent. How malevolent! This reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Events because Count Olaf is cruel to the children even thought they did nothing wrong.
Chapter 31, page 372. “I was beginning to learn his body English. His hand tightened on mine and he indicated that he wanted to leave.” Reading this made me surprisingly sad. It made me realize of how awkward Boo is. With no contact to the outside world, he loss sense of communication with others. When Scout says this she makes it seem like it’s his only way of communicating. I guess when you’re locked in the basement for a long period of time, things happen. It makes me wonder what Boo would be like if he wasn’t locked up. Once again Boo did everything for others. For some reason it reminded me of Spongebob because he cares so much for Patrick and Squidward and The Krusty Krab. He is not selfish at all!
Chapter 28, page 340:
ReplyDelete“The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October….” I remember talking about something like this in class with snow in Maycomb. We said that the snow was a sigh that something not being right in Maycomb, which was the trail of Tom Robinson. So when I read this line it stood out to me.
Chapter 29, 362:
“His face was as white as his hands, but for a shadow on his jutting chin. His cheeks were thin….” “Hey Boo,” I said. This was Scouts description of Boo Radly, then her saying hi to him. This made me feel sad to think that Boo never got a chance to see the world or make any friends. He was locked up for all those years and never got any color; even his eyes were colorless. When Scout said hi to him, she wasn’t thinking about what others have said about him. She was just saying hi to him like he was a friend and I think Boo really needs a friend that treats him like a friend should.
Chapter 30,page 366:
I don’t want him growing up with a whisper about him, I don’t want anybody saying, ‘Jem Finch…his daddy paid a mint to get him out of that.’…” Atticus says this. This made me think of how good of a dad he is to his children. He thinks of their future and doesn’t want them to be like one of those people in Maycomb that gets this said about them. People just talk to gossip and if anything gets out about Jems dad helping him people will say anything.
Chapter 31, page 372
“His hand tightened on mine and he indicated that he wanted to leave.” When I read this it showed how long Boo has been away from people. He felt awkward and didn’t even know how to react to them. When they said Jems asleep you can touch his head he didn’t know what to do, he was uncomfortable. I feel bad that he was locked up for so long that he doesn’t even know how to react to another person. I know I have one of those moments when someone has said something I didn’t know how to react to it.
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ReplyDeleteChapter 29- "...our neighbors image blurred with my sudden tears." "Hey Boo." This was a really exciting point in the story. It's the first time that Scout has ever seen Boo Radley and I feel like she handled it with maturity and grace. I was quite surprised that she actually began to cry. While I obviously don't know for sure, I feel like maybe she was crying because she was thankful for him. Maybe she realized that he isn't just a crazy mysterious guy, but one with a really good heart. He saved not only her life, but her brothers life too. I feel that her reaction was appropriate and really nice. I'm sure that if she had freaked out, it would have made Boo uncomfortable, so Im glad she handled it with maturity.
ReplyDeleteChapter 28 summary. Jem and Scout are assaulted by Bob Ewell but are then saved by Boo in this chapter. From previous chapters you can tell that Bob Ewell is starting to act up. Bob Ewell wanted revenge but did not have enough guts to face Atticus (the best shot in town) so instead he targeted his innocent kids. This just comes to show how malevolent Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell was also drunk so he most likely didn't fully comprehend what he was doing. This does not give him an excuse though because it was his decision to drink
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 29 Scout soon starts to describe what happened as she walked home to Heck Tate. She then realizes the man at the corner, the one who saved them. On page 362, Scout describes the mans appearance, and then comes to a conclusion that IT’S BOO RADLEY! OHMYGOD! She then says “Hey, Boo.” Although this is only the begging of what is to come, it’s very exciting to see that he finally came out of his house and did something good!
ReplyDeleteChapter 28, Page 341: “The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October. We didn’t even need jackets. The wind was growing stronger, and Jem said it might be raining before we got home. There was no moon.” I think that this is a symbol similar to the unusual snowfall we discussed in class. The weather being unusually warm for the last day of October is similar to the unusual snow fall because they both symbolize something “out of sync” or kind of bizarre and something that’s not really normal. Basically, it shows that something’s out of place. It also shows that something is about to occur that will probably be important and a big event in the book (and it does).
ReplyDeleteChapter 29 summary. We are learn that the man who rescued Scout was actually Boo Radley. Harper Lee describes him as, "His face was as white as his hands... His cheeks were thin to hollowness." Boo Radley appears ghostly and thin. It is fitting for him though because all of the other people in the community think of him as some type of ghost or myth. Him saving Scout and Jem shows how innocence can prevail through cruelty. Scout and Jem seemed doomed but were than saved by a man who really didn't know this world but still knew what was the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteWow Tim, I didn't even think of his paleness as a symbol, but he is somewhat of a ghost in Maycomb. He isn't really ever present in town and I don't think he has many "bizarre" features, so I don't suppose he's easily recognizable and he can probably blend in with the crowd if he really ever had to.
DeleteGreat connection Tim! I liked how your analysis on Boo deal with his pigment in his skin for being kept in his house for such a long period of time and I guess your knowledge of science came to the conclusion that Boo really appears to be a ghost because of his pigment and not going out too often. I guess what the rumors said that he was ghost was somewhat correct.
DeleteTim, I completely agree innocence can prevail over cruelty. This kind of person Boo is is a person with a sense of honor and pride through good deeds and actions.
DeleteChapter 30 Summary/Analysis- This chapter showed me a side of Atticus I have never seen. While he has always been honest, the type of honesty he displayed in this chapter was different. He almost refused to believe that it wasn't Jem who stabbed Bob Ewell, which is very strange for a parent to think. This was really weird to me, but i do understand why he did this. He said that wanted no secrets, he wanted his kids to know the truth. He didn't want people to talk about Jem, and for Jem to be completely oblivious. I think that this was the first time that Atticus ever expressed the slightest bit of fear. He was fearful that if he didn't tell what he thought was the truth, even if it put Jem in a bad light, that his kids would want nothing to do with him. He stated that they were all he had. This was the first time that I saw Atticus not as a hero, but as a normal dad.
ReplyDeleteOn page 370, Scout says “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” I remembered how in class we discussed what amazing abilities a mockingbird has. A mockingbird has the ability to mock any call of any other bird. I also remember how Miss Maudie said it would be a sin to kill one. I noticed that Scout compared Mr. Arthur Radley (Boo) to a mockingbird. Just like a mockingbird, Boo has never harmed a soul. It would be a sin to bring him to trial for the death of Mr. Bob Ewell, who he killed to protect her and Jem. I can honestly say that Scout has a phenomenal understanding of life, and has matured throughout the novel. This relates to Tom and his innocence.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27,Page 336,"You tell Cecil i'm about as radical as Cotton Tom Heflin." In this conversation between Atticus and Scout, we see what kind of attitude Atticus has. He describes himself as Tom Heflin which may give us an idea that he is strong willed but does not go to extremes with what he believes in. Furthermore, in the courtroom we don't see him inflecting his voice or yelling over questioning, but rather a calm person with an open mind as well as soft spoken. Relating this to Dad would most likely make sense because he is yet very aware of situations going on in the world, but he does not try to change others, he sets himself to be an example of what he believes in and what beliefs may be intact. Overall, Atticus Finch may be a great lawyer with much honor, but does not deal with situations aggressively, he uses his facts to explain his thoughts.
ReplyDeleteChapter 28,Page 357,"Bow Ewell's lying' on the ground under the tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up his ribs. He's dead, Mr. Finch." As said by Mr.Tate. This tragic remark by Mr.Tate could again explain whether or not Boo Radley was their to accompany them. The mystery of Boo still remains in the story. Also, Jem and Scout are both by the secret savior who may have killed Bob Ewell. This mystery also relates to what had happened in the book the Kane Chronicles. In the beginning of the book the two teens Carter and Sadie have difficulty figuring out who the man stalking them and their father is. The mystery remained until they were saved at the museum by him and soon revealed that his is their fathers brother, but into relation to them, uncle. This connection between the Kane Chronicles and To Kill a Mocking Bird are both different in ways, but share a common story plot which is a mystery.
Chapter 29,Page 358,"He's good and dead. He won't hurt these children again." As said by Mr. Tate. This statement is true mostly because following Bob Ewells death, the injury by Jem and the concerns of Scout, Atticus, and Aunt Alexandra both explain the situations in which put these two in danger. In spite of that, due to Atticus fighting for Tom Robinson, many people of the town especially Bob Ewell are using this and threatening the lives of Jem and Scout. As we had seen in this last chapter the attempt to kill Jem and Scout by Bob Ewell is a great example of tension in the town. I can relate this to Bob Ewell's full name which is Robert E. Lee which in fact was a general of the Confederate army in the Civil War which may best fit his character due to his attitude toward Tom Robinson and in a more general sense African American.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30,Page 362,"Boo saw me run instinctively to the bed where Jem was sleeping, for the same shy smile crept across his face." As we see here the revealing of Mr. Arther "Boo" Radley, we also see his true personality which in this case is kind hearted and nice which explains why he helped the two children both in time of the fire and when Bob Ewell attacked. Boo is much like a happy ending to a good mystery because the rumors and stories in the beginning of the story look most likely false as compared to him now which is fun loving and a hero. I can relate this to Odysseus because he was a large ego kind of person in the beginning of the story, but as tragic events took place he learned that a true hero is unsung and should be honored with true greatness.
Chapter 31,Page 376,"He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning." As said by Scout. This statement by Scout explains the recovery of Jem and the great thing to know that life is precious and should not be wasted. The recovery of Jem most definitely is good to known in side and most certainly is a good ending to a book, but this line could also must likely relate to Ms. Dubose. I say this because she had a problem of morphine addiction which mostly was meant to be a pain killer which actually drugged her up in order for her to not feel the pain, but that last scene before her death which symbolized going drug free is most like Jem in the sense of not going down without a fight. This relation between the two is most uncommon because in truth, these two were not very fond of each other in the beginning of their relationship.
Reply to Chapter 30, Page 363: Great Connection Harrison! I like how you connected two (male) characters from different types of novels and compared in a way their attitude or behavior. Both characters show a great growth throughout their novels. For Odysseus, his large ego changed to a real, not cocky-type hero. As for Arthur "Boo" Radley, his behavior is seen to change throughout the novel of how he goes outside during Miss Maudie's house fire and puts a blanket over Scout to make her warm. Boo changes from a shy, nervous character, to a less shy, courageous man that helps Jem and Scout from danger.
DeleteChapter 29, Page 362: “‘Hey Boo,” I said.” I think this is one of the most powerful lines in the entire book. I think this because Boo is the main focus of Jem and Scout for quite a while. What I think is incredible about this is that it seems as though Boo knows exactly when to make his entrance back into the world. He comes in when the children need help the most, when someone is trying to kill them. I think it’s amazing that Scout doesn’t get emotional or anything, she just says “hi”, as if she isn’t shocked at all to see him sitting in her living room. It’s like she knew he was a good person who would do good things when they were needed.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the final chapter of this book, I was in shock to see the outcome. Scout says on page 374, "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 relates to the one of the themes we discussed in class “Getting into someone else’s skin.” I think that Scout finally understood Boo and where he’s coming from. She has a better look on things, even her street. Standing on the Radley porch allowed her to see the world from Boo’s point of view. I remember how she was terrified every time she passed the house, but now she recognizes how much she has grown and how much she has learned. This book has been a journey full of many obstacles that has affected everyone. I know that after reading this book, I will be more open-minded on things, and try to see others point of view, just like Scout. I also learned that the littlest things, and/or people can make a big difference. I also hope Jem’s arm gets better! (:
ReplyDeleteChapter 29, page 360: "He was out of his mind." said Atticus.
ReplyDelete"Don't mean to contradict you Mr. Finch-wasn't crazy, mean as hell. Low down skunk with enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children. He'd never have met you face to face.
After Jem and Scout are nearly killed by Bob Ewell on Halloween, Atticus has this conversation with Sheriff Heck Tate. Bob Ewell was found dead with a kitchen knife stabbed through his chest by Mr. Tate and when he returns to the Finches house and examines the costume Scout was wearing when she was attacked, he discovers a clean cut line where it was stabbed. It's lucky Scout wasn't hurt. If Bob's motives weren't clear already, the cuts in Scouts costume make illustrate his intentions. This leaves Atticus bewildered, he never thought Bob would go so low. Even Atticus, with all his wisdom, education and life-experience, doesn't understand everything. It had never occured to him that Bob would go after the children. Atticus didn't know that there were people who kill children. His realization of this is similar to how Scout and Jem are now being subjected to more mature topics now that they are getting older. This is also the first time that we see Atticus completely confused, even when assigned Tom's trial he was able to grasp the situation, but this is too much for him. This shows that you never really "grow up" and know everything. I like how Mr. Tate says that Mr. Ewell was brave enough to kill children but not meet Atticus face to face. Trying to murder children isn't really something that we think about as "brave" but in Bob's situation it was. He was too afraid to go after Atticus so he went after what Atticus holds dearest to his heart, his children. Although, I still don't understand how people can be that evil. Maybe if Bob had some sense of responsibility and the law didn't look the other way for him, he would be a different person.
Chapter 30 Summary/Analysis- Personally, I think this was a really great ending to the book. It continues to emphasize Scout maturing and becoming a really amazing person. She walks Boo home and she realizes all that he has done for her and her family. She them realizes that they have never given anything back to him, which makes her sad. She begins to recall some of her fond childhood memories and how lucky she is to live in a place where she is surrounded by people who love her. I was really proud to see that she was remembering some of the lessons Atticus has taught her, and she even began to apply them to the people in her life. She realizes what an amazing father Atticus is. This final chapter did an outstanding job at expressing how far Scout has come from the beginning of the book.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, Page 365: “Heck, it’s mighty kind of you and I know you’re doing it from that good heart of yours, but don’t start anything like that.” Atticus says this after him and Mr. Heck Tate are discussing what happened on the porch and Atticus is talking about Jem having to go to court. I find it somewhat strange, but it’s also quite understandable because Atticus is a lawyer and was taught to obey the law. Later, him and Mr. Heck Tate get into somewhat of a heated argument about how Jem really didn’t kill Mr. Ewell. He kind of ended up doing it himself. I think that this is somewhat like karma, he got a completely innocent man killed.
ReplyDeleteChapter 30, page 368: "I won't have it," Atticus said softly.
ReplyDelete"I'm not thinking of Jem!" Mr. Tate's boots hit the floorboard so hard the lights in Miss Maudie's bedroom went on.
When Heck Tate testified for the Ewells in court, I thought he was a racist, mean character. How could he side with the Ewells, who had no relatable evidence? Although, when he says this it makes me think that when he testified for Mayella he just didn't know the other side of the story. This line shows that he does care and will protect EVERYONE in Maycomb, not just the whites who think they're superior. Mr. Tate tries to convince Atticus to say that Mr. Ewell fell on his knife in the scuffle, not that he was stabbed. Atticus isn't really putting two and two together and thinks that Jem was the one who stabbed Bob and he says that he will not hide his son's mistakes because it goes against the morals by which Atticus raised him. When Mr. Tate yells that it isn't Jem he's trying to cover up for, it is implied that he means Arthur Radley who really saved the children. After this is said, Atticus realizes that Mr. Tate doesn't want the real story getting out because he doesn't want Boo to be rumored about or get in trouble with Mr. Nathan Radley because he left the house. This is exactly like the blanket incident when Arthur left the house to give Scout a blanket and Atticus told them to keep it a secret. It all clicks for Atticus after that and he agrees to Mr. Tate's story about Bob falling on his knife. In the movie The Lincoln Lawyer, the client guilty of murder who was double crossed by his own lawyer goes after the lawyer's children just like Bob did to Atticus. For me, these lines were some of the strongest in the entire novel.
Chapter 31, Page 372: “Will you take me home?” Boo Radley asks Scout to walk him home. I think he’s doing this for a few reasons. One of the reasons is that he probably doesn’t want to be alone like he usually is. He doesn’t want someone to talk to, he just wants some company. Another reason is that he may not know the way back to his house. He hasn’t been out of it in years and I’m not completely sure that I’d know where to go either. I think that Scout agrees to walk him home because she appreciates that he helped her brother and that he’s safe at home.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, I strongly agree with you and you do make a great point of how Boo would either be lonely or wouldn't be able to find his way home because of how he was kept in his home for seven years. I too would be in the same situation, of asking someone who is somewhat a stranger to me if I was locked in my house for seven years. I also like how you said in a way that it was a "Thank You" from both Jem and Scout for Boo saveing their lives.
Deletechapter 31, page 372: I led him to the front porch, where his uneasy steps halted. He was still holding my hand and he gave no sign of letting me go. "Will you take me home?"
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this, I actually cried. These few words are barely whispered and are all we hear out of Arthur Radley, yet they say so much. As Scout holds his hand and takes him home, you really get a sense of how detrimental being inside has been for Arthur. He is an adult being towed around by Scout as if she was his mother. This short sentence also shows how scared Arthur is to be outside his home, and maybe how scared he is to return to it. Mr. Nathan took the time to fill a tree with cement so that Arthur wouldn't be able to communicate with the outside world. What will Mr. Nathan Radley do if he learns Arthur was outside? Arthur is definitely my favorite character in the novel. I love how Harper Lee describes him as sheet white and shaky. The imagery is very strong in this chapter. Even though he isn't outspoken, his actions and features give you a better insight into his life than some of the characters who do speak. It's like they say, actions speak louder than words. This may be one of my favorite stories of all time.
Leah, I'm not completely sure that he will be punished for leaving, because how would Mr. Nathan find out? He might find out in town, but no one knows except for Scout, Jem, Atticus, Alexandra, and Heck, so I don't think it will. I definitely agree that the imagery in this chapter is incredible. You can truly see the scenes and imagine you're standing right there with him.
Deletechapter26 page 329 "There are no better people in this world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn't think so is a mystery to me." Now, while this may seem like a very insignificant quote to some people, i found to be very intresting. This is a very biased statement especially for a teacher. i dont know if Harper Lee did this on purpose but it's not something i'd expect to see in the book. I could be over thinking this, but it is intresting to see al the hatred toward the black community, and to hear this statement about how there are "no better people in this world" then the Jews. So to me this was quite intresting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely Erik, on how this quote is interesting. I also found that it was ironic that the class discussed this subject because of how like you said in your blog, that there are "no better people in this world". If you think about it, the people in the town of Maycomb really say the same things about Blacks. They are looked down upon and face racism almost everyday.
DeleteChapter 26- Page 324 “Jem was in seventh grade and went to high school…” When I first read this, I had to re read it a few times. It was right at the beginning and really stood out. I found it strange that seventh grade was high school. If I had to go to High School in seventh grade, I would not have been ready. Some people by ninth grade aren’t even really ready for high school, I could never imagine being ready in seventh grade, with no transition from Elementary school. It would be interesting to go back then, to see just how different their lives were form ours toady.
ReplyDeleteChapter 27- Page 332 “…fired from the WPA for laziness.” Here, Scout explains one of the three ‘out of the ordinary’ things that happen in Maycomb at the time, is that Bob Ewell got a job and lost it almost as quick as he got it. I found this quote very important to Bob’s character and his family in general. It is a great example of how Bob is a very bad role model for his many kids. It is obvious then learn many lessons, bad ones, form their father. They must have been proud he got a job, but it just made it worse than before that he couldn’t hold it for being lazy. Bob is just setting his kids up to live a bad life and get nowhere.
Chapter 28- Page 343 “…the whole town was there except… the usual outcasts and shut-ins…” This is where Scout is explaining how almost everyone was in the auditorium. This particular part reminded me of a part in a book I’ve read a few times, called “Switched”. At the beginning of the book, there is a school dance, and even though it’s pretty lame, almost everyone goes, but the kids who don’t really fit in. It must be hard for the outcasts, not being able to go to such a social event. Especially like something in Maycomb, where the town is so small, everyone knows everything about everyone. Bedford may be a small town, but not nearly the same as Maycomb.
Chapter 29- Page 358 “His age was beginning to show, his one sign of inner turmoil…” This is describing Atticus at the beginning of chapter 29. Atticus may be older, but I think that helped him be an even better father. My own parents are a little older then most, but I think it was good. They will always do the right thing. Atticus is an excellent father, and teaches Scout and Jem things that younger parents couldn’t or would do wrong. He will never make a stupid decision, and will always be there as a role model.
Chapter 30- Page 369 “Let the dead bury the dead.” This is said by Heck Tate about how Bob Ewell was the one who ended up being responsible for Tom Robinson’s death, and now he is dead. This quote in itself was just amazing. But the reasoning before it was an example how racism can be ironic. Bob Ewell may have felt he got justice, winning the case and tom eventually dying, but it backfired on himself. I feel like it might be some sort of karma, or consequences for blaming an innocent man. It just shows how bad racism is, and really doesn’t accomplish anything.
Chapter 31 “The main part of this short chapter is about Boo and Scout. He never says anything, but he walks around with Scout as she talks to him. Even though Boo came from a horrible and strict family, he still came out. He may have made some bad decisions in his life, but this was a part of him that followed what he wanted to do and htought was wrong, unlike his brother. His little visit with Scout, even though he went back home after, would change his life forever. He would feel that he did something, and may even come out again some day since he knows he has the courage. Scout was also changed forever, because she realized that Boo wasn’t some crazy murder or like his brother. He was a special person with his own personality, and they would both never be the same.
Chapter 27 page 338 "Jem considered himself too old for halloween anyway; he said he wouldn't be caught anywhere near the highschool at something like that." Here is yet another case of Jem showing his maturity and how he continues to become more like a man. His maturation as a man in the book has been great to see and it really shows a lot about his character and about Atticus and how he's raised him. Also, Jem and Scouts relationship has been very close but i think as Jem gets older he starts to dismiss doing activities with Scout but still have a very stong relationship.
ReplyDeletechapter 28 page 341 "THE WEATHER WAS unusually warm for the last day of October...and Jem said it might start raining before we got home. There was no moon." I feel like this is another instance in which it's almost forshadowing something strange. We've had these kind of things before, like when it unusually snowed in Alabama. Many things have happened in Maycomb and i think there is still some tension around so i would hope by the end of the book, everything starts to become a normal town again.
ReplyDeletechapter 29 summary/analasis. This chapter didnt seeme to answer many questions to me. It seems like they formally introduce you to Boo, but everyone says the person is only Mr. Radley. Scout is the only person to see what happened to Mr.Ewell so i have a feeling that if she saw Boo, then it may be true. There isn't much to take from this, because its a lot of empty questioning, but soon we should see what happens
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