Secondary Two Language Arts 2013

Literature – To Kill a Mockingbird

Study Notes

Courage/ Moral Courage

- Jem displays a significant amount of courage. Boo Radley is depicted as a malevolent phantom in the imagination of the children. Their perception of Boo, as of according to Jem:

"He goes out, all right, when it's pitch dark. Miss Stephanie Crawford said she woke up in the middle of the night one time and saw him looking straight through the window at her … said his head was like a skull lookin' at her. Ain't you ever waked up at night and heard him, Dill? He walks like this-" Jem slid his feet through the gravel. "Why do you think Miss Rachel locks up so tight at night? I've seen his tracks in our back yard many a mornin', and one night I heard him scratching on the back screen, but he was gone time Atticus got there."

“Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained-if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.”

Boo Radley dominates the imaginations of the children as even less than a human. As of Jem’s description, he is deemed to be a frightening monster that refuses to step out of his house, leaving Boo Radley significantly shrouded in mystery. The children fear him, as can be shown from Jem’s morbid description of him

Dill made a bet with Jem that challenged Jem's courage. Rather than look like a coward, Jem took the bet to touch the Radley house although he was afraid to do it. He couldn't allow Dill and Scout to think him a coward because his courage was a source of pride. Jem, “In all his life, Jem never declined a dare.” And he wanted “Dill to know once and for all that he wasn’t scared of anything.” For a child of Jem’s age to confront his fears, even for the sake of dares, is a show of bravery and courage. Though one argue that the courage Jem shown was a stupid and childish courage – one that developed out of pride, it is still a show of courage, for mustering the courage to bravely carry out a dare, especially if it was one of Jem’s greatest fear of the Radley place, the fact that Jem had the courage to stand up to his fears shows that he possesses bravery at heart.

- Jem’s perceptions of courage changed throughout the course of chapters 1 - 16, as he began to mature. In the beginning of the novel, Scout mentioned that Jem had "never declined a dare" in his entire life, which exhibits his childish perceptions of courage, that courage was merely accepting to dares presented to him. In addition, he "loved his honour more than his head", which exhibits his stupidity rather than his bravery, because this shows that he accepts dares blindly and never thought about neither his safety nor consequences of performing a dare. His new-found 'bravery' led him to commit ridiculous

acts of 'courage', such as running up to the Radley's Place, touching it, and running back because he "wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn't scared of anything". This was obviously not respected and tolerated by adults in Maycomb, evident from Atticus' response to the children causing a ruckus in the Radley's Place by warning Jem to "mind your(his) own business and let the Radleys mind theirs".

- Jem comes up with the Boo Radley game to prove his bravery out of pride. As can be seen from “Jem’s head at times was transparent: he had thought that up to make me understand he wasn’t afraid of Radley’s in any shape or form, to contrast his on fearless heroism with my cowardice” This shows the importance of courage to Jem, he cultivates it, and progresses from weakly accepting a dare to touch the Radley house to retrieving a tire from the house, to finally creating the Boo Radley game.

- Curiosity finally got the better of Dill and Jem, and it created in them the courage to sneak up to the Radley house to peer in the windows until they got caught and had to run away . On a different note, Dill’s part in getting the note to Boo Radley presents a different side of “bravery”. “If anyone came along, Dill would ring the bell.” Yet, despite the fact that Jem is taking the greater risk, Dill admits almost gleefully that the whole plan is his idea, saying “It’s my idea. I figure if he’d come out and sit a spell with us he might feel better.

- Jem’s actions in helping Dill and Scout to get away when they were nearly caught when scouting out the Radley Place displays his great courage, that even as a young boy, he kept himself together despite his immense fear to protect the younger children. He outs himself, in this instance, in peril three times: trying to take a look at Boo Radley, helping Scout and Dill to escape, and later returning to the Radley Place to retrieve his pants. Even though he and Dill feared Boo Radley, out of childish bravery, they faced their fears.

- Because Jem didn't want to disappoint Atticus, he was forced to go back to the Radley place to retrieve his pants so that he wouldn't have to explain where he'd lost them. Although he knew it was dangerous and he was scared to go, Jem went to the Radley place because the courage to go there was easier to summon than the courage to face Atticus and tell him that Jem had flat-out disobeyed him. His pride drove him more than the fear of punishment. Despite knowing that he might face the chance of getting shot by Mr Radley, he would rather endanger his life rather than disappoint Atticus (out of love and respect for his father, value of his father’s opinion of him; seeks approval), This in itself is an immense show of courage, although it may appear stupid and reckless.

- Atticus shows his principles and strong moral courage in choosing to defend Tom Robinson. Certainly, Atticus was aware that taking up the case would make him an object of ridicule and displeasure among the people in Maycomb. Yet, he chose to do so because of his strong moral standing, and because he believed that it was the right thing to do. This can be shown from how he says “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”, “Because I could never ask you to mind me again. Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine I guess. You may hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t let them get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.” When Scout asks Atticus if they are going to win the case, Atticus responds “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to not try to win.” From his words, we learn that Atticus is a man of strong moral courage. He firmly believes in what he is right, and in doing this, he will courageous enough to face whatever challenges he may have to pursue that very thing which may not even guarantee a victory for him. Atticus believes that courage is something that comes about when one is willing to go ahead and do the best he can to get a go at something, and is not afraid to try despite the possibility of failure. Later on, Scout walking away from Cecil Jacobs also shows that she has learned a thing or two about courage: she faces Cecil Jacob’s taunts with courage and courageously makes the decision to walk away from a fight, even though it is her first time doing so, and Cecil Jacob mocks her, because she believes in upholding what Atticus has taught her. That takes courage, to put down one’s pride.

- Atticus showed his children that he was a courageous man when he stepped into the street to face down a rabid dog. Having not touched a gun in years, and that one false move might send the dog harming someone, he took up the precarious situation and mustered the courage to do the right thing at the right time, and that was to protect the people. Although he didn't consider the act particularly courageous and was completely uninterested in proving anything to his children, Jem and Scout were proud of, and impressed by, his courage in such a precarious situation. But shooting something wasn't really Atticus' idea of courage. He viewed courage on a more intellectual level, as a moral thing, not as something that can be proved with a weapon.

- Scout wasn't really sure what got into Jem to make him so bold as to destroy Mrs Dubose's camellias when it was a well-known rumour that she was armed with a Confederate pistol at all times. Although Jem was familiar with the rumour, his rage pushed him beyond caring that he might be hurt or get into trouble because Mrs Dubose had bad-mouthed Atticus, and Jem just couldn't take it. His fury made him bold enough to wreak havoc in her yard with little regard for the consequences.

- Atticus uses Mrs Dubose as an example of true courage to show Jem that courage isn't a man with a gun, but someone who fights for what's right whether he or she wins or not. As a sick and dying old woman, Mrs Dubose had every right to take the morphine drug and live her last few months in comfort and in peace “to make things easier”. However, she had a goal to be rid of her morphine addiction, and died “beholden to nothing and nobody”. She followed her principles and went the other way because she was “much too contrary”, even if it meant going through pain to overcome her addiction. This illustrates that in spite of Mrs Dubose’s vileness, there’s a good in every man and for Mrs Dubose, it was her strength and courage in spirit and in belief. To achieve her goal, whether or not she would be able to kick off her addiction, Mrs Dubose went all out to overcome it anyway. She did not fear death; she challenged death due to her perseverance to leave the world free of addiction. To Mrs Dubose, Atticus says “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to my views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.”

- When Jem goes to Mrs Dubose, Atticus tells Scout that “I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man” To which Scout responds “Well, most folks seem to think that they’re right and you’re wrong…” Atticus then says “They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by the majority rule is a person’s conscience” From this, Scout learns that standing up for one’s own views and having to courage to believe in your own views, and having the moral courage to stand up for what is right even when everyone else says otherwise, is important.

- Atticus went to the jailhouse to protect Tom Robinson from the mob he knew was coming for him. Atticus waited outside Tom Robinson’s jail cell. He knew that there would probably be a mob, and he even later told Jem that they might have hurt him a bit, but he knew that he could not leave Tom alone. His sense of justice was stronger than his fear for himself, so he sat with Tom, prepared to defend him from whoever would punish him for a crime he didn’t commit. Although he was alone against several men, Atticus held his ground until his children showed up. Only then did Atticus seem truly afraid because they were in danger. He'd expected to get roughed up a little in the struggle to protect Tom Robinson, but he never imagined that his children would be in the way. That's when his courage failed him, but Scout's complete innocence saved them all.

- Scout also displays courage when she is faced with the angry lynch mob outside the jail house of Tom Robinson. She was merely a girl, who, though did not know the truth of the mob at that time, had the bravery and the courage to face a group of seemingly angry and grown men, and in her act of bravery, prevented anyone from getting hurt. Jem’s insistence on staying with his father also displays courage. Even though he was more

mature, and probably knew more about what was going on, he refused to leave his father’s side and faced the mob together with his father, instead of going home out of fear

- Atticus has the courage to complete the things that other people fear to take up. As can be shown from:

o The cartoon in The Montgomery Advertiser “above the caption “Maycomb’s Finch”. It showed Atticus barefooted and in short pants, chained to a desk: he was diligently writing on a slate while some frivolous girls yelled “Yoo-hoo!” at him”

o Miss Maudie says “I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.” And “We’re the safest folks in the world. We’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus to go for us.”

o Aunt Alexandra says “I mean this town. They’re perfectly willing to let him do what they’re afraid to do themselves – it might lose ‘em a nickel. They’re perfectly willing to let him wreck his health doing what they’re afraid to do, they’re – “

He selflessly and courageously does the things people are afraid to do.

- Heck Tate finally stepped out of the shadows and did the right thing at the very end. He hadn't been able to do it in the Tom Robinson case, but this time he refused to lie down and let an injustice occur. Although he had to lie to protect Boo Radley, he knew that keeping his role in Bob Ewell's death a secret was the right thing to do, and he did it.

- When Mrs Maudie's house burned and even that she continued to smile and reassured the children. “Miss Maudie looked around, and the shadow of her old grin crossed her face. “Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard. Just think, I’ll have more room for my Azaleas now!”

- Another form of courage is Boo Radley. He rescued the Jem and Scout when they were being attacked by Ewell at the end of the novel even if he was inside his house as he considered them as his own children, and therefore ready to risk his life for them. He had not come out of the house for as long as almost everyone could remember, and taking the bold step out to protect the children was a true show of courage, and in protecting them he risked his own life to confront a knife-wielding Bob Ewell.

- Upon entering adolescence, Jem began to show acts of moral courage. Such an example is when Dill was found hiding under Scout's bed when he fled home, and his first reaction was to inform Atticus, as Dill "ought to let your (his) mother know where you are (he was)". This was a turning point in Jem's maturity in his perception of courage, as he was able to put himself in the shoes of Dill's parents and he knows that they will be worried. Showing moral courage, he "broke the remaining code of childhood", and even though it was not in favour of Dill and Scout, he stood up and related to Atticus about the issue. From this occasion, we

can draw similarities with Atticus, who went against the ordinary and what was deemed 'popular' by the Maycomb community, and took up the trial to defend a Black man, Tom Robinson, just like how Jem went against Dill and Scout to do what is right. This brings us to understand that moral courage is having the courage to do what is right, and not what is popular, even though it might anger those around you.

- Atticus is a principled lawyer who was a role model in the novel. Despite being called "nigger-lover" by many people in Maycomb, he still had the moral courage to take up the Tom Robinson case and defend Tom Robinson. He even mentioned that he would not be able to tell Jem and Scout "to not do anything" anymore should he give up on the trial case. This shows his determination to continue with the trial. Similarly, despite also having "one black man's words" as evidence against the Ewells (whites), he knew he was fighting a losing battle, and had "everything to lose" according to Link Deas and even Francis echoed Aunt Alexandra's rant about being "never be able to walk on the streets on Maycomb again". Despite setbacks after setbacks, Atticus still managed to muster enough moral courage to take up the case head-on, and persevere until truth be told. Another incident of Atticus' bravery can be seen from the Tom Robinson lynch mob confrontation when he was confronted by Mr. Cunningham and his gang. He practically used himself as a human shield to protect Tom Robinson at all cost, being his "client". Even Mr. Underwood had to cover Atticus with his "double-barreled shotgun" from his office above the jail, which depicts the seriousness of the confrontation, but despite that, Atticus remained strong and steadfast. If not for Scout's innocence which diffused the tension later, it could have ended in a bloody fight. This shows that Atticus is not afraid of dire consequences such as death, as long as he does what is morally right.

- Many people, including Jem and Scout when they’re young, mix up courage with strength. They think that courage is the ability and willingness to use strength to get your way. But Atticus defines courage as “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Courage, in To Kill a Mockingbird, is not about winning or losing. It’s about thinking long and hard about what’s right instead of relying on personal prejudice or gut reaction, and then doing what’s right whether you win or lose. To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with examples of courage, from Mrs. Dubose’s fight against her morphine addiction, to Atticus’s determination to face down the racism of the town, to Mr. Underwood’s willingness to face down his own racist feelings and support what he knows, in the end, is right.

- “Mr B. B. Underwood was at his most bitter, and he couldn’t have cared less you cancelled advertising and subscriptions. (But Maycomb didn’t play that way: Mr Underwood could holler till he sweated and write whatever he wanted to, he’d still get his advertising and subscriptions. If he wanted to make a fool of himself in his paper that was his business.) Mr Underwood didn’t talk about the miscarriages of justice, he was writing so children could understand. Mr Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing,

sitting or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children and Maycomb thought he was trying to write an editorial poetical enough to be reprinted in the Montgomery Advertiser” In the beginning, Atticus mentions about Mr Underwood: “You know, it’s a funny thing about Braxton, He despises, Negroes, won’t have one near him.” Yet, in the end, he overcame his racial prejudices to express his views on what he thought was right, without caring about other’s opinions, or whether or not he was to lose business. To stand up, and voice his own views on the matter that majority of folks probably disagreed with took great courage, that especially since he was overcoming his own prejudices, to stand up for what he thought was right.

- Lastly, Maycomb County also do present some forms of courage, as depicted by the scene of the fire breaking out in Miss Maudie's home. The people of Maycomb, in all codes of "dress and undress", and without hesitation, helped to shift "furniture" to "a yard" across her house. This shows that the people of Maycomb, who just woke up from sleep, who regardless of their dress code, went to help Miss Maudie, illustrating the courage and cohesion in Maycomb. Hence, it can be once again proved that there is good in everyone, despite the many flaws of Maycomb (such as their prejudice against blacks), the people are also courageous and helpful in times of crisis.

Racial Discrimination

- In Chapter 4, when Jem discusses about the haints, Scout responds “Don’t you believe a word he says, Dill, Calpurnia says that’s nigger talk.” From this quote, it can be seen that Blacks and Whites separate from each other by their speech. Calpurnia doesn’t want the white Finch children to talk like the black community or buy into their suspicions. Although she also separates white characteristics from black characteristics, this does not mean that

she is agreeable or supportive of the segregation. Rather, she acts the way that is consistent with life then, and imparts this to the children.

- This racism appears to be as natural to the people of Maycomb as breathing. Early in the novel, Scout along with her brother Jem and their neighbor Dill decide to peek into the window of the home of Boo Radley, the neighborhood "boogey-man". Their antics alert Nathan Radley, Boo's older brother, who fires a rifle to scare off the unknown intruder. When the neighbors gather to find the source of the commotion, they automatically assume the prowler is black, saying “Mr Radley shot a Negro in his collard patch.” Neither Mr Radley nor the neighbours had evidence that the trespasser was black, yet they make their assumptions based on their perception of Afro Americans, which was a prejudiced and biased view. When asked if the prowler had been shot, Miss Stephanie gives the following reply. "Shot in the air. Scared him pale, though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that's the one. Says he’s got another barrel waitin’ for the next sound he hears in that patch, an’ next time he won’t aim high, be it dog, nigger or – Jem Finch!”" (Lee 54). The racial slur is spoken as casually as if she were speaking about the weather. She suggests through “dog” that blacks are relegated to the worth of animals.

- The snowman that the children built in chapter eight is a symbolism of how blacks are treated in Maycomb. Scout, in this instance, is also, though not with ill intent, is guilty of using racial slurs. In this case, she remarks “Jem, I ain’t ever heard of a nigger snowman.” The snowman is analogous to the way black are treated in Maycomb. Blacks aren’t judged by their own merit, but on their relationships with white people in town, just like how the mud man isn’t to be admired until he becomes a snowman. The symbolism of the colours, black and white on the snowman, may suggest

o Since the snowman has to be made of black and white soil/ snow, it suggests that black and white must work together in society to have successful coexistences.

o The colours black and white foretells what happens later in the booko At first, the snowman resembles Mr Avery. He is a crude character in the story,

behaving in the way blacks are “supposed” to behave, yet, he is white. Similarly, the snowman is “white” on the outside, and “black” on the inside. We are all equal, and deep down, everyone is the same, there is no superiority over one another. This also suggests that stereotypes are not representative of all the people from the same group.

o Things are not always as they seem. Appearance vs. Reality. The snowman is made of mud, but covered in snow.

o Superiority of blacks over whites (white snow covers black snow)o Foundations of white society based on black layer

- When Calpurnia goes to warn the Radleys about the mad dog, Scout remarks “She’s supposed to go round the back,” This shows the lower class standards of the blacks during that time period. Scout, at a tender age, recognises that different rules apply to blacks and white, although she does not see that these rules are demeaning and unfair.

- Aunt Alexandra’s treatment to Calpurnia also illustrates the racial discrimination at that time, in which most whites deemed themselves as superior to the blacks. When Aunt Alexandra first arrives at the household, instead of greeting Calpurnia, the first thing she says to her to command her in a derogatory manner to “Put my bag in the front bedroom, Calpurnia,” as though Calpurnia owes her something. This however, illustrates how blacks, by society’s standards, are obliged to listen to the whites and always give in to them. Later, she also tells Atticus that Atticus had to “do something about her (Calpurnia)” and tells Atticus to let Calpurnia leave, “And don’t try to get around it. You’ve got to face it sooner or later and it might as well be tonight, we don’t need her now.” To which, Atticus responds “Alexandra, Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn’t have got along without her all these years. She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have to accept things the way they are. Besides, sister, I don’t want you working your head off for us – you’ve no reason to do that. We still need Cal as much as we ever did” as well as “Besides, I don’t think the children’ve suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything she’s been harder on them in some ways than a mother would have been…she’s never let them get away with anything, never indulged them the way most coloured nurses do. She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Calpurnia’s lights are pretty good – and another thing, the children love her.” This shows the stark contrast between Atticus and Alexandra, and their views on race differ.

- The scene in the court house highlights the racial segregation in Maycomb. o “They waited patiently at the door behind the white families.” This shows that in

the society, it was of an unspoken social rule that whites had to always have the upper hand, and that they were always superior and better, while the blacks were lesser beings thus expected to give in to any white man because of the racial discrimination.

o “The critics of the court house business also mentioned “Lemme tell you somethin’ now, Billy,” a third said, “you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger,” “Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it.” This shows that there is a widespread assumption that any black man who associates with a white man is out of norm (e.g. Dolphus Raymond and Atticus) The unhappiness at this shows the racial segregation in Maycomb.

o “The Coloured balcony ran along three walls of the court room like a second story veranda, and from it we could see everything.” At fact that there was a separate place at all for the black community at all shows racial discrimination and segregation. Segregation was not just the norm, but also the law. Blacks at that time were often given separate places to sit, often used separate entrances, used separate rooms, separate drinking fountains, etc.

- Chapter 25 presents an ironic view to the story. The ladies of the Maycomb Alabama Methodist Episcopal Church South, despite preaching about their religion, were hypocrites. While they proclaimed God’s word on forgiveness and understanding, they deemed the blacks in their own community to be lesser, as can be seen from how the ladies perceived Helen at fault, instead of Miss Mayella. “At least we don’t have that sin on our shoulders

down here. People up there set ‘em free, but you don’t see ‘em sittin’ the table with em’. At least we don’t have the deceit to say to ‘em yes you’re as good as we are but stay away from us. Down here we just say you’ll live your way and we’ll live ours. I think that woman, that Mrs Roosevelt’s lost her mind – just plain lost her mind coming down to Birmington and tryin’ to sit with ‘em…”

- Chapter 26 presents an ironic point of view of the story. When Cecil Jacobs presents his current event on Hitler and the Jews, Miss Gates introduces democracy, to which Scout defines as “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none!” Miss Gates goes on to say that America is a democracy, unlike dictatorship in Germany. Miss Gates also says “Over here, we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced. Pre-ju-dice. There are no better people in the world than the Jews, and why Hitler doesn’t think so is a mystery to me.” Ironically, Scout recounts that “Well, coming out of the court-house that night Miss Gates was – she was goin’ down the front steps in front of us, you musta not seen her – she was talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard her say it’s time somebody taught /em a lesson, they were getting 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 to folks right at home - ?” Conversely to what Miss Gates says about the lack of prejudice in Maycomb, Maycomb is indeed steeped in prejudice and severe racial discrimination, except while this time it isn’t a single person bringing harm upon a particular race, it is the community. Miss Gates response fairly drips with irony: "'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.'" Miss Gates is oblivious to the fact that African Americans have always and continue to be persecuted in the south. She also seems unaware that early slaves were unwillingly driven from Africa, and worse, are often excluded from their own communities 90 years since the end of slavery. The fact that Miss Gates offers no recognition of the terrible treatment that blacks in Maycomb endure is amplified by her statement outside the classroom, "'it's time somebody taught 'em [African-Americans] a lesson, they were gettin' way above themselves, an' the next thing they think they can do is marry us.'" At least this irony isn't lost on Scout, but unfortunately the vast majority of Maycomb would agree with Miss Gates.

Tom Robinson Trial

- In chapter 9, the novel’s focus moves away from Boo Radley to the drama of the trial. It is in this chapter that racial discrimination begins to be shown more clearly. Because Atticus is defending a black man accused of raping a white woman, the townspeople are displeased with Atticus, displaying their anger and displeasure. Jem and Scout become targets as well. The townspeople, and even Atticus’ own family, suddenly turn against them, and the racist underbelly of Southern life exposes itself. Cecil Jacobs “announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers” and later mocks Scout, saying, “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that nigger oughta hang from the water tank!” This shows the derogatory manner in which some whites view the blacks, assuming all of them guilty, and believing that none of them have the right to defend

themselves. They also dislike any whites associating with the black community, further highlighting the racial segregation and discrimination in Maycomb.

- Francis also antagonizes Scout, saying “If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that’s his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family.” And “Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk in the streets of Maycomb again.” This suggests that as a white, associating with a black, much less helping him, is deemed to be shameful, disgusting and disgraceful. This shows the racial discrimination in the book.

- Later, Atticus also mentions “It couldn’t be worse, Jack. The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells.” Even against the Ewells, the lowest of the low and the scum of society, the society would rather take the side of a despicable white man than a good black man.” Even though the evidence later completely points away from Tom Robinson. Despite the lack of evidence, the jury and town is reluctant to take the word of a black man over two white accusers. The white jury still refuses to declare the innocence of a black man over a white resulting in the most blatant testimony to the fact that the town of Maycomb held racial discrimination above justice. Through its decision the town essentially kills a mockingbird. Tom Robinson was a man who did no harm to others but instead actually helped others out of kindness - a mockingbird who becomes victim to a racist society.

- In Chapter 11 Mrs Dubose shrieks insults about Atticus: “Not only a Finch waiting on tables, but one in the court house lawing for niggers!” and “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!”

- The angry mob at the jail: This incident illustrates how the white men are not willing to allow Tom Robinson to speak for himself. In contradiction to the “innocent until proven guilty” law, the mob of men assumes that Tom Robinson is guilty before the trial even commences. They want to lynch him out of severe hatred, racial discrimination and intense hatred on their part. Simply because he is a black man, they do not think he deserves the assumption of innocence, they do not think he deserves a trial at all, and try to take matters into their own hands, acting extra judiciously.

- Before the trial commences, a large crowd of people show up, illustrating the impact of the case on Maycomb. Some people are curious, while most of them are just coming to make sure justice is served, and the only justice most of them can accept is Tom Robinson’s acquittal. From the scene outside the courthouse: “It was a gala occasion. There was no room at the public hitching rail for another animal; mules and wagons were parked under every available tree. The court house square was covered with picnic parties sitting on newspapers, washing down biscuit and syrup with warm milk from fruit jars. Some people were gnawing on cold chicken and cold fried pork chops. The more affluent chased their food with drugstore Coca-Cola in bulb-shaped soda glasses. Greasy-faced children popped

the whip through the crowd, and babies lunched at their mother’s breasts. In a far corner of the square, the Negroes sat quietly in the sun, dining on sardines, crackers, and the more vivid flavours of Nehi Cola.” This shows the segregation between the whites and the blacks, and even the different standards of living. The whites get considerably better food to eat, while the blacks do not.

- “Mr Finch, if you was a nigger like me, you’d be scared too.” The blacks seem to know the authority that the whites have over them, that they can get into serious trouble in situations like this, and that their credibility and word is nothing against a white man’s, which is why Tom Robinson chose to make a run for it.

- Mr Gilmer’s cross examination of Tom Robinson was extremely condescending, which shows the discrimination against blacks. Most whites, like Mr Gilmer, thought themselves in the position to mock and humiliate the blacks simply because they were superior, while the blacks were of lower castes. Unlike Atticus’ respectful address of Mayella Ewell, Mr Gilmer addresses Tom Robinson as “Robinson” and “boy”, even though Tom was a grown man, as though he were speaking to a child. While Atticus said nothing and treated Mayella in a cordial manner when she shrieked her head off at him, Mr Gilmer doesn’t, when Tom simply speaks the truth, he remarks rudely “Are you being impudent to me, boy?” When Tom Robinson remarks that he felt sorry for Mayella and out of goodwill, helped her, the whites in the court room did not like his response, “Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer” and even Tom himself realised his mistake, “shifted uncomfortably in the chair.” This shows that the whites deem themselves as superior, and would most certainly not be willing to admit that they were in a lower position that they needed to receive help from a Negro, supposedly of a lower caste than them in society. This shows racial segregation. Mr Gilmer’s meanness and condescension to Tom is so apparent that even Dill, at his tender age, is able to sense the hatred even though he may not specifically know what is going on, saying “That old Mr Gilmer doin’ him thataway, talking so hateful to him” and that it made him “plain sick”, “the way that man called him “boy” all the time and sneered at him, an’ looked around at the jury every time he answered –“

- "Gentlemen, I shall be brief, but i would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that this case is not a difficult one, it requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. To begin with, this case should have never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is. I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt. I say guilt, gentlemen, because it was guilt that motivated her. She has committed no crime,

she has merely broken A rigid and time-honoured code of society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with. She is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance, but i cannot pity her: she is white. She knew full well the enormity of her offence, but because her desires were stronger than the code she was breaking, she persisted in breaking it. She persisted, and her subsequent reaction is something that all of us have known at one time or another. She did something every child has done--she tried to put the evidence of her offence away from her. But in this case she was no child hiding stolen contraband: she struck out at her victim--of necessity she must put him away from her--he must be removed from her presence, from this world. She must destroy the evidence of her offence. What was the evidence of her offence? Tom Robinson, a human being. She must put Tom Robinson away from her. Tom Robinson was her daily reminder of what she did. What did she do? She tempted a Negro. She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old Uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards. Her father saw it, and the defendant has testified to his remarks. What did her father do? We don't know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left. We do know in part what Mr. Ewell did: he did what and God-fearing, persevering, respectable white man would do under the circumstances--he swore out a warrant, no doubt signing it with his left hand, and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses--his right hanf. And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to 'feel sorry' for a white woman who has put his word against two white people's. I need not remind you of their appearance and conduct on the stand--you saw them for yourselves. The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber. Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson's skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral; some Negro men are not to be trusted around women--black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire. One more thing, gentlemen, before i quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the distaff side of the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at us. There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people to use this phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious--because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority. We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe--some people are smarter than others, some people

have more opportunity because they're born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others--some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of most men. But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal--there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honourable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system--that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore the defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty."

- Reverend Skyes mentions that “Now don’t be so confident, Mister Jem, I ain’t ever seen a jury decide in favour of a coloured man over a white man…” From this, it can be seen in the history of Maycomb’s judicial law that white men are generally given favour over the black men. It can be inferred that a white man’s word has higher weightage over a black man’s word, simply because of the race, and the court system is irrevocably warped, in the sense of a biased verdict given all the time.

- Doesn't make it right,' said Jem stolidly. He beat his fist softly on his knee. 'You just can't convict a man on evidence like that - you can't.' The judicial system in Maycomb is warped. Even as all the evidence points away from Tom, the racist jury still announces him guilty.

- 'You couldn't, but they could and did. The older you grow the more of it you'll see. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any colour of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something, and don't you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.”

- “Seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn’t have to shoot him that much.”The white men did not even give Tom Robinson respect, even in death. All it took was one bullet to wound him, or prevent him from escaping, but they brutally gunned him down with seventeen unnecessary bullets, driven by disregard and hate for him as a black man.

- “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” In the Maycomb society, blacks are never given a fair trial. No matter innocent or guilty, the

blacks are always convicted, because they are deemed to be evil, they are deemed inferior, stereotyped to be dirty, poor, cheating and lying. Even as Tom Robinson was completely free of guilt, Maycomb takes the side of a white woman. Because of the prejudice and racial injustice, Tom Robinson never had the chance of clearing his name. Right from the start, he was licked, not because of his crime, but because of his race

All Black, All White Church

- In First Purchase Church, Lula “spoke quietly, contemptuously. “I want to know why you’re bringin’ white chillum to nigger church.”” And “You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillum here – they got their church, we got ours. It is our church ain’t it? Miss Cal?” This shows that prejudice does not only apply to the white community, but prejudice and racial discrimination runs from the black to the white community as well.

- When Calpurnia says “Coloured folks don’t show their ages so fast,” Jem remarks “Maybe because they can’t read” Jem says it as though reading is not a burden that everyone needs to shoulder. The children’s ignorance underscores the injustice that African Americans receive in all aspects of their life. All white children, even the Ewells, are offered the opportunity to learn to read. On the other hand, blacks have limited or no opportunities to education.

- In First Purchase Church, Calpurnia speaks in a different manner to the black community. In response to this, Scout says “That Calpurnia led a modest double life never dawned on me. The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one, to say nothing of her having command of two languages. When Scout asks Calpurnia about this, Calpurnia responds “Suppose you and Scout talked coloured-folks talk at home – it’d be out of place wouldn’t it? Now what if I talked white folk’s talk at church and with my neighbours? They’d think I was putting on airs to beat Moses.” And “It’s not necessary to tell all you know. It’s not lady-like – in the second place, folks don’t like to have somebody around knowing more than you do. It aggravates ‘em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’ right, they’ve got to want to learn themselves, and when they don’t want to learn there’s nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.” Due to discrimination, people like Calpurnia always have to try to find ways to fit in, and to be accepted. This shows how society can be exclusive – excluding people if they are different. People discriminate, and the gulf between the blacks and whites in Maycomb is defined by not only class distinction and bigotry, but language as well.

- Aunt Alexandra’s mortification when she finds out that Scout and Jem visited Calpurnia’s church also shows her discrimination towards blacks, and she deems any association with blacks at all to be disgraceful.

Mr Dolphus Raymond

- Mr Dolphus Raymond’s children are also another example of racial discrimination. Jem gives a description “Half-white, half-coloured. You’ve seen ‘em, Scout, You know that red-kinky-headed one that delivers for the drugstore. He’s half white. They’re real sad.” and

“They don’t belong anywhere. Coloured folks won’t have ‘em because they’re half-white, white folks won’t have ‘em ‘cause they’re coloured, so they’re just in betweens, don’t belong anywhere.” Jem also says “but around here once you have a drop of Negro black, that makes you all black.” This shows the racial discrimination ad segregation among the Maycomb Community at that time. Both the blacks and the whites generally did not enjoy being in the presence of the other race, and were prejudiced against them. Any association with the other race, especially in the case for the Negroes, would bring much disgrace.

- Mr Dolphus Raymond, as a white man living in a black community, is a bridge between the two races. All he has in his Coca-Cola bottle is but Coca-Cola, and not the rumoured whiskey. “Wh - oh yes, you mean why do I pretend? Well, it’s very simple,” he said. “Some folks don’t – like the way I live. Now I could say the hell with ‘em, I don’t care if they don’t like it, right enough – but I don’t say the hell with ‘em, see?” “I try to give ‘em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond is in the clutches of whiskey – that’s why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does.” “It ain’t honest but it may be helpful to folks. Secretly, Miss Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.” Dolphus Raymond had to give an excuse for him living with a black woman. It was not customary, and certainly not accepted in the society that a white man married a black woman. Maycomb was generally prejudiced against the blacks, and cross-racial marriages were certainly frowned upon. Because he married and bore children with a black woman, the society probably deemed him a disgrace who transcended the boundaries of what one would call socially acceptable. He had to act, to give the general idea that he was a drunk, thus he made such decisions, otherwise the people in Maycomb would deem him more of a disgrace than he already was. By giving the impression that he was a drunk, people may not feel so angered by his actions of marrying and having children with a black woman, and pardoning him, condoning and reasoning that his absurd actions are because he is a drunk, thus is not making lucid and sane decisions at times. Because of this, he is better able to view the situation in a more open-minded manner, saying “Cry about the simple hell people give other people without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people gives coloured folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people too.” True enough; the whites in the community don’t see that blacks too, aside from skin colour, are just the same as all of them. They fail to see that the blacks too, are humans, not dogs or animals which can be manipulated and mocked. They disregard other’s feeling for their own selfish irrational hatred. They discriminate and they hate, but never once do they stop to think about the reasons for their hatred, neither do they stop to learn to empathise with the blacks – they conveniently treat the blacks as lesser beings.

- Atticus’s belief in treating and respecting everyone as an individual is contrasted in To Kill a Mockingbird with a number of other worldviews. These other visions are all quite different from each other—they are religious, racist, classist—but they all share one thing in common: they treat people as groups, demand conformity, and give no respect or credit to

individuals. In other words, they are all forms of prejudice, which is a preconceived notion about a person based on the groups to which that person belongs. Over and over again, To Kill a Mockingbird reveals prejudice not just as closed-minded and dangerous, but also as ridiculous. The most obvious form of prejudice in the novel is racism, which causes otherwise upstanding white citizens of Maycomb to accept the testimony of an obviously corrupt white man over the evidence supporting the testimony from a black man. Yet prejudice is also visible in the racially condescending Mrs. Grace Merriweather; in Aunt Alexandra’s and many other character’s belief in the importance of social class; in the gender stereotypes that people try to force on Scout; and even in the way the town views Boo Radley as a monster because he acts differently from everyone else.

Empathy

- At an early stage in the novel, Jem was able to comfortably step in someone else's shoes and view the situation from their perspective. When Jem confronted Scout after she had beat up Walter Cunningham he said, "'Come on home to dinner with us, Walter'" Jem with his righteous mind and sense of initiative and maturity allowed himself to change his perspective in a way as he probably felt bad for Walter, and Scout beating him up.

- Atticus remarks when Scout relates the terrible events of her first day to him, “First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” With reference to Miss Caroline’s behaviour in class, Scout realises that if Walter and her had empathised with Miss Caroline, they would have realised that it was an honest mistake on her part, and that her attitude towards Walter was due to the fact that she was new to the town, and knew nothing of the society or the people there, as Scout realises “We could not expect her to learn all Maycomb’s ways in one day, and we could not hold her responsible when she knew no better.”

- When Jem returns from the Radley place in retrieving his pants, he stayed “moody and silent for a week.” Scout remarks “As Atticus once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it: if I had gone to the Radley Place at two in the morning, my funeral would have been held the next afternoon. So I left Jem alone and tried not to bother him.” Even though the reason for Jem’s silence is not as Scout perceives, it shows that she has learned something about the importance of empathy, and applies it.

- Scout initially dislikes Calpurnia. “Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was near-sighted; she squinted; her hand was as wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn’t behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older and calling me home when I wasn’t ready to come, Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence for as long as I could remember.” As the book progresses however, Scout begins to know more about Calpurnia, as shown in Chapter 12, when she finds out that Calpurnia leads a double life. As she grows older, she also begins to recognise that many things that Calpurnia does is not out of dislike or tyranny over Scout, but really out of love.

- Indeed, Jem had to overcome this difficulty in his reading episodes with Mrs. Dubose. At this time, Jem and Scout were already dealing with the social stigma brought by their father’s siding with Tom Robinson, and in today’s context, one could easily sympathize with Jem’s anger.   After all, Mrs. Dubose was not a lovable character. Initially, Jem could not see the reason why he has to do goodness for a lady who seemed bent with hatred and bitterness, and who has openly insulted his father for taking up Tom Robinson’s case. Up to Mrs. Dubose’s death, it was made clear that Jem has been doing this, only on the virtue of following Atticus’ orders. However, Jem gradually came to understand the source of that hatred and bitterness, and while he was unable to do anything about it, to relieve the old lady of her anger until the last few moments of her death, the experience made him cognizant of the real purpose why Atticus has ordered him to read for Mrs. Dubose every afternoon. Getting to understand Mrs. Dubose made all the difference. Atticus, meanwhile, had empathised with Mrs Dubose from the very start. He graciously accepted her nasty comments, even though they were insulting to him. He chose to remain polite and friendly to her at all times, no matter how she replied him. Atticus could empathise with Mrs Dubose as he knew that she was old and sick, and the drug sometimes resulted in her

having mean spells and terrible tempers. Atticus knows that everyone has his or her own situation, and no one is fit to pass judgment before he or she really gets to know the person and what he or she is facing.

- In discussing the events of the mob in the previous night, Atticus comments “Hmp, maybe we need a police force of children…you children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute.” When Scout intervened, she was innocent, naïve and only wanted to talk to Mr Cunningham Sr. about Walter Cunningham. Scout, at that moment, reminded Mr Cunningham, that he too, had a son just like Scout, innocent and unknowing to the cruelty around her. It made him realise how much children depended on their parents, and if he harmed Atticus in any way to get to Tom Robinson, Scout and Jem would both suffer. At that moment, he empathised with Atticus, and felt the fear and anxiety Atticus felt for his children in facing of the threatening group. Having a son on his own made him better able to empathise with Atticus and put himself in Atticus’ position, thus he left without causing any harm.

- The children also learn to empathise with Dolphus Raymond, whom they initially deem to drink whiskey from Coca-Cola bottles, and Scout refers to him as “a sinful man who had mixed children and didn’t care who knew it.” And also “As Mr Dolphus Raymond was an evil man I accepted his invitation reluctantly, but I followed Dill.” Later, however, she realises that he is indeed a good man, and is actually really drinking Coca-Cola, in spite of what she has been told, and pretends to be drinking whiskey only because of the prejudices in Maycomb; he is really innocent and has done nothing wrong.

- When Bob Ewell confronted Atticus and spat in his face and insulted him, Atticus did not retaliate, he merely “didn’t bat an eye, just took out his handkerchief and wiped his face and stood there and let Mr Ewell call him names wild horses could not bring her to repeat.” When discussing the event later, Atticus reveals that “Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes for a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’d gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody, and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand?” The incident shows Atticus’ ability to empathise with anyone in any position. Even when Bob Ewell humiliated and insulted him right there and then, Atticus held his silence and calmly accepted what Bob Ewell did, because he could understand why Bob Ewell was feeling in that manner. He was able to put himself in Bob Ewell’s perspective and understand the cause for Bob Ewell’s anger. He knew that Bob Ewell was angry for having his dignity and pride taken away with him at the trial, thus with empathy, he chose not to begrudge Bob Ewell for his actions. He was also able to put himself in the Ewell children’s shoes. He understood that a man like Bob Ewell was nasty and mean, and even as a father, could ruthlessly punish his children to take his anger out on them. He could empathise with the family situation, thus was willing to be a target of Bob Ewell’s anger to ease the tension for the children in the Ewell home.

- Scout who had been coerced into the ladies meeting had realised the meticulous ways of what it was like to be a lady. After the horrid announcement of Tom's death, Scout was able to see just how distraught her Aunty was by the shocking news yet still retained her lady ways. Scout thought, "After all, If Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I." Scout allowed herself to place others predicaments and emotions in her perspective that enhanced her own actions and interactions with those who were affected. Throughout the book, Scout sees Aunt Alexandra as a woman, domineering and rigid, and bent on exerting her principles of femininity on her. Scout dislikes her and her controlling ways. However, towards the back of the book, Scout begins to see Aunt Alexandra in a different light, as a concerned sister who loves her brother, as a woman who later goes from despising Atticus’ ways to eventually feeling sick with disgust on hearing Tom Robinson’s death. In spite of this, she demonstrates strength in facing up to a tragic time like this, and continues to uphold a strong front, and she becomes a much nicer character to Scout and more empathetic to the plight of Tom Robinson. Scout changes her perspective on her, and in the process learns that she should not let first impressions cloud her judgment of a person. While Aunt Alexandra initially appears to be unlikeable, upon knowing her better, she is really a good woman at heart.

- Scout who for many seasons and years had wondered what exactly Boo Radley had seen all his life was finally able to 'see' herself. After Scout had graciously walked Boo home, she willingly and curiously stood on Boo's front porch and mentally pictured and captured what Boo had seen all these years through his window, She thought, "Just standing here on the Radley porch was enough" Boo Radley's world was everything outside his four walls. Scout had viewed Boo's world and watched as the seasons passed and how she and Jem had grown older. “I had never seen our neighbourhood from this angle. There were Miss Maudie’s, Miss Stephanie’s – there was our house. I could see the porch swing – Miss Rachel’s house was beyond us, plainly visible. I could even see Mrs Dubose’s. I looked behind me. To the left of the brown door was a long shuttered window. I walked to it, stood in front of it, and turned around. In daylight, I thought, you could see the post-office corner.” Boo Radley has the view of the whole neighbourhood. Simply by looking out of his house, he could see and picture every single thing that happened in Maycomb, from the prejudice to the fire, to Scout, Jem and Dill’s faces and games. He could see all his neighbours and all that they were doing. Watching from his house gave him a different angle to the neighbourhood. Scout begins to see everything that Boo saw. Scout remembers what Atticus teaches her, “One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around.” It was the only life Boo Radley was exposed to. The neighbourhood makes rumours and by the word of mouth transforms Boo Radley from a human to a malevolent phantom. No one seems to be able to empathise with Boo Radley. They don’t understand what is going on being the screens of the Radley house. They see him as an oddity and a recluse because he never steps foot outside his house. Because no one understands him and no one tries to empathise with him, they continue to spread rumours about him, and the children play games about him that mocks him. Towards the end of the book, Jem begins to be able to put himself in Boo Radley’s shoes and understand the reasons for Boo Radley’s behaviour, “If there’s just one kind of folks, why

can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I’m beginning to understand something, I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time…it’s because he wants to stay inside.” Jem, in understanding Maycomb’s prejudice, begins to realise that Boo, in staying inside the house, has seen all the evils of the society, it is because of this ugliness that he chooses to shut himself away from it all, as a recluse in his house, protected by the confines of his home from the cruelty of discrimination and prejudice, because he sees all this evil, and he is disillusioned. Boo Radley, throughout the course of the book, transforms from a phantom into a good man, one who puts a blanket over Scout’s shoulders when she is shivering from the cold, one who leaves gifts for the children in the knothole as a show of friendship, one who looks over his children, and one who eventually steps out of his house to protect them and kill for them. Boo Radley is not what the children deem him to be, it is only through understanding and empathy that they realise that all he is, is a man, epitomizing of good and the destruction of innocence, that he was just a mere boy disillusioned by the world.

Growing Up

- As the novel progresses, the children’s changing attitude toward Boo Radley is an important measurement of their development from innocence toward a grown-up moral perspective. At the beginning of the book, Boo is merely a source of childhood superstition. As he leaves Jem and Scout presents and mends Jem’s pants, he gradually becomes increasingly and intriguingly real to them. At the end of the novel, he becomes fully human to Scout, illustrating that she has developed into a sympathetic and understanding

individual. Initially, she plays along with Jem and Dill’s fantasies and “try-to-see-Boo-Radley” adventures. Together with Jem and Dill, they see Boo Radley, innocently, as a source of evil. As she grows up, and matures however, she is able to look back on her actions and think about what she has done, saying, “"I sometimes felt a twinge of remorse, when passing by the old place, at ever having taken part in what must have been sheer torment to Arthur Radley - what reasonable recluse wants children peeping through his shutters, delivering greetings on the end of a fishing pole, wandering in his collards at night?" and also, when "Dill asked if I'd like to have a poke about Boo Radley. I said I didn't think it would be nice to bother him, and spent the rest of the afternoon filling Dill in on the last winter's events." She is gradually able to see Boo Radley for who he is, and empathise with him, eventually looking at the whole series of events in a mature perspective, and seeing everything from Boo’s perspective. Boo, an intelligent child ruined by a cruel father, is one of the book’s most important mockingbirds; he is also an important symbol of the good that exists within people. Despite the pain that Boo has suffered, the purity of his heart rules his interaction with the children. In saving Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell, Boo proves the ultimate symbol of good. One can see Scout maturing throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. An example of this is Scout's opinion on Arthur Radley. In the early chapters when Scout was naive and easily influenced by what Jem and other people were saying about Boo Radley, her views assimilated theirs. "Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch,” Although Scout who admittedly never seen Boo Radley before, she easily believes in her older brother and other rumours from people such as Miss Stephanie. This continues throughout as she, Jem, and Dill become more adventurous and curious about Boo Radley. Later on in the book, especially at the end, Scout's understanding of Boo deepens. She makes judgments according to her own opinion and not based on rumours. "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." Her opinion changes about Boo, and instead of fear which she initially had, she has found respect and maybe even a friend in Boo. Scout matures, not only in age, but in wisdom as she finally understands Atticus's advice and steps into Arthur's shoes. Finally she sums up her relationship with Boo Radley in the final chapter. “An’ they chased him ‘n’ never could catch him ‘cause they didn’t know how he looked like, an’ Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things…Atticus, he was real nice…”

- In the three years covered by To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem grow up. At the start of the book they are innocents, with an uncomplicated sense of what’s good (Atticus, the people of Maycomb) and what’s evil (Boo Radley). By the end of the book, the children have lost their innocence and gained a more complex understanding of the world, in which bad and good are present and visible in almost everyone. As the children grow into the adult world, though, they don’t just accept what they see. They question what doesn’t make sense to them—prejudice, hatred, and violence. So while To Kill a Mockingbird shows three children as they lose their innocence, it also uses their innocence to look freshly at the world of Maycomb and criticize its flaws.

o In which Scout and Jem question: Maturity

After the trial, Jem is able to see that the treatment towards Tom Robinson is unfair and unjust, he is upset, and he cries, because he is positively horrified by the cruelty and injustice faced by Tom Robinson.

“It ain’t right, Atticus.”

“How could they do it, how could they?”

“Who? Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?”

“It ain’t right. He didn’t kill anybody even if he was guilty. He didn’t take anybody’s life.”

“No sir, they oughta do away with juries. He wasn’t guilty in the first place and they said he was.”

“Doesn’t make it right. You can’t convict an man on evidence like that, you can’t”

“You know something, Scout? I’ve got it all figured out, now. There’s four kinds of folks in this world. There’s the ordinary kind like us and the neighbours, there’s the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down in the dumps, and the Negroes.”

“It told Jem if that was so, then why didn’t Tom’s jury, made up of folks like the Cunninghams, acquit Tom to spite the Ewells?”

“Background doesn’t mean Old Family. I think it’s how long your family’s been readin’ and writin’. Scout, I’ve studied this real hard and that’s the only reason I can think of.”

“No, everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’…Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.”

“If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along eith each other? If they’re all alike, why do the go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time…it’s because he wants to say inside.”

- Like every kid growing up, Scout attends school for the first time. But rather than contribute to her education, Scout’s school is depicted as rigid to the point of idiocy, with teachers who criticize students who got on early start on reading and hate the Nazis but

can’t see the racism present in their own town. To Kill a Mockingbird does not so much explore standardized school education as condemn it, showing how it emphasizes rote facts and policies designed to create conformist children rather than promote creative critical thinking, sympathy, and mutual understanding across racial and socioeconomic boundaries.

- Scout also transforms from an innocent girl to a mature girl. Before the trial scene, Scout used to think that all men are good. After that, she chooses to think otherwise. She can see the clear cut discrimination and prejudice against the Blacks in Maycomb. Although all the evidence has proven Tom innocent, the jury still decides that he is guilty because of his colour. No matter how much prejudice the Whites have for Blacks, Scout still believes in equality for everyone. When Jem says that there are four kinds of folks in their society, she begs to differ from him. She says there is just one kind of folks that is folks. “I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” When Aunt Alexandra calls Walter Cunningham trash, Scout stands up for him and says that they are good folks. This is in contrast to when she initially views Walter Cunningham as undesirable, commenting on his eating habits, and saying “But he’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup. He’s poured it all over -“ and “he ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham.” She changes this perspective to one in which she willingly wants to invite Walter over, and stands up for Walter when Aunt Alexandra comments that he is “trash”, saying “Naw, it was Walter – that boy’s not trash, Jem. He ain’t like the Ewells.”

- Towards the end of the book, when Scout and Jem are walking to the pageant, both of them laugh about the Haints. “Haints, Hot steam, incantations, secret signs, that old thing. Angel bright, life-in-death; get off the road, don’t suck me breath.” This shows the children growing up: no longer do they believe in such childish superstitions, they begin to see that the world is not as simple as that, and their childhood fears vanish, because they have grown up.”

- Scout has grown up a lot since the beginning of the book. She is now starting to understand things that she has done in the past, and why they were rude or incorrect. "Jem and I would have had several swift, satisfying fist fights apiece and ended the matter for good. As it was, we were compelled to hold our heads high and be, respectively, a gentleman and a lady. In a way, it was like the era of Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose, without all her yelling." This quote shows that Scout both understands that she must stand tall while others talk down at her and that Mrs Dubose really was courageous. Scout now understands that sometimes it is braver to keep your fists down as opposed to the times when all she wanted to do was hit someone. The quote shows that she is beginning to take Atticus' word seriously. She finally sees why her father admired Mrs Dubose. Scout now knows that Mrs Dubose was really doing the right thing ever though she had no chance. Scout is at long last aware of the definition of courage.

- When Scout is younger, she has particular distaste for being a lady. She dislikes being called a girl, and is an absolute tomboy. She refuses to let Aunt Alexandra enforce her views on femininity on her, and wears overalls and things. However, towards the end of the

book, she begins to realise that she will eventually have to enter this world of womanhood, and relents to wear a dress, also saying “If Aunty could be a lady in times like this, so could I.” She matures, and is able to sympathise and empathise with her Aunt in hard times, and does her best to embrace femininity.

- When Heck Tate explains to Atticus on why he simply refuses to tell the town what really happened when Bob Ewell was killed, Scout is able to understand the message Heck Tate is trying to get across, saying “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” Demonstrating that she has already understood to never, in any way, take advantage of or harm the innocent and the helpless, who have done no wrong at all.”