A Quick Summary

To Kill a Mockingbird is about a young girl named Scout Finch and how she matures over the course of two years in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Scout and her brother very much like to hear stories and talk about seeing their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. Their father, Atticus, is a lawyer who defends a wrongly accused black man. The case is regarding the rape of Mayella Ewell. The Finch kids become very interested in the trial and wonder why he is being accused. After the trial is over, Bob Ewell tries to kill the Finch kids and Boo Radley comes out of his house and saves them. Bob Ewell is killed. The kids learn a life lesson that most people are  real nice “when you finally see them”(Lee 376).

Protagonist: Scout Finch. The book is about the events that happen to Scout and her point of view. It is her coming of age that is told in the book. 

Antagonist: Bob Ewell. He is a terrible man. He tries to blame Tom Robinson for a crime he did not commit. He also goes after the Finch family and others. 

“When they finally saw him, why he hadn’t doneany of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . .” His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” He turned out the light and went into Jem’s room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning” (Lee 376).

In the last few pages of the book, Scout asks Atticus to read her a bedtime story called “The Gray Ghost”. The book is about a man who is caught of a crime he did not commit. When he is caught, he is found to be innocent. When he reads, she eventually falls asleep on her father's lap. Scout mutters in her sleep “When they finally saw him, why he hadn’t doneany of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . .”(Lee 376).  He picks Scout up and puts her to bed very lovingly.

These are the last words of the novel. Through these words, Harper Lee sums up the novel and reminds the reader of the messages she tried to convey throughout the book. Lee made Scout a very sympathetic and innocent character on purpose. Through Scout’s eyes Lee really stressed the injustice and unfairness African-Americans faced during this time period. Scout does not seem to understand why people like Tom Robinson and the man from “The Gray Ghost” are treated unfairly. A major message that Lee conveys is the importance of one having understanding for others. The same way Scout did not understand Boo Radley, but he ended up saving her and her brother in the end. Atticus responds to Scout by saying “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them” (376). When they are talking about the man from the story, it is implied that they are really talking about Boo Radley. The kids never really saw Boo until he saved them from Bob Ewell. After hearing stories of him, they believed he was unkind. However, after he saved them, they saw Boo for who he really is; a kind person who stood up for Jem and Scout in their time of need. 

            The way the book ends also has a comforting and safe feeling. Atticus really loves his children and despite being a busy single parent, does the best he is able. After tucking Scout in, he goes to sit by Jem’s bed all night and watch over him. This closes the book with the sense that the Finch family is safe and happy, and everything will be okay.

Atticus

            In this reading, Atticus cross examines Heck Tate, the witness who testifies he found Mayella bruised and beaten and claiming she had been raped by Tom Robinson. Later in the trial, Atticus proves to the Jury that Bob Ewell is left handed; showing that it would be more likely for a left handed man to leave bruises on the right side of Mayella’s face where they were found. This leads me to believe that Bob Ewell is forcing Mayella to lie in front of the court about the incident. It would be easy for Ewell pressure Mayella into lying because he is abusive. I think his reason for falsely accusing Tom Robinson is because he is extremely racist. He enjoys utilizing the fact that he has the power to destroy an innocent man because it is the only real power he has. He, himself is seen as the most arrogant, lazy, and abusive man in town and winning a trial would give him the personal satisfaction that he so desperately desires. I also think he might be desperate for a source of income to support his habits that make him abusive. Through Ewell and the other characters on the offensive side of the court, Harper Lee shows how oppressive a black man's life could be in that harsh and cruel period of time. On the other hand, Harper Lee’s act of having Scout, Dill, and Jem sit in the colored section of the court show how those three children lack the racism that the crowd of white faces in the courtroom propagates.
           Harper Lee creates such an atmosphere of suspense during this trial scene which is ironic because there is no real suspense. Most everyone knows that a black man could never come out of a trial innocent. No matter what the evidence, a racist jury would never acquit a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. I believe Harper Lee creates the tension by Atticus’ slow and steady deconstruction of the prosecution's case.
           In conclusion, Harper Lee uses this trial to show most importantly, how harmfully people of color had to live every day. She brought attention to a serious issue that is still seen today. She also shows a man's reckless desire for a sense of power, as seen in Bob Ewell. It is sad that a person would accuse an innocent man for their own amusement but it something that occurs to this day as well. Her writing of the past continues to reflect similarities of present day.

"When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness' sake. But don't make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles 'em” (Lee 116).

Scout punches her cousin, Francis after a rude comment made about Atticus. When Francis tells on Scout, Scout’s Uncle Jack spanks Scout without hearing her side of what happened. When Scout’s family goes back home, Jack shows up so he can make up with Scout. They do make up and Scout, being the curious kid she is, asks Uncle Jack “What’s a whore lady?” (Lee 115). He tells her a story about a Lord Melbourne, which makes no sense to Scout. Later when Jack tells Atticus about their conversation, Atticus tells Jack, “When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness' sake. But don't make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles 'em” (Lee 116).

            This quote fits in well with To Kill a Mockingbird’s theme of “being a kid is confusing”. Adults like Atticus think that it is okay to tell children correct answers to hard questions. Atticus is telling Jack not to lie or “beat around the bush” when answering a child’s questions. He knows that kids are curious and should be given correct answers. He also knows that kids can tell when they are being lied to or their question is being avoided. Based on avoiding Scout’s question, Jack is a different type of parent. He thinks kids should be sheltered from hard questions, even if they are curious about them. He is the opposite of Atticus when it comes to this issue.

            Lee made Atticus very opposite in his parenting than the rest of the family on purpose. For example, Atticus thinks kids should be told hard truths while Jack does not. Aunt Alexandra is a very proper woman who tells Scout to be more lady-like and proper also. The children reflect these different types of behaviors. For example, Francis, Aunt Alexandra's grandson, seems to be boring and quiet. He seems to be the opposite of Scout is loud and full of things to say. Atticus lets Scout be herself to an extent without too much ruling over her. When Francis says some very nasty things to Scout I think that is caused by making him sit still and quiet in front of others, and it makes him lash out to Scout when he sees how free she is allowed to be.  

            I think by making Atticus a father that wants to let his children figure things out themselves makes the reader appreciate what he does more. As a single father he is doing the best he is able to, and instilling his own character traits into his kids. Atticus says what he thinks and he wants his kids to do the same.

Kids Have Been Kids Have Been Kids

Thinking back to a previous class discussion, we talked about the idea that "people have been people have been people". We talked about how human nature has never really changed. Reading the next few chapters, I smiled when I read many cases that made me realize "kids have been kids have been kids". 

            Scout’s first day of school is a great example of kids being kids. The majority of children, who have never gone to school, anxiously wait for the day they can go to school with the other children. Scout says she “longed to join them”(Lee 20) and she would watch her brother play with his peers “sharing their misfortunes and minor victories”(20) during games. Younger siblings also always seem to want to be like their older siblings. For example, my two younger sisters cannot wait to come to high school just like me. What they do not realize is the amount of work, stress, and all of the other adjectives teenagers use when it comes to school. Just like my sisters, Scout only saw the fun Jem had in school until she went there for herself.

            Jem also reminded me of the typical older sibling who wants nothing to do with his little sister during school. Until his father, Atticus, gave him a bribe, Jem did not even want to walk Scout to her classroom. He also made sure to tell his little sister not to bother him during school. In many movies, books, and television shows I’ve watched this exchange between siblings many times. For example, in the ABC family show, The Middle, the older brother, Axl, is guilty of this with both his younger siblings, Sue and Brick. The oldest child, Axl, does not want to be associated with the younger children because they are young and “dorky”.  Jem shows this same behavior when he tells Scout “not to bother him…not to approach him with requests…to embarrass him…or tag along behind him” (Lee 20). For some reason, older siblings have always had this urge to be independent from their siblings.

            After Scout’s very hard first day, she told her father that she did not feel well and she “didn’t think (she’d) go to school anymore if it was alright with him”(39). This reminded me of my siblings, my friends, and myself. Almost everyone has told a parent or guardian they were sick in hopes of getting out of school.  All kids do it, especially if they’ve had a bad day. As soon as Atticus mentioned medicine (which is not known for its great taste) Scout suddenly dropped her act and began telling him why she does not like school. She even tried having a debate with her father, as many kids do, about not needing school.  Her father handled it as any father would and explained the reasons she must go. This case is played out in many other stories as well, probably because it is so relatable and has been done since the beginning of schooling.