Chapters 16 & 17:Explain Atticus’ explanation about the mob dispersing. What is a mob made of? How was it broken up? How does his explanation relate to one of themes of the book?(Jonathan Kim)

Atticus’ explanation of the mob dispersing is that Scout was the person who stopped them from hurting anyone else. Scout rushed into the mob and saw that Mr. Cunningham was part of the mob. Although Mr. Cunningham made a decision to tell the others to leave, Scout has become confused about why he was there. As Atticus was explained about what happened the night before, he said, “Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man”(Lee 210). Atticus shows Scout that people may make mistakes and be part of something bad, but can still be a good person in general. Also, Atticus explains what a mob is made of and he says, “Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know…”(Lee 210). Every mob have people in it, all human and they have their own individual choices to make like Mr. Cunningham did when he decided to leave so nobody can get hurt. Walter Cunningham acted kind although he was also bad at the same time. Scout was able to use her innocent actions to bring some of Mr. Cunningham’s true colors, and Walter was able to see what it was like stepping into Atticus’ shoes. Atticus’ explanation shows courageousness and a little curiosity Scout shows throughout the book. Scout stepped into the fight and stopped it before anyone could get hurt. Scout shows bravery to stand up for her family and also shows a little bit of stupidity as well. When she steps into the fight, she gets a little panic and finds out what she is up against. Scout gets a little curious because not only did she want to help her family, but she also wanted to see what was going on and was getting excited. Scout likes to be nosy and ask a lot of questions because there is a big world out there, and Scout wants information on the things she hears. The incident also shows that awful humans and groups can be stopped by anyone just from an act of kindness and innocence just like Scout did.

What do you think would have happened if Mr. Cunningham did not stop the mob from leaving? Do you think Scout rushed to help Atticus as an act of stupidity or courageous?

Chapters 16 & 17: What is revealed that is confusing about Mr. Underwood in chapter 16? How does this relate to one of the themes of the novel? (Philip Tabor)

In chapter 16 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, it is revealed by Atticus that Braxton Underwood dislikes African-Americans, yet he didn't cease to protect Tom Robinson and Atticus by the jail from the mob, which reveals courage in his acts. In chapter 15, a mob lead by Walter Cunningham with the intentions of doing harm to Tom Robinson confronted Atticus, who was blocking the entrance to the jail. Scout, who was hiding, ran to help her father, and eventually scared the mob away. It was revealed at the end of that chapter that Mr. Underwood was prepared for the worst at a window with his shotgun. At the beginning of chapter 16, as the Finches are having breakfast, Atticus brings up Mr. Underwood: "He despises Negroes, won't have one near him" (Lee 209). Even though Braxton Underwood has shown that aversion towards African-Americans, he stood up and protected one of his friends, Atticus, and Tom Robinson, an African-American accused of rape. This shows tremendous courage, one of the main themes shown from characters throughout the novel, from him, for going past his beliefs to help a friend, knowing he will be condemned for his actions if one finds out. Mr. Underwood did not only mature and use an incredible amount of bravery, but he was there for Atticus if anything went wrong while he was protecting Tom Robinson from the angry mob out to hurt him.

Do you think Braxton Underwood did this to help out Atticus or for another reason? 

Chapters 16&17: Explain Atticus’ explanation about the mob dispersing. What is a mob made of? How was it broken up? How does his explanation relate to one of themes of the book? (Hagar Hirsch)

The mob represents the ongoing theme in the book that morals are not black and white. Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Dill intercept a mob of Cunninghams on their way to hurt Tom Robinson. Scout is able to disperse the mob by talking to Walter Cunningham and reminding him of his humanity. Scout later asks Atticus why talking to Walter worked, he answers “‘Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob… is made up of people...’”  (Lee 200). This idea that people can do good things without being good is also seen in Ms. Dubose’s story. She was racist and rude but Atticus still dubbed her as one of the most courageous people he’d ever met. This theme ties in with maturity as well because it is childlike to believe that the world is separated into good and bad. However, the mob stepping down didn't mean that they wouldn't've still killed Tom Morrison. People and characters aren't two-dimensional, there's no such thing as being perfect the same way there's no such thing as being completely evil.

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

In chapter 14 Jem and Scout fight because they are at different mental ages, this reveals that although close and loving, Scout and Jem’s relationship isn’t always picture perfect. This is shown even more when Dill runs away from his house and shows up at the Finch’s because Jem believes that telling Atticus is the right thing to do, while Scout thinks that keeping it a secret is the right thing to do. After secretly hearing Atticus and Aunt Alexandra argue about whether or not they should keep Calpurnia,  Jem and Scout hurry back to their room before they get caught. Jem using a “superior” tone tells Scout, “It’s this Tom Robinson case that’s worryin’ him to death.” (Lee 184) Fed up by Jem’s manner, Scout says, “Jee crawling hova, Jem! Who do you think you are?... Ain’t so high and mighty now, are you!” (Lee 184) Jem and Scout get into this fight because Scout is upset about how Jem is acting towards her. When Jem starts to become a teenager, his mind starts to change more rapidly than ever. This puts Scout in an uncomfortable position because she isn’t used to the “new” Jem. For example, Jem has the maturity to understand what his father is going through regarding the Tom Robinson case, Scout doesn’t because all she sees is the outside. Jem believes that whatever he thinks is correct, and whatever Scout thinks is wrong. Because of this, Jem feels the need to push his sister around telling her what to do.  On the other hand, Scout thinks it’s just like old times and expects to be treated equally. This fight reveals that they do disagree about certain topics, but they still have a really close sister-brotherhood. For example, when Scout gets scared because she steps on something warm, Jem being the older brother helps her out, “Jem made a tentative swipe under the bed… Jem raised the broom and missed Dill’s head by an inch...” (Lee 186) However, when Dill emerges from under Scout’s bed, Jem and Scout disagree about whether or not they should tell Atticus about Dill. In this case, Jem is trying to do the responsible thing by telling his parent, while Scout is still a little kid trying to be secretive. Jem and Scout fight because they have different mental ages, this shows their loving but not perfect relationship, this is further shown later in the chapter when Jem and Scout argue about whether or not they should tell Atticus about Dill.

Do you think Jem and Scout are going to grow further apart? Do you think Dill will affect Jem and Scouts’ relationship? If so, how?

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

After talking with Aunt Alexandra and Atticus, Jem brings Scout into his room and he starts bickering to her about Atticus and what he does and the commotion with the Tom Robinson case. A fistfight breaks out between them because of what Jem said. Jem talks about Atticus as if he sounds frail and incapable, and Scout is very angered and mad about him mocking Atticus. Scout's views show the difference between her and Jem. She values Atticus and most likely believes he is strong and can make a difference, especially when Atticus is taking a case like the Tom Robinson one. Jem wants to tell Scout concretely and boldly what Atticus is like and that Scout should only trust the opinion he has. This is not information Scout want's to hear, and is annoyed "Ain't so high and mighty now, are you... He was tryin' to tell me what to do. I don't have to mind him now,  do I?" (Lee, 156 & 157). Throughout the book Scout has never wanted to seem lower than anybody, when Dill and Jem mock her by saying she's just a "girl" she is deeply offended. This is another case where Scout doesn't want to be thrown under the bus. When Dill arrived, all hungry and dirty they learn he ran away from home. This makes Scout really think about her family and the problems and differences she has, but also that Dill is in a worse position. Scout thought about running away because of all the events that have happened so far, but Dill actually had to- and it makes her bad experiences seem okay.

Chapters #14-15 In chapter 15, Atticus is visited by two groups of men. Explain the situation and intentions of both groups. (Emma Worthington)

The two groups had different intentions but they were related to each other, they both were there because Atticus is defending Tom Robinson but one was for the good of Atticus and the other one was about Mr. Robinson. The two groups of men both talk to Atticus because of the Tom Robinson case, one comprised of town folk the other is a group of farmers. The first group comes by to discourage Atticus from defending Tom Robinson, one of the men in the group says to Atticus “You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus I mean everything,”(Lee 195). The group of his neighbors do not want him to continue with the case because they want to protect him from other people in the town. They are talking to Atticus about the people they are trying to protect him from and they say, “...know how they do when they get shinnied up,”(Lee 194). They are referring to the second group of people that Atticus is visited by, they are warning him that, when they are drunk they can be irrational. When they meet Atticus at the jail Scout says there is a smell of Whisky. The group is drunk like their neighbors warned and they plan on attacking Tom Robinson, but when Scout comes and recognize Walter Cunningham's dad it changes the whole situation. Scout starts talking to Mr. Cunningham and he becomes ashamed of what they planned on doing and calls it off. Scout doesn't even realize what is going on because she is so young and innocent. There are two groups that visit Atticus, the first one is to warn him, the second one is the group they warned him about.

Chapters 14-15" Explain what Dill means in the last line of chapter 14. Is this surprising to you? (Ella Wolff)

Dill says that Boo Radley has nowhere to run off to because all he has ever known is in Maycomb County. Dill, who just recently ran away from his father has been to and seen so much that running away is an option for him, but for Boo Radley he has spent decades inside his house, only leaving when no one can see him. Also, even if Boo Radley had somewhere to run off to, he couldn’t for two reasons. One being no one knows what he looks like, giving him no real identity. The only known time when he has appeared is when the Finch children are in need. After Scout and Jem stood out in the cold watching men attempt to put out the fire on Ms. Maudie’s house Scout realizes a blanket was wrapped around her should by Boo Radley “‘Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you”’(Lee 96). This quote shows that Boo Radley can exit his house, but he always returns. The second reason being all the tales told about him give him a scary reputation, so much so that no one would be willing to take him in. In Jem’s description of Boo he states “he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained…”(Lee 16) By his characterization it is unlikely that Boo could be welcomed by anyone, most feared him. Also, he cannot defend himself on these allegations because he does not go out into the public and even if he did he was never seen. This was not an extremely surprising statement made by Dill because Dill, who runs away consistently understands that running away is impossible unless you have somewhere to go.

What do you learn about Aunt Alexandria in chapter 13 in general, and what do you learn about her influence over Atticus and his family? (Alex)

In chapter 13, Aunt Alexandria says that she wants to stay with Scout and Jem for a little while so that they could have a "feminine influence". "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys--". Aunt Alexandria wants to be with the kids while they grow up so that she could see Jem and Scout get older. She says that it's not long until Scout likes boys because she wants to be Scout's role model when she gets older. She also could be there because their mother died so she is coming to replace her so that the kids could sort of feel like they have a motherly figure with them. When Aunt Alexandria came she also very proud of the Finches, but she gets disappointed because she realizes that Jem and Scout don't uphold their family name and makes Atticus lecture both Jem and Scout. After the lecture Scout feels sad because she's worried about following what the Finches are supposed to do.

Why do you think Scout feels worried about doing what Finches are "supposed to do"? Do you think Aunt Alexandria is there to be a motherly figure or for another reason?

What do you learn about Calpurnia in chapter 12? What does Scout realize about her? ~Christina~

In chapter 12, the reader learns that Calpurnia cares how she is viewed by the people in her church. Scout realizes that she had “another life” outside of working for the Finch family. From when it was decided that Jem and Scout would attend church with her she began preparing them so she wouldn’t be viewed badly. “It’s like we were going to Mardi Gras’ said Jem. ’What’s all this for, Cal?’ ‘I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children she muttered.”(Lee 157). Throughout this chapter the reader sees how dolled up she make the kids and how she changes the way she talks to become like the other church goers. Scout never thought much of how Calpurnia’s life was outside of the Finch household. It wasn’t until they went to church, that Scout realized Calpurnia had a family and friends in the church. Scout being curious by this asks Cal to visit her house sometime. Calpurnia changes herself from how she acts at the Finch household to how she acts among the other colored people in Maycomb.

Chapter 12/13: Explain what Scout means when she says, “There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb” (Lee 175). What is a Caste system, and how does it work in Maycomb, according to Scout? (Mia Biotti)

When Scout talks about a caste system in Maycomb, she is referring to the fact that Maycomb has a system where people are born into their social status based on the history of their family. A caste system is a system that assigns people and families into social statuses, and in this case, the people in Maycomb are born into their statuses based on their family and past ancestors. In a caste system, people are assigned to their status from birth, and no matter how much better they were compared to their ancestors, they can not change their social class and move either up or down. When Scout talks about the caste system in Maycomb, she was talking a lot about money and land. Families that have more money and more land for longer amounts of time, are usually well off and higher up in status, and families like the Cunninghams and Ewells, who both extremely poor, are lower in statuses. When Aunt Alexandra arrives in Maycomb in order to help take care of Jem and Scout and provide “feminine influence”, Scout gains more knowledge about the caste system, and she narrates, “the older citizens, the present generation of people who had lived side by side for years and years, were utterly predictable to one another”(Lee 175). Scout recognizes that older generations act the same as the younger generations of the same family, and after a while, these actions are predictable and define each family permanently. Scout realizes that the further back a family can be traced, and the longer they have had the same land, they tend to have a higher social status, and that this caste system has a huge presence in Maycomb County.

Do you think any caste systems exist in society today? What impact would a caste system have on our community?

Chapters 10 & 11, "Why do you think Atticus never revealed he was an expert marksman?" - Will Friedman

In chapter ten, Jem and Scout spot a dog that is crazy.  Calpurnia says that the dog is "a mad dog" and warns the whole neighborhood.  Atticus and the town sheriff come to the scene and decide that the only way to bring it down, is to shoot it, but they will only have one chance.  Mr. Tate, the town sheriff, says to Atticus, "I can't shoot a gun that well and you know it!" (Lee 127)  Then after taking the gun, Atticus brings the gun up to his shoulder and shoots the dog within an instant.  Atticus clearly once was, and still is even after thirty years and expert marksman.  Earlier in the chapter, Jem and Scout had went around telling neighbors of how useless Atticus was.  They said he was old, and could no longer do anything.  Atticus, being his moral self, had never told the kids he was an expert at anything let alone shooting.  He didn't tell them, because it is not something he is proud of.  He wants to be seen as a great person, and by saying he has a skill for killing things isn't helping that image.  Also, he doesn't want them to want to be an expert marksman either.  If they see Atticus shooting things, then they will want to shoot too.  Atticus knows that they will regret this decision when they get older, just as he does.  Later Scout asks Miss Maudie about Atticus.  "... he decided he wouldn't shoot till he had to, and he had to today."  This shows how much Atticus regrets his skill.  He will still help the community if in need, but will not shoot for any other reason.  Being an expert marksman is not something Atticus is proud of, and therefore doesn't tell Jem and Scout.

Why do you think Atticus doesn't tell the kids?  Was there possibly an event in the past that occurred to prevent Atticus from wanting to shoot again?  If so, what do you think that was?

Chapters 10&11: Why do you think Atticus never revealed he was an expert marksman? - Hagar

Atticus never revealed he was an expert marksman because he takes no pride in the ability to kill. In chapter 10, after he has to kill a rabid dog, it is revealed that Scout’s father is an excellent shot. Scout is shocked by this information, especially after spending the first half of the chapter lamenting over Atticus’s lack of skills. She wonders why Atticus never bragged about his skills to which Miss Maudie replies “‘...he decided he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today’” (Lee 101). Atticus isn’t a violent person. This is evident both in his parenting, teaching Jem and Scout how to handle situations calmly instead of fighting, and in how he shoots, only when necessary. His ideology contrasts with the general outlook on shooting and hunting as commonplace and accepted. This theme of Atticus’s opinions on things such as language, morals, racism, and Arthur Boo Radley, clashing with the general public’s views, is a common theme throughout the book. Atticus doesn’t shoot because he prefers to use knowledge, rather than guns, as his weapon.

How do you think this topic is relevant today, with all the talk about gun violence?

Chapters 10 & 11: Why is it appropriate to kill a mad dog but not a mockingbird? Cece

The mad dog had to be killed because it could harm people, but a mockingbird does nothing but provide music. When Atticus shoots the dog, he was not proud of it, he only did it because it was necessary for the safety of the community. Atticus was not eager to be the one to partake in the shooting, and after it occurred Miss Maudie says: “I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things. I guess he decided he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today.” (Lee 130). Nobody had ever mentioned that Atticus was ‘One-Shot Finch’ to Jem and Scout because Atticus never took pride in the fact that he could shoot a gun. He wanted his children to realize that there was more than just shooting a gun to be courageous. Later, Jem had to read to Mrs. Dubose who was a former Morphine addict, and Atticus wanted Jem to realize that she could have died being addicted, but instead she chose to break herself of the habit and go courageously. A mad dog puts the community in danger, making it an appropriate time to raise a gun, but a mockingbird is a peaceful creature and makes music for everyone, and that is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Chapters 10 & 11: Explain Atticus’s definition of courage (end of chapter 11) ~Veronica~

Atticus values mental and emotional courage over physical courage. After the death of Mrs. Dubose, Atticus reflects on her final weeks with the children, he explains how she was a recovering morphine addict, and how he would have made Jem and Scout read to her even if Jem hadn’t cut the flowers. Atticus wanted them to learn a lesson from her. While concluding his discussion on Mrs. Dubose, Atticus says: “I wanted you to see something about her- I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. 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 her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.” (Lee 149). After the incident with the mad dog, Jem was under the impression that his father was amazing and courageous because he was ‘One-shot-Finch’. While deciding whether to shoot the dog or not, Atticus was very reluctant. In the end, he only did it because he thought it was necessary for the well being and safety of the community. In his mind, he was not being courageous, he was just doing what was needed. Knowing that he had made the wrong impression on Jem, Atticus tried to find a way to show his son what his definition of true courage was. Atticus showed Jem that true courage is not shooting well or going head first into a fight, that courage is fighting a battle within yourself, even if you know that you are not going to win.

Chapter 8 and 9:Explore Scout's relationship with Uncle Jack. Don't forget to include what Scout teaches her uncle.(Jonathan Kim)

What Scout feels towards Uncle Jack is a fun, helpful, and trustworthy person who she looks forward to seeing on Christmas. Every year, the Finch family has a reunion around Christmas and visits the Finch’s landing(where Simon Finch lived). Even though they have a positive relationship with each other, Scout curses in front of Uncle Jack, and he decides to tell Scout that she can not curse when he is there. When Uncle Jack pulls her aside after supper, he says, “ I’ll be here a week, and I don’t want to hear any words like that while I’m here.”(Lee 105). Uncle Jack wants to protect Scout from using bad words, and still thinks that Scout is not grown up yet. Scout agrees to what he is saying and tries not to curse while he is visiting them. Afterwards, Scout starts talking to Francis, and he starts to make fun of Scout. As Francis was making fun of Scout’s family, he said, “ He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’. ” (Lee 110). Scout could not control her anger and decides to beat up Francis. Uncle Jack heard the commotion and decided to punish Scout. When Scout goes back to her room, Uncle Jack talks to her, and Scout tells the side of her story. Uncle Jack learns that it was not completely Scout’s fault and learns he would not be a good parent. Uncle Jack did not listen to both sides of the stories, and predicted that it was all Scout’s fault. Scout begs to Uncle Jack to not tell Atticus about what Francis said to her, and later that night, Uncle Jack admits that he could never be able to raise kids.

What do you think would Uncle Jack have done if he was told both sides of the story of the fight? Do you think Uncle Jack will be an active role in the years to come? What do you think was Uncle Jack and Atticus saying when they said that Scout and Jem will have a lot of obstacles coming at them pretty soon?

Chapters 8 & 9: Discuss Atticus’ explanation of the case to Scout. What does Atticus mean by “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win?” (Philip Tabor)

During Atticus' explanation to Scout of the Tom Robinson case, he states he must fight for the case, and even though he knows he will lose, but he does it for his pride and for his self-respect. Atticus is the best lawyer in Maycomb County, and one of the most respected men in town, and to just give up on a case would ruin his reputation as a lawyer for the rest of his life, and he would lose the respect of his son and daughter forever. This particular case though, is more intense than his other ones, as it means of defending Tom Robinson, an African-American who has been accused of raping a white woman, and although Atticus knows he's innocent, he knows the jury would not allow him to win. Scout gets bothered at school by students that claim Atticus is a disgrace, and that their parents say Tom Robinson should be hanged for what he did. While explaining the case to Scout, Atticus says: "If I didn't [represent Tom Robinson in court] I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again" (Lee 100). He explains to her that even though he should not be defending this man, if he does not he will have to carry the burden of giving up and losing the respect of the town, which is that's something he cannot do, for himself and his family. When Atticus tells Scout “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 101), he is using a metaphor in which he is stating that even though his ancestors was defeated a hundred years before Atticus' family was born, does not mean they have to give up, they can still fight and try and win. This is closely relevant to Atticus' case, as he knows he is going to lose for a fact, but he still is going to try to win, for his pride and respect of his family and town.

Chapters 8-9: How does Scout end up with a blanket across her shoulders? Why would Harper Lee include this moment in the book? (Colin)

Boo Radley put the blanket around Scout as another act of kindness and Harper Lee adds this in To Kill A Mockingbird to add mystery and confusion to Boo Radley’s character. After Jem and Scout watch the fire at Ms. Maudie’s from the Radley House, Atticus asks Scout where she got the blanket she was wearing from. Scout and Jem don’t remember where the blanket came from. While the kids are trying to recall how they got the blanket Atticus says, “Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you” (Lee, pg. 96). Harper Lee wrote this scene to add to the suspense around Boo Radley. At the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird Scout and Jem think that Boo Radley is malicious but now they are questioning that impression because of Boo’s kind acts. Boo has given them presents through the knothole and he gave Scout a blanket so she wouldn’t freeze. This adds to the confusion about Boo’s character because the kids don’t know if “he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch” (Lee, pg. 13), or if he gives blankets to people when they are cold. This interaction still leaves the reader wondering why Boo Radley did not say anything to them. Did he not want to be noticed? Harper Lee wrote this scene to show that Boo Radley may be a kind person but he is without a doubt mysterious.

Do you think Boo Radley will be kind or malicious? How do you think Jem and Scout will react when they learn more about Boo? Will the kids and Boo ever become friends or will Nathan Radley continue to keep them apart?

Dylan Wang- Chapters 6 & 7 "Why Do the Children Play Boo Radley?"

After hearing multiple spooky stories about the Radley family, Jem, Scout, and Dill decide to play Boo Radley because they are curious about him and want to know more about him. However, the children do not want to talk to Boo Radley because they are young and scared of him. So they decide to act out what they think interacting with Boo Radley will be like. When Jem decides to push Scout down the sidewalk in a tire, Scout swerves to the side and bumps into the Radley’s front yard. When running out of the front gate, Scout hears someone laughing. When they get home, Jem says, “I know what we are going to play today… Something new, something different… Boo Radley” (Lee 51). Being young children, Jem, Scout and Dill are too scared to talk to someone as scary and mysterious as Boo Radley. At a young age, Jem, Scout, and Dill are naturally curious about the people around them. For example, after hearing the stories about Boo Radley, they wanted to learn more about him and his mysterious past. Being resourceful, the children create a play allowing themselves to see through the eyes of Boo Radley. When acting out this play, the children learn what it is like to be Boo Radley in an unconventional way. Jem, Scout, and Dill play the game Boo Radley because it allows Harper Lee to show the characters curiosity and their creative ways of learning more about Boo Radley.

Do you think the children’s perspective of Boo Radley will change? If so, how? Do you think that Boo Radley may want to interact with Jem, Scout and Dill? Do you agree with what the children are doing? How would you feel if you were in Scout’s shoes?

Chapters 6-7 - Explain Jem’s statement: “When I went back they were folded across the fence... like they were expecting me.” - Emma Worthington

I think that the pants were put there by Boo Radley and that Nathan Radley is actually the one that shoots them not Boo. Throughout the book there are small things that hint that Boo is watching them. When Scout rolls onto there lawn in the tire she hears deep laughter. The laughter is Boo, because it would not be Nathan, he is to serious to laugh at something like that, in fact I think he would get mad at it. When Jem tells Scout it was as if they were expecting him he says, “Not like a lady sewed ‘em, like somethin’ I’d try to do. All crooked. It’s almost like-”(Lee 78). This suggests that a man did it but I don’t think that it was Arthur because he would be mad at the kids and keep them to get Jem in trouble. This is why I think it was Boo who sewed up the pants because he is the only person who would be in the yard and do something for the kids. I also think he is the one leaving things in the knot hole because Jem and Scout get statues of themselves and they don’t know who could have whittled them. It could be him because he spends all his time during the day in his house so no one would know he could whittle, so that’s why they never suspected him. In conclusion I think that Boo Radley sewed the pants up as best he could and left them for Jem.

Do you think Boo knows they play the game Boo Radley?

If so what do you think he thinks of the game?

Do you think we will meet Boo as we keep reading the book?

Do you think Boo will start leaving his house as the book progresses?

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

After Scout, Dill and Jem try to catch a glimpse of Boo Radley through his house window and are eventually scared off by Mr. Radley, Jem decides he must go back for his pants that he discarded in a hurry. Whist Scout is begging not to go back for his pants, Jem admits they should not have lurked on the Radley place earlier that night. Scout then claims “It was then, I suppose, that Jem and I first began to part company”(Lee 75). Scout recognises that Jem is growing up and isn't going to play childish games with her forever. He is becoming a teenager and doesn’t always want to hang out with his annoying younger sister. For example, on Scout’s first day of school he sets boundaries between them “Jem was careful to explain that during school hours I was not to bother him…”(Lee 20). It is clear that Jem doesn't want his personal life to be brought up during school hours. He is also showing that he doesn’t want his friends, or anyone at school to know he plays “ridiculous” games with his sister. Now that Jem is maturing, he won’t be with Scout nearly as much because he is embarrassed of her and how she acts.  As the story progresses Jem will drift farther away from Scout, leaving her to find new friends to play with.

Chapter #6-7 Explain Jem’s statement: “When I went back they were folded across the fence . . . like they were expectin’ me.” -Dana Yesson-

After Dill and Jem decided to go and look through the window of the Radley's place to try and see something, they get confronted by a shadowy figure. Through all this action Jem has to go through a fence, resulting in the loss of his pants. Originally the characters went to Dill's aunt fishing pond, and Dill decided to walk back past the Radley's. They try and take a look in the Radley's window and just see blinds, then are faced with the shadowy figure and scram towards the schoolyard. While going under the fence in the yard, Jem's pants get ripped off. They rush back to the house, and Atticus, Miss Maudie, and Miss Stephanie Crawford are all confused what commotion is going on. Atticus asks about Jem's lack of pants and Dill comes up with the excuse "We were playin' Strip poker up yonder by the fishpool," (pg. 61). Jem then tells them actually he was playing with matches (another lie to try and get them out of the mess that they had with the Radley's). Atticus tells Jem to go get his pants then, but he actually has to go back near the Radley's to get them. A week passes and we learn from Jem, who is now quiet and shaken up the day he went to get his pants. He said  they were "expecting him." When the breeches broke, they were all tangled but when he came back for them, they were folded and sewed crookedly. Jem explains it as "somebody reading my mind . . . like somebody could tell what I was gonna do."(pg.66) The Radley's obviously don't think it's very funny they keep going near their house, like taking stuff from the knothole, playing the Radley game etc. Now it has escalated and become even more creepy for everyone in the book.

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