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?
I think that if Mr. Cunningham did not stop the mob from dispersing, worse things would have happened to Jem, Scout, Dill, and Atticus. Mr. Cunningham was the only mob member who found a little more humanity within him, as is explained when a big mob member says, "I'll send him home" (Lee 203). After he said this, the mob member found no problem in yanking Jem up by the collar, and even though Scout ran into the group and began talking to Mr. Cunningham, if Mr. Cunningham either didn't react or wasn't there with the mob, the mob would not have stopped as easily. I think that Scout rushing to see what Atticus was doing was at first, an act of recklessness and curiosity, but after finding Mr. Cunningham and kicking the man who grabbed Jem, she shows courage and manages to make the mob disperse.
ReplyDeleteI think that if Mr. Cunningham didn't stop the mob from leaving, Scout, Dill, Jem, and atticus would have gotten into much bigger trouble. Of all the members in the mob, Mr. Cunningham was the only one who had a sense of altruism and benevolence. "I'll tell him you said hey, little lady... Let's get going, boys" (Lee 206). On the other hand, the other mob members were much more brutish, as explained in Mia's comment when one of the mob members pushes Jem to the ground. I think that Scout rushed to Atticus as an act of curiosity and stupidity. As a young child, I think that Scout's actions were done out of curiosity. However, I think that her actions were also done out of stupidity because you shouldn't go into the middle of a mob at 10 o'clock at night when you're outnumber by burley men with hoodies. Once Scout realized that the mob was made up of people that she did not know, what she did next was courageous. To be able to create a "speech" on the fly in front of a mob is pretty courageous.
ReplyDeleteI think that scout running into the mob was both stupid and courageous. She wasn't thinking when she jumped into the circle but she was courageous when she was inside. She started talking to Mister Walter Cunningham she was being courageous but for different reasons than what is obvious. She is courageous for talking to Mr. Cunningham she shows maturity by talking about things he wants to talk about and steping out of her comfort zone and talking more maturely. The only thing that she did that wasn't very smart was she never realized the mob was going to attack Tom.
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