Chapters 26 & 27: "The Radley Place had ceased to terrify me, but it was no less gloomy, no less chilly under its great oaks, and no less uninviting." Explore this with reference to Scout's development. (Veronica Choulga)

By including Scout’s thoughts about the Radley place, Harper Lee illustrates that Scout has grown older and developed more understanding and empathy towards Boo Radley. At the beginning of the book, when Scout first comes home from school, Atticus tells her “You never really understand a person… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39). This has been an ongoing theme all throughout the book. At the beginning of the novel Boo Radley is introduced to the reader as almost a ‘horror story’. The children are afraid of the house, as well as anyone who might inhabit it. Jem says that “he (Boo Radley) dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch… what teeth he had were yellow and rotten.” (Lee 16). Boo Radley is described as a monster. However, as the book slowly progresses, Scout and the reader become more and more acquainted with Arthur as he makes himself known to the children. As both Scout and Jem grow older, the begin to understand things from Boo’s point of view. They ‘climb into his skin’. Their opinions on Arthur are ultimately changed when Boo Radley turned out to be kinder than most people in the town when he gave them a blanket the night Ms. Maudie’s house burnt down. As the ‘current’ summer finished, and the school year started, although nothing has physically changed on the Radley property, Scout’s opinion of the house and those inside it changed dramatically as she grew older and more mature.

Chapter 24-25: What is the significance of the "roly-poly"? What does this incident tell you about Scout and Jem? (Jonathan Kim)

The significance of the “roly-poly” incident is that Jem is starting to grow up emotionally and physically while Scout still needs a lot to learn. When Jem sees that Scout is about to crush the roly-poly, he tells her to stop which annoys Scout. Jem realizes that there is no point in killing the insect, and sees that it is just plain cruel. When Scout asks why she could not kill the roly-poly, Jem says, “Because they don’t bother you” (Lee 320). He believes it is not fair to hurt something as little as an insect if it did not do anything wrong, which shows that Jem is growing up as a more caring and understanding person. Scout does not like the fact that Jem is growing up and wants him to get through the process of puberty of what every teenage boy goes through as quickly as possible. After Scout sets the insect on the back steps, she thinks to herself, “It was probably a part of the stage he was going through, and I wished he would hurry up and get through it”(Lee 320). Scout does not understand what Jem is going through, which clearly shows that she still has to grow up as well. Jem also tells Scout not to kill the insect because of what happened in the Tom Robinson case. After the case, Jem was overwhelmed emotionally when the jury said Tom Robinson was guilty because of how unfair the case was. Jem does not want other people getting hurt, even the insect Scout was about to kill. Although Jem is maturing to adulthood, Scout still needs a lot to learn and still needs to grow up. Scout is still a child where she does not understand the cruelty of killing things for fun. Scout thinks Jem is crazy and thinks that Jem is acting like a girl when Jem is only showing kindness to other living creatures and people.

Chapter 24/25: What is the content of the editorial published in the paper? Why is this confusing to Scout? What is the significance of this? (Philip Tabor)

In Mr. Underwood's editorial published in the Maycomb Tribune, he condemns the gruesome murder of Tom Robinson, an innocent man, and associates him with the terrible sin of killing a mockingbird, an innocent singing bird. Mr. Underwood is the writer of the Maycomb Tribune, the only newspaper in Maycomb, which allows him to write about whatever he feels necessary, and there would be no consequences. He sees Tom Robinson being murdered after trying to escape prison as senseless killing, and wrote about this to expose the injustice and viciousness of his murder “Mr. Underwood simply figure 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” (323). Underwood compares the murder of Tom Robinson as the killing of a mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird, which is the title of this novel, is described as sin by many, as a mockingbird is a just an innocent bird singing for the pleasure of itself and others, yet so many seem to murder them for their own amusement. Tom Robinson was only an innocent man, carrying the burden of a rapist and a criminal, yet prison guards proceeded to murder him as if he were a savage. Scout couldn't understand this at first, but then she recognized the meaning of Mr. Underwood’s words: "Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson... Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed" (323). Scout understood that even though Tom Robinson was proved guilty by a court of law, he was still innocent. At first, Mr. Underwood confused her by stating that Robinson was senselessly killed, although he was convicted as guilty and tried to escape. She later realized that even the best lawyer thoroughly proving his defendant innocent with every piece evidence pointing towards his favor, if a white girl accuses him of being guilty, that man is guilty as long as he is African-American. The trial forced Scout to mature, and to see the pure innocence in Tom Robinson and to face the harsh reality of the wrong and racism in her society.

Chapters 22-23: Explain Jem’s discussion of “Background” and different kinds of folks. How does that help you understand Jem’s feelings expressed at the end of chapter 23 (302). Why did Harper Lee put this here? (Ella Wolff)

Harper Lee included Jem’s realization of different folks to show how Jem is maturing and developing. In the passage Jem is telling Scout what the different types of folks are and how they act. Jem has now realized that Boo Radley stays inside his house because he wants to stay there. It is clear that no one is holding Boo back from leaving, but he is scared of the outside world and himself. When Boo was younger he joins a “gang” with troubled children and was almost jailed for it, but his father kept that from happening. If Boo were to ever leave he wouldn’t have anyone and anywhere to go, keeping him from leaving. Jem fulfilling this realization is a sign of his maturity and knowing the depth of his surroundings. Although, Jem has matured in general he was matured over Scout as well. In the passage while Jem is explaining his findings he mentions “‘That’s what I thought, too,’ he said at last, ‘when I was you age…”’(304). This quote shows that Jem feels more powerful over Scout and thinks of her even more as an immature little girl. When Jem turned twelve he became harder to live with for Scout and more opinionated he stated “‘It’s time you start bein’ a girl and acting right!’’(Lee 153). Earlier on in the book Jem was more acceptant of Scouts “tom-boy” ways, but after he turned twelve he began to see her as different and he didn’t accept that about her. Over the course of the book Jem is growing and realizing the depth of his little town and maturing, but hopefully he won’t let his “power” go to his head.

Chapters 22-23 How is Jem maturing physically and emotionally in these chapters? (Emma Worthington)

Jem matures both physically and emotionally through the chapters, he emotionally matures in the chapter because he is growing up and unlike scout he learned that even though people are alike the groups are not the same, and physically he is growing hair as he gets older. He is maturing emotionally when he talks to scout about the different kinds of people in Maycomb. Scout who is young and still is innocent says that she thinks there is only one kind of folk, Jem replies saying, “That’s what I thought, too… when I was your age. If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other?”(Lee 304). This show how Jem matures emotionally because he is recognizing this idea that people can’t all live in harmony. He recognize how this is true in his life, and how different groups of people in Maycomb don’t get along with each other. He is maturing because in the beginning of chapter 22 he is crying because of how it isn't fair that Tom Robinson was found guilty because he is an African American and at the end of chapter 23 he accepts that the groups are different. He is physically maturing because he is growing hair as he grows up and becomes an adult. Jem matures through the chapters, physically and emotionally throughout the chapters.

Why does Harper Lee emphasize Jem maturing so much throughout the book? Does he mature differently than Scout?

How is Jem maturing physically and emotionally in these chapters? (Dana Yesson)

Jem demonstrates physical maturity when he brags about growing body hair and getting taller, and is emotionally maturing when talking with Scout and Atticus more seriously and knowledgeably. When talking to Atticus and Scout about the Tom Robinson case and the court in general, Jem speaks up very often asking questions, and being a lot less childish than we’ve seen him before. “You actually put on the jury a man who wanted to kill you the night before?”... “you take such a risk, Atticus, how could you?” (Lee, 254). Here Jem sounds a lot more grown up than anything at the start of the book, and he isn’t arguing with Atticus, he’s listening and learning from him. Jem matures physically after Scout cries because Aunt Alexandra and Atticus don’t want Walter Cunningham over at the house. He brags that he’s got armpit and chest hair and that he’s “got it all figured out” when it comes to the type of people in Maycomb County. Scout even notices the change, “eyebrow becoming heavier... slimness about his body… He was growing taller.” (Lee, 257). Jem’s overall changes to thoughts, ideas, and figure make him very different from what he used to be like, and maturity has sure stuck him.

What are Aunt Alexandra’s and Atticus’ definitions of “trash.” How do they differ? (Dylan Wang)

Aunt Alexandra thinks that someone is “trash” if they are poor and don’t have much social status, while Atticus believes that someone is “trash” if their personality is wrong or if they have bad morals. When talking about the trial, Atticus tells Jem that one of the Cunninghams was in the jury and almost acquitted Tom Robinson. After hearing this, Scout wants to bring Walter to dinner. Not happy about Scout’s idea, Aunt Alexandra says, “We’ll see about that… They’re not our kind of folks” (Lee 298). Scout interrupts, “But I want to play with Walter, Aunty, why can’t I?” (Lee 301). Aunt Alexandra says blatantly, “Because-he-is-trash, that’s why you can’t play with him” (Lee 301). This shows that Aunt Alexandra doesn’t view someone by their personality or kindness, she cares about whether or not they have money and have high social status. In other words, she thinks about how others would make her look in Maycomb. Aunt Alexandra wants to be “above” other people in Maycomb, therefore she can’t be associated with people like the Cunninghams. When Aunt Alexandra first arrives at the Finch’s she asks Atticus to tell the children, “You must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are” (Lee 177). This demonstrates how Aunt Alexandra is “proud” of the family name and wants to pass it down with dignity, rather than with disgust and distaste. On the other hand, Atticus’ definition of “trash” does not depend on their social status or wealth, but how they treat others and behave themselves. Although the Cunninghams don’t have much, Atticus admires their loyalty and their willingness to fight tooth and nail for someone they have respect for. Aunt Alexandra and Atticus both consider the Ewell’s trash, but for different reasons. Aunt Alexandra considers the Ewells trash because they are dirty, have no money, and are viewed as garbage. However, Atticus considers the Ewells trash because they took advantage of an African-American. Although Atticus doesn’t specifically say that he thinks Mr. Ewell is trash, Atticus does say, “there's nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who'll take advantage of a negro's ignorance” (Lee 296). Aunt Alexandra and Atticus have different definitions of trash because Aunt Alexandra view people by their wealth and social status, while Atticus view people by their morals and behavior.

What do you think are Jem and Scout definitions of “trash”? Who would you consider trash if you were to use Atticus’ definition? Do you think Aunt Alexandra’s definition of trash is justifiable?