Tkamb

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4- Jem and Dill come up with a daring plan to try to lure out Boo Radley. They decide to write Boo a note, asking him politely to come outside, and offering to buy him an ice cream. They found a shutter on the house that was loose, and decided that was where they would stick the letter. Scout met up with the boys, and they filled her in on their plan. Scout was nervous, but didn’t want to show it, so she agreed to stand watch. Jem would simply stand outside the fence closest to the window, and stick the note in the shutter with a fishing pole. His attempts were unsuccessful, and Dill, who had also been standing watch, got caught by Atticus, Jem and Scouts father.

5- Harper Lee shows empathy in this novel by Jem and Scout in their dealing with Walter Cunningham. One characteristic shown of Jem and Scout is their ability to empathize or “… climb into their skin and walk around in it.” (page 31) Jem develops a high level of emotional intelligence that allows him to understand other’s situations, and what they might be thinking or the way they will act. This characteristic is first revealed when Jem stops Scout from beating up Walter Cunningham in the schoolyard and invites him over for dinner. Scout develops her empathy when Calpurnia takes her into the kitchen and explains the Cunningham’s situation. “Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunningham’s but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em….” (Page 26). Through the course of events involving Walter Cunningham, both Jem and Scout learn to climb into the skin of Walter and enhance their ability to empathize.

6- In chapter 10, Miss Maudie explains that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because “mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to listen to and enjoy.” She also says that “… they don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in concribs…” Miss Maudie explains that a mockingbird is a bird that doesn’t eat crops or purposefully harm humans; all it does is make music. In a way, it represents freedom, and innocence, but it could also represent a love of life. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because there is absolutely no reason to harm it.

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8- It is said that Maycomb “…had nothing to fear but fear itself.” However, I feel that Maycomb residents were afraid of more than just fear itself. I feel that the Maycomb residents feared Boo Radley. Boo is feared by most of the children, and many adults. They believed that he killed pets and wild animals, peeped into windows, and poisoned the pecans on his pecan tree. I also believe the residents of Maycomb were afraid of the Negroes. Many of the white people’s racist hatred is based on a fear of the unknown concerning Maycomb’s black population who live separately in the Quarters. Bob Ewell is also feared. Alexandra feels that Bob may eventually do “something furtive”, and Jem plainly tells Atticus, “We’re scared for you.” Finally, I feel that Atticus himself is feared. Atticus puts fear in the hearts of Maycomb’s racist population when he decides to defend Tom Robbinson. Scout and Jem learn from a conversation by men at the square that Atticus will do his best to earn Tom’s acquittal and not provide a half-hearted attempt. Mayella Ewell breaks into tears more than once in the courtroom, and Judge Taylor gets his answer when he asks, “What are you scared of?” “Him,” she sobbed, pointing right at Atticus.

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12- Mr. Underwood could say anything he wanted to, and still he would get his advertising and subscriptions. If he wanted to make a fool of himself in his paper, that was his business. But Mr. Underwood didn’t talk about the miscarriages of justice, he surprisingly wrote his paper so that the children could understand. Mr. Underwood said that Tom’s calling was senseless. This was surprising to even Jem because “Tom had been given due to process of law to the day of his death. He had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men.”