To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Table of Contents
Plot Summary
The plot of To Kill a Mockingbird revolves around main character Scout Finch. She lives with her father, Atticus, and brother, Jem. Atticus is a widow, and Scout has no mother. The family resides in a fictional Alabama town called Maycomb, which is in the grips of the great depression. Even though many in the town are struggling, Atticus is a lawyer with a strong work ethic and a good client base, so the Finch family is doing pretty well - at least when compared to many of the other people in the town. Scout and Jem become friends with a boy whose name is Dill. He has come to stay in their neighborhood with his relatives over the summer. Among the games the three play is to act out stories. After a while, Dill shows a lot of interest the Radley Place, which is a house on the Finch's street. There are all kinds of rumors about the house, and it is very spooky. Nathan Radley owns the house, and his brother Arthur (who everyone calls Boo) lives there. Arthur "Boo" Radley has not been seen outside of his house for years, although people are sure he is still there.
As summer roles into fall, it is time for Scout to go to school for the first time. She hates it, but her and Jem start finding little items in a tree's knothole. The tree is growing on the Radley property, and Scout and Jem believe the gifts are being left just for them. The following Summer, Dill is once again back in the neighborhood, and the three start creating and acting out a story that revolves around Boo Radley. It is not long before Atticus stops the children and tries to get them to see life from a different point of view. He does not want the children to grow up judging other people just because they are different. Even though he tried to explain this to the children, they still sneak onto the Radley's property on Dill's last night in town. Nathan Radley actually shoots at the children, and when Jem tries to get away, he loses his pants and has to leave them behind. He returns for them later, and they have been mended and are hanging over the fence for him to collect.
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