To Kill a Mockingbird questions?

Question

I've read the book, "To Kill A Mockingbird," about two times, but I've come up with a couple of questions (questions that I thought of) to better understand the book: If the Ewells wanted attention and much sympathy towards others, why couldn't they just act nice and polite towards other people? Was Dill making up the whole thing about his new dad and biological mom not giving their son (Dill) any attention or was he really telling the truth?

What I mean is this: maybe Dill really wanted to see Jem and Scout again because he misses them. When he asks his parents if they could take him back to Maycomb, they refuse. Dill's parents, especially his step-father, wanted their son to stay where they are at and make new friends. Dill hates his parents decision and takes this matter into his own hands. He sneaks out of his house and takes a train back to Maycomb without having his parents aware of his disappearance.

Also, did Mayella have a job of some sort? If not, then how did she save enough money to give her children money for ice cream? Is it possible that Mayella has been planning to frame Tom for no reason for about the same number of years she's been saving money for her children to buy ice cream?

What I mean is: If Mayella's children would have seen the whole crime scene, they would have to testify to the court what really happened, and Tom wouldn't have to go to jail. Or was Tom going to jail anyway whether he did the rape with Mayella or not all because he was black?

Answer 1

Loved this book, this is the last place that I thought I would see a discussion, but let me savour it!

The Ewell's were dealing with their environment in the only way they knew how. The Ewell clan was connected to the dump for their livelihood and were reviled by society. Alcohol was a problem and so was incest. There were no role models in their lineage to teach them to be polite or nice.

Now with Dill's circumstances, you have correctly identified conflicting information. Dill was prone to telling exaggerated stories of the wonderful things he had done and what his new dad had accomplished, so it is possible he was lying about his new dad and mom ignoring them.

But in this case, Dill was explaining to Scout in private that he was feeling left out and it was one of his lucid moments and he was not exaggerating. The reader feels some sympathy, because in many "blended" families (I come from one!) with a new step parent in the picture, the kids go through an adjustment period where they feel the new parent is getting a lot of the attention. I think he was being honest.

Answer 2

The Ewells have never been 'nice'.Their father is alcoholic and good-for-nothing.And about the where they get their money from, it is from the welfare or something.It's in the book somewhere :)
Like the first person said,the Ewells did not have someone to teach them right from wrong.Mayella framed Tom because her father told her too,and also because of the shame if everyone knew she was actually the guilty one.

Dill wasn't actually lying.He was just upset about his mother remarrying(probably).He turned to the Finch family for comfort and also because he knew they would not turn him away. He is upset about being ignored by his parents(even though he does exaggerate it a little).

And why would the Ewell children testify?You've seen Burris in the starting of the book.He was,like Scout described,'the filthiest person I had ever seen'(or something like that...).He made rude remarks and caused Miss Caroline Fisher to cry.The children are almost as bad as their horrible father.

Also,Tom Robinson would be convicted guilty no matter what, because of,like what Atticus said,'he was licked before he begun.This also refers to Atticus by the way.Atticus knew he could not possibly win a case,because Tom was doomed from the beginning.Atticus did his best to defend Tom anyway.

Hope this helps :)
I really like this book^^

Answer 3

It has been a very long time since I read this. I have no memory of the story line you have described. You have made me want to read it again. You are obviously a very deep thinker and get a lot from every character in a book. I have a tendancy to remember only the main essence of a book. In this it was about bigotry and people's expectations about certain people and the way they look and act. People should be accepted for who they are and not have to change to suit others. Unless of course they are hurtful and unkind. As long as we can be who we are without hurting others we should expect to be accepted by society.

Thanks for your sharing your insight

Answer 4

I read somewhere that Harper Lee based her character Dill on Truman Capote, who she knew when they were kids. Apparently Capote was pretty wild with his stories about his life, even when he was a child.