To Kill A Mockingbird?

Question

How does this book describe Jem becoming more mature, like, what happens to prove that he is becoming more mature...

...something like the "roly-poly" incident, when scout wanted to squish it, but jem wouldnt let her...

Answer 1

from gradesaver.com : Chapter 25

Summary:

It is now September and Jem and Scout are about to go to sleep on their cots on the back porch. Scout sees a roly-poly bug and goes to kill it. Jem stops her, saying the bug never did anything to harm her. Scout heeds his request and carefully takes the bug outside, noting internally that if anything, Jem is becoming more like a lady than she is. As she returns to her cot, she thinks of Dill and remembers his story of the day Tom Robinson died in late August.

Atticus and Calpurnia were driving out to see Tom’s wife when they spotted Jem and Dill on their way back from swimming. Jem and Dill ask for a ride, and although hesitant at first, Atticus finally agrees to let them come along. Apparently, when Tom's wife saw Atticus and Calpurnia, she seemed to faint, falling to the ground in a heap. Tom's death was only news in Maycomb for two days, and was regarded as "typical," since prevailing opinion was that black men tend to run away without any plan.

Scout reflects that "in the secret courts of men's hearts," nothing Atticus could have said could have freed Tom. Upon hearing the news, Mr. Ewell is rumored to have said, "one down and about two more to go," and Scout is afraid for Atticus. Jem confidently tells Scout that Mr. Ewell won't really take any action on his threats.


Analysis
Maycomb's reaction to the news of Tom's death demonstrates how willingly the citizens interpret the actions of one black person negatively in order to maintain their social construct of subjugating the black population. Scout realizes that the decision to see the world fairly can only occur within each individual's heart, and that there is no way to reach a person who has not become personally convinced of the equality of all races and the virtue of following a moral course of action.

However, for the black community, the news of Tom's death is devastating, as exemplified by Helen's collapse. Atticus could not promise Tom that he would eventually go free, because he did not want to promise anything he couldn't be sure of. Unable to live an indefinite existence, Tom lost his courage and determination, and chose to run for freedom. Possibly, like Jem, Tom lost hope that people would listen to the voice of reason. Given all the injustices he had experienced in his life, Tom did not think it possible that his case would be appealed or that the outcome would be favorable.

The roly-poly incident is yet another example of Jem’s increasing maturity. Having witnessed Tom’s trial and his family’s reaction of his death, Jem has an even greater sense of the need to protect the innocent. Therefore, the roly-poly bug is a symbol of the weak and oppressed who are often “stomped on” by society. Jem believes in the equality of all people, and his choice to protect the roly-poly demonstrates how deeply ingrained this value is. Jem is becoming a young man of honor and moral virtue, just like his father.

other sites said:

Major Conflicts
Man vs. Society: The conflict of man vs. society is basically one that deals with the prejudices, and values that the society holds. The individual that poses a different view than the society, is discriminated against, for not "flowing with the norm".
Boo Radley vs. Society: The fear of the unknown plays a major role in this
conflict. Viewed as the town freak, the parents of the community tell stories of Boo,
and warn their children against going near him, or even worse: becoming him.
These stories and the curiosity built up inside every child leads Radley to be
set off from society.

Robinson vs. White Society: As another "mockingbird", of the story, Robinson
is wrongly accused, and loses his life due to the racism of the community. Even
though it is obvious, to every person in the jury, that Robinson could not
have committed the crime, and that he is an upright and religious churchgoing man,
he is still accused of rape, and jailed.

Man vs. Man - The conflict of man vs. man is a vengeful one. The
conflict is usually present due to a feud, disagreement with principles or
an actual physical confrontation. It is expressed and enacted in various
ways. This type of conflict is expressed in certain situations in this
novel.

Bob Ewell vs. Tom Robinson - The conflict between the
Ewells and Tom is not necessarily a direct hatred but it is a significant conflict in the story. Bob Ewell has his daughter, Mayella, accuse Tom of raping her. In truth, it was Bob who had raped and beat her. So Bob creates the conflict so he can get away with the crime. Tom is also a
convenient and convincing "rapist" because he was at the house frequently
and because he is black. This indirect conflict was settled in court and
Tom was convicted of Bob' crime.

The Ewells vs. Atticus Finch - During the trial, Atticus
was the lawyer for Tom. He proved through various examples and forms of
evidence that Bob was guilty, not Tom. This completely, but silently,
destroys any type of credibility that Bob possessed. He now resented
Atticus and sought revenge on him. He took the matter into his own hands
again and attacked the things that Atticus held most dear, his children.
After a Halloween ball, Jem and Scout were walking home. Bob Ewell
followed them and attacked them with a knife. If Boo Radley had not been
there, then Jem would definitely have been killed.


Key Issues
TomRobinson's innocence : although the evidence clearly proved his innocence (the one arm, his respectable personality, and his class difference) in the court case in which he was accused of raping Mayella Ewell (Her father actually did it), the town would not allow Tom Robinson to be set free, due to the town's racist mentality. Tom Robinson was black.This is an example of racism in the book.
Atticus' hidden courage : Atticus was truly a brave man, although on the outside he appeared to be a pacifist. He often encouraged his children to avoid conflict (Mrs. Dubose is one example). When Atticus killed the rabid dog, his children gained a totally different view of him. The whole town had revealed to them the secret of their father, that he was an excellent marksman and a brave man. Scout and Jem saw the Atticus that was once brave and daring. Thus, they became proud to model themselves after their own father, once shunning him.

Mob mentality : Mob mentality is when a whole group of people, in this case, the people of Maycomb County, is caught in one specific mind set, for or against something. The mob mentality of the town allowed the residents to believe that Tom Robinson was guilty, despite Atticus' excellent defense of Robinson in court. The town's mentality would never allow them to set a black man free, so they were prejudiced against Tom Robinson from the start. Tom Robinson had one arm, was a decent man, and never raped Mayella Ewell, which would have been sufficient proof to set any other man free. Since Tom Robinson was a black man, and since the town was prejudiced against him, the jury ignored all the evidence on convicted Tom solely because he was a black man.

Social classes : The County of Maycomb was divided into strict social classes, with each bearing animosity towards each one another. There were the black people, living in their own section of Maycomb, the Ewells, which were a class unto themselves, and the middle class of Maycomb County. Because of the great differences in the classes, Tom Robinson never had a chance of being set free, since he is of a "lower" class in the eyes of most of Maycomb county's citizens.

Mrs. Dubose's morphine addiction : Mrs. Dubose was an old lady who was very ill. As such, she was put on morphine and had become addicted to it. Before she died, her one wish was that she would conquer her addiction to morphine. So she spent her days and nights in bed, suffering through morphine withdrawal. At one point, Jem was read for her, as a punishment from his father for destroying Mrs. Dubose's flowers. It was at this point that the magnitude of her sickness could be seen. Mrs. Dubose was a very sick old woman. She could barely stay awake through Jem's readings. She would have fits of coughing. This was all a result of being deprived of morphine. Still, she soldiered on, and died shortly thereafter, having been free from the drug. She was no longer bound to morphine, or the earthly realm, and had thus prevailed through adversity.

Jem's Maturity : Jem started out as a playful child who was often a companion to Scout. Later on though, you could see his personality change from immature to mature. He grew to understand the ways of life, racism, and toleration. His experience with Mrs. Dubose was a learning one. He learned toleration, for by destroying her flowers after mere taunts from her brought him nothing but grief. In addition, after Mrs. Dubose died, he learns of her struggle and looks at her in a new light. This is an example of the ongoing theme of maturity in the book.

Jem and Scout's experiences with Boo Radley : Jem and Scout's experiences with Boo Radley allowed them to learn and accept those who are different from them. Boo Radley was viewed as the town freak, because he was very reclusive. As a result, the children are curious to learn more about him, so they launch a series of covert operations to penetrate the outer layer of the Radley house. They are scared off by someone, and are terribly afraid of that house from that day on. Still, Boo Radley comes to their aid when Scout and Jem are attacked by Bob Ewell, showing that the rumors were untrue. They gain a newfound respect for Boo Radley, and learn to accept him though he may be a little different from them. This demonstrates the theme of respect.

The Cunningham's Financial Status vs. The Ewell's Financial Status : The Cunninghams were just as poor as the Ewells, yet they dealt with their poverty in a different manner. They did not suck money from the state through welfare as the Ewells did, and paid for what they could. They would not take handouts. An example of this is when Walter Cunningham was offered lunch money by his teacher. he wouldn't take it because he knew he would never be able to repay it. Poverty reduced the Ewells to an animalistic style of life, where fathers rape their own daughters. The Ewells also never attended school, aside from the first day, whereas the Cunninghams were faithfully attending school. In addition, the Cunninghams remained honorable despite their situation, while the Ewells didn't. The Cunninghams and the Ewells are two examples of how different people deal with the same situation of poverty.


Lessons, morals, applications:
Don't attack something if it hasn't harmed you:
This lesson is taught to Jem and Scout by Atticus when he teaches them about
the mockingbird. He says that the mockingbird is innocent and only sings for
you. It is therefore wrong to kill it. The examples of the mockingbird
within the novel are Tom and Boo. Tom was attacked by the entire white
society in Maycomb County. These attacks and accusations destroyed his
innocent, respectable life. Arthur "Boo" Radley was also an innocent victim
to the taunts and of the people of the county. Because of their aversion to
his life they separated him from any chance of leading a normal life.
Unfortunately, prejudice is still applicable to today's society. Perhaps not
as rampant as when the novel was written, but its venom can still be observed.
The racial prejudice that was around in the 1930s, is still around 40 years
later. Some things just don't change.

The importance of education can also be applied to life. Whether coming from
the mouths of our parents, or teachers, it is constantly reminded that the
road to bettering oneself is by education. Atticus constantly reminded Scout
of this, and Harper Lee depicted it by contrasting the Cunninghams with the
Ewells.

Respect and understanding are the key to peaceful coexistence. If one can
achieve these two factors, then one can safely say that an armistice has been
reached. Scout and Jem learned this by their dealings with Mrs. Dubose and
Boo Radley.

Don't Judge Others:
Mrs. Dubose: She is also judged by the town. Others view of her is
specifically expressed through Jem. He feels that she is an old hag who
hates everything and scares everyone, especially children. When Jem is
made by Atticus to go to her home and keep her company through reading and
other activities he learns about the real Mrs. Dubose. He found that she
was a genuine person who was only spiteful because of her addiction to the
pain-killer morphine. But, she was inspired to spend her last days free
from the drug. If the people of the town took the time to learn about
Mrs.Dubose the way that Jem had maybe they would be more sympathetic and
inspired as well.


Themes: (Kery)
Prejudice : Prejudice runs rampant in Maycomb county. ex1. The town
has prejudice against blacks. This is seen in the case against Tom Robinson.
It is obvious that he is innocent through evidence presented by Atticus(Bob
Ewell is left handed, Tom's left hand is useless, etc.)but since the jury
"cannot" find a black man innocent over a white family they find him guilty.
ex2. prejudice against boo Radley. No one bothers to find out about the real
Arthur "boo" Radley. He may seem a little scary but the town ridicules him
and shuns him from society. All the children have been raised to fear him as
the town freak. If they took the time to see the world from his eyes they
might not be so prejudiced to his situation.
Maturity : Different degrees of maturity are displayed by the
characters of the novel. ex1. Atticus. One might say he is an adult and
therefore mature. This is a very irrational statement because there are many
adults that have no hint of maturity. His view is very enlightened for a
white southern man in the thirties. He shows his mature and enlightened views
in the court room while defending Tom Robinson. He doesn't take Tom's defense
lightly because he's black but tries hard to with his case. He also shows how
mature he is in the way he treats and raises his children. The life lessons
and the free thought that are exchanged show his maturity and understanding in
bringing up scout and Jem. ex2. Scout. She shows a maturity level that is
advanced for her age. This is due not only to her free spirit and intelligent
approach to experiences but from the teachings of Atticus. She constantly asks
questions and truly cares about important issues such as reading.

Friendship : This is an influential theme in the novel. ex1. with
Dill. The friendship with Dill opens scout and Jem up to a new world. He
talks of experiences outside of their small closed community. He also
introduces them to the stories of boo Radley. ex2. Atticus with his children.
if Atticus did not have some kind of friendship with his children they couldn't
call him Atticus. They also might not see his important lessons in the same
light because not only is it teachings from a father but life advice and
insight from a friend. ex3. Boo with Jem and Scout. It isn't really a
friendship that they develop but a friendly understanding. For certain
purposes is is just as important because just to understand that Boo was
another real relatable person gave them the ability to oversee the stereotypes
set on him. Plus their friendly manner allowed Boo to have an outside contact
with the world(gifts in the tree)

Status : Status plays a role in every story. But the status divisions in
this story are very defined and influences many happenings in this novel.
The social structure is made up of four layers. The highest level is held
by white, educated "wealthy" families(especially the men of those
families). This includes the Finches and Mr. Tate. The second layer is
the working "middle" class. Although these people are generally poor, they
work and are somewhat educated. The members of this class would include
small shop owners and farmers for example the Cunninghams. The next class
although financially similar, has completely different morals, standards and
quality of life. This class may include some who work, but most noticeably,
it is made up of the town drunks, fools and all around irresponsible
people. This class certainly includes the Ewell family. Finally the
lowest rank in this hierarchy is the made up of the black citizens.
Although they may be as educated and economically stable as those in the
second or even first rank, because of their skin they are immediate
outcasts and can obviously never move out of their strata. This specific
structure had influence in certain events in this novel.

Sacrifice : When someone sacrifices something for the benefit of others it
is usually well praised. But in this novel not all sacrificial acts are
given their recognition. ex1. Tom Robinson sacrifices his life for his
family: After the guilty verdict in Tom's trial, he was sentenced to be in
jail and later hanged. But, this would almost definitely lead to his
family being further ostracized from the Maycomb community. His execution
and trial would linger with them. So, to end this future suffering for his
family, Tom purposely tried to be killed while he made his "escape." No one
truly realizes his intentions; maybe because he was black or people figured
he was trying to save his own life.




To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1960 novel by Harper Lee, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. A coming-of-age story, it is told from the point of view of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, the young daughter of Atticus Finch, an educated lawyer in Maycomb, Alabama, a fictional small town in the Deep South of the United States. She is accompanied by her brother Jem and their mutual friend Dill.



Scout Finch lives with her brother, Jem, and their widowed father, Atticus, in the sleepy Alabama county of Maycomb. Maycomb is suffering through the Great Depression, but Atticus is a prominent lawyer and the Finch family is reasonably well off in comparison to the rest of society. One summer, Jem and Scout befriend a boy named Dill, who has come to live in their neighborhood for the summer, and the trio acts out stories together. Eventually, Dill becomes fascinated with the spooky house on their street called the Radley Place. The house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur (nicknamed Boo), has lived there for years without venturing outside in daylight.

Scout goes to school for the first time that fall and detests it. She and Jem find gifts apparently left for them in a knothole of a tree on the Radley property. Dill returns the following summer, and he, Scout, and Jem begin to act out the story of Boo Radley. Atticus puts a stop to their antics, urging the children to try to see life from another person’s perspective before making judgments. But, on Dill’s last night in Maycomb for the summer, the three sneak onto the Radley property, where Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem loses his pants in the ensuing escape. When he returns for them, he finds them mended and hung over the fence. The next winter, Jem and Scout find more presents in the tree, presumably left by the mysterious Boo. Nathan Radley eventually plugs the knothole with cement. Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out in another neighbor’s house, and during the fire someone slips a blanket on Scout’s shoulders as she watches the blaze. Convinced that Boo did it, Jem tells Atticus about the mended pants and the presents.

To the consternation of Maycomb’s racist white community, Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Because of Atticus’s decision, Jem and Scout are subjected to abuse from other children, even when they celebrate Christmas at the family compound on Finch’s Landing. Calpurnia, the Finches’ black cook, takes them to the local black church, where the warm and close-knit community largely embraces the children.

Atticus’s sister, Alexandra, comes to live with the Finches the next summer. Dill, who is supposed to live with his “new father” in another town, runs away and comes to Maycomb. Tom Robinson’s trial begins, and when the accused man is placed in the local jail, a mob gathers to lynch him. Atticus faces the mob down the night before the trial. Jem and Scout, who sneaked out of the house, soon join him. Scout recognizes one of the men, and her polite questioning about his son shames him into dispersing the mob.

At the trial itself, the children sit in the “colored balcony” with the town’s black citizens. Atticus provides clear evidence that the accusers, Mayella Ewell and her father, Bob, are lying: in fact, Mayella propositioned Tom Robinson, was caught by her father, and then accused Tom of rape to cover her shame and guilt. Atticus provides impressive evidence that the marks on Mayella’s face are from wounds that her father inflicted; upon discovering her with Tom, he called her a whore and beat her. Yet, despite the significant evidence pointing to Tom’s innocence, the all-white jury convicts him. The innocent Tom later tries to escape from prison and is shot to death. In the aftermath of the trial, Jem’s faith in justice is badly shaken, and he lapses into despondency and doubt.

Despite the verdict, Bob Ewell feels that Atticus and the judge have made a fool out of him, and he vows revenge. He menaces Tom Robinson’s widow, tries to break into the judge’s house, and finally attacks Jem and Scout as they walk home from a halloween pageant at their school. Boo Radley intervenes, however, saving the children. Atticus at first believes that Jem fatally stabbed Mr. Ewell in the struggle. Boo carries the wounded Jem back to Atticus’s house, where the sheriff, in order to protect Boo (who probably did stab Mr. Ewell), insists that Ewell tripped over a tree root and fell on his own knife. After sitting with Scout for a while, Boo is walked to his home by Scout. While standing on the Radley porch Scout feels sorry for Boo because she and Jem never gave him a chance, and never repaid him for the gifts that he gave them.

Later, Scout feels as though she can finally imagine what life is like for Boo. He has become a human being to her at last. With this realization, Scout embraces her father’s advice to practice sympathy and understanding and demonstrates that her experiences with hatred and prejudice will not sully her faith in human goodness.

Spoilers end here.
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Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird
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Primary characters
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is the protagonist and narrator of the story. She is a 9 year old girl and a tomboy, possibly due to her closeness with her older brother, and from the lack of a mother as a female role model. She is also quite intelligent; she could read since she was a toddler and takes advanced math and science courses at school, although she is held back by her teacher's teaching methods. She enjoys playing with her brother Jem and protected him when they were attacked by Bob Ewell. Perhaps Scout Finch's most recognized phrase in the novel was "I was to be a Ham". This came about because of a state fair which was occurring at the time. When Scout and Jem were attacked by Bob Ewell, Scout was wearing her "Ham Suit" because the classroom where she had gotten changed was locked, and she was only wearing her undergarments.

Jeremy Atticus "Jem" Finch is Scout's older brother. Jem undergoes crucial transformations in the work as he becomes a teenager. The trial of Tom Robinson is Jem's first real encounter with injustice, and the realization of its existence drives him into a sullen state. Prior to this, he had viewed the world innocently, thinking of people as one-sided. He viewed Boo Radley, for example, as a frightening figure. Jem was able to overcome his sullenness due to the strong presence of Atticus in his life, and became a bigger person as he achieved a greater understanding of the world and how to view and treat other human beings. He also grew distant from Scout, as opposed to their closeness at the begining of the novel, who he often asked to act more like a lady as the book progresses.

Atticus Finch is the father of Scout and Jem, and a lawyer who defends Tom Robinson, a black man being tried for rape. He does this because he feels that not doing so would make him a hypocrite, and his sense of morality tells him that he should try his best to try to save Tom Robinson from unfair prosecution. Atticus serves as a guiding light for his children, always calm and patient. He teaches them that one should not dwell on the fact that evil exists, but that they should instead realize that the existence of this evil is a sign that there is work to do, and progress to make. He provides a strong influence on his children, informing and preparing them on the harsh realities of the world. Atticus provides the moral backbone of the story. He is not only a very effective and just lawyer, but holds kindness and empathy as the highest traits a person can have. Scout calls Atticus by his first name instead of an honorific title such as "father," "dad," "papa," "pop," etc.

Lee has taken care in choosing her characters' names. Atticus was the name of a Roman philospher, Titus Pomponius Atticus, who never took sides in arguments.

Arthur "Boo" Radley symbolizes tortured innocence. A gentle creature, he is viewed with fear by the children, as he was by the townspeople in general. The children do not come to a better understanding of him until the end of the work. He does several heroic things, including giving Scout a blanket during a neighborhood fire, and saving the children from an assault. His misconceived good nature testifies to the message of the story, one of kindness and the notion that people should not make judgments on others, since human beings are not that simple. Arthur Radley is one of the "mockingbirds" in the story.

Tom Robinson is important to the novel for many different reasons. Firstly, he acts as a scapegoat in the novel – allowed to take the blame for something he didn't do (raping Mayella Ewell). He represents the 'mockingbird,' doing nothing but good (helping Mayella with various tasks and expecting no payment in return). In addition, his case shows that many White people are prejudiced against the Black people of Maycomb. Although Scout is too young to understand the basic principle of racism, her description of the trial of Tom lets the readers know that the author is against racism. The book is an example of a Bildungsroman – showing how she and Jem are growing up.

Robert "Bob" Ewell is the father of a number of children, including Mayella and Burris Ewell. He is a racist character who spits on Atticus after Tom Robinson's court case. Bob Ewell and his family are the town embarrassment, exemplary of "white trash". In an attempt at revenge, he tries to kill Atticus's children, but is presumably killed by Boo Radley.

Mayella Violet Ewell is Tom Robinson's 19 year old accuser. She is the eldest daughter of Bob Ewell and has to take care of her siblings since all Ewell children go to school only one day per school year. Mayella's mother died when Mayella was a child or adolescent and since the mother's untimely passing her daughter has become her widower's surrogate wife and children's mother. She was continually physically abused by her father; Atticus politely and indirectly proves this by mentioning the bruises concentrated on her right side. Mayella cannot attend school because she must stay home, take care of her siblings, and clean. She is isolated from her peers and very lonely. She wants a better life for herself and lovingly grows red geraniums, but a change in her situation is unlikely. To get the human contact that she so craves, she attempts to seduce a black man, but her father sees this and beats her up, calling her a whore, then he finds the sheriff and tells him that his daughter has been raped, even though there is absolutely no proof of this. By testifying against Tom she contributes to the racism that divides the town and the situation escalates to the point where everyone is involved.

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Other characters
Aunt Alexandra is Atticus' proper sister, who comes to live with them to make a lady out of the tomboy Scout and restore proper Southern order to their home. Her views on Atticus' decision to have a "*****" in the house are made clear as she asks Atticus to 'get rid of her'. Alexandra is not in the film version.

Miss Maudie Atkinson lives across the street from the Finches. She enjoys baking and gardening. She is also considered by some to be a symbolic Mockingbird, as she is frequently harassed by devout Primitive Baptists who tell her that her enjoyment of gardening is sin. During the course of the novel her house burns down; this event does not take place in the film.

Calpurnia is the cook and maid to the Finch family. Calpurnia is much more than a cook and is deeply respected by Atticus; she can be described as a mother figure and refers to Scout and Jem as "her kids". In Scout's early life she provides discipline, instruction, and love. Calpurnia is one of the few ****** able to read and write, and teaches Scout to write prior to Scout's entry into school.

Charles Baker "Dill" Harris is one year older than Scout. He spends the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel Haverford, in Maycomb. He lives for the rest of the year in Meridian, Mississippi. Dill has a crush on Jean Louise "Scout" Finch and wants to marry her in the future. This character is based on the author's close friend Truman Capote.

Mrs. Henry-Lafayette Dubose is an old lady who lives near the Finches. She shouts her opinion at all who pass, and is often extremely impolite. Dubose is racist, as was stereotypical of white southerners. She heavily criticizes Jem and Scout's father Atticus for defending Tom Robinson. After this, Jem cuts the tops off of her camellias. He is then punished by his father. The punishment is he must help to replant her flowers and read to her. She dies soon after his punishment is over. Atticus reveals that the reading sessions were helping her to break her addiction to morphine, a goal she wanted to accomplish before she died. And for this Atticus shows a great deal of respect towards her, despite her flaws.

Heck Tate is the sheriff of Maycomb. He is characterized as a neutral, fair-minded, but somewhat weak-willed character. However, his decision at the end of the novel to report the killing of Bob Ewell as a self-inflicted stabbing provides a measure of protection to Arthur Radley.

Mr. Horace Gilmer is a lawyer from Abbotsville. He is the man who presents prosecution against Tom Robinson.

Miss Rachel Haverford is Dill's aunt and lives next door to the Finches.

Miss Stephanie Crawford lives next door to the Finches and enjoys gossiping.

The Cunninghams are a poor family in Maycomb. The father is a part of the Old Sarum mob that tries to lynch Tom Robinson.

Nathan Radley is Arthur Radley's brother, who now is the head of the Radley house, since his father died. Like his father, he tries to isolate Arthur "Boo" Radley from the outside world.

Mr. Dick Avery is an unpleasant old man who rents a room from Miss Maudie until her house burns down.

Dr. Dolphus Raymond is a disliked white man who married a black woman. He pretends he is an alcoholic, but he only drinks Coca Cola out of a sack. He does this to put the people of Maycomb at ease, to give them a reason why he married a black woman. He knows they will not understand why he lives as he does, so by pretending he is a drunk, he makes life easier for himself (and for Maycomb).

Mr. Underwood writes the Maycomb Tribune. Although he is racist himself, he helps Atticus protect Tom Robinson from the mob. Following Tom's conviction, however, he writes an editorial proclaiming that killing a cripple is like killing a mockingbird.

Miss Caroline Fisher is Scout's first grade teacher and is new to Maycomb and its ways. She suffers an embarrassing event as Scout tries to teach her the ways of Maycomb County

Miss Gates is Scout's third grade teacher. She is nice, but ironically, is unable to see the prejudice that African Americans face in the US, as opposed to her hatred and understanding of the discrimination that Jews faced in Nazi Germany.

Reverend Sykes is the reverend of the First Purchase M.E. African Church in Maycomb County. This is the church where Tom Robinson attended. Reverend Sykes forces the congregation to donate $10 for Tom Robinson's family.

Mrs. Grace Merriweather is one of Scout's neighbors. She attended the Missionary Tea. She feels bad for the Mrunas who suffer because they don't act as a real family and have a poor social status in society and also supports the way that J. Grimes Everett is the only person who is willing to help the Mrunas. She, however, does not see how the blacks suffer and can also not see how Atticus is the only white in Maycomb who is willing to directly support Tom Robinson. By talking about this under Atticus's own roof, Mrs. Merriweather angers Miss Maudie. Mrs. Merriweather was also the leader of the Halloween Pageant where Scout was a ham.

Zeebo, Calpurnia's son, is the town garbage collector. He is one of only four people in the church who can read. After a rabid dog is located he clears up the animal's corpse; similarly to Atticus in the trial, he clears up messes that no one else is willing to undertake in order to help society, at the risk of his own persecution.

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Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science
Harper Lee stated, "To get the ideas for the book I used recent events in my time like the Scottsboro Trials." (Harper Lee, Book Review, 1964)

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Literary significance & criticism
Truman Capote frequently implied that he himself had written a considerable portion of this novel, and some have said he ghosted the entire novel. At least one person – Pearl Kazin Bell, an editor at Harper's – has gone on record as believing his assertions were true. However, Capote would likely have been much more aggressive in claiming credit for the novel's Pulitzer Prize had he been the real author, since he never achieved a Pulitzer for his own work. His persona was far more flamboyant than Lee's, and their writing styles reflect this difference. And a letter (dated July 9, 1959) from Capote to his aunt indicates that Harper Lee did indeed write the entire book herself [1]. However, in one respect, his influence on the work is inescapable: he was the model for the major character of Dill.
The book is also commonly used in England as a piece of literature for the English Lit. GCSE examinations and in the Republic of Ireland in the Junior Cert examinations.

Answer 2

The roly-poly incident does describe it,I guess.
There are also other incidents where Jem understands things,while Scout doesn't.I can't really recall anything right now for some reason.

Then Scout also says that Jem was becoming more moody,and how he would read the newspaper and pretend he knew alot.

Answer 3

sorry i don't know the page numbers. but i do know the context of the reference. atticus finch was explaining to scout that mockingbirds do nothing but make music. they do no harm. that is why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. If you remember where in the book that is... hope this helps!!! god bless

Answer 4

well earlier in the book he would have squished it, that's not the most defining moment though. If you are trying to get out of reading this book then you are only cheating yourself. Like the parts when scout comes to him for advice, or just to talk those are more his defining moments. Or the way Jem treats the other people and thier friend that comes back and shows them his short pants that he wears to school.

Answer 5

I hated that book and feel sorry for you having to read it. I can't understand why everyone thinks it's such a classic.
For your sake, I hope your English teacher next year doesn't make you read "Cry the Beloved Country".

Answer 6

Is this book set for English courses this semester? There are so many questions about it. I know it's a great book, by the way; I read it.

Answer 7

To sum it all up, the author is describing how is realizing that it is wrong to kill innocent creatures. He also realizes that the trial Tom Robinson is having will be unfair do to his skin colour. Therefore, he is becoming more mature.

Answer 8

Maybe, but I'm not 100%

Answer 9

Great point, I'd like to know more as well

Answer 10

he is learning to respect life and understand that each thing has value. i could just expand a super-paragraph like some people will...but this is the base answer.

Answer 11

Miranda is my heroine she so smart she got the answer correct