Kill A Mockingbird- "It wasn't until many years later that I realised he wanted me to hear every word he said"

Question

Explain what it this sentence means and why it might be important in the story.

This quote was taken from the last sentence of Chapter 10

Answer 1

(Actually, it is chapter 9).
Well, in the scene, Scout thinks that she's being sneaky by eavesdropping on the conversation between Uncle Jack and Atticus. Since Atticus actually knows that she's there, he delves into a serious conversation about race, the miscarriage of justice and his motivations for taking Tom Robinson's case. He wants to make things clear to Scout - not only to let her know that she will have a tough time ahead, but also to let her know that he is there for her and Jem. "I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town. I hope they trust me enough...".
The final sentence shows the wisdom that Atticus has. It also shows that Scout appreciates his wisdom and foresight after she is older. In numerous places in the story, Scout doubts her father and his abilities; wonders why he's such a pacifist, why he's not like others' fathers and at this particular point, she shows her respect for him and an understanding for him doing what he did.
I hope that helps! ;-)

Answer 2

obviously scout (i fink dats her name)- studied this book 3 yrz ago... comes to understand that whatever her father was saying when she younger was very important.. it's important to the story because on scouts enduring journey throughout the book, her journey all leads up to what her father had stated to her when she was younger