BHS Pennell2014

SPRING FINAL EXAM TKAM REVIEW

Take a look at the below excerpt where Jean Louise Finch (Scout – narrator and protagonist of the novel) describes Maycomb county:

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I fi rst knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suff ered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts fl icked fl ies in the sweltering shade of the l ive oaks on the square. Men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock naps, and by nightfall were l ike soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum. People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffl ed in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything. A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself. We lived on the main residential street in town—Atticus, Jem and I, plus Calpurnia our cook. Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment.

THE SETTING OF THE NOVEL

What clues in the previous slide’s text hint that there are economic diffi culties?

What time period is it?What do you notice about the attitudes of people in

the town?

WHERE AND WHEN IS THE STORY SET?

Nickname: Scout Narrator and protagonist of the story Brother: Jem Best Friend: Charles Baker Harris (Dill) Father: Atticus Finch Mother: Dies of a heart attack when Scout is two and Jem is six Teachers: Miss Caroline Fisher – gets upset with Scout and Atticus

because Atticus has taught Scout to read. Teachers: Miss Gates – explains the oppression of the Jews by the

Nazis, but cannot see that there is real oppression of the African American community in the United States.

Neighbors: Miss Stephanie Crawford (neighborhood gossip), Miss Rachel Haverford (Dill’s aunt), Miss Maudie Atkinson (widow; loves Scout), Arthur “Boo” Radley (shy recluse; alleged maniac; protects Finch children), Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose (addicted to morphine; dying)

She and Jem are viciously attacked by Bob Ewell (seeks revenge against Atticus) after playing a ham in her school Halloween Pageant.

JEAN LOUISE FINCH

Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn’t behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn’t ready to come. Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember.

Our mother died when I was two, so I never felt her absence. She was a Graham from Montgomery; Atticus met her when he was fi rst elected to the state legislature. He was middle-aged then, she was fi fteen years his junior. Jem was the product of their fi rst year of marriage; four years later I was born, and two years later our mother died from a sudden heart attack. They said it ran in her family. I did not miss her, but I think Jem did. He remembered her clearly, and sometimes in the middle of a game he would sigh at length, then go off and play by himself behind the car-house. When he was like that, I knew better than to bother him.

QUOTE THAT REVEAL SCOUT’S PERCEPTIONS OF THING IN THE

BEGINNING OF THE NOVEL …

Chapter 4 The remainder of my schooldays were no more auspicious than the fi rst.

Indeed, they were an endless Project that slowly evolved into a Unit, in which miles of construction paper and wax crayon were expended by the State of Alabama in its well-meaning but fruit less eff orts to teach me Group Dynamics. What Jem called the Dewey Decimal System was school-wide by the end of my fi rst year, so I had no chance to compare it with other teaching techniques. I could only look around me: Atticus and my uncle, who went to school at home, knew everything—at least, what one didn’t know the other did. Furthermore, I couldn’t help noticing that my father had served for years in the state legislature, elected each time without opposit ion, innocent of the adjustments my teachers thought essential to the development of Good Cit izenship. Jem, educated on a half-Decimal half-Duncecap basis, seemed to function eff ectively alone or in a group, but Jem was a poor example: no tutorial system devised by man could have stopped him from getting at books. As for me, I knew nothing except what I gathered from Time magazine and reading everything I could lay hands on at home, but as I inched sluggishly along the treadmill of the Maycomb County school system, I could not help receiving the impression that I was being cheated out of something. Out of what I knew not, yet I did not believe that twelve years of unrelieved boredom was exactly what the state had in mind for me.

QUOTE DESCRIBING SCOUT’S PERCEPTION ABOUT HER SCHOOL …

Extremely imaginative, creative, and intell igent – creates the theatrical game of “Boo Radley” where the kids act out the l i fe and times of their al leged maniac neighbor Arthur “Boo” Radley

He is almost seven when Jem and Scout meet him Sickly, small , and weak Jem and Scout’s summer-time neighbor and best buddy Rachel Haverford’s nephew Father ran out on his mother; his mother and step father are not interested

in Dil l This character is based on the American author Truman Capote who grew up

with Harper Lee in Monroevil le, Alabama. Charles Baker "Dill" Harris   is Jem and Scout's best friend who visits

Maycomb every summer from Meridian, Mississippi, and stays with his aunt Rachel. His goal throughout the novel is to get Boo Radley to come out of his house, and for the fi rst few summers the children concoct many plans to lure him out, unti l Atticus stops them. Dil l promises to marry Scout, and they become "engaged". One night Dil l runs away from his home in the city, because he feels l ike he is being replaced in the family by his stepfather. He gets on a train and goes to Maycomb County, then hides under Scout's bed unti l she fi nds him.

CHARLES BAKER HARRIS“DILL”

Unlike Scout and Jem, Dill lacks the security of family love. He is unwanted and unloved by his parents: "They do get on a lot better without me, I cannot help them any." As Francis, another Finch from the novel, says, "He hasn't got a home, he just gets passed around from relative to relative." Dill is described as not having a father; he doesn't know where he lives or when he'll come back, if he does.

DILL CONT’D

That was the summer Dil l came to us. Early one morning as we were beginning our day’s play in the back yard, Jem and I heard something next door in Miss Rachel Haverford’s col lard patch. We went to the wire fence to see if there was a puppy—Miss Rachel’s rat terrier was expecting—instead we found someone sitt ing looking at us.

Sitt ing down, he wasn’t much higher than the col lards. We stared at him unti l he spoke:

“Hey.” “Hey yourself,” said Jem pleasantly. “I’m Charles Baker Harris,” he said. “I can read.” “So what?” I said. “I just thought you’d l ike to know I can read. You got

anything needs readin‘ I can do it…” “How old are you,” asked Jem, “four-and-a-half?” “Goin‘ on seven.” “Shoot no wonder, then,” said Jem, jerking his thumb at me. “Scout yonder’s been readin‘ ever since she was born, and she ain’t

even started to school yet. You look right puny for goin’ on seven.” “I’m l itt le but I ’m old,” he said.

Jem brushed his hair back to get a better look. “Why don’t you come over, Charles Baker Harris?” he said. “Lord, what a name.” “‘s not any funnier’n yours. Aunt Rachel says your name’s Jeremy Atticus Finch.” Jem scowled. “I ’m big enough to fi t mine,” he said. “Your name’s longer’n you are. Bet it ’s a foot longer.” “Folks cal l me Dil l ,” said Dil l , struggling under the fence.

QUOTE DESCRIBING DILL …

Dill had seen Dracula , a revelation that moved Jem to eye him with the beginning of respect. “Tell it to us,” he said. Dill was a curiosity. He wore blue linen shorts that buttoned to his shirt, his hair was snow white and stuck to his head like duckfl uff ; he was a year my senior but I towered over him. As he told us the old tale his blue eyes would lighten and darken; his laugh was sudden and happy; he habitually pulled at a cowlick in the center of his forehead. When Dill reduced Dracula to dust, and Jem said the show sounded better than the book, I asked Dill where his father was: “You ain’t said anything about him.” “I haven’t got one.” “Is he dead?” “No…” “Then if he’s not dead you’ve got one, haven’t you?” Dill blushed and Jem told me to hush, a sure sign that Dill had been studied and found acceptable. Thereafter the summer passed in routine contentment. Routine contentment was: improving our treehouse that rested between giant twin chinaberry trees in the back yard, fussing, running through our list of dramas based on the works of Oliver Optic, Victor Appleton, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. In this matter we were lucky to have Dill. He played the character parts formerly thrust upon me—the ape in Tarzan , Mr. Crabtree in The Rover Boys , Mr. Damon in Tom Swift . Thus we came to know Dill as a pocket Merlin, whose head teemed with eccentric plans, strange longings, and quaint fancies.

ANOTHER QUOTE DESCRIBING DILL …

Jeremy Atticus "Jem" Finch  is Atticus' son and Scout's older brother by four years. Jem matures greatly throughout the course of the novel and is much more aff ected by events (his mother's death before the novel begins, the racism in the town, the death of Tom Robinson) than Scout is due to his greater understanding of them. His best friend is Dill. After the Maycomb pageant, Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell. Jem's arm breaks at the elbow, and he is knocked unconscious. He is carried home by Arthur "Boo" Radley. 

Jem is heart-broken when his father loses in court while defending Tom Robinson; he cannot understand why the jury would render a guilty verdict. Jem, Scout, and Dill sneak out of the house to watch the trial.

His innocence is stolen from him as he watches the trial and is attacked and almost kil led by Bob Ewell.

Jem attacks Mrs. Dubose’s fl owers because she insults Atticus. Atticus sends Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon as

punishment for his destructive behavior.

JEM: JEREMY FINCH

Atticus is a well-known white Maycomb attorney as well as the father of the book's protagonist, Scout, and her brother Jem. He is a wise and caring father. Atticus is nearly fi fty. His children call him "Atticus" rather than "Dad". He was once known as "One-Shot Finch" because of his skill with rifl es (shown when kill ing a rabid dog). He wins Jem and Scout’s respect for this in the novel.

Atticus demonstrates great character throughout the book and strives to set a good example for his children, teaching Jem and Scout to treat everyone equally. Atticus' beliefs and strong moral compass lead him to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, from baseless charges of rape. This was an unpopular decision among many Maycomb residents. However, Atticus feels that his refusing to take up the case would make him undeserving of others' and his own respect. He is truly a very strong and resilient static character.

Atticus believes that the law is a great equalizer in humanity. He urges the jury to judge Tom Robinson fairly.

ATTICUS FINCH

“No I can’t,” said Atticus. “I have to make a l iv ing. Besides, they’d put me in jai l i f I kept you at home—dose of magnesia for you tonight and school tomorrow.” “I ’m feel ing al l r ight, real ly.” “Thought so. Now what’s the matter?” Bit by bit, I told him the day’s misfortunes. “-and she said you taught me al l wrong, so we can’t ever read any more, ever. Please don’t send me back, please sir.” Atticus stood up and walked to the end of the porch. When he completed his examination of the wisteria vine he strol led back to me. “First of al l ,” he said, “i f you can learn a simple tr ick, Scout, you’ l l get along a lot better with al l kinds of folks. You never real ly understand a person unti l you consider things from his point of view-” “Sir?” “-unti l you cl imb into his skin and walk around in it .” Atticus said I had learned many things today, and Miss Carol ine had learned several things herself. She had learned not to hand something to a Cunningham, for one thing, but i f Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part. We could not expect her to learn al l Maycomb’s ways in one day, and we could not hold her responsible when she knew no better. “I ’ l l be dogged,” I said. “I didn’t know no better than not to read to her, and she held me responsible—listen Atticus, I don’t have to go to school!” I was bursting with a sudden thought. “Burr is Ewell , remember? He just goes to school the fi rst day. The truant lady reckons she’s carr ied out the law when she gets his name on the rol l -” “You can’t do that, Scout,” Atticus said. “Sometimes it ’s better to bend the law a l i tt le in special cases. In your case, the law remains r igid. So to school you must go.”

EXCERPTS FROM THE NOVEL DESCRIBING ATTICUS …

“Atticus, that’s bad,” I said. In Maycomb County, hunting out of season was a misdemeanor at law, a capital felony in the eyes of the populace. “It’s against the law, all right,” said my father, “and it’s certainly bad, but when a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains. I don’t know of any landowner around here who begrudges those children any game their father can hit.” “Mr. Ewell shouldn’t do that-” “Of course he shouldn’t, but he’ll never change his ways. Are you going to take out your disapproval on his children?” “No sir,” I murmured, and made a fi nal stand: “But if I keep on goin‘ to school, we can’t ever read any more…” “That’s really bothering you, isn’t it?” “Yes sir.” When Atticus looked down at me I saw the expression on his face that always made me expect something. “Do you know what a compromise is?” he asked. “Bending the law?” “No, an agreement reached by mutual concessions. It works this way,” he said. “If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have. Is it a bargain?” “Yes sir!” “We’ll consider it sealed without the usual formality,” Atticus said, when he saw me preparing to spit. As I opened the front screen door Atticus said, “By the way, Scout, you’d better not say anything at school about our agreement.” “Why not?” “I’m afraid our activities would be received with considerable disapprobation by the more learned authorities.”

EXCERPTS FROM THE NOVEL REVOLVING AROUND ATTICUS …

Calpurnia  is the Finch family's housekeeper, whom the children love and Atticus deeply respects (he remarks in her defense that she "never indulged [the children] like most colored nurses"). She is highly regarded by Atticus. She is an important fi gure in

Scout's life, providing discipline, instruction, and love. She also fi lls the maternal role for the children after their mother's

death. Calpurnia is one of the few black characters in the novel who is able to read and write, and it is she who taught Scout to write. She learned how to read from Miss Maudie's aunt, Miss Buford, who taught her how to read out of “Blackstone’s Commentaries”, a book given to her.

While everyone in the novel is fi ltered through Scout’s perception, Calpurnia in particular appears for a long time more as Scout’s idea of her than as a real person.

At the beginning of the novel, Scout appears to think of Calpurnia as the wicked stepmother to Scout’s own Cinderella. However, towards the end of the book, Scout views Calpurnia as someone she can look up to and realizes Calpurnia has only protected her over the years.

Calpurnia takes the Finch children to church with her one Sunday. This causes a scandal in the church, but provides the Finch children with a rare look into the African American community.

CALPURNIA “CAL”

Perhaps Calpurnia sensed that my day had been a grim one: she let me watch her fi x supper. “Shut your eyes and open your mouth and I’ l l give you a surprise,” she said. It was not often that she made crackling bread, she said she never had time, but with both of us at school today had been an easy one for her. She knew I loved crackling bread. “I missed you today,” she said. “The house got so lonesome ‘long about two o’clock I had to turn on the radio.” “Why? Jem’n me ain’t ever in the house unless it’s rainin‘.” “I know,” she said, “But one of you’s always in callin‘ distance. I wonder how much of the day I spend just call in’ after you. Well,” she said, getting up from the kitchen chair, “it’s enough time to make a pan of cracklin‘ bread, I reckon. You run along now and let me get supper on the table.” Calpurnia bent down and kissed me. I ran along, wondering what had come over her. She had wanted to make up with me, that was it. She had always been too hard on me, she had at last seen the error of her fractious ways, she was sorry and too stubborn to say so. I was weary from the day’s crimes.

EXCERPT DESCRIBING CAL’S KINDNESS TOWARDS SCOUT …

Arthur "Boo" Radley   is the most mysterious character in To Kil l a Mockingbird  and slowly reveals himself throughout the novel. Boo Radley is a very quiet, reclusive character, who doesn't passively present himself until Jem and Scout's fi nal interaction with Bob Ewell.

Maycomb children believe he is a horrible person, due to the rumors spread about him and a trial he underwent as a teenager. It is implied during the story that Boo is a very lonely man who attempts to reach out to Jem and Scout for love and friendship, for instance leaving them small gifts and fi gures in a tree knothole. Scout fi nally meets him at the very end of the book, when he saves the children's l ives. Scout describes him as being sickly white, with a thin mouth and hair and grey eyes, almost as if he was blind. During the same night, when Boo requests that Scout walk him back to the Radley house, Scout takes a moment to picture what it would be l ike to be Boo Radley. While standing on his porch, she realizes his "exile" inside his house is really not that lonely.

Boo Radley's heroics in protecting the children from Bob Ewell are covered up by Atticus, Sheriff Tate, and Scout. This can be read as a wise refusal of fame. As Tate notes, if word gets out that Boo kil led Ewell, Boo would be inundated with gifts and visits, calamitous for him due to his quiet personality. The precocious Scout recognizes the danger: Renown would "kil l the mockingbird." Boo Radley is a ghost that haunts the book yet manifests himself at just the right moments in just the right way. He is, arguably, the most potent character in the whole book and as such, inspires the other key characters to save him when he needs saving.

ARTHUR “BOO” RADLEY

After the Tom Robinson trial, Jem and Scout have a diff erent understanding of Boo Radley. “Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time… it's because he wants to stay inside." Having seen a sample of the horrible things their fellow townspeople can do, choosing to stay out of the mess of humanity doesn’t seem like such a strange choice.

When Boo fi nally does come out, he has a good reason: Bob Ewell is trying to murder the Finch kids. No one sees what happens in the scuffl e, but at the end of it, Ewell is dead and Boo carries an unconscious Jem to the Finch house. Finally faced with Boo, Scout doesn’t recognize him at fi rst, but she knows who he is immediately.

Scout walks Boo home. She stands on his porch and understands what it means to be Boo Radley.

ARTHUR “BOO” RADLEY CONT’D

Two l ive oaks stood at the edge of the Radley lot; their roots reached out into the side-road and made it bumpy. Something about one of the trees attracted my attention. Some t infoi l was st icking in a knot-hole just above my eye level, winking at me in the afternoon sun. I stood on t iptoe, hasti ly looked around once more, reached into the hole, and withdrew two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrappers. My fi rst impulse was to get it into my mouth as quickly as possible, but I remembered where I was. I ran home, and on our front porch I examined my loot. The gum looked fresh. I sniff ed it and it smelled al l r ight. I l icked it and waited for a while. When I did not die I crammed it into my mouth: Wrigley’s Double-Mint. When Jem came home he asked me where I got such a wad. I told him I found it . “Don’t eat things you fi nd, Scout.” “This wasn’t on the ground, it was in a tree.” Jem growled. “Well i t was,” I said. “It was st icking in that tree yonder, the one comin‘ from school.” “Spit it out r ight now!” I spat it out. The tang was fading, anyway. “I ’ve been chewin‘ it al l afternoon and I ain’t dead yet, not even sick.” Jem stamped his foot. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to even touch the trees over there? You’l l get ki l led i f you do!” “You touched the house once!” “That was diff erent! You go gargle—right now, you hear me?” “Ain’t neither, i t ’ l l take the taste outa my mouth.”

HERE’S A QUOTE DESCRIBING HOW THE KIDS FIRST FEEL ABOUT BOO

RADLEY …

Neighbors bring food with death and fl owers with sickness and l i tt le things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dol ls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our l ives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of i t : we had given him nothing, and it made me sad. I turned to go home. Street l ights winked down the street al l the way to town. I had never seen our neighborhood from this angle. There were Miss Maudie’s, Miss Stephanie’s—there was our house, I could see the porch swing—Miss Rachel’s house was beyond us, plainly visible. I could even see Mrs. Dubose’s. I looked behind me. To the left of the brown door was a long shuttered window. I walked to it , stood in front of i t , and turned around. In dayl ight, I thought, you could see to the postoffi ce corner …

Summer, and he watched his chi ldren’s heart break. Autumn again, and Boo’s chi ldren needed him. Atticus was r ight. One t ime he said you never real ly know a man unti l you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough. The street l ights were fuzzy from the fi ne rain that was fal l ing. As I made my way home, I felt very old, but when I looked at the t ip of my nose I could see fi ne misty beads, but looking cross-eyed made me dizzy so I quit. As I made my way home, I thought what a thing to tel l Jem tomorrow. He’d be so mad he missed it he wouldn’t speak to me for days. As I made my way home, I thought Jem and I would get grown but there wasn’t much else left for us to learn, except possibly algebra.

HERE’S A QUOTE CONTRASTING THE PREVIOUS ATTITUDE (THIS IS

AFTER BOO SAVES THE FINCH CHILDREN’S LIVES) …

Sister of Atticus FinchHer grandson is Francis HancockFrancis torments Scout and Jem; he gets Scout in

trouble and Uncle Jack spanks her for itAunt Alexandra is totally against the way Atticus is

raising Scout and JemShe is unhappily married to a ne’er-do-well and

moves in to help Atticus with ScoutShe is extremely southern and believes people are a

product of their family background.

AUNT ALEXANDRA FINCH HANCOCK

Francis Hancock  is the spoiled grandson of Aunt Alexandra. (The son of her son, Henry Hancock.) Every Christmas, Henry and his wife drop Francis at Finch's Landing, which is the only time Scout and Jem see him. Francis lives in Mobile, Alabama, and is a bit of a tattle-tale. He gets along well with Jem, but often spars with Scout.

One Christmas, Francis calls Atticus a very bad name, as well as insisting that he was ruining the family and the likes, which infuriates Scout and causes them to get into a fi ght. Francis lies about his role in it, telling Uncle Jack that Scout started it by calling him another bad name, and Jack therefore punishes Scout.

However, she explains the full story and charitably persuades her uncle not to punish Francis about it, but to let Atticus think they had been fi ghting about something else (although Atticus later discovers the truth).

FRANCIS HANCOCK

John Hale "Uncle Jack" Finch is Atticus' and Alexandra's younger brother. (He is about 40, which is 10 years younger than Atticus.) Jack smells like alcohol and something sweet, and is said that he and Alexandra have similar features. Jack is a childless doctor who can always make Scout and Jem laugh, and they adore him. He and Miss Maudie are close to the same age; he frequently teases her with marriage proposals, which she always declines.

He spanks Scout for beating Francis her knuckleheaded relative. Francis insults and disrespects Atticus.

UNCLE JACK FINCH

Cecil Jacobs is a huge bully to Scout and Jem at school. Scout almost gets into a fight with Cecil over the trial of Tom Robinson. Scout beats up Cecil Jacobs because he says Atticus is a very bad name. He gives a current event on 'Old Adolf Hitler', and later, frightens Scout and Jem on their way to the Halloween pageant. He and Scout then pair up at the carnival; at the pageant afterwards, Cecil was a cow. He hints that black people are not as good as white people while talking about Hitler during current events. He also tends to take jokes too far. However importantly he shows how prejudice is passed on from parent to child.

CECIL JACOBS

Little Chuck Little  is a student in Scout's fi rst grade class who has the mindset of an adult. His real name is Charles . He is depicted as chiefl y antagonistic of Burris Ewell . He is presented in the novel when Miss Caroline is frightened by Burris' l ice. He warned Miss Caroline that if Burris wasn't released from class, he might try something that would put their classmates at risk.

When Burris starts advancing on Little Chuck after his warning/veiled insult, Little Chuck's hand moved to his pocket (implying that he was going to pull out a knife) while saying, "Watch your step, Burris. I 'd soon's kil l you as look at you. Now go home."

Scared by Little Chuck's bravery and his implied knife, Burris retreats. From this we see, through the narrative view of Scout, his gentlemanly attitude and how it calms Miss Caroline down. Little Chuck may be even more intelligent than originally meets the eye, as he easily could have been bluffi ng about the aforementioned implied knife to scare Burris into retreating.

LITTLE CHUCK LITTLE

“But what about their parents?” asked Miss Carol ine, in genuine concern. “Ain’t got no mother,” was the answer, “and their paw’s r ight contentious.” Burris Ewell was fl attered by the recital . “Been comin‘ to the fi rst day o’ the fi rst grade fer three year now,” he said expansively. “Reckon if I ’m smart this year they’l l promote me to the second…” Miss Carol ine said, “Sit back down, please, Burris,” and the moment she said it I knew she had made a serious mistake. The boy’s condescension fl ashed to anger. “You try and make me, missus.” Litt le Chuck Little got to his feet. “Let him go, ma’am,” he said. “He’s a mean one, a hard-down mean one. He’s l iable to start somethin‘, and there’s some l itt le folks here.” He was among the most diminutive of men, but when Burris Ewell turned toward him, Litt le Chuck’s r ight hand went to his pocket. “Watch your step, Burris,” he said. “I ’d soon’s ki l l you as look at you. Now go home.” Burris seemed to be afraid of a chi ld half his height, and Miss Carol ine took advantage of his indecision: “Burris, go home. I f you don’t I ’ l l cal l the principal,” she said. “I ’ l l have to report this, anyway.” The boy snorted and slouched leisurely to the door. Safely out of range, he turned and shouted: “Report and be damned to ye! Ain’t no snot-nosed slut of a schoolteacher ever born c’n make me do nothin‘! You ain’t makin’ me go nowhere, missus. You just remember that, you ain’t makin‘ me go nowhere!” He waited unti l he was sure she was crying, then he shuffl ed out of the bui lding. Soon we were clustered around her desk, trying in our various ways to comfort her.

HERE’S AN EXCERPT FROM THE NOVEL DESCRIBING THEIR

CONFRONTATION …

Robert E. Lee "Bob" Ewell   is the main antagonist of To Kil l a Mockingbird . He has a daughter named Mayella, and a younger son named Burris, as well as six other unnamed children.

He is an alcoholic, poaching game to feed his family because he spends whatever money they legally gain via government "rel ief checks" on alcohol. It is implied, and evidence suggests, that he was the one who sexually abused his daughter Mayella Ewell, not Tom Robinson (the Negro man accused of doing so).

Although most everybody in town knows that the Ewells are a disgrace and not to be trusted, it is made clear that Tom Robinson was convicted because he is a Negro whose accuser is white. Upon hearing of Tom's death, Bob is absolutely gleeful, gloating about his success.

After being humiliated at the trial, however, he goes on a quest for revenge, becoming increasingly violent. He begins by spitting in Atticus' face, fol lowed by a fai led attempt to break into the home of Judge Taylor, fi nally menacing Helen, the poor widow of Tom Robinson. Ewell then attempts to murder Jem and Scout Finch with a knife to complete his revenge. Fortunately, Boo Radley, l ike a guardian angel, saves Jem and Scout and it is believed that he ki l ls Ewell with the knife. Heck Tate, the sheriff , puts in the offi cial report that Bob Ewell fel l on his own knife and died after lying under a tree for 45 minutes.

BOB EWELL

Mayella Violet Ewell   is Tom Robinson's 19-and-a-half-year-old accuser and the eldest daughter of Bob Ewel l ; she has to take care of her sibl ings (such as Butrris Ewel l) due to Bob Ewel l 's alcohol ism. In the book she also saves up nickels for the chi ldren, so they can go get ice cream, which is when the crime takes place. Before the tr ial , Mayel la is noted for growing red geraniums outside her otherwise dirty home in order to bring some beauty into her l i fe. Due to her family's l iving situation, Mayel la has no opportunity for human contact or love, and she eventual ly gets so desperate that she attempts to seduce a black man, Tom Robinson.

Her father sees this through a window, and in punishment he beats her. Ewel l then fi nds the sheriff , Heck Tate, and tel ls him that his daughter has been raped and beaten by Tom. At the tr ial , Att icus proves that i t was her father who beat her by pointing out that the bruises are on the r ight side of her face only. This is important because Tom's left hand is mangled and useless, whi le Bob Ewel l is left handed.

When Att icus Finch asks her i f she has any fr iends, she becomes confused because she does not know what a fr iend is. Scout cal ls her the lonel iest woman in the world.

During her testimony, she is confused by Att icus' pol i te speech and thinks that his use of "Miss Mayel la" and “ma’am” is meant to mock her.

By testi fying against Tom Robinson, Mayel la is trying to destroy the evidence suggesting that she had attempted to seduce him, and to do what her father wants her to do so that he won't hurt her — to el iminate her own gui l t and fear of breaking a 'r igid and t ime-honored code'.  

MAYELLA EWELL

Tom Robinson  is an African American man Atticus defends when he is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. As Atticus says, Robinson's left arm is "hardly nothing," because it was caught in a cotton gin at age 12; his exclusive right-handedness is the basis of Atticus's defense: since Mayella's bruises were only on the right side of her face, someone who leads with his left must have beaten her.

During his testimony, Tom states that he had frequently helped Mayella with small household tasks because he felt sorry for her and her hard life. This shocks the jury, as it was unheard of that a black man could feel sorry for a white woman. Despite Atticus's skillful defense, Robinson is declared guilty by the jury.

Although Atticus feels confi dent that he will be acquitted on appeal, while in prison Robinson is shot 17 times and killed by guards who later report that he had "attempted to escape."

TOM ROBINSON

Helen Robinson is the wife of Tom Robinson. She is spoken about many times. She has 3 children. Employed by Link Deas following the death of her husband, she is repeatedly harassed by Bob Ewell when traveling to work.

Upon learning of this, Deas threatens Ewell, forcing him to stop. She is an example of how one person's actions can have an eff ect on a lot of people and she elucidates the hardships that surround the Tom Robinson case.

HELEN ROBINSON

Link Deas owns cotton fields and a store in Maycomb who employs Tom and later Helen because she does not get accepted by any other employers in the county due to Tom Robinson's legal troubles. He announces to the court (in defense of Tom) at one point in the trial that he hadn't “had a speck o’trouble outa him” even though Tom had been working for him for eight years, and gets sent out by Judge John Taylor for doing so.

When Bob Ewell starts threatening Helen after the trial, Mr. Deas fiercely defends her and threatens several times to have Mr. Ewell arrested if he keeps bothering her. He is on Tom Robinson's side during the trial and remains loyal to the family afterwards.

LINK DEAS

Dolphus Raymond is a white landowner who is jaded by the hypocrisy of the white society and prefers to live among black folks. In fact, he has children with a black woman.

Dolphus pretends he is an alcoholic so that the people of Maycomb will have an excuse for his behavior, but in fact he only drinks Coca Cola out of a paper bag to try to hide it.

When Dill and Scout discover that he is not a drunk, they are amazed. He shows Scout how sometimes you can pretend to be someone you're not, so people will be more understanding of you.

Dill is sick after hearing Tom’s cross examination on the part of Horace Gilmer. Dolphus Raymond sees how the racism has aff ected Dill and off ers him some of his Coca Cola.

MR. DOLPHUS RAYMOND

Mr. Horace Gilmer is a lawyer from Abbottsville, and is the prosecuting attorney in the Tom Robinson case. Mr. Gilmer is between the ages of forty and sixty.

Mr. Gilmer has a slight cast with one eye, which he uses to his advantage in trial. Mr. Gilmer appeared to be racist in his harsh cross-examination of Tom Robinson, but it is hinted at that he is in fact going easy on Tom.

HORACE GILMER

Judge John Taylor  is a white-haired old man with a reputation for running his court in an informal fashion and an enjoyment of singing and dipping tobacco. He is unimportant to the children until he presides over the Tom Robinson trial, in which he shows great distaste for the Ewells and great respect for Atticus.

Because of the judge's sympathies for Tom, Bob Ewell breaks into the judge's house while the judge's wife is at church. After the trial, Miss Maudie points out to the children that the judge had tried to help Tom by appointing Atticus to the case instead of Maxwell Green, the new, untried lawyer who usually received court-appointed cases.

Judge Taylor knew that Atticus was the only man who would stand a chance at acquitting Tom, or at least would be able to keep the jury thinking for more than a few minutes. By doing this, Judge Taylor was not giving in or supporting racism.

JUDGE JOHN TAYLOR

Mr. Braxton Bragg (B.B.) Underwood  is a news reporter and a friend of Atticus. He owns and also publishes The Maycomb Tribune.

Being a racist, he disagrees with Atticus on principle. He also has a strong belief in justice, as exemplified when he defends Atticus from the Cunningham mob by having his double barrel shotgun loaded and ready to shoot them.

Underwood does demonstrate a sense of humanity when he publishes an article on Tom Robinson’s death.

Check out the selection on the next slide.

MR. BRAXTON BRAGG (B.B.) UNDERWOOD

A few more detai ls, enabl ing the l istener to repeat his version in turn, then nothing to talk about unti l The Maycomb Tribune appeared the fol lowing Thursday. There was a brief obituary in the Colored News, but there was also an editorial . Mr. B. B. Underwood was at his most bitter, and he couldn’t have cared less who canceled advert is ing and subscript ions. (But Maycomb didn’t play that way: Mr. Underwood could hol ler t i l l he sweated and write whatever he wanted to, he’d st i l l get his advert is ing and subscriptions. I f he wanted to make a fool of himself in his paper that was his business.) Mr. Underwood didn’t talk about miscarriages of justice, he was writ ing so chi ldren could understand. Mr. Underwood simply fi gured it was a sin to ki l l cr ipples, be they standing, s itt ing, or escaping. He l ikened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and chi ldren, and Maycomb thought he was trying to write an editorial poetical enough to be reprinted in The Montgomery Advertiser . How could this be so, I wondered, as I read Mr. Underwood’s editorial . Senseless ki l l ing—Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tr ied openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him al l the way. Then Mr. Underwood’s meaning became clear: Att icus had used every tool avai lable to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Att icus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayel la Ewel l opened her mouth and screamed. The name Ewel l gave me a queasy feel ing. Maycomb had lost no t ime in gett ing Mr. Ewel l ’s views on Tom’s demise and passing them along through that Engl ish Channel of gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford. Miss Stephanie told Aunt Alexandra in Jem’s presence (“Oh foot, he’s old enough to l isten.”) that Mr. Ewel l said i t made one down and about two more to go. Jem told me not to be afraid, Mr. Ewel l was more hot gas than anything. Jem also told me that i f I breathed a word to Att icus, i f in any way I let Att icus know I knew, Jem would personal ly never speak to me again.

MR. BRAXTON BRAGG (B.B.) UNDERWOOD

Walter Cunningham, Sr. is Walter Cunningham Jr.'s father. He appears only twice, once at the beginning of the story when he has to pay off the debt to Atticus (Walter Cunningham Sr. was his client) by giving him fi rewood, vegetables and other supplies. He also leads the mob that comes to lynch Tom Robinson the night before the trial. Only when Scout talks to him about his son does he reconsider and call off the mob. Scout innocently shames him because Scout reminds him of all the things that Atticus has done for him and for Maycomb County. After the verdict is given in the trial, Atticus tells Jem that a Cunningham had changed his thoughts about Tom and pleaded that Tom was not guilty to the jury.

WALTER CUNNINGHAM

Walter Cunningham, Jr. is a child who is almost as old as Jem but is in Scout's class. He is too poor to even pay off a 25-cent debt because the Great Depression hit his poor family hard.

Walter is not only too poor but also his family is too proud to take any money. He is invited over to the Finch's house once, after engaging in a fight with Scout, where he covers up all of his dinner with molasses, much to Scout's vocal dismay. This teaches Scout a lesson in humility and compassion.

WALTER CUNNINGHAM, JR.

Mr. Heck Tate is a friend of Atticus and also the sheriff of Maycomb County. At the end of the novel he is the one who comes up with the story to protect Arthur "Boo" Radley from being subjected to unwanted attention after killing Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout. He also indirectly forces Atticus to reveal his expertise with fi rearms (which Atticus had previously tried to conceal from his children) by asking him to shoot a rabid dog.

Heck is a decent man who tries to protect the innocent from danger. Like Atticus, he seems to be one of the few in Maycomb County who is not prejudiced against the African-Americans. He is described as tall as Atticus but thinner, always wearing boots and boot-cut pants with a belt of bullets. He is a static character, holding onto his basic principles throughout the events of the story.

SHERIFF HECK TATE

Mr. Dick Avery is an overweight neighbor who tells Jem and Scout that dramatic changes in the weather are caused by misbehaving children. He is seen by them urinating in the street. After it snows, they build a snowman resembling him. Mr. Avery can also be seen in the story pushing a mattress out of a window when Ms. Maudie's house catches fi re.

The kids including Jem and Scout always waited for him to do something interesting. For instance one night he peed from his front porch in an impressive arch as said by Jem.

Mr. Avery is also a neighborhood gossip like Miss Crawford

MR. AVERY