Scouting the Story: Meet the Finch Family and the Mysterious Boo Radley

1. Chapter 1 • Title: Scouting the story • Summary: meet the Finch family (Scout, Jem, Atticus), mother died when Scout was two. Maycomb is introduced. Dill comes to visit and tells the story of Boo Radley. • Quote: “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm broken at the elbow” (1) • Foreshadowing…‘got’

2. Chapter 2 • Title: Scout vs. Miss Caroline • Summary: Dill leaves Maycomb that September; Scout goes to school but does not like her teacher, Miss Caroline (she makes her feel guilty about being educated). Miss Caroline offers to buy Walter Cunningham lunch, but he refuses. Scout explains that they never take anything they cannot repay. • Quote: “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back…They never took anything off of anybody, they get along on what they have” (26).

3. Chapter 3 • Title: School Sucks • Summary: Burris Ewell comes to school and makes the teacher cry then leaves because of Little Chuck.  When scout comes home she confront her father about having to go to school because she can’t read if she goes to school. So, her father makes her a compromise with her that they would read together every night but she has not tell anyone about the reading. • Quote: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”(39)

4. Chapter 4 • Title: Dill’s Return • Summary: After school ended they waited for Dill to arrive. When they were playing with a tire they accidentally send Scout in the tire into the Radley’s yard. After she comes back jem thinks of something to play. They start playing the life of the Radley’s but Atticus finds out about their play but does not know what they are playing. When scout was rolled into the Radley’s he heard someone laughing. • Quote: “I know what we are going to play… Boo Radley” (51)

5. Chapter 5 • Title: • Summary: In chapter 5, Jem is finally convinced by Scout to back off on the Radley game, then we realize that Dill has a crush on Scout (he proposes to Scout). Other than Dill liking Scout, she is mad because she is neglected/excluded from the boys, so she starts hanging out with Miss Maudie Atkinson. She tells Scout about Mr. Radley, who was a foot washing Baptist. Later, Jem tries to use a fishing pole to get a note through to Boo Radley’s house, but Atticus comes and shuts the whole operation down. • Quote: “... they are so busy (the Radley’s) worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one.” Miss Maudie Atkinson, pg. 44.

6. Chapter 6 • Title: Really Guys? • Summary: Scout and Jem hang out with Dill all day. Scout and Jem had just witnessed their neighbor Mr. Avery, peeing off of his porch. They all decide to investigate Boo Radley’s home and even take a peek in his window. Scout is quite uncomfortable of the situation, but is pressured into going along; or else being called a girl. They then decide to make their way into his backyard and Scout notices a shadow approaching Jem. They all run away from the house as fast as possible, causing Scout to trip. In the heat of the moment, they don’t realise until a little later that they are getting shot at. They make it home safely and soundly minus the fact that Jem is now left pantsless. No one realizes this until later and Dill lies that they were just playing strip poker. Scout is haunted by the sounds of the shotgun and waits, biting her nails, for Jem to get his pants back and make it home. He does. • Quote: "Scout, I'm tellin' you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you're gettin' more like a girl every day!" With that, I had no option but to join them (69).

7. Chapter 7 • Title: The knot-hole • Summary: Second grade starts for Scout and she finds it just as bad as first grade. Jem tells her that that night when he went to get his pants back, he found them mended and folded neatly for him. As the seasons passed, Scout and Jem began finding more and more treasures in the knot-hole, even finding small hand carved figurines of themselves. They decided to write a letter thanking the person that left them these treasures. The next day, they find out that Nathan Radley filled the hole with cement. • Quote: “’And something else-’ Jem’s voice was flat. ‘Show you when we get home. They’d been sewed up.’”(78)

8. Chapter 8 • Title: Snow and Fire • Summary: Winter arrived in Maycomb county, and with it came snow. Jem and Scout went outside to make a snowman. That night, Jem and Scout are suddenly woken up by Atticus, and taken outside. There, they see that Miss Maudie’s house was on fire. When the fire gets put out, Scout and Jem return home only to find that Scout has a blanket draped over her. She realizes that it was Boo Radley who gave her the blanket. • Quote: “My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept toward me. “’He sneaked out of the house-turn ‘round-sneaked up, an’ went like this!’” (96)

9. Chapter 9 • Title: Holidays and then some… • Summary: The Chapter began with Cecil Jones accusing Scout’s dad of defending Tom and Scout denies it, she then confronts her dad and he says he is defending him because he feels he wouldn't be able to represent the legislature if he didn’t. Later, Christmas comes and their uncle Jack arrives. Jack is a doctor but doesn’t act like one, he talks about his personal life and they head to a gathering at the Finch’s Landing, while at the dinner, Francis their cousin was also accusing Atticus of defending Tom and how he is bad. Scout ends up beating him up and she gets in trouble. At the end of the chapter Scout overhears Atticus saying that Tom is innocent but he’ll be convicted because he is a different color to the jury. Quote: “Atticus, are we going to win it?”  (Lee 101).

10. Chapter 10 • Title: Secrets Best Kept • Summary: Scout and Jem are discussing the differences between Atticus and the other fathers of Maycomb. They believe that because of his age Atticus is less interesting than the fathers of their schoolmates and are embarrassed because of it. When a mad dog wanders into their neighborhood Scout and Jem are quickly ushered inside by Calpurnia but manage to see Atticus shoot the dog with Sheriff Tate’s rifle. Later on Miss Maudie tells Scout and Jem that Atticus used to be the best shot in Maycomb; Scout wants to tell everyone about Atticus’ ability but Jem tells Scout to keep quiet as Atticus’ reluctance to reveal the information must mean that he’s not proud of it. • Quote: “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (119).

11. Chapter 11 • Title: Mrs. Dubose • Summary: When Jem and Scout would make their way through Maycomb they always passed the house that occupied Mrs. Dubose. They were not big fans of her, and she was definitely not big fans of them. Atticus tried to explain to Jem that she is old and ill and he needs to remain a gentleman to her. However, he decided enough is enough when Mrs. Dubose taunted them and said an extremely rude comment about their father. Jem then broke the baton he bought for Scout and used it to cut all the tops off of her flowers. As a punishment, Jem was to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon for 1 month. Scout decided to go with him everyday and noticed each day they stayed longer than the one before. About a month after their time was up, Atticus revealed that Mrs. Dubose died and was addicted to morphine. His reading seemed to help her get through the pain, but he still felt no sympathy towards her. • Quote: “Jeremy Finch, I told you you’d live to regret tearing up my camellias. You regret it now, don’t you?”

12. Chapter 12 • Title: Church • Summary: Scout is treated unfairly by Jem. Jem is asking Scout to act more like a girl. Jem has changed a lot lately and is acting different. Dill writes a letter saying that he will not come to Maycomb for the summer and instead stay with his new father. Atticus also is very busy, going to the state capital everyday because he is part of the state legislature. Calpurnia takes Scout and the other children to a colored church. One woman doesn’t like it, but the rest welcome them. The church doesn’t have much money and is really poor. The people help Tom Robinson’s wife who can’t find a job. Finally after the long day, they return home and find Aunt Alexandra. • Quote: “ Your going to First Purchase with smiles on your faces”(Lee, 157).

13. Chapter 13 • Title: Alexandra Pays A Visit • Summary: Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Scout and Jem because Atticus thinks that Scout needs “Feminine influence”. Aunt Alexandra was welcomed to Maycomb and many people baked her cakes and she fit right in the workings of Maycomb. Atticus explains to Jem and Scout about their ancestry in Maycomb but only manages to make Scout cry. • Quote: “We decided it would be best for you to have some feminine influence” (170).

14. Chapter 14 • Title: Bye Calpurnia and Hello Dill! • Summary: With their father Atticus defending Tom, everytime Scout and Jem head into town people stare and talk behind their backs. Later in the chapter Scout asks Atticus what is Tom being accused of and what it means, Atticus sighed and told her. After that, Calpurnia won’t take Scout and Jem to the church. So Scout gets mad and tells Atticus that they don’t need her anymore but Atticus says it’s up to her when she wants to leave. After getting into an argument, Scout and Jem were sent upstairs where they discover Dill was hiding under one of their beds. He says how he got there and requested for some food. At bedtime Dill hopped out of Jems bed and went into scouts, they then talked about life, ordering babies, and Boo Radley running away. • Quote: “I’ll run off again---!” (188).

15. Chapter 15 • Title: • Summary: Scout finds out that Dill is able to stay for the summer. Dill comes up with another plan to lure Boo Radley from his house. Atticus is told that Tom is being moved to the county jail. They worry there'll be trouble if he stays in the town jail the night before the trial. Atticus, Scout, and Jem go downtown to the jail. Four cars approach the jail, then bunch of men empty out of the cars with the intent of attempting  lynching Tom. Atticus was trying to stop the men. Scout sees Walter Cunningham Sr. Scout asks him to say hi to Walter for her. The innocence of Scouts request disarms the men, which they then drive away from the jail. • Quote: “A soft husky voice from the darkness above: Are they gone?” (206)

16. Chapter 16 • Title: The Day After • Summary: Scout, Jem, and Atticus quietly walk into the house late at night from their time at the jailhouse. At breakfast the next morning, Atticus makes a comment Alexandra thinks he shouldn't make in front of Calpurnia and he replies to her by saying it isn’t anything she doesn’t already know. At around noon atticus comes home for a meal and then they all leave to the courthouse where Scout overhears a conversation about Atticus being “forced” to defend Tom Robinson. When there isn’t enough room in the white section, the reverend takes them up to the balcony. Heck Tate is on the witness stand as the chapter ends. • Quote: “Anything fit to say at the table’s fit to say in front of Calpurnia. She knows what she means to this family”(209).

17. Chapter 17 • Title: Mr. Ewell • Summary: Scout, Jem, and Dill watch the court case from the back. Heck Tate is the one being questioned and he claims that Mr. Robinson raped Mayella. They find that bruises were found on the right side of the face which is likely caused by a left handed person and Mr. Ewell is left handed. More people are questioned but they are in favor of Mr. Robinson being guilty, Atticus is trying to protect Tom Robinson by explaining how people never called a doctor, but the biased court is not agreeing. • Quote: “I see that black [man] yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!”(Lee, 223).

18. Chapter 18 • Title: The Sparring Match • Summary: Tom Robinson’s trial continues and the bulk of the chapter is focused around MayellaEwell’s testimony. She tells the court how Tom forced her down and abused her after she invited him onto the Ewell property to do a chore. After her story concludes Atticus cross-examines Mayella and manages to coerce into revealing the pitiful state of her personal life. Her younger siblings are distant, her father is abusive and she lacks anything close to a friend. By this point, Mayella is furious and believes that Atticus is attempting to mock her poor status with his refined, well-off demeanor. Atticus continues to pressure her and after initially claiming to not recall specific details she claims that Tom simultaneously held her down and beat her. Atticus points out that this should be impossible as Tom’s left arm is crippled; he then attempts to force her to admit that it was her father who beat her and that the story involving Tom was a ploy to push the blame elsewhere. As her testimony falls apart, Mayella declares in a fit of rage that it would be cowardly for the jury not to convict Tom. Following the explosive conclusion of Mayella’s testimony, the prosecution rests its case and Atticus calls his one witness to the stand. • Quote: “Why don’t you tell the truth, child, didn’t Bob Ewell beat you up?” (251).

19. Chapter 19 • Title: Tom’s Testimony • Summary: Tom Robinson takes a seat at the witness stand to give his testimony of what happened at the Ewell’s house. Tom guides his left hand to the bible, as Tom swears to tell the truth. Tom states that Mayella hugged him and asked him to kiss her. Mayella father appeared at the window calling mayella a whore. Tom decides to run away. Judge Taylor expels Mr. Link Deas for interrupting. The prosecutor points out that the defendant was onced arrested for disorderly conduct. Tom is asked about why he would help out Mayella with her chores. Tom then states that he felt bad for Mayella. Mr. Gilmer accuses Tom about lying about everything. While Dill begins to cry and then scott take Dill out of the courtroom. • Quote: : “He guided his arm to the right of the bible and his rubber-like left hand sought contact with the black binding”(254).

20. Chapter 20 • Title: All Men Are Created Equal • Summary: After Mr. Raymond meets Dill and Scout outside the courthouse, he offers Dill a sip of his drink. Scout thinks it is alcohol, but Dill tells her is is only Coca-Cola. Mr. Raymond then explains to them that all this time it’s what has been inside the bag when he is in public instead of alcohol. He says he acts the way he does because he is giving people a real reason to be against his ways instead of only hating him for having mixed children. Dill thanks Mr. Raymond, and they go back inside. They arrive to Atticus reviewing the evidence, and to him stating that Mayella placed the blame on Tom in order to take the blame off herself for kissing a black man, and the real culprit was likely Mr. Ewell. He also points out that all men are created equals, and all the things whites accuse African Americans of do not apply to all of them, and that they can apply to all humans. • Quote: “the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with the minds of their caliber.

21. Chapter 21 • Title: The Verdict • Summary: Calpurnia collects Scout and Jem from the colored balcony to get supper.  Atticus first tells Scout and Jem to stay at home, but gives into their begging and tells them they can come back after supper.  Calpurnia scolds Jem for taking Scout to the trial. After supper, they go back to the trial with their seats saved by Reverend Sykes, and the courtroom still waiting on the verdict.  Scout is confident that Tom Robinson will not be declared guilty. Twelve men avoid eye contact with Tom Robinson as one by one, each person states that Tom Robinson was indeed guilty.   • Quote: “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty… guilty … guilty ...guilty”(282).  

22. Chapter 22 • Title: Unconvinced • Summary: Atticus, Jem, Scout and Dill go home feeling defeated. Jem was especially hurt because he doesn’t understand why Tom was treated so unfairly. The next morning, there was a bunch of food on the table, that Calpurnia claims she found on the back steps, as gifts from Tom’s supporters. Later on, one of their neighbors question the children about the trial. The neighbor then tries to help the children understand why the trial went as it did, but did not believe what she had to say. The children then leave the house, but are shortly called back as they’re told that danger is coming, leading the children back home. • Quote: “Don’t talk like that, Dill” said Aunt Alexandra. “It’s not becoming to a child. It’s cynical.” I aint cynical, Miss Alexandra. Tellin’ the truths not cynical, is it?” The way you tell it, it is” (287).

23. Chapter 23 • Title: Ewell the Fewell • Summary: In Chapter 23, Atticus makes Bob Ewell look like a fool, and this makes Bob want revenge. After the trouble in the beginning, there is no more expected from Bob. Tom Robinson is being relocated to a different prison far away from everyone. Atticus tells Scout that if Tom loses the case, he will be sent to the electric chair for rape, which leads into a discussion about executing men for rape • Quote: “There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life”(295).

24. Chapter 24 • Title: Hypocrites • Summary: Aunt Alexandra invites over the women missionaries of the neighborhood to discuss the Mrunas, who they consider to be immoral and sinful people, and should convert to Christianity. Ms. Merriweather says that Tom Robinson’s wife should be persuaded to live a Christian life, and they go on to complain about their servants unhappiness at the result of the trial. Atticus enters and tells Ms. Maudie, Alexandra, Calpurnia and Scout that Tom had been shot while trying to escape prison. Calpurnia and Atticus leave to tell Tom’s wife of his death, while Scout and the other women pretend like nothing has happened as they return to the group. • Quote: “After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I” (318).

25. Chapter 25 • Title: Don’t Hurt What Doesn’t Hurt You • Summary: It begins when Jem and Scout are outside playing with a roly-poly, Scout tries to harm it but Jem tells her that she shouldn’t hurt it because it didn’t do anything to her. Her mind shifts to Dill and she remembers when he told her that him and Jem ran into Atticus after swimming. They all go to Helen Robinson’s house where Atticus tells her that her husband had passed. Meanwhile the passing of Tom had spread all over Maycomb. Then at the end, Mr. Ewell makes a comment that Atticus isn’t supposed to know, and if Scout told him, Jem would never talk to Scout again. • Quote: “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless killing if songbirds by hunters and children…” (323).

26. Chapter 26 • Title: Current Events • Summary: School starts back up again for Jem and Scout. She thinks about having to pass by the Radley house, and how badly she wants to see Boo. Atticus hears of this and tells her to never go back, because she could potentially get shot. At school, Scout is in a current events class which many students don’t have very much knowledge of. Cecil Jones brings up Hitler in Germany, and how he is imprisoning the Jews. Many student begin asking questions as to why he can do this, so Ms. Gates talks about democracy in America and Hitler’s dictatorship in Germany. Scout comes home and asks Jem about Ms. Gates talking about teaching the Ewells a lesson at the trial and how people can hate Hitler for persecuting Jews but do it themselves with Tom. Jem then gets furious at the trial being brought up. • Quote: “Over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced” (329). Another quote: “I sometimes felt a twinge of remorse, when passing by the old place, at ever take part in what must have been sheer torment to Arthur Radley…”(324)

27. Chapter 27 • Title: A Radical Halloween • Summary: Helen Robinson is given a job by Mr. Deas because he pities her after Tom’s death. Then he has to protect her from the Ewells as Bob Ewell blocks the main road and forces her to go to work the long way. Then Cecil Jacob's asks Scout if Atticus is a radical. When she asks him he laughs and says he was about as radical as Cotton Tom Heflin. Finally Maycomb changes its Halloween tradition and puts on a play about local produce because last year the Barber’s furniture was hidden in their cellar. Scout is a piece of ham in the play. • Quote: “So Jem squeezed me into my costume, stood at the living room door, called out ‘po-rk’ exactly as Mrs. Merriweather would have done” (340)

28. Chapter 28 • Title: The Attack • Summary: It is the last day of October, and Jem and Scout are walking to school late at night for the play. They still have their suspicions about Boo Radley, but understand that he is a guy with no intentions. Cecil Jacobs jumps out at the two and scares them, and decides to walk into the school with them. Jem gives Scout thirty cents and says she can do six things with it. Scout and Cecil participate in many activities, including a haunted house and many booths in the auditorium. Later, the play starts, and Mrs. Merriweather talks about the history of Maycomb County. She talks for so long that Scout falls asleep and misses her cue to come onto the stage. Mortified, Jem and Scout start to walk home after the play and hear something in the dark. They think it is Cecil try to scare them again, until they hear someone start to chase them. After many mishaps, a mysterious guy is carrying Jem back home. They make it home, and they call Dr. Reynolds. He says that Jem has a bump on his head and a broken arm. Heck Tate arrives later and tells everyone that Bob Ewell was the one who chased Jem and Scout...and he’s dead. • Quote: “‘Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch’”(357). “But I found it and looked down to the street light. A man was passing under it. The man was walking with the staccato steps of someone carrying a load too heavy for him. He was going around the corner. He was carrying Jem. Jem’s arm was dangling crazily in front of him.”

29. Chapter 29 • Title: A Sudden Appearance • Summary: Scout tells Mr. Tate and Atticus about what happened to them while they were walking back. When she gets to the part about her costume, Mr. Tate goes to take a look at the costume and realize that the costume saved Scout’s life from when Mr. Ewell tried to kill her. Atticus is in shock, surprised that there would be people that would murder kids, but Mr. Tate explains that some men in the world are just bad. Then, Scout tells them that after she noticed Mr. Ewell fall down, she heard someone panting and coughing. When Mr. Tate asks her who the person was, Scout points to Boo Radley in the corner • Quote: “‘He’s dead all right,’ said Mr. Tate. ‘He’s good and dead. He won’t hurt these children again’” (358). “‘Hey Boo,’ I said” (362).

30. Chapter 30 • Title: The Porch • Summary: Scout was attacked by Bob Ewell with a knife in the dark then Jem help stop Ewell from hurting Scout. But Jem get his arm broken now he is in the hospital and Andrew Radley there. Atticus and Tate the sheriff are arguing over who killed Bob Ewell Atticus thought that Jem killed Bob Ewell. But Mr. Tate tell Atticus that Bob Ewell killed himself.   • Quote: “‘Mr. Finch,’ Mr.Tate said stolidly, ‘Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself.’” (366)

31. Chapter 31 • Title: A New Perspective • Summary: Scout takes Boo to Jem’s bed, as Boo looks at Jem. Scout feels Boo’s hand and makes signs as if he wants to leave. She takes him into the porch and Boo asks Scout if she could take him home. So they walk arm-in-arm to the Radley Place. Once she drops him off, she feels bad because she realized that she never gave him anything but she continues walking home when she sees her neighborhood from a new angle. At home, Atticus reads one of Jem’s books The Grey Ghost, and Scout quickly begins to fall asleep, and her dad puts her in bed. • Quote: “One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them” (374).