![]() ![]() ![]() Meanwhile, Scout and Jem's father, Atticus, is the defense attorney in the biggest criminal case their small town has ever seen: Tom Robinson, an African-American man, stands accused of raping a white woman. Over the course of three years together, they imagine all sorts of terrifying stories about the town recluse, a man named Boo Radley who they have never managed to see in person, despite their best attempts. Set in 1930s Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by Scout Finch, a young girl who spends the majority of her time with her older brother, Jem, and their neighbor, Dill. Buy this book Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird And if the retail value of your order is at least $2,500, you'll save 35% on all your paperbacks. If the retail value of your order is at least $500, you'll save 30%. You'll always save at least 25% on any paperback you order. With its timeless themes, To Kill a Mockingbird remains a favorite for readers of all generations, both inside and outside the classroom.įind out more about teaching To Kill a Mockingbird below. Through the eyes of Scout, the novel's young narrator, students witness Scout, Jem, and Dill's loss of innocence as they grow up and learn life lessons throughout the novel. Students should make connections between historical racism depicted in this book and contemporary racial injustices they may witness today.ĭue to the sensitive nature of the topics discussed in this book, it is essential to allow students the opportunity to have open and honest conversations about the stigmas surrounding race and class. Though the novel describes a society that seems distant from our modern world, the voice of the young female narrator and the relatable cast of characters make the text accessible to students.īecause of its focus on class and race, To Kill a Mockingbird will promote conversations about discrimination and injustice. Sounds like someone (Jem) has learned a valuable lesson.Harper Lee's timeless coming-of-age novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, tells the story of racial injustice, the destruction of innocence, and the ever-enduring battle between good and evil, all through the eyes of seven-year-old Scout Finch.Jem says that he wouldn't care if Atticus couldn't do anything, because, as he says, "Atticus is a gentleman, just like me!" (10.152).Scout wants to brag to everyone at school about her father's shooting skill, but Jem tells her not to, because he thinks Atticus wouldn't want her to, since he's never mentioned it before.Well, Atticus feels that his marksmanship is a God-given talent that gives him an unfair advantage over other living creatures, and that he shouldn't use it unless he has to.So why have Scout and Jem never heard their dad talk about it?.Miss Maudie tells Jem and Scout that Atticus "was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time" and his nickname was "Ol' One-Shot" (10.137).This is apparently like all of a sudden seeing your dad make a perfect three-point jump shot or make it through the Expert level of a Guitar Hero song you've been failing. Atticus reluctantly takes the weapon, walks to the middle of the street, aims, fires, and kills the dog.See, if he misses, the bullet will hit the Radley Place. The dog finally gets within range of Heck Tate's rifle, but he wants Atticus to make the shot.Everyone hunkers down inside to watch the dog.The Radleys don't have a phone, so Calpurnia runs over to their place, bangs on their front door, and shouts, "Mad dog's comin'!" (10.72).Then she talks to Miss Eula May, the town telephone operator, to tell her to let everyone else on the street know that they should stay out of the way of the rabid animal.Calpurnia dashes for the phone to tell Atticus that there's a mad dog (i.e., rabid) on the loose.One day Jem and Scout go off to find local wildlife to kill when they see a dog acting kind of strange.Then Jem is all depressed when his father refuses to join in on the town's Methodists vs.Miss Maudie tries to defend Atticus ( he's a checkers grand master! he can play the Jew's Harp!), but Scout is not impressed.Scout grumps about how their neighborhood is all old people, and Miss Maudie acknowledges that there aren't any 20- or 30-somethings around to be role models.Atticus tells Jem that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (10.7).And Atticus refuses to teach Scout and Jem how to shoot their shiny new air rifles.Plus, kids at school are giving them grief about the Tom Robinson case, and Scout can't even fight now that she's promised her dad not to.He can't even play football, like the other kids' fathers do. Jem and Scout think their father is super uncool, not to mention old. ![]()
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