TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD LITERARY JOURNAL

“No, child,” she said, “that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how.” (24)

Why doesn’t Miss Maudie and the others who knew Aurthur Radley tell the town the truth about him? The truth that his brother is locking him up being he is a prudist who believes any pleasure is a sin. How can they stand to sit there knowing the truth when the entire town is believing a lie? Why doesn’t Mr. Radley do anything?

4 months ago

“He stood there until nightfall, and I waited for him. When we went in the house I saw

he had been crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him. ” (34)

Why didn’t Jem tell Scout that Boo Radley tried to communicate to them? This doesn’t make any sense to me. Maybe it was to protect her? Maybe Jem thinks Scout is too immature to know. But what does Boo Radley communicating with them have to do with Scout being mature? In this passage we see how much Jem has grown, how he is able to interpret things.

4 months ago

When we went home I told Jem we’d really have something to talk about at school on Monday. Jem turned on me.

“Don’t say anything about it, Scout,” he said.

“What? I certainly am. Ain’t everybody’s daddy the deadest shot in Maycomb County.” Jem said, “I reckon if he’d wanted us to know it, he’da told us. If he was proud of it, he’da told us.”

Why didn’t Atticus tell his children one of his “biggest accomplishments”? And why was he ashamed of his amazing aim? If he has been so honest with his children, why not be honest about this? He can tell his children what a nigger lover is but not of his nickname?

4 months ago

“You aren’t really a nigger-lover, then, are you?”

“I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody… I’m hard put, sometimes—baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you. So don’t let Mrs. Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own.”

I think it’s amazing how Atticus refuses to fall into racism. He doesn’t care about what anyone things. He truly loves everyone and has a good heart. He’s not afraid to stick up for black people, where in the small town of Maycomb people will be sure to judge him. I like how honest he is with his children.

4 months ago

“I’m Charles Baker Harris,” he said. “I can read.”
“So what?” I said.
“I just thought you’d like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin‘ I can do it…” (4)

I think it’s kinda funny that Dill bragged to the kids that he could read. When Scout has been reading since she was little, but Dill doesn’t know that. Also why is it such a big deal that he can read?

4 months ago

1/16/13

In the beginning of the story Jem is 9 years old. Jem, Dill, and Scout easily believe the towns legends and have a straightforward and simplistic idea of what is bad and evil. In chapter 4 Jem stares at the Radley house, realizing Boo Radley’s efforts to communicate to them, being the only one understanding the idea that it is really Boo leaving these presents. In chapter 7, the knothole in the tree is cemented. Jem begins to quietly sob because he is the only one who understands that Boo’s efforts for communication were being blocked.

I think that Jem will continue to make efforts to communicate to Boo and continue maturing.

4 months ago