Today, we added prophecize and goad to our list.
Wed: Your edited story is due so that we can send it off for publication. See yesterday's blog for details.
Belfry Theatre Trip: We are going to see a play, Nov. 28th. Please return your form and money promptly. If you were absent today, ask me for the form.
Today, in pairs we created a what / so what chart on key aspects of chapters 18 to 31. If you were absent, be sure to get the notes but also, please create a what / so what chart on one of the following topics. In your chart, you need two key quotations and as many interpretations of the quotations as you can think of. Go beyond the obvious so that your inferences are strong and you can support your inferences with evidence from the text.
1. Mayella's testimony in chapter 18
2. Tom's testimony in chapter 19
3. Dophus Raymond's confession in chapter 20
4. Atticus's summation in court chapter 20
5. Jem's reaction to the verdict (chapter 22)
6. Dill wanting to be a clown (chapter 22)
7. Reactions to Mr. Ewell's threat for revenge ch. 23
8. Responses to the jury: " ' We generally get the juries we dserve' " (290). This page number is in my text but your page numbers differ.
9. Aunt Alexandra calls Walter trash but Scout sticks up for him (ch. 23)
10. Tom's death (ch. 24)
11. Miss Gates, Hitler versus African Americans (ch. 27)
12. Atticus can't conceive of anyone hurting children (end of 28, beginning of 29)
13. Scout cries when she meets Boo (last page of 29)
14. Covering up the fact that Boo kills Mr. Ewell (ch. 30)
15. Final pages of the novel (chpater 31)
Mayella's Testimony: page 240 and 243 (post-it note it in your text)
She admits she is hiding something. Being left-handed seems to be a trick. She is imagining that Atticus is tricking her. Her testimony should have allowed Tom to be acquitted but the fact that he is guilty demonstrates the prejudiced nature of the jury.
"Ma-am" and "Miss Mayella" She thinks politeness is sass. Reflects her lack of education. It shows her upbringing.
Tom's testimony: 261
...you'd be scared, too
Tom is in a tough spot due to his race. He doesn't want to tell the truth that he felt sorry for her.
256 " ' I was glad to do it ' "
Tom knows that Mayella is lonely and poor. He is a kind man who wants to help her. His personality is revealed. He is constantly treated as subservient to the whites, yet in this case, he feels better than Mayella.
Dolphus Raymond
page 268 "' I try to give 'em a reason '"
People will jump at any reason to despise someone. It is considered bizarre to be with someone of another race.
269 " 'Let him get a little older and he will get sick and cry ' "
People are creatures of habit who replicate the behaviours they see.
"' You haven't seen this town'" (269). The racism is really apparent in court.
Atticus's summation in court
273 ... the evil assumption that all Negroes lie, are not to be trusted, etc
He keeps repeating the word, Gentlemen, when he refers to the jury.
"'You know the truth'"
Lying applies to all races, not just one race.
Atticus knows that he has to fight through the prejudiced views of the jury so he keeps repeating "Gentlemen".
273 . . . quotes Thomas Jefferson
He keeps making the same point that everyone is equal and that the colour of skin cannot be used in court.
Jem's reaction to the verdict
page 284 "His face was streaked with angry tears . . . "
Jem is feeling opposite to the happiness of the crowd. He disagrees with the verdict because he has not yet been molded to prejudice.
page 288 I always thought Maycomb folks were the best in the world
He is second guessing his town. Atticus has had a good influence on him.
Dill wants to be a clown . . .
page 289 There ain't one thing I can do except laugh my head off
Dill knows that he can't do anything about the prejudice in the town.
290 I'm going to laugh at folks
a new kind of clown,
Dill wants to laugh at people because he is disgusted by their behaviours.
Reaction to Mr. Ewell's threat for revenge
291 I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco
Atticus is stubborn. He doesn't take the threat seriously. He doesn't want to believe that the people in his town may not be as good as he thinks they are.
293
Nothing to fear from Bob Ewell
Atticus is blind to how serious this situation is. You can't ignore hatred. He is risking the lives of his children. He trusts that Mr. Ewell won't hurt him. He doesn't understand the full consequences of the situation and he is afraid to face the truth.
Responses to the jury "' We generally get the juries we deserve' "
296 Atticus knew he was licked before he even started. The racism in the town reflects the racism in the jury. Atticus's evidence was really good and they were blind to the truth.
296 You'll never see anyone from Maycomb on the jury, they will always come out of the woods. Mean, uneducated, dangerous people.
Aunt Alexandra treats the Cunninghams like white trash
can't scrub the trash out of him . . .
She thinks the Finch family is better no matter how much the Cunninghams try. Atticus said the Finch's were middle class. Scout became angry because she listens to Atticus page 300
299
...not our kind of folks
Can't associate with certain people. She chooses friends based on their background or skin colour.
Tom's death
316
handful of people with humility . . . fair play . . . fair trial . . .
No fair trials when one's skin is black.
Shows how shunned people are
315 Tom was tired of white man's chances and preferred his own.
Tired of racism. Treated worse than an animal.
Miss Gates lesson on Hitler yet she is racist but can't see it
329
They contribute to every society they live in. She is referring to the Jews.
She doesn't realize that the African-Americans are equally mistreated.
Connection: Miss Gates is hypocritical. 329-331 Scout mentions how she likes people who are not hypocrites. 313
Scout cries when she meets Boo
363
Scout is so afraid because he is really not yet human to her yet. She points at him as if he is an animal. Atticus has no prejudice.
362
His lips parted into a timid smile . . .
Scout was crying because she was happy to solve this mystery.
Covering up the murder of Mr. Ewell
366
Bob Ewell fell on his knife says Mr. Tate.
Atticus does not want to believe Mr. Tate. Atticus hates to lie.
He wants to protect Boo. The town already think he is a monster and he doesn't want the Radley family to be seen as any worse than they are already perceived.
Boo could now live a normal life if Atticus would agree to the coverup.
End of chapter 30.
