Chapters 25 and 26

Chapter 25
p 244 - 247

Summary

September had come and Scout was about to squash a roly-poly bug when Jem tells her not to, so she places it outside. When Scout asks why she couldn't mash the bug, Jem replies that they don't bother you, resulting in Scout observing that Jem was getting more like a girl every day. While lying in the dark, Scout remembers spending the summer with Dill, and him recounting the story in the last few days when he and Jem managed to persuade Atticus to let them accompany him to Helen Robinson's house. Dill explained that Helen collapsed on the floor before even hearing that Tom was dead. On the way back from the 'Negro cabins', past the Ewell residence, some of the Ewells shouted at them. The news of Tom's death interests Maycomb for about two days, and in that time it was concluded that his death was 'Typical' of black man (the fact that he ran to escape as soon as he got the chance). Mr Underwood wrote a bitter and long editorial in The Maycomb Tribunal, condemning Tom's death as a senseless slaughter of an innocent man. Although Scout doesn't at first understand, she then realises that Tom's death was inevitable in the southern American society as soon as Mayella had screamed. Scout also overhears Mr Ewell saying that the death made 'one down and about two more to go'.

Key Quotations and Analysis

 'Why couldn't I mash him?' I asked./ 'Because they don't bother you,' Jem answered' 

Jem demonstrates a desire to protect anything that does no harm to you

Jem's mature attitude is a result of his witnessing the innocent and senseless death of Tom Robinson, and he begins to understand that it is sinful to take advantage of or destroy something weaker than oneself

''Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.''

representative of the racism entrenched in small town southern American society, and the refusal to accept black people for who they were, rather than judge them through prejudice of a race

Context

RACISM - legacy of slavery

SOUTHERN VALUES - prejudice in southern American society

Chapter 26
p 248 - 253

Summary School has started, and so both Jem and Scout begin to pass the Radley Place every day again. Although they are now too old to be afraid of the house, Scout still expresses a desire to see Boo Radley before she dies. Atticus however dissuades Scout from her childish games, for fear of Mr Nathan Radley. Meanwhile the trial of Tom Robinson from the summer hangs over the children, despite the fact that adults never mention it in front of them. One day at school during the 'Current Events period' in Scout's class a discussion arises over Adolf Hitler, and the differences between a democracy and a dictatorship. Later Scout questions how Miss Gates can hate Hitler and lecture about equality, when immediately after the Tom Robinson's trial she confides in Stephanie Crawford that she thought it was right 'somebody taught 'em a lesson'. Jem's reaction is one of fury and tells Scout to never talk about the court house again. Scout, tired and surprised, goes to Atticus to be comforted.

Key Quotations and Analysis

The Radley Place had ceased to terrify me, but it was no less gloomy, no less chilly

dark imagery

she realises it was just creations of her imaginations that she was afraid of

I sometimes felt a twinge of remorse (...) at ever having taken part in what must have been sheer torment to Arthur

Scout now refers to Boo as Arthur, she has developed in maturity, and feels guilt at having treated him like an animal or a fantasy creature

torment - echoes Atticus and his resentment at Scout and Jem's childish behavior

''What reasonable recluse wants children peeping through his shutters? ''

shows Scout's maturity and understanding

'Hidy do, Mr Arthur' (...)'Evening, Jean Louise' 

making Boo seem normal in comparison 'malevolent phantom' of earlier chapters

aura of scariness attached to name 'Boo' has disappeared

Boo Radley was the least of our fears

realised that he wasn't that terrifying a character - the trial of Tom Robinson has put things in perspective for her

also ironically foreshadows his appearance at the very end of the novel

dissipation of youthful fear as a result of trial has hardened their characters and made them become increasingly aware of more serious international concerns

that was his business

Scout understands that Boo kept himself to himself for a reason, and that her childish games had nothing to do with it

learnt to respect his privacy and his decisions

Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-

Scout displays a great deal more maturity than the majority of people in Maycomb- she can't understand why people can't figure that racism is just as much a problem in America as Hitler is in Germany

suggests she has a very developed, critical and mature mind, open to questioning about the way the world is run

as if she wants to tackle the problem of racism, unlike Jem, who just wants to forget about it and try to ignore

Context

RACISM- legacy of slavery

It seems that only Scout and Atticus understand that criticizing Hitler for his persecution of Jews is exceedingly hypocritical when black people have been persecuted just as badly in America for far longer a time. Other people seem to want to ignore the fact that racism towards black people was entrenched in southern American society.

Atticus seems to be the one with the most mature attitude regarding racism throughout the world, not just in Maycomb.

 'It is not (..) It's not okay to hate anybody' 

PREJUDICE - Boo Radley

It is clear that in Chapter 26 Scout has begun to understand that Boo Radley is just a normal person, and that he is not a fantasy or a 'malevolent phantom'. Thus she learns that she should show no prejudice towards him and accept him for who he is, and not for who has been created by town legends. The mature attitude of Scout is shown by her reference to 'Arthur' rather than 'Boo' normalising his character so the amount of prejudice towards him is reduced.