To kill a mocking bird - Chapter 14 Summary onwards.

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Chapter 14 Summary

Scout asks her father what rape is. He tells her it is "carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent." There is a family scene when Aunt Alexandra finds out that Scout and Jem went to the black church with Calpurnia. Aunt Alexandra tries to forbid Scout from going to visit Calpurnia in the future, and tries to make Atticus fire Calpurnia. Atticus refuses on the grounds that she's done an excellent job of running the house and raising the children, and the children love her. Jem takes Scout aside and tries to tell her not to antagonize their aunt. He and Scout get into a fistfight, which Atticus breaks up, saying that Scout doesn't have to obey Jem unless he can make her do so.

That night Scout and Jem discover Dill hiding under Scout's bed. He tells a long story about being locked and chained in a basement and escaping with a traveling animal show, then the real story about stealing money from his mother's purse, and walking and hitching his way from the train station to the Finches' house. Scout gets him some cornbread to eat and notes mentally that he is now "home." Jem says that Dill should let his mother know where he is. Jem¹s next action causes Scout to remark that he "broke the remaining code of our childhood" by calling for Atticus. Atticus is lenient, however, and calls Miss Rachel to ask if Dill can stay the night while Scout gets him more food. Miss Rachel appears on the scene and reprimands Dill but allows him to stay. Dill and Jem sleep in Jem's room, which adjoins Scout's room.

Late at night, Dill wakes Scout up and asks if he can sleep with her. He explains that his new father and his mother don't seem interested in him - they are kind to him but they don't need him around, they'd rather spend time alone together. Scout realizes how lucky she is to have a family that needs her. Then Dill suggests that they have a baby together, and even though he knows the real way that babies occur, he makes up a long dreamy story about a magic island where babies are collected like flowers. Scout wonders why Boo Radley doesn't run away, and Dill thinks maybe Boo doesn't have anywhere to run to.

Analysis

Jem's behavior seems to betray Dill, and shows his movement into the adult sphere. He suggests that Scout be less defiant toward their aunt, putting himself onto the adult side of the argument, to Scout's annoyance. The interaction between the two suggests that children (like Scout) are more immune to the attitudes and mindsets of the society around them, but as they grow older (like Jem), they unwittingly find themselves replicating and reinforcing society's traditional views.

Dill's story about his experiences with his parents show Scout how much she has to be grateful for. Even her aunt's constant pestering is a sign of her care for Scout, which is much better than the ambivalence that Dill experiences. Dill enjoys fantasy, as evidenced by his fanciful story about how babies are made. Even though he knows the real truth, he prefers the story he makes up. Dill's flights of fancy are an escape, like his physical escape from Meridian, into a world where he feels more at "home." When everyday life does not satisfy him, he can find solace again in his made-up world.

Scout and Dill's relationship, though close, is still childish and innocent, as shown in the end of the chapter. Their discussion about babies also suggests that Scout knows less about the facts of life than she claims in later chapters, and that it is possible that the idea of rape is still a little foggy in her mind.

Chapter 15 Summary

Dill is allowed to stay for the summer. Just a week later, events surrounding the trial begin to come to a head. First, a group of men pay a call on Atticus at his home. Jem and Scout watch from inside. The men make allusions to the fact that Tom will be moved to the Maycomb jail tomorrow (Sunday), because the trial will occur on Monday. They are concerned that the "Sarum bunch" will get up to some trouble, though Atticus thinks they won't do anything (such as a lynching) on a Sunday night. Mr. Link Deas says that Atticus has everything to lose from the trial, but Atticus says that he wants the truth to come out. Jem gets concerned that the men outside mean Atticus some harm, but Atticus assures him later that those men are his friends - they're not part of a gang or the Ku Klux Klan, whom Atticus claims is gone and will never come back. Jem overhears Aunt Alexandra warning Atticus that he is bringing disgrace to the family name. Jem is still concerned for Atticus's safety.

On Sunday there are more people at church than ever in Scout's memory - even Mr. Underwood from the town newspaper is there, and he almost never attends church. Later that afternoon, Atticus leaves the house in his car, carrying an electrical extension cord with a lightbulb at the end. He refuses to allow Jem and Scout to come. But at around 10:00, Jem starts changing his clothes and tells Scout that he's going downtown. Scout insists on coming, and they also pick up Dill on the way. They look for Atticus in his office, but finally find him sitting outside the county jail, with the lightbulb providing light for him to read his book. Jem feels reassured knowing where his father is, but as they're about to go home, four old cars come into town. A group of men emerge, shadowy. Atticus informs them that the sheriff is nearby, but they counter that they called him into the woods on false pretenses. Atticus still seems unperturbed. Suddenly Scout runs out into the circle, but is taken aback when she realizes that these men are strangers to her. Atticus orders the children to go home, but Jem refuses. One man picks up Jem by the collar, and Scout kicks the man in the groin. Jem still won't go.

Scout becomes interested in the men, who smell of "whiskey and pigpen" and are dressed in heavy dark clothes despite the summer night. She recognizes Mr. Cunningham, the father of Walter from her class at school. She innocently begins to talk about how Walter is a good boy, and recounts how they invited him home for dinner one day, and asks Mr. Cunningham to say hello to his son for her. Then she tries to engage him on the topic of his entailment, but notices that every one is staring at her. Mr. Cunningham bends down and says, "I'll tell him you say hey, little lady." Then the men decide to disperse, and go home in their cars. Mr. Underwood reveals himself in a nearby window with a gun, pointing out that he had them covered the whole time. The Finches and Dill go home.

Analysis

As in his earlier pose with the gun against the rabid dog, Atticus's stance at the door of the jail is symbolic of his role throughout the book. The night is dark, like the culture of bigotry and ignorance in Maycomb. Atticus's light illuminates the night, as Atticus strives to teach his community the truth and expose their unfairness. The light is an unusual addition to the scene: it would not occur outside the jail unless Atticus brought it there himself. Likewise, without people like Atticus going out of their way to help others, the darkness of prejudice could perpetuate itself indefinitely. Atticus doesn't hold a gun or other weapon, only a book. He will guard the basic human rights of Tom and all people using his knowledge and his experience in law. With his high morals, he will not lower himself to the violent measures used by others, even for his own self-defense.

Atticus also reveals his fatal flaw: he tends to be overly optimistic or unrealistically hopeful at times. His prediction that the Ku Klux Klan will never return has of course been proved untrue in the course of time. He doesn't believe there will be a lynching on a Sunday night, but luckily he shows up at the jail regardless. However, it's somewhat unclear whether he knew of the presence of Mr. Underwood until after the mob disperses - if he did not know, then he could have put himself in considerable danger because he did not get good backing up from the sheriff and his men.

Scout's conversation with Mr. Cunningham emphasizes her knowledge of young Walter Cunningham and reminds Mr. Cunningham of the human bonds that connect everyone in the town. From the indistinguishable group of men, she singles him out and restores his individuality out of anonymity by addressing him by his name and recalling his son and his entailment. When people join together in a mob, they lose a feeling of responsibility for their actions, because they act as a group rather than as separate individuals. Scout's ability to take Mr. Cunningham out of his group comes about purely from the sheer innocence of her statements. Her innocence shows how inconceivable the idea of their violent act is in her eyes, and forces them to consider the horror of their act from her perspective. Mr. Cunningham, confronted with the shame of the group's plans and having been restored a sense of his own responsibility in them, decides to remove himself from the scene.

Chapter 16 Summary

Scout cries that night and Jem consoles her. Atticus says that Mr. Underwood despises black people even though he was willing to defend Atticus. Aunt Alexandra urges Atticus not to speak like that in front of Calpurnia, but Atticus protests as usual for fairness. Scout wonders out loud why Mr. Cunningham wanted to hurt Atticus when he usually is Atticus's friend. Atticus explains that some people can forget that they are human beings when they become part of a mob. He says that it took an eight-year-old girl to bring them to their senses.

Tom Robinson's trial begins, and Scout, Jem, and Dill go to the courthouse where the locals are all out picnicking in the park. They notice Mr. Dolphus Raymond drinking liquor from a paper bag and sitting with the black people. Jem explains that he married a black woman and that he has "mixed" children. Jem says that these children are "sad" because they don't feel accepted by black people or by white people - though they can be accepted in the North. They see one of the mixed children and Scout thinks he looks black. She asks Jem how to determine whether someone is "mixed" or not and Jem says that you can't tell by looking, you have to know their history. The Finch family is all white, but Jem considers that during Biblical times, it's possible some of their ancestors were from Africa - however, that probably doesn't count because it was so long ago. If anyone has a drop of black blood, they are considered all black by Maycomb society.

In the packed courthouse, the children have trouble getting seats until Reverend Sykes helps them find seats upstairs in the balcony where black people sit. Scout observes Judge Taylor, whom she considers to be a rather good, sensible judge.

Analysis

Scout and Jem's discussion of "mixed" children demonstrates the irrationality of prejudice. A "mixed" child could look completely black or completely white, but would still be considered "black" either way. Yet family history is a poor determinant of race as well, because as Jem points out, the human race probably originated in Africa or the Middle East, and a drop of black blood makes a person "black." Therefore, neither image nor family history is infallible; discrimination is shown to be even more arbitrary and senseless.

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The Finch children again find themselves welcomed and even honored among blacks when Reverend Sykes invites them to the balcony, and chairs are vacated in the front row on their behalf.

Chapter 17 Summary

The trial begins with the testimony of the sheriff, Heck Tate. The prosecution's attorney, Mr. Gilmer, asks him about the events surrounding Tom Robinson and Mr. Ewell's daughter, whose name is Mayella. Mr. Tate says that on November 21st, Mr. Ewell came to get him because "some nigger'd raped his girl." He says that he found Mayella on the floor, very beaten up, ...

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