To kill a mockingbird ch7-10 summary

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TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD

CHAPTER 7

Jem is “moody and silent” after what had happened to his pants when he tried to bring Boo Radley out of his house.  Scout decides not to bother Jem and soon she is in the second grade at school. It is as bad as the first, but one day walking home with Jem, she learns that when he retrieved his pants, they were neatly folded on the fence and the tears had been crudely sewn up as if someone knew that he would be coming back for them.

Then they find a ball of twine in the hiding place in the oak tree. They aren’t sure if it’s theirs or not. So they leave it for a few days. When it is still there, they take it and decide that anything left there is okay to take. Jem is excited about sixth grade, because they learn about ancient Egypt and he tells Scout that school will get better for her. One day in October they find “small images carved in soap” of a boy and a girl. Upon closer examination, they realize that they are images of themselves. Scout is scared despite their beauty. They wonder who could have done it-maybe Mr. Avery, a neighbour who whittles wood. In a couple of weeks, they find a package of chewing gum, then an old medal for winning the spelling tree, then a broken pocket watch on a chain with an aluminium knife. Jem can’t get it to work and ponders on whether they should confide in Atticus, but the children decide to write a letter thanking whoever gives them these gifts and place it in the knot-hole the next morning.

When Jem gets there followed by Scout, they find that the knot hole has been plugged with cement. Jem asks Mr. Nathan about it. But he replies that the tree is dying and the cement will keep it alive. He asks Atticus if this is so and is told that it isn’t true. Atticus adds that Mr. Nathan knows more about his trees than they do. He feels bad and cries.

This chapter deepens the mystery of Boo Radley, first with Jem’s revelation about the repaired and folded pants and then with the appearance of the gifts in the knot hole. Jem’s Egyptian Period is ironically described. Jem is the very much the kind of boy who has obsession fancies from time to time-but this gives way to his lawyer- like investigation of the presents they receive, his questioning of Atticus about the spelling medal, his writing of the thank you letter. All these reveal a deepening sensitivity and awareness. He is protective over Scout urging her not to cry about the cement, has the courage to question Mr. Nathan, then his father-he is developing as a young lawyer! While his tears surely indicate that he half knows the truth: that the presents are from the “lonely boy” within. They are his only contact with the outside world in which he can never live. Though Boo Radley is a middle aged man, his little hidden gifts of chewing gum and pennies suggest a childish nature or a fondness for children. He himself disappeared from the house at a young age and therefore remains forever young in the memories of the townspeople. Mr. Nathan Radley, who plugs up the hole, is seen as the villain whose presence is a threat for the children from relating with Boo Radley.

TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD

CHAPTER 8

There is an exceptionally cold winter. Mr. Avery accuses them of changing season saying that disobedient children make the seasons change. Scout sees snow for the first time. School is cancelled. It is the first snow since 1885. Miss Maudie says they can take as much snow as they like. All that she is concerned about is the protection of her flowers. Jem and Scout make a plump snowman looking like Mr. Avery using soil and snow. Atticus admires the snowman but suggests that they make it look a little less realistic.

Scout is woken in the middle of the night to be told by Atticus that Miss Maudie’s house is on fire. The children watch the blaze from the front yard of the Radley’s place. They see the fire spreading towards their own house. Atticus remains calm-He might have been watching a football game. Miss Maudie’s house burns down and when the children arrive back home, Atticus notices that Scout has a blanket over her shoulders. With this revelation Jem pours out all his thoughts about Mr.Nathan, but Atticus says they should keep quiet about it and shouldn’t go around telling that Boo Radley put the blanket around Scout. The next day the children take back Miss Maudie’s things and find that she is not grieving for the loss of her house. She says that she wanted a smaller house anyway and now she’ll be able to have a bigger garden. The fire probably started because she kept a fire going that night to keep her potted plants warm.

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The chapter opens with a satirical glance at Mr. Avery and his judgments and then the snow arrives. It is soon used by children in one of their games. They make a caricature snowman converted soon into a hermaphrodite by Jem’s inventor facility. The description conveys the children’s energy, enthusiasm and humour. But the humour quickly changes to drama with the burning of Miss Maudie’s house and the fear of the fire spreading. Atticus, protective and calm, continues to grow in stature as a character as does Miss Maudie, who surveys the burning almost with serenity. There are grotesque ...

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