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 elements in the breakdown of fire engine, in Mr Avery’s descent into Miss Maudie’s shrubbery, in the crumbling of the ‘Absolute Morphodite’ but there is also dramatic tension in the activities of the half dressed men battling to contain the fire with hand extinguishers and blankets. The drama continues when Scout’s blanket is discovered and Jem becomes nearly hysterical over Mr. Nathan. Miss Maudie’s reaction afterwards, her plans for the future, and her concern for others all show that she is imbued with the same kind of humanity for Atticus.
TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD
CHAPTER 9
A boy at school Cecil Jacobs teases Scout, saying that her father “defends niggers”. Scout fights with him over it. Later, she asks Atticus what it means and gets her father to explain why he is defending a black. He says he has decided to defend a black man named John Robinson, who lives in a settlement behind the town dump. He says that there has been talk around that he ought not to defend Jem.
Scout asks why he is still doing it. Atticus responds that if he didn't take the case, he wouldn't be able to "hold up his head in town". He represents his county in the legislature or even tells his children what to do. He couldn't expect them to obey him any more if he didn't fight for the cause of the black people. He says that he would lose their respect.
He tells Scout to keep cool no matter what anyone says, and fight with her head, not her hands. He explains that every lawyer gets at least one case in a lifetime that affects them personally, and this one is his. He also tells her that though they are not going to win, they will be fighting for the sake of their friends and whatever happens, the people of Maycomb are still their friends and Maycomb is still their town. It is a matter of honour for Atticus.
Scout experiences the first taste of what it means for her father to be defending a black against a white man. Her small worry of trying to get off school by catching ringworm gives way to her larger concern to hear Atticus's explanation. He advises moderation, a check on Scout's impulsive tendencies. Aware of the seriousness, Scout crawls into his lap, always her way of expressing her insecurity and need for love. The trial is introduced from Scout's point of view. Scout's frankness is funny. After her father's vain attempts to control her spirited behavior she admits, "I soon forgot.”For a young hothead like Scout, Atticus's lessons on tolerance fail to go very deep.
Atticus is certain that he will lose the case because he knows exactly what the status of Negro is in the South. In spite of the abolition of slavery at the end of the civil war, Southern Negroes remained second class citizens. They lived in a separate part of town, received inferior education and had to take on the poorly paid jobs. Even in court they were not equal. This is why Atticus is so sure of failure.
Even though Atticus is sure to lose the case, he hopes, it will cause stir in the town that will have major repercussions. The racism that have been endemic to Southern society for a hundred years may not be eradicated by this case, but Atticus will fight anyway, because he must follow his own conscience at all times and set an example for the community. He knows that he must have absolute integrity in all aspects of his life and if he is false in his work as a lawyer then he cannot be true to his family or his friends.
It is Christmas and Atticus' younger brother Jack, the doctor comes in to join them. Uncle Jack plans to stay there for one week which Scout enjoys, because he has a good sense of humour even though he is a doctor. Scout has been trying to swear words on the theory that Atticus won't make her go to school if he finds out she learned them there, but after dinner Uncle Jack tells her not to use them in his presence unless she's in an extremely provoking situation. For Christmas, Jem and Scout both get air rifles.
They go to Finch's Landing, a large house with a special staircase leading to the room of Simon Finch's four daughters that once allowed Finch to keep a track of their coming and goings. Scout hates going there, because her Aunt Alexandra always tells her that she should be more lady like-she should wear dresses and not pants, girls’ toys must be tea sets and jewellery. Aunt Alexandra hurts Scout's feeling and makes her sit at a little table in the dining room instead of grown ups table, where Jem and Francis are sitting. Francis is a grandson of Aunt Alexandra. Scout tells Francis that he is the most loving child she had ever met, and says that talking to him gives her the feeling of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean. The only good thing about being at the Landing is Aunt Alexandra's excellent cooking.
After dinner Francis and Scout are in the backyard. She tells Francis she is going to marry Dill, and she takes his mockery until he calls Atticus, a nigger lover and accuses him of ruining the family and won't be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again.
The first meeting with Aunt Alexandra shows her to be a dominating and traditional presence with strong opinion about how Scout ought to behave. Her imposition of ideas of what a Southern lady should do become a constant reminder for Scout that she is always doing something wrong. However she is always comforted by the accepting and open minded attitude of Atticus who doesn't mind her too much the way she is .Scout's behaviour constantly flies in the face of traditional Southern female attributes, but the codes that her aunt tried to pass down upon her often seem unreasonable and unjustified since they are based mainly upon her tradition.
Scout patiently awaits her chance, and then punches Francis in the mouth. Francis screams and everyone comes outside. Francis lies about Scout and that she jumped on him which Scout doesn't deny. Uncle Jack tells her not to use that language and scolds her without even waiting to hear her side. Scout says that she hates him. Atticus says it's high time they went home
Back at home, Scout turns to her room to be alone. Uncle Jack comes upstairs to have a talk with her. Scout points out that he doesn't understand children very well, since he never heard her side of the story. Uncle Jack asks her for her explanations and Scout tells him what Francis said about Atticus. When she tells him Uncle Jack is very concerned about it and is intent upon bringing the facts to Alexandra's notice. But Scout pleads with him not to tell Atticus, since she doesn't want him to know that she has broken her agreement not to fight anyone over the issue of Tom Robinson's case.
Atticus has a great sense of duty towards his family. He refers to break the traditions of Christmas, even if some members of the family are tiresome to be with. This is important, because it demonstrates that even the tolerant Atticus has to work at keeping his feelings under control. An important lesson that the children learn as they get older is that adults frequently have to do things which they would rather not do, and that they must do them properly.
Everyone think that Scout behaves like a tomboy. There is a vast difference between Atticus and Aunt Alexandra in their attitudes towards Scout. Atticus lets Scout be as she is. Alexandra tries to make her dress and play as a girl, believing that Atticus would somehow secretly prefer Scout to be in that way.
Scout dislikes her cousin Francis; they have nothing in common, he is boring and he tells tales to Aunt Alexandra. She feels no warmth towards Aunt Alexandra who hurts Scout's feelings with her critical attitude. Scout likes Uncle Jack, who is warm and funny, although he doesn't understand children.
Scout overhears Uncle Jack and Atticus talking. Uncle Jack explains that he doesn't want to have children because he doesn't understand them well enough. Atticus muses that Scout needs to learn to keep her temper under control because in the next few months, there is going to be a lot in store for the family. Jack asks how bad it will be, and Atticus says that it couldn't be worse-the case comes down to a black man's word against the word of the Ewells, and the jury couldn't possibly take Jem's word for the Ewells, and the jury couldn't possibly take Jem's word over the word of white people. He just hopes that he can get his children through without having them catch Maycomb's usual disease when "people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro come up." He hopes that Jem and Scout will look to him for their answers rather than to the townspeople. Then he calls out Scout's name and tells her to go to bed. She returns to her room. Years later, he older narrator says, she then understands that Atticus wanted her to hear everything he said.
TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD
CHAPTER 10
Jem and Scout lament the fact that "Atticus was feeble; he was nearly fifty.”The children believe that Atticus' advanced age "keeps him from doing the sorts of things other children's fathers do". Scout doesn't think her father can do anything worthwhile. He doesn't enjoy the sporting and recreational activities. He also wears glasses because he is nearly blind in one eye. He just prefers reading to others as a past time activity. Scout is ashamed of her father because it seems like he can't do anything noteworthy. His job isn't one to inspire admiration. Scout has been dealing with a lot of not very complimentary talk at school about her father's case, but she doesn't fight anyone in public-only in family like Francis.
Atticus tells them they can shoot their air guns at tin cans and bluebirds but tells them it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. This statement surprises Scout. Atticus doesn't have a habit of saying that things are sinful. Scout takes her confusion to Miss Maudie who affirms this, saying "Your father's right. Mocking Birds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens don't nest in corncribs; they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird". They are symbols of naturalness, generosity and kindness.
Miss Maudie tells Scout of all the things that Atticus can do. Scout is not convinced. Atticus, later reprimands Scout for pointing her gun at Miss Maudie. Atticus refuses to take part in the Methodist football match against the Baptists. This chapter sounds the major themes of the novel. It demonstrates that what appears to be is not always true. This highlights the main theme of the novel: man's inhumanity and prejudice.
Beyond the mockingbird image, Lee continues bird symbolism in the case of the dog, Jim Johnson. Jim is "the pet of Maycomb" but one day the children discover him acting strangely. The children tell Calpurnia, who takes one look and them immediately calls Atticus to tell him that there is a rabid dog in the neighbourhood. Then she gets the town operator to call everyone in the neighbourhood. She even runs to the Radley house to yell the warning to them. Calpurnia confirms that the dog is very sick and consequently very dangerous. Although the children recognise that the dog's behaviour is odd, he doesn't look mad to them. Mad dogs are supposed to have certain characteristics as Scout testifies when she says, "Had Jim Johnson behaved thus, I would have been less frightened."
Atticus and the sheriff, Mr. Heck Jate, drive up and the sheriff gives Atticus the gun. Te dog is so close to the Radley’s house that a stray bullet might go into the building. Heck Jate lacks confidence and gives Atticus the gun. At first Atticus declines, but then he moved like an underwater swimmer, his glasses slip down into the street and he shoots the dog dead. The dog crumples into a heap. Jem is dumbstruck.Miss Maudie emerges to call Atticus "One shot Finch. Heck Tate plans to mention about the past reputation of Atticus, but Atticus silences him and warns Jem not to go near the dog.
Jem is paralyzed by marksmanship of his father. Jem and Scout can't understand why Atticus doesn't continue to use his innate talent for hunting like other men in Maycomb do. Again, the children take their confusion to Miss Maudie who explains that he doesn't shoot unless he has to because he feels that when he holds a gun, God has given him an unfair advantage over living beings. Nature seems to have its own law which states that humans should not take advantage of their knowledge of machines and weapons in order to shoot animals, which have no such advantage. In the name of public safety, however Atticus is willing to put his moral side in the name of a higher goal, the protection of human life.
Scout wants to let everyone know about it, but Jem counsels silence on Atticus's past glory, saying that if he had wanted them to know he would have told them. Jem is elated by the realization that his father is not only good with a gun, but civilized in his heart and a gentleman.
The rabid dog is a deadly, dangerous menace to the town, and its presence affects everyone in the community, black or white, irrespective of class or personality. Thus the dog creates a unifying effect over the neighbourhood -no one is immune to it, and everyone must take over it together including the Radleys. The presence of the rabid dog is an emergency that makes everyone equal for a few moments. Atticus does not like to shoot, his role as a marksman in hitting the rabid dog calls for him to stand as a defender of all the people, not just blacks or whites. When he holds the gun the fate of the entire community rests upon his shoulders.
Atticus is not the only important figure in the crisis. Calpurnia is the one to recognise the serious nature of the situation, make the right phone calls, and runs out to warn the neighbours. She spares many people from death, yet she gets no credit for it when compared to Atticus who actually shoots with the gun to kill the dog. Though Atticus's skill with a gun is remarkable, Calpurnia's swift action and knowledge are invaluable. This is an example of how the black community in Maycomb helps the white community in ways that may not always be realized and despite the amount of prejudice and discrimination that they suffer, they make many unsung contributions to the society
Atticus' warning about shooting a mockingbird is the first mention of the mockingbird theme. The idea coincides with his distaste for hunting; Atticus doesn’t want his children to inflict cruelty upon the innocent mockingbirds just because they have the power of the air guns, just as he doesn't like to shoot. His warning serves to emphasize the responsibilities that came with power. Those who have power must be careful not to unleash cruelty upon beings that are innocent and harmless. Miss Maudie fills the gap for the children, truly evaluating for them the quality of their father.