To Kill a Mockingbird - Chapter 20-27

Atticus says that many Maycomb citizens simply are not interested in serving on a jury. In addition, they fear retribution from their fellow citizens. To explain this to Jem and Scout, Atticus provides the following example: "Well, what if—say, Mr. Link Deas had to decide the amount of damages to award, say, Miss Maudie, when Miss Rachel ran over her with a car. Link wouldn't like the thought of losing either lady's business at his store...so he tells Judge Taylor that he can't serve on the jury because he doesn't have anybody to keep store for him while he's gone." Finally, Atticus says, "Serving on a jury forces a man to make up his mind and declare himself about something. Men don't like to do that. Sometimes it's unpleasant."

According to Atticus, what are three reasons why many Maycomb citizens do not want to serve on a jury?

Atticus says that once the higher court reviews his case, Tom has a good chance of going free or at least receiving a new trial.

According to Atticus, what is optimistic about Tom's case?

Atticus says that guilt motivated Mayella. She felt guilty and ashamed because she broke a severe, time-honored code: "She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man...No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards." In order to rid herself of this guilt, she tried to destroy the evidence of her offense. This evidence consisted of Tom Robinson himself, "her daily reminder of what she did."

According to Atticus, what motivated Mayella Ewell to accuse Tom Robinson of raping her?

Mr. Ewell stopped Atticus in town and spat in his face. Then, he threatened Atticus, promising that he would "get him if it took the rest of his life."

According to Stephanie Crawford, what did Mr. Ewell do to Atticus earlier that morning?

perfectly willing to let him do what they're too afraid to do themselves—it might lose 'em a nickel. They're perfectly willing to let him wreck his health doing what they're afraid to do..." She sees that Atticus is acting as the lone moral upholder for the entire town, and the burden is wearing him down. To make matters worse, instead of expressing gratitude for his service to them, the townspeople criticize him behind his back.

Alexandra asks Miss Maudie, "[W]hat else do they want from him, Maudie, what else?" What does she mean by this question? To whom is she referring with the word they?

He means that the justice system works only when each individual juror takes his duty seriously. This means that a juror must use reason and intellect, weigh the evidence objectively, and leave all biases and/or prejudices out of the courtroom.

As Atticus finishes his statement, he says, "A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up." What does he mean by this assertion?

Jem stops her, explaining that the defenseless bug had done nothing to her. Like the mockingbird, the roly-poly bug is a symbol of innocence. The incident underscores the theme that thoughtless actions and/or deliberate cruelty can cause the destruction of innocent creatures, a concept that is most clearly illuminated by the death of Tom Robinson.

As Scout is about to kill a roly-poly bug. What stops her from doing it? What theme

Scout is once again remembering the day that the rabid dog stalked down the street, terrifying the neighborhood. She is comparing the fear, anxiety, and apprehension in the air that day to the current atmosphere in the courtroom. Significantly, this is the second time that Scout has recalled the scene with the mad dog. The first occurred as she was dropping off to sleep the night that Atticus was threatened by the angry mob. The presence of evil connected with the mad dog and the deserted street is felt in the courtroom. In both instances, the mood is one of anxiety and dread. Everyone is silently waiting, as if something terrible is about to happen. Students may recall that the mad dog represented the evil that exists in Maycomb, specifically the racism of the town. In that scene, the evil was implied through the use of symbolism. In the present scene, however, the evil in Maycomb is no longer hidden or latent. The trial has brought it out into the open; it can no longer be denied or ignored.

As everyone waits for the verdict, a certain impression creeps into Scout's mind. What is she remembering? What is the significance of the impression?

Dill says he will be a clown when he grows up. Watching the absurd behavior of the gossiping adults brings him to this cynical decision. He explains, "There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off."

As the children watch the neighbors gossip, Dill makes a declaration about what he will be when he grows up. What does he say, and what are his reasons?

On the surface, Atticus means that the case is not complicated—the evidence is clear, and its implications are obvious. On a deeper level, however, the statement implies that the case is about nothing other than race.

At one point during his closing remarks, Atticus says to the jury, "This case is as simple as black and white." What does he mean by this statement? How can it be interpreted on more than one level?

Jem cynically decides that Boo Radley stays in his house because he does not want to come out. He comes to this conclusion because he is frustrated and disillusioned by the way people treat one another: "If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other?...I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time...it's because he wants to stay inside."

At the end of the chapter, what conclusion does Jem draw about Boo Radley? What leads him to this conclusion?

He says that one of the jurors held out for a long time. In fact, this juror had been "rarin' for an outright acquittal." This is surprising in itself, but even more shocking is the fact that this juror was of the Cunningham clan, many of whom were among the angry mob at the jail on the night of the thwarted lynching. Atticus tells Jem that once a person earns the respect of a Cunningham, the whole clan becomes fiercely loyal to that person. He adds that when the Cunninghams left the jail that night, he had a feeling that they left with a great degree of respect for the Finch family. Notably, if there had been just one more juror to hold out like the Cunningham man did, the trial would have ended with a hung jury.

Atticus says that the fact that the jury took so long to reach a verdict may indicate "the shadow of a beginning." What does he tell Jem and Scout about one of the jurors?

The Mrunas are a tribe of people that the missionary circle is trying to civilize and Christianize, under the leadership of a Methodist minister named J. Grimes Everett. Although it is not directly stated where the Mrunas live, several clues indicate that they are an African tribe. For example, Mrs. Merriweather describes them as "living in that jungle" and states, "Not a white person'll go near 'em but that saintly J. Grimes Everett."

Aunt Alexandra is entertaining her missionary circle. Who are the Mrunas, and why is the missionary circle interested in them?

The note is from Alexandra. She writes that Jem and Scout are missing; they have not been seen since noon.

Calpurnia comes into the courtroom to hand a note to Atticus. What does the note say?

When Helen saw Atticus in her yard, she seemed to know what had happened even before he told her. According to Dill, she said hello to Atticus and then suddenly collapsed: "...she just fell down in the dirt...like a giant with a big foot just came along and stepped on her... Like you'd step on an ant." Students should note that Dill's simile parallels the incident with the roly-poly bug. Helen Robinson is another defenseless victim of the cruelty and injustice caused by others.

Dill had been present when Atticus went to tell Helen Robinson the news of her

He means that the trial will reveal the true nature of Maycomb, bringing to light the destructive racism that is normally hidden beneath the surface.

Dolphus Raymond tells Scout, "You haven't even seen this town, but all you gotta do is step back inside the courthouse." What does he mean by this statement? How will Scout see what her town is truly like simply by stepping back into the courthouse?

Atticus unbuttons his vest and collar, loosens his tie, and takes off his coat. According to Scout, "He never loosened a scrap of his clothing until he undressed at bedtime, and to Jem and me, this was the equivalent of him standing before us stark naked." Answers may vary about why Atticus does this. Example: He wants to remind the jury that he is a regular person just like they are; that he is speaking personally to them as a fellow Maycomb citizen. By loosening his clothing and removing his coat, he loses some of his formality. This is supported by the fact that his tone of voice becomes less formal as well. As Scout notes, "His voice had lost its aridity, its detachment, and he was talking to the jury as if they were folks on the post office corner."

During his closing argument, Atticus pauses and does something that astonishes Scout and Jem. What does he do? Why do you think he does it?

He says that because things have not caught up to Dill's instincts yet, the boy still cries "about the simple hell people give other people—without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they're people, too."

How does Dolphus Raymond explain Dill's crying?

He says that there are four kinds of people in the world: "There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes." He goes on to explain, "...our kind of folks don't like the Cunninghams, the Cunninghams don't like the Ewells, and the Ewells hate and despise the colored folks."

How does Jem describe the social hierarchy in Maycomb?

The repetition of the phrase "the handful of people" throughout Miss Maudie's speech is an example of anaphora. The use of anaphora emphasizes Miss Maudie's main point: Although many of Maycomb's citizens are racist, there is a small but powerful group of people who are not. These people are Atticus's supporters, and they look upon him with deep respect and gratitude for the job he does.

How does Miss Maudie reply to Alexandra's question?

Atticus makes it clear that racism is based on a series of lies and evil assumptions: "that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women...." He vehemently states that such behaviors exist among all races: "There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire."

How is Atticus's closing statement in defense of Tom Robinson also an attack upon racism?

One day in school, her third-grade teacher, Miss Gates, lectures the class on the wickedness of Hitler's persecution of the Jews and on the virtues of equality and democracy. Scout listens and later asks Jem how Miss Gates can preach about equality when she came out of the courthouse after the trial and told Miss Stephanie Crawford that it was about time that someone taught the blacks in town a lesson.

How is Scout's teacher a hyppocrite?

If he is found guilty on appeal, Tom will be sentenced to death. This is because rape is a capital offense in Alabama, carrying a punishment of either death or twenty years to life. As Jem notes, the jury could have given Tom a lighter sentence, but the racial nature of the case provoked them to give the severest punishment possible. As Atticus explains, "Tom Robinson's a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world's going to say, 'We think you're guilty, but not very,' on a charge like that."

If Tom is found guilty on appeal, what will his punishment be? Why?

They are now too old to be frightened by the Radley house, but Scout still wistfully wishes to see Boo Radley just once.

In the beginning of chapter 26, what do Scout and Jem agree on?

Jem is struggling with the disillusionment and loss of innocence that comes with knowledge and maturity, a major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. Like a caterpillar safe in its cocoon, he had always felt safe among the people of Maycomb. Now, in the wake of the trial and its outcome, he realizes that evil and injustice exist in the town and that many of his neighbors are not the good, moral people he had previously thought they were. Essentially, his childlike illusions about Maycomb and its people have been shattered. "It's like bein' a caterpillar in a cocoon...Like somethin' asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that's what they seemed like." The caterpillar in the cocoon symbolizes a child in the state of innocence. Like the caterpillar, the child must emerge from that state as he or she matures. Throughout the novel, Jem has been transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

JEM uses the metaphor of a caterpillar in a cocoon to describe his feelings. According to him, in what way is he like a caterpillar in a cocoon? What feeling is he struggling with, and how does it relate to the trial and the town of Maycomb? What does the caterpillar symbolize?

Jem begins by saying he knows Tom's punishment is not right, but he cannot pinpoint exactly what is wrong. He offers that maybe rape should not be a capital offense in the first place. Atticus responds by saying he has no problem with the rape statute, but he does have "deep misgivings when the state ask[s] for and the jury [gives] a death penalty on purely circumstantial evidence." He says that, before a person is sentenced to death, there should be eyewitnesses who can testify that they saw the person commit the crime. In the absence of that, there is always "the shadow of a doubt...the possibility, no matter how improbable, that he's innocent." Jem observes that it all goes back to the jury for condemning a man on mere circumstantial evidence. He concludes that the system should "do away with juries." Atticus disagrees, offering what he believes is a better way: "Change the law. Change it so that only judges have the power of fixing the penalty in capital cases."

Jem and Atticus converse about some of the obvious problems with the legal system.

That Walter's as smart as he can be, he just gets held back sometimes because he has to stay out and help his daddy. Nothin's wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." Scout's response exemplifies the antithesis of racism and/or classism: the idea that people are just people and that no one is inherently different from anyone else.

Jem talks about "background" to explain how the Finches are different from the Cunninghams. How does he define "background"? What is Scout's response to his theory?

Mrs. Merriweather is talking about Maycomb's black community and the after-effects of Tom Robinson's trial. She is stating that once the black community realizes that the white population has forgiven them, then the disruption caused by the trial will cease to exist, and everything will return to normal. Her statement is obviously ironic. In her ignorance, which is shared by many of the whites in Maycomb, she believes that the black community is in need of forgiveness from the white community for the trial and its aftermath. Just the opposite is true. The trial and conviction of Tom Robinson was a travesty of justice, brought about by the racism of the town's white population. Clearly, if one group of people is in need of forgiveness for committing a moral wrong against the other, it is Maycomb's white community that must seek forgiveness from the black community.

Mrs. Merriweather says, "If we just let them know we forgive' em, that we've forgotten it, then this whole thing'll blow over." Who and what is she talking about? What is ironic about her statement?

According to Atticus, it is the courtroom: "...there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court...in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal."

Near the end of his closing statement, Atticus references the maxim, "All men are created equal." According to him, what is the one institution in which this maxim is true?

Maycomb's black community sent the food to show Atticus appreciation for his defense of Tom Robinson. As Calpurnia tells him, "[The food] was all 'round the back steps when I got here this morning. They—they 'preciate what you did, Mr. Finch." Atticus becomes emotional for the first time. His eyes fill with tears, and he is unable to speak for a moment. He tells Calpurnia to express his gratitude to those who brought the food. In a voice obviously filled with emotion, he adds, "Tell them—tell them they must never do this again. Times are too hard...."

On the morning after the trial, the kitchen table in the Finch household is "loaded with enough food to bury the family."

Scout says she knows that Aunt Alexandra does not like her, and she does not care. She also knows that she is not a problem to Atticus, so that cruel remark did not bother her. What upset her was that Aunt Alexandra had called Walter Cunningham "trash."

Scout explains to Jem what Aunt Alexandra said that caused her to cry. What was it that upset her more than anything else?

They had been cruel, insensitive, and blatantly racist. According to Scout, "To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical. Typical of a ****** to cut and run. Typical of a ******'s mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw."

Scout recalls what people in Maycomb had said in the days following Tom's death. What had been the general attitude of the townspeople when they heard the news?

winnable before the trial even began, so the verdict most likely comes as no surprise to him. He coolly collects his papers, picks up his briefcase, whispers something to Tom Robinson, acknowledges the court reporter and Mr. Gilmer, and leaves the courtroom.

The novel's climax occurs when the jury gives its verdict.

Mr. Underwood compared Tom's death to "the senseless slaughter of songbirds." The metaphor is an obvious reference to the book's title, To Kill a Mockingbird, and emphasizes one of the novel's major themes: the merciless destruction of innocent creatures caused by the cruel and thoughtless actions of others.

To what did Mr. Underwood's editorial compare Tom's death? What is the significance of his comparison?

Calpurnia said that Tom had given up all hope of ever becoming free again. According to her, "the last thing he said to Atticus before they took him down to the prison camp was, 'Goodbye, Mr. Finch, there ain't nothin' you can do now, so there ain't no use tryin'."

What did Calpurnia say to Miss Rachel's cook about Tom's despair? According to her, what was the last thing Tom had told Atticus before being taken to the prison camp?

As Scout looks around, she notices that all the black people are standing up as Atticus walks down the aisle below: "They were standing. All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet." This gesture signifies their deep respect for Atticus. Reverend Sykes makes it clear when he tells Scout, "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin'."

What do the black spectators do as Atticus leaves the courtroom? What does their gesture signify?

Answers may vary, but most students should realize that Atticus is likely telling Tom that they will appeal the case. This had been Atticus's plan from the beginning, as he knew that the case would be unwinnable the first time.

What do you think Atticus whispers to Tom Robinson just before he leaves the courtroom?

Atticus has just been telling Jem that many white people cheat black people every day. In saying, "one of these days we're going to pay the bill for it," he means that sooner or later the white population will have to pay for the mounting injustices it has committed against the black population.

What does Atticus mean when he says, "...it's all adding up and one of these days we're going to pay the bill for it"? To what is he referring?

Bob Ewell then begins to follow Helen Robinson to work, keeping his distance but whispering obscenities at her. Link Deas sees Ewell and threatens to have him arrested if he doesn't leave Helen alone; he gives her no further trouble.

What does Bob Ewell do to Tom Robinson's wife Helen?

Miss Maudie means that Maycomb may be gradually overcoming its racist ideology. As evidence for her hopeful attitude, she notes that people like Judge Taylor and Heck Tate had tried to help Tom. She mentions that Judge Taylor's appointing Atticus to defend Tom was no accident. He gave the job to Atticus because he knew that if anyone could hope to persuade the jury of Tom's innocence, Atticus would be that person. Most importantly, because the jury took so long to decide, it indicates that Atticus indeed was successful in changing the men's attitude a little.

What does Miss Maudie mean when she says, "...we're making a step—it's just a baby step, but it's a step"? What evidence does she use to explain her optimism?

Finch household, while simultaneously criticizing Atticus, the head of that very household. Miss Maudie's remark pointedly reveals Mrs. Merriweather's hypocrisy, as well as that of the other ladies at the gathering who share the woman's ignorant sentiments. Aunt Alexandra silently thanks Miss Maudie by giving her what Scout describes as "a look of pure gratitude."

What does Miss Maudie say that silences Mrs. Merriweather? How does Aunt Alexandra show her appreciation to Miss Maudie for her defense of Atticus?

He says that he has never seen "any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man."

What does Reverend Sykes say about his experiences in court?

At first, Scout wondered how Tom's death could be characterized as a senseless killing: "Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him all the way." She later realized what Mr. Underwood had meant. Tom Robinson had received no justice at all; the trial and conviction had been a travesty. Ultimately, Tom's death was caused by Maycomb's racism: "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."

What was Scout initially confused about when she read the editorial? What ultimately became clear to her upon later reflection?

He says that Tom is dead: "They shot him...He was running. It was during their exercise period. They said he just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over. Right in front of them—." According to Atticus, the guards had yelled for Tom to stop and had fired a few warning shots into the air. When Tom did not stop, they shot to kill: "They said if he'd had two good arms he'd have made it, he was moving that fast. Seventeen bullet holes in him."

When Atticus arrives home, what terrible news does he bring about Tom Robinson?

She is making a veiled criticism of Atticus and his defense of Tom Robinson. She implies that Atticus thought that he was doing the right thing by defending Tom, but all he really did was "stir up" the black population and cause further trouble for white people like her.

When Mrs. Merriweather claims, "there are some good but misguided people in this town," what is she talking about, and to whom is she referring?

Scout plans to invite Walter Cunningham home for dinner. She even mentions that maybe he can stay over sometimes after school. Aunt Alexandra once again shows her intolerance for people whom she believes are lower in class than the Finches. She begins by saying that the Cunninghams are good folks but "not our kind of folks." After much questioning by Scout about why she cannot play with Walter Cunningham, Alexandra finally reveals the depth of her prejudice and narrow-mindedness: "I'll tell you why...Because—he—is—trash, that's why you can't play with him. I'll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows-what. You're enough of a problem to your father as it is."

When Scout learns about the Cunningham juror, what does she declare she will do as soon as school starts? What is Aunt Alexandra's response?

As the jurors file in, Scout notes, "A jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson." This signifies to Scout that the jury has found Tom Robinson guilty.

When the jury comes in, what does Scout notice about the jurors' behavior? According to her, what does their behavior signify?

Atticus

Who does Bob Ewell blame for losing his job?

Answers may vary. Example: Tom may have been trying to escape because he believed he had no chance of attaining freedom any other way. However, it also could be argued that Tom ran for the fence knowing that he would not make it. His hopelessness and despair may have been so great that he wished to die. This would explain why he did not stop even when the guards warned that they would shoot.

Why do you think Tom ran for the fence? Why did he keep running even when the guards warned that they would shoot?

He wants to give the townspeople a reason to "latch onto" regarding his choice of lifestyle, so he pretends that he is an alcoholic: "When I come to town...if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskey—that's why he won't change his ways. He can't help himself, that's why he lives the way he does." Scout admits that she probably should not be listening to "this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it." However, she finds Dolphus Raymond fascinating. She tells the reader, "I had never encountered a being who deliberately perpetrated fraud against himself."

Why does Dolphus Raymond drink Coca-Cola and pretend it is liquor? What does Scout think of him and the reasons his gives for his behavior?

Scout's experience among the gossipy, two-faced ladies of the missionary circle is confusing and a little upsetting. She is mystified by the world of women and feels much more at home in her father's world. As she explains, "People like Mr. Heck Tate did not trap you with innocent questions to make fun of you; even Jem was not highly critical unless you said something stupid...There was something about [men], no matter how much they cussed and drank and gambled and chewed...there was something about them that I instinctively liked...they weren't—" As Scout is about to say what men are not, Mrs. Merriweather unwittingly and ironically interrupts her thoughts with the perfect word: "Hypocrites...born hypocrites...."

Why does Scout prefer the company of men as opposed to that of women?

He thinks the jury will decide the case based on the evidence, not on its prejudices. As he tells Reverend Sykes, "...don't fret, we've won it...Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard—."

Why is Jem certain that Tom Robinson will be acquitted?