To Kill a Mockingbird Group

Question:

wildchild14
wildchild14
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In Chapter 19 of To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Dill react to this part of the trial and why?

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Posted by wildchild14 on Wednesday February 4, 2009 at 7:28 PM and tagged with chapter 19, dill, to kill a mockingbird, trial.

Answers:

  1. mshurn
    mshurn Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    Dill witnesses Mr. Gilmer cross examine Tom Robinson on the stand. Gilmer is not only hateful and sneering in his conduct and questions, his racism is blatant. At one point Gilmer says, "Are you being impudent to me, boy?" His question sounds very threatening. Tom is used to dealing with men like Mr. Gilmer and plays he role he is expected to play, deferring to Gilmer.

    The ugliness and injustice of the whole scene makes Dill physically sick. He tries to explain his feelings to Scout: "It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do'em [African-Americans] that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that." Scout doesn't understand, but Mr. Dolphus Raymond, sitting nearby, does understand. He tells Dill, "You aren't thin-hided, it just makes you sick, doesn't it?"

    Dill's unhappy family situation may have made him especially sympathetic to someone else's pain.

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/mockingbird/character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/mockingbird/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/mockingbird/summary-analysis

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    Posted by mshurn on Wednesday February 4, 2009 at 8:01 PM


  2. moodog66 Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    Dill feels sick to his stomach. He doesn't think anyone (regardless of race) should be treated that way.

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    Posted by moodog66 on Thursday February 5, 2009 at 2:28 PM