To Kill a Mockingbird Group

Question:

ferrylee
ferrylee
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Is Jem OR Scout right about the events leading to Jem's accident?

"[...]sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, […] said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out" (3).

In this quote, Jem says it started when Dill came, & when he gave them the idea about making Boo Radley come out. Scout disagrees and says that it was the Ewells fault. I was wondering HOW and WHY are either of them right, because I have trouble finding reasons for BOTH of their opinions.. Help?

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Posted by ferrylee on Tuesday January 13, 2009 at 5:20 PM and tagged with scout jem ewells boo radley, to kill a mockingbird.

Answers:

  1. lbrumley
    lbrumley Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    Jem is correct in that if the children had never paid attention to Boo Radley, then Boo would never have been there to save them from Bob Ewell and Jem would have suffered more than a broken arm. When Dill gave them the idea about making Boo Radley come out, the children became more than just passing events to Boo who watched the neighborhood through his window. Boo became more aware of the children, just as the children became more aware of Boo. The awareness, and fondness, led Boo to respond to the children's cries and brought him to the fateful showdown on the playground.

    Scout is also correct because if Bob Ewell had never beaten Mayella and then blamed Tom Robinson, he would have had no need to come after Atticus' children. His need to "save face" is what lead to the death of Tom, an innocent man. Ewell's cowardice led him to attack the children rather than facing Atticus man-to-man.

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    Posted by lbrumley on Sunday January 18, 2009 at 7:42 PM