Illustration of a bird perched on a scale of justice

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

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Chapter 14 Summary and Analysis

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Two chapters later, Scout finally gets around to asking Atticus what "rape" is and tells him about that day at Calpurnia's church. Aunt Alexandra, of course, doesn't approve and won't allow Scout to visit Calpurnia's house. A small fight ensues, in which Aunt Alexandra tries to force Atticus to fire Calpurnia, to no avail. Jem then patronizes Scout for being young, which causes those two to fight. Atticus has to come break it up and send them to bed. Alone in her room after, Scout thinks she feels a snake, but it turns out to be Dill, who has ridden the train by himself because he wants to escape his new stepfather, whom he doesn't like. He tells them that he was bound in chains but escaped to join a small animal show, but in reality he just stole thirteen dollars from his mother's purse and took the nine o'clock train to Maycomb Junction, then walked the rest of the way to the Finch house. This adventure has left him very hungry.

Dill's mother doesn't know where he went, so Jem calls Atticus in to help. He goes over to talk to Miss Rachel while Dill eats and takes a bath. Miss Rachel then comes over to scold Dill, but then lets him stay there, like he wanted. Later, Dill climbs into bed with Scout, and they talk about his real reasons for running away: his mother and stepfather weren't really "interested" in him, which seems to mean that they ignored him and that, when they didn't ignore him, they expected him to act more like boys his own age. Dill, who has already been established as an odd character, didn't like that.

This chapter ends with Dill telling Scout fanciful stories about an island of babies "waiting to be gathered like morning lilies." Scout then asks why Boo Radley hasn't run away, and Dill says he might not have anywhere else to go. The sadness of this is tempered by the sweetness of Dill and Scout's relationship, which provides some much needed emotional relief before Tom's trial.

Alliteration

One example of this would be the kids "squirm[ing their] way through the sweating sidewalk."

Allusion

Herbert Hoover (1874 - 1964). The 31st President of the United States. He was in office from 1929 to 1933, and the beginning of his first and only term roughly coincided with the 1929 Stock Market Crash, which drove the country into the Great Depression. Hoover, though not directly responsible for the Stock Market Crash itself, wasn't able to pull the country out of the Depression, making his four years in office pretty grim for the American public. Only after Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office did things begin to improve. Scout alludes to Hoover when she points out the "Hoover cart" that someone is driving. (A Hoover cart is one that has been fitted with the wheels of a car and is being pulled by a mule or horse. It's called a "Hoover" cart because it was invented during Hoover's presidency.)

Conflict

In this chapter, the various conflicts parallel each other: Atticus's conflict with Aunt Alexandra is similar to Scout's conflict with Jem in that they're all siblings disagreeing over the way Scout and Aunt Alexandra are supposed to act around each other.

Atticus vs. Aunt Alexandra. Their fight in this chapter stems from a larger conflict over how Atticus raises his children. Aunt Alexandra is critical of his parenting skills, particularly where it comes to Scout, who hasn't had a strong (white) female role model growing up. Aunt Alexandra's presence is in itself a result of her questioning Atticus's ability to raise his children and is, thus, a threat to Scout and Jem, who would prefer to think of Atticus as a stand-up (if old and bookish) father.

Scout vs. Aunt Alexandra. This conflict stems from the really fundamental difference in the way these two characters think about gender and self-expression. Scout likes to wear overalls instead of dresses and to speak her mind instead of being demure, and in many ways this makes her a rebel, because polite society in Maycomb is more aligned with Aunt Alexandra and her now outdated belief that girls should be feminine, wear dresses, and defer to men. Scout doesn't agree and therefore doesn't respect Aunt Alexandra's authority. This leads to trouble.

Scout vs. Jem. This conflict stems from the age difference between Scout and Jem, which has become far more pronounced over the last few chapters. Jem, who's now old enough to be called Mister Jem, has begun to take on airs and to talk down to Scout, which understandably irritates her. When he has the gall to suggest that he'll spank her if she crosses Aunt Alexandra (as if he even has the right), Scout jumps him and tries to beat him up. This levels the playing field between them once again, if only because engaging in the fight with Scout means that Jem is in no way superior to her. The fight is eventually broken up by Atticus, who tells Scout that she only has to mind Jem when and if he can make her (knowing, no doubt, that he can't). We don't see Jem's response to this.

Idiom

Scout uses an idiom when she says the only way that she could leave the room "with a shred of dignity" was to go to the bathroom.

Simile

One example of this is Dill "shiver[ing] like a rabbit" when he hears Miss Rachel's voice.

Expert Q&A

In To Kill a Mockingbird, chapter 14, why didn't Dill want to stay with his mother and stepfather?

Dill didn't want to stay with his mother and stepfather because he felt unwelcome and neglected after his mother remarried. Despite initially telling a dramatic story about being mistreated, Dill later admits the truth: his parents were uninterested in him, often leaving him alone. He envied the close relationship Scout and Jem had with Atticus, which he lacked at home. Dill ran away to find the sense of family and belonging he experienced with the Finches.

In Chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Scout fight Jem?

In Chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout fights Jem because she resents his growing superiority and detached behavior. Jem, affected by racial tensions and trying to protect their father, warns Scout not to antagonize Aunt Alexandra, leading Scout to feel insulted and defensive. When Jem threatens to punish her, Scout attacks him, seeking to reassert their equality.

What literary devices are used in chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird uses several literary devices, including alliteration, anecdote, dialogue, simile, and dialect. Alliteration appears with repeated consonant sounds like "s" and "c." Dill's story of running away serves as an anecdote. Dialogue is pivotal in character interactions. Similes, such as comparing Dill to a rabbit, and dialect, reflecting regional speech patterns, are also prominent.

Why does Dill suggest Boo Radley "doesn't have anywhere to run off to" at the end of chapter 14?

Dill suggests Boo Radley "doesn't have anywhere to run off to" because Boo is a recluse, likely isolated by the community rather than by choice. Dill, reflecting on his own feelings of neglect and lack of belonging, empathizes with Boo's loneliness and lack of a supportive family or friends, unlike Dill, who can turn to the Finch family for support.

In chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Atticus react to Dill's return and the children's response?

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus reacts calmly when he discovers that Dill ran away from home and has been hiding underneath Scout's bed. Atticus proceeds to demonstrate hospitality and compassion by feeding Dill, allowing him to spend the night, and assuring him that he will not be sent home. Atticus also jokes with Dill about taking a bath. Scout and Jem are not surprised by their father's reaction and expect him to treat Dill with the utmost respect.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what shocking action does Jem take in Chapter 14?

In Chapter 14, Jem shocks Scout and Dill by deciding to inform Atticus about Dill hiding under Scout's bed after running away from home. This action marks a significant moment of maturity and moral responsibility for Jem, as both Scout and Dill view his decision as a betrayal of their childhood code. Jem's choice to tell Atticus highlights his growing sense of responsibility and understanding of the situation's seriousness.

Why does Scout consider running away for the second time in Chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird, and when was the first?

Scout first considers running away in Chapter 3 after Miss Caroline humiliates her by forbidding her to read at home and punishing her. In Chapter 14, she again thinks of running away due to Aunt Alexandra's strict and racist views, particularly when Alexandra forbids her from visiting Calpurnia. This leads to a confrontation with Atticus, making Scout feel trapped by the "pink cotton penitentiary" of unreasonable restrictions, which prompts her desire to escape.

How are Boo Radley and Dill similar in chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Boo Radley and Dill are similar in To Kill a Mockingbird because their families are abusive. For Dill, the abuse is emotional criticism when his parents tell him how different he is from other boys. However, unlike Dill, who feels that the Finch children and his Aunt Rachel are his family, if Boo could muster the courage to leave home, he would have no one to take him in.

What is the irony in Scout's statement about the "pink penitentiary" in chapter 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

“I felt the starched walls of a pink penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away."

The irony in Scout's "pink penitentiary" statement lies in her feeling trapped by societal expectations of femininity, symbolized by the color pink. Despite her father's support for her tomboy nature, traditional figures like Aunt Alexandra impose these pressures. Additionally, Scout mistakenly believes her relatives are discussing her future, when they are actually debating Calpurnia's role. This misunderstanding fuels her desire to escape, highlighting her anxiety about conforming to social norms.

What is the importance of Chapter 14 in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Chapter 14 is crucial as it highlights the emotional maturation of Scout and Jem, emphasizing their journey towards adulthood. The chapter depicts Atticus under pressure from Aunt Alexandra's views on child-rearing and the town's criticism for defending Tom Robinson. It also features Scout's confrontation with Aunt Alexandra and Dill's arrival, which contrasts his unstable home life with the Finch family's stability, helping Scout appreciate her own family dynamics.

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