Discussion Topic
Jem and Atticus's Visit to the Robinsons in To Kill a Mockingbird
Summary:
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch visits Helen Robinson to inform her of Tom Robinson's death. Jem and Dill accompany him after encountering Atticus on their way home from swimming. Upon arrival, they find children playing outside, and Helen collapses upon hearing the news. The scene, retold by Dill to Scout, highlights the Robinsons' plight and contrasts the dignity of the black community with the malice of the Ewells, who jeer as Atticus departs.
In Chapter 25 of To Kill a Mockingbird, why do Jem and Dill accompany Atticus to the Robinson's?
Atticus has to go to Helen Robinson's house to deliver the bad news that Tom was shot and killed in a foiled and desperate escape attempt. He encounters Jem and Dill along the way and reluctantly takes them along. When Helen gets the news of her husband's death, she crumples, according to Dill, "...like a giant with a big foot just came along and stepped on her." The reason this scene is in the book is because the reader is seeing the story through the eyes of the narrator, Scout. Scout wasn't there and we need to know what happened, so Dill and Jem relate the events to Scout who relates them to us, the readers. Also, through this scene and Dill's description to Scout, we see the simplicity with which the Robinson's and the other black families live, and how they take care of each other. Lee wants us to see these are good people who do no harm to anyone. We also learn that the Ewells place has to be passed by on the way to the Robinson's place and that as Atticus, Jem, and Dill passed by, the Ewells yelled unkind words at them. This shows us again how bad the Ewells are, especially as compared to the Robinsons.
What happens when Jem and Atticus visit the Robinson's home in To Kill a Mockingbird?
In Chapter 24, Atticus interrupts Aunt Alexandra's missionary circle to ask Calpurnia to travel with him to Helen Robinson's home so that he can bring her the news of Tom's death. In Chapter 25, Scout retells Dill's story about Jem's visit to the Robinson home. Dill says that he and Jem had just finished swimming and flagged down Atticus as he was driving towards them. Atticus eventually allowed Jem and Dill to ride with him to Helen Robinson's home and explained the story to them in the car. Dill tells Scout that when they arrived at the Negro cabins, they saw several children playing marbles in the yard. Atticus then asked for Helen, and Sam ran to get her. Atticus then helped Helen's younger daughter down the steps and gave her to Calpurnia as he told Helen the news about her husband. Dill then tells Scout that Helen suddenly fell to the ground upon hearing the news, and both Cal and Atticus had to help her up. Dill said that after Atticus and Cal took Helen into the cabin, they stayed inside for a long time until Atticus came out.
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