To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus's quote means that racial prejudice is ingrained in Maycomb's culture to the point that most adults are desensitized to racial discrimination. Only children are innocent enough to react to...

Judge Taylor appointed Atticus to defend Tom Robinson because he believed Atticus would ensure a fair trial due to his integrity and competence. Scout learns this from various sources, including Miss...

Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face at the end of Chapter 22. Miss Stephanie tells the children about the incident, which occurred at the post office, and further details are provided at the beginning...

What causes Miss Maudie to say that at least they made a "baby-step" in the right direction is that it took so long for the jury to convict Tom Robinson.

The morning after the trial, Atticus finds the kitchen filled with various types of food, such as salted pork and jars of pigs' knuckles, given by the African American community to show their...

In "To Kill a Mockingbird," Miss Maudie tells Jem that "things are never as bad as they seem" because there were many signs of progress during Tom Robinson's trial. She highlights the support Atticus...

The jury deliberation in To Kill a Mockingbird is significant because it lasted about six hours, indicating that the jury members seriously considered the evidence in Tom Robinson's case. This was...

In Chapter 22 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem's new perspective is one of disillusionment and a loss of innocence. After the unjust verdict against Tom Robinson, Jem realizes the deep-seated racial...

Jem's quote is a response to the little talk he has had with Miss Maudie shortly after the trial of Tom Robinson. Jem is highly upset about the jury's verdict, since he believes that Atticus...

On a literal level, the line refers to the fact that it seems like only the children (mostly his children) were surprised or emotionally moved by the trial's verdict. They are still innocent, and...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, when Jem says "It ain’t right," he is expressing his disbelief and outrage at Tom Robinson's guilty verdict. Jem believed in Robinson's innocence and thought Atticus had...

I would argue that telling the truth is never actually cynical.  However, I can see where it might appear to be that way in one particular kind of circumstance. Telling the truth could seem...

Atticus cries after losing Tom Robinson's case, and this is a powerful moment because Atticus is not one to show a lot of emotion, either positive or negative, throughout the book. He is a fairly...

In the Deep South there are colloquial meanings for some words.  For instance,  the word to aggravate someone is used to mean to irritate or rile that person whereas it does not have...

In Chapter 13, Scout discusses how old Maycomb is, calling it "ancient." She also says that the first tavern in the area was founded "in the dawn of history." Scout is clearly exaggerating...

After the verdict, the African-American community of Maycomb wanted to show its appreciation for what Atticus had done for Tom Robinson and for them. Although he did not get Tom Robinson acquitted,...

Miss Stephanie is the town gossip.  Early in the chapter she approaches the children with the rumors that were circulating around town about their presence in the balcony with the colored...

After the jury found Tom Robinson guilty of rape, at the Finch home the next day, Jem had a questioning look on his face. Atticus told them all not to worry because they were not finished yet and...

Miss Maudie and Atticus both point out it is a sign of progress that the jury actually deliberated in the Tom Robinson case.  Maycomb is a town deeply divided by race. Most white people in the...

Jem was highly upset by the jury's verdict in the Tom Robinson trial, and he was still angry the next morning. He "flashed" his eyes at Aunt Alexandra after she scolded Dill, and he "made a feral...

Certainly not. Miss Maudie, an intelligent and savvy woman, knows (as most of the adult in the town know) that Atticus is the only logical choice. He is unbiased, he is compassionate, he is...

Jem was angry when Tom was killed trying to escape from prison. He knew that Tom was convicted not on the evidencebut on the color of his skin. No one in the town of Maycomb offered to help Tom...

Aunt Alexandra displays a sympathetic, kind disposition to her character that we haven't seen before Chapter 22. She seems to be truly genuine when she expresses how sorry she is to Atticus. Mr....

If you view the town's advancement in the sense of "baby steps" as Miss Maudie describes, I would agree with the quotation. There are still racist attitudes in Maycomb -- we know this by the...

This is a very good question, and I have always wondered exactly what Jem meant by his use of the word "runner" in this context. Reading the text carefully, Dill has just appeared in the Finch...

For Aunt Alexandria, Dill is being cynical because it casts his aunt in a bad light. While it is true that she drinks, Aunt Alexandria thinks it is rude to speak of his aunt's vices out in the...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie explains that Atticus Finch is the moral compass for the community. The day after the trial, Miss Maudie calls to Jem because she is aware of his reaction...

The African American community experienced something miraculous when they witnessed Atticus defend a black man to the best of his ability.  That was why they all stood up for him in the...

Dill matures throughout To Kill a Mockingbird by developing a deeper understanding of social issues and human nature. Initially, he is naive and imaginative, but as he witnesses racial injustice and...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch is curious and outspoken in the early chapters, reflecting her innocence and naivety. As the story progresses, she becomes more empathetic and aware of social...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie Atkinson chooses not to attend Tom Robinson's trial, viewing it as a morbid spectacle. Her decision reflects her individuality and moral conviction, contrasting...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill expresses a desire to become a clown in response to the racial injustice and personal unhappiness he experiences. He sees laughter as a means of coping...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem Finch's loss of innocence is a gradual process marked by pivotal events. His innocence is ultimately shattered by the unjust conviction of Tom Robinson,...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie uses her cake-making to convey important messages to Jem, Scout, and Dill. Typically, she makes three small cakes for them, but after Tom Robinson's trial, she...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch's statement to his sister, "This is their home, sister. We've made it this way for them, they might as well learn to cope with it," reflects his belief in...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch embodies hope and moral integrity in Maycomb. As the town's moral center, he defends Tom Robinson, challenging racial prejudices and advocating for justice,...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Bob Ewell dies after attacking Scout and Jem. Boo Radley intervenes, saving the children by stabbing Ewell with a kitchen knife. The sheriff, Heck Tate, decides to report...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses a variety of figurative language, including metaphors, idioms, and euphemisms, to enrich the narrative. Metaphors like "climbing into someone's skin"...

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem's reactions to the trial and its verdict mark a significant loss of innocence. Initially, Jem is hopeful and confident that justice will prevail, believing...