to a statue of a Babylonian god, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood. The king was infuriated and ordered the boys to be thrown in the furnace. They were tied and tossed into the flames; however, the only thing burnt were the ropes. They walked out unharmed. Growing up in the South,Jem and Scout would have been very familiar with all the old Bible stories, familiar enough that even the little pranks they played would be laced with Biblical allusions. They tied Eunice Ann Simpson to the furnace which would have been incredibly hot and told her to have enough faith and she'd get out and not be burnt. She said she was tired of playing Shadrach and was still hot. I believe the effect is humorous especially for readers who have grown up in Sunday School and recognize the Biblical story is one about faith while the kids have used it for a prank.

The humorous allusion to Shadrach in Chapter 12 of Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird refers to the Biblical story of "The Three Young Men and the Fiery Furnace." In the novel, Scout recalls the story of her bored Sunday school class tying Eunice Ann Simpson to a chair in the furnace room during a sermon.

"...We forgot her... when a dreadful banging issued from the radiator pipes... brought forth Eunice Ann saying she didn't want to play Shadrach any more--Jem Finch said she wouldn't get burned if she had enough faith, but it was hot down there."

In the Bible story, The Three Young Men--Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--are captives of King Nebuchadnezzar. When they refuse to bow down to the king's golden statue, Nebuchadnezzar orders the three boys thrown into a fiery furnace. The three boys emerge unscathed, and Nebuchadnezzar forgives the three.

Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Jem and Scout are left by Atticus in a proverbial hot place--to attend Calpurnia's church as the only white faces in the crowd. And like the Three Young Men, they, too, would emerge alive and well and with new insight to the black townspeople of Maycomb.