Describe a character (one no one else has done yet) or add something about a character that has been revealed in this section. How is the character introduced? What seems important about him/her? What is his/her relationship to Scout? Why do you think this character is in the story?
Ryan Chapters 2-3
ReplyDeleteJEM
Scout's older brother, Jem, is a fifth grader and acts as if his age and family name puts him slightly above everyone else. He was introduced to us at the very beginning of the book when they were talking about how he broke his arm. At the end of the section, he orders Scout around and haves her bring him supplies. He also tells Scout to stop beating up the poor kid and assumes it is alright to have him over for lunch. He also has a certain sense of pride and when he is dared to go touch the creepy house, he does it because he doesn't want him turning down a dare to deface his image."
Dill
ReplyDeleteChapters 4 and 5
Dill is an outsider to Maycomb, and Jem and Scout's new friend. He is new and interesting with all his new games and the interesting characters he can play. Scout enjoys his company the first summer he is there, but the second summer she dislikes how Jem and Dill exclude her from their plans. Dill is shown to be a liar when he is caught in a lie by Scout about his father. Dill is introduced in the first chapter as the person who caused Jem to break his arm according to Jem. It apparently all started when he suggested they try to make Boo Radley come out.
Jordy
ReplyDeleteChapters 4-5
Miss Maudie is introduced at the beginning of chapter five as a widow, with whom they had a pleasant arrangement with. They were allowed to play in her yard and eat her grapes, if they didn't destroy her plants. She is meticulous, as Harper Lee shows by the one blade of nut grass, wise, but also kind and nurturing, but also lonely, showed by her baking the three extra cakes. I thought that she was very important to the section because Atticus' courteous detachment really shows up in this section. Even though he is kind, fair, and loving towards his children, he is not always around. I thought that she played the role of the adult in this section, which helped us get a clean, less opinionated view of the Radleys. She made the case of them being just sad and lonely, and how before they had been nice people. The quote from Miss Maudie on pg.44, "His name is Arthur, and he is alive," really helped to create the contrast from the crazy, de-humanizing version the rest of the town tells of this family. She helps to provide the other side.
Zach
ReplyDeleteChapters 6-7
Nathan radley
I think that they introduced Nathan as a creep or grouch like person. They talk about how he lives a fairly mysterious life and everybody knows to stay away from his house. I think it is apparent that he knows what is going on with jem and dill and scout. The fact that when Jem went back to get his trousers they were folded together was a little creepy that he didn't just say to the people of the town that he knew it was jem but that he is almost playing a game with them because he knows they will come back to investigate his house more. I think scout is scared of Nathan as I would be too since he threaten to shoot anyone on his property with a shotgun. I think he is in the starry because at the beginning scout says she thinks jem broke his arm because of the radleys and the kids trying to explore their house is obviously a big part of the story.
Alice
ReplyDeletechapters 8 & 9
Atticus
Originally, Atticus was presented as "courteously detached", but he has progressively become a character whom Scout relies on and trusts. Now, she is willing to throw a (well-deserved) punch she knew she would get trouble for for the honor and pride of her father. Atticus has never struck me as the most father's-day-macaroni-necklace wearing type, but hearing him speak to his brother about how to parent, he clearly does know a thing or two about raising a child right. It also became obvious that he cares quite deeply for his children on a level that exceeds "courteous detachment". He has never once whipped Scout. Even my ever loving daddy used to spank me when my behavior passed the line of exceptional into the territory of less-than-satisfactory. The fact that all Atticus has ever done to harm his children is threaten them, well that's clearly worth something other than the description they've given him.
Nailah Chapters 13 and 14
ReplyDeleteAunt Alexandra
Scout's aunt is clearly a character that the author purposefully made unlikeable. Scout doesn't like Aunt Alexandra, mostly because her beliefs are the exact opposite of Atticus's, which is probably her purpose in the story. She is such a contrast to Atticus, and she shows both what people like about him and their irritation and anger towards him. Aunt Alexandra was first introduced in a previous section when Scout and Jem had to go to the Finch house for Christmas. Then, she was still portrayed as an aggravating character through Scout's eyes. Scout's aunt seems important in the story because she'll likely teach Scout something she doesn't know yet, either about Atticus or the trial.
Griffin - Blog Post #6 - Chapter 15
ReplyDeleteMr. Cunningham -
At the very beginning of the story, he was first introduced as the father of Walter and also as an honest man who will not take something he cannot pay back and when Atticus does assist him in he legal standings even though he cannot pay him back monetarily he sends food from his farm. This was how he was first introduced, but now we see this other side of him when he approaches Atticus in front of the jail with the gang of angry men who want Tom Robinson gone or dead.
I am not sure whether or not he will continue to appear as the trial progresses, but I feel like Scout's interaction with him shows how naive and yet compelling she is because when he arrives he is pissed off and ready to force his way through Atticus to get to Tom, but when Scout talks to him honestly and shows that she sees him as a normal and good person, it makes him change his feelings and realize that what he was going to do was wrong. I think that this change and his feelings represent those of the town and I think that he symbolizes the towns opinions and even though they are all starting out upset about this trial, but I think that the change Scout caused may be reflected by the change Atticus later causes within the community.
Another thing that he sort of brought out was the Finch family connection and how they stick together and back themselves up, protecting each other even when it puts themselves in harms way and at risk.
William, ch. 20-22
ReplyDeleteMr. Dolphus Raymond
Before this, Mr. Raymond is just seen as a drunk by the kids. In these chapters, though, you get a new understanding of him. You see him as a misunderstood man who is far ahead of his time. Originally, Jem told them how he drank whisky from a sack so it didn't upset people, and he explains that he lives with a black woman, and they have kids. You first see him as a man who has tried to get around racism when Dill is sad because Mr. Gilmer is treating Tom Robinson badly. He comes out from behind a tree and shows Dill and Scout that it's just Coca-cola in the sack, but he pretends he's a drunk so that people have a reason for why he loves a black woman. He shows Scout that race is not a line that, if crossed, makes you a terrible person, and demonstrates that there are more ways of living.
Hope (chapters 20-22)
ReplyDeleteMr. Ewell/ the Ewells
In the beginning we just thought that the Ewells were just a crazy, gross family. We were right, but they are a lot crazier than we imagined. Scout first encounters them at her first day of school when the teacher screams because a Ewell has lice. Also, at first, at least for me, I didn't think that they were going to be a major part in the book. I thought they were just more family history information but obviously not seeing as the whole trial is based on Mayella Ewell. When the trial started we figured out the Mr. Ewell was not a nice guy in any way shape or form, and we weren't so found of Mayella either, but that's all we really assumed, that they were messed up people. Then you have the surprise at the end where Mr. Ewell told Atticus that "he'd get him if it took the rest of his life." This is where we realize he is a crazy man. I can understand him being mad about his daughter being "raped", but to threaten someone who had to do it is on a whole new level.
Daywe chapter 28-29
ReplyDeleteArthur "Boo" Radley
In this section we are finally introduced to Boo Radely. In the beginning of the story, Harper Lee creates this image of a monster for Boo and in recent chapters he's evolved into more of an old friend figure. In these chapters we finally meet him for the first time. Harper Lee describes him as a very timid and sickly man. Which is much more different than what he had seemed to be. Not only is that different, but he saved Jem and Scout's lives. Scout has been terrified of Boo for a long while and now once she's not scared, not only does he appear, but he saves her life. This reminds me of "Ad Astra Per Aspera", because Boo went from being a monster to a hero.