1) The quote - with page number
2) Who said it
3) What is happening at the time of the quote
4) Why the quote is important to the book as a whole. This part should be at least a paragraph long (4-6 sentences) and include what themes and other sections of the book the quote ties into.
Alice
Pgs. 1-18
Quote (with page number): “Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment.” (Page 6.)
Who said it? Scout
What was happening at the time? This quote takes place while Scout is telling us the back-story that lead to the trial and Jem’s broken arm.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? Atticus is a very influential person in Scout and Jem’s lives, but he is rarely expressed as a fatherly figure. In the last few pages of the book, we learn the reason for Atticus’s seemingly detached nature, but this line really sets that up for a dramatic and poignant moment. This quote also has a way of sticking in your mind throughout the entire book. Before reading this, I had only heard of children describing their parents as altogether detached or absent, and I’d heard them described as fully present and all mushy gushy with their kids. To see Scout call this man, who does everything humanly possible to face his children with straightforward honesty, “courteously dethatched”, well it was something that stuck with me. Before, I really didn’t understand Scout’s point of view, but I can now see how utterly naïve she was at the time. She had no way of knowing all that her father was doing for her. I think that this is an important quote because it sets up the evolution of Scout’s opinion on Atticus.
Quote: “Now you tell your father not to teach you any more. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind.” (Page 17.)
Who said it? Miss Caroline
What was happening at the time? Miss Caroline was giving Scout a hard time about being able to read.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? I think this quote is important because if you look at the last line out of context, it applies to pretty much everything this book has to offer, except reading. The most important being the way trial should have gone. If the jury had looked at the prospect of Tom Robinson’s innocence with a fresh mind, then maybe they would have been able to see past the color of the defendant’s skin. This quote is simple filled with the hypocrisy of Maycomb and the south in general. They’ll employ a teacher with such groundbreaking ideas, but at he end of the day, that’s all they are, ideas. No one in this severely backwards town will allow themselves to question the racism that has become law and what the law enforces.
Camille
Pgs. 19-37
Quote: “'First of all,' he said, 'if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-'
'Sir?'
'-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.'" (page 30)
Who said it? Atticus
What was happening at the time? Scout was saying that she didn't want to go to back to school because of everything that happened on the first day of school.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? It is important to the book as a whole for 2 reasons. The first reason is because that is pretty much the biggest theme in the book, you dint know a person
until you have walked in their skin. It ties everything in and connects to almost every scene in the book. The other easy it is important to the book as a whole is because Scout learns a lot from Atticus like life lessons, manners and other things. This is just one of the many.
Pgs. 38-56
Quote: I am I'll say this: Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets.
Who said it? Miss Maudie.
What was happening at the time? Scout was asking miss Maudie about If Boo was alive and such. She kept thinking Miss Maudie was pointing out Atticus's flaws.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? It is important to the book because it shows Atticus's one personality that is shown at home and in public. Toward the end, Atticus is having his out burst about Jem possibly killing Mr. Ewell. The big part of that was that he didn't want people on the street hearing differently than the truth and Jem knowing about it. Atticus wants one personality toward everyone. That ties into the fact that he wants everyone to have an equal chance no matter what, wether he is at home with Jem and Scout, or at a trial defending Tom Robinson.
Pgs. 76-94
Quote: “The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again...Because I could never ask you to mind me again. Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess. You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.”(pg 78)
Who said it?: Atticus
What was happening at the time?: Cecil Jacobs had teased Scout by calling Atticus a N-lover, and now Atticus is explaining why he took the case.
Why is it important to the book as a whole?: This quote is important to the story because it shows us Atticus's honesty and, of course, why he took the case. It shows how Atticus will always do his best to give a man his rightfully earned truth. Atticus will stand up for what he believes in, even if the entire town is against him. He's stubborn and will do everything, in his power, to protect an innocent man.
Quote: “It's different this time,” he said. “This time we aren't fighting the Yankees, we're fighting our friends. But remember this, no matter how bitter things get, they're still our friends and this is still our home.”(pg.79)
Who said it?: Atticus
What was happening at the time?: Scout said that Atticus sounded like Cousin Ike Finch, the county's only surviving Confederate veteran, when he said “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win," (which is also a very important quote!). Atticus explains that it will be hard because their own town will be against them.
Why is it important to the book as a whole?: It's important because it goes with the theme that people are still people you know, like the mob outside the jailhouse scene. It shows how facing your enemies is hard, but facing your friends is even harder. People who you thought you could rely on turn around and become your enemy. Atticus wants Scout to brace herself for the trial and all the racism and discrimination that comes with it.
Pgs. 95-113
Quote:"“I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody… I'm hard put, sometimes— baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you..." (Page 112)
Griffin
Who said it? Atticus
What was happening at the time? The children are going to read for Mrs. Dubose every afternoon and they are realizing that every day gets longer.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? This is important to the book because Atticus has just been called an N-lover again, yet he still sees the good in Mrs. Dubose and offers to help her and offer Jem's reading services. Atticus says a few times that he does his best to love everybody or that he does love everyone and he truly does try to see the best in everyone. Atticus believes there's good in everyone, from Boo to Bob Ewell. He later says that he can't conceive of anyone low enough to try and kill Scout and Jem, and I think that it even is slightly ignorant. Atticus faces people in court all the time, people who surely deserve punishment and I feel like he should be able to at least think of someone capable of hurting someone, especially his kids. So this quote, like the other one I said, this shows more about Atticus and the kids learn from him and more about him from this.
Pgs. 114-132
Quote #1 - "'She was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe… son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.'" (Page 115)
Who said it? - Atticus
What was happening at the time? - Atticus is explaining to Jem and Scout why Mrs. Dubose is a lady and also why he respects her so much.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? - This quote is important to the book as a whole because it
directly relates to the oblivious theme of don't judge people before you get to know them, and when you do really see people, the normally are good. This scene connected to so many others in the book, namely, when the kids learned and met about Dolphus Raymond, Mr. Underwood, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley because they found out that all of these people who the town wrote off as crazy or evil are actually just good people who live their lives a little different than society accepts. I thought it was a little strange how obvious Haroer Lee made the connection between Mrs. Dubose and Tom Robinson, but it was clearly there since she has Atticus use the same line about being licked before you begin but starting anyways in terms of Tom's trial and Mrs. Dubose's morphine addiction. So, overall, I think that this quote is important to the book as a whole because it directly connects to the main theme of the book, don't judge people until you have stepped into their shoes and walked around for a while and that most people when you get to know them are actually good and decent people.
Quote #2 - "'It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike—in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowin‘ more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change any of them by talkin‘ right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.'" (Page 127)
Who said it? - Calpurnia
What was happening at the time? - Calpurnia was telling Jem and Scout about why she doesn't talk 'white-folks' talk' at church.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? - This quote is important to the book as a whole because it directly connects to the trial and how the Ewell's don't like it when people are talking to them as if they are lower and it aggregates them. It also shows how, withy he Cunningham's, when you do something to say something that goes against what they believe in, it makes them angry and causes them to lose themselves in rage and behave in ways that they normally wouldn't. It isn't quite as apparent as some of the other scenes and ideas it ties to, but at the beginning, Calpurnia says that it's not ladylike to talk in a different language and it the theme of being proper and being a lady is a bit of an underlying theme in Scout's life since Aunt Alexandra always forces it upon her and so does the town as a whole. So, overall, I think that this theme is important to the book as a whole because it reinforces the theme of how people have predetermined beliefs and when these are challenged it causes them to become aggressive and upset and how hard it is for human nature to change.
Pgs. 133-151
Quote: pg. 142 "Dill's eyes flickered at Jem, and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. 'Atticus,' his voice was distant, 'can you come here a minute, sir?'"
Who said it? Scout/Jem
What was happening at the time? Scout and Jem had just found Dill hiding under the bed.
Why is this quote important to the book as a whole?
This quote is important because it ties into the theme of losing your innocence. Jem just broke one of the biggest rules of childhood, no keeping a fun secret and telling an adult. Here is where we see the literal change in Jem, and we see him act mature mostly throughout the test of the book. It sets up the disconnect between Jem and Scout, so when they have a moment where they really connect to each other it makes it all the more special.
Quote: pg. 146 "'Why do you reckon Boo Radley's never run off?'
Dill sighed a long sigh and turned away from me.
'Maybe he doesn't have anywhere to run off to…'”
Who said it? Scout then Dill
What was happening at the time? Dill and Scout were in bed together and they were talking about running away, and Scout asked that question.
Why is this quote important to the book as a whole? This quote is important because it sets up how Scout sees Boo for the rest of the book. She suddenly is sort of place into his shoes, a theme in the book, and she realizes what his life is like. It sparks her new idea of Boo sitting on the porch and being a normal man. She finally has figured that what Atticus has been saying to her really does work.
Pgs. 152-170
Quote: "A mob's always made up of people, no matter what. Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know doesn't say much for them, does it?” (Pg. 159)
Who said it? Atticus
What was happening at the time? The family was looking back at the confrontation in the jail.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? I think this quote speaks a lot about white people and their hate towards black people during these times. As a group, white people felt this hatred or disrespect towards the blacks, but individually they might've the nicest that lived on your street. Fear, and group hate makes people change. That mob was filled with fear of the unknown, the unknown being
a white man defending a black man, and people acting out a cultural norm, wanting to get rid of black people. This gives Scout and Jem this new insight on how hate can change people. This is also something the realize when the results of the trial come out naming Tom Robinson guilty. Fear of a black man actually being innocent caused that jury to change from individuals with common sense to racists who couldn't think any other way.
Pgs. 171-189
Quote: "I've heard that lawyers' children, on seeing their parents in court in the heat of argument, get the wrong idea: they think opposing counsel to be the personal enemies of their parents... This was not true of Jem and me. We acquired no traumas from watching our father win or lose... We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father. I never heard Atticus raise his voice in my life, except to a deaf witness." (Pg. 173-174)
Who said it: Scout
What was happening: Mr. Ewell was testifying
Why is it important to the book as a whole: I thought that this quote was very important to the book because it has many possible meanings. I thought it showed how mature Jem and Scout were, but also how sort of detached, just like Atticus. I felt that they were slightly detached in this particular case, they should have felt some sort of deep hatred towards Bob Ewell, for it was clear he had done something awful. It also ties into how level headed and calm Atticus is. All of the scenes that show this in many different ways lead up to the last scene when Atticus sort of loses it and cannot understand what Heck Tate is saying.
Quote: "I've asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they're dangerous to
live around ‘sides devaluin' my property—” (pg. 177)
Who said it: Mr. Ewell
What was happening: Mr. Ewell was testifying
Why is it important to the book as a whole: This quote, in my perspective, shows all of the racism in the town. It shows how the whites look down so much to the black people, even though they don't do anything wrong, just like mocking birds. The descriptions of the houses contradict Mr. Ewell's statement in every way. He lives behind a dump, where the center piece of his house, and the only good thing, are six flowers in cut up jars. The black cabins are tidy, neat and cozy. If any white family lived in those cabins, they would complain about how Mr. Ewell was devaluing their property. The reason the black people are devaluing his property is because no one wants to live near a black family. I think this is because white people are afraid. They know how badly they have mistreated them, and taking revenge would be very justified. But they don't, and the oppression continues. And Atticus can't stop the whites from killing a mockingbird, Tom Robinson.
Pgs. 190-208
Quote: "'It ain't honest but it's mighty helpful to folks. Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live.'" (Pg.204)
Who said it? Dolphus Raymond
What was happening at the time? Dill and Scout had to leave the courtroom because Dill started crying.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? I think this quote ties into the theme you need to stand in other people's shoes. Mr.Raymond pretends to be drunk because other people can't stand in his shoes and accept that he lives with black people because he wants to. They don't think a white man could do that, so they say he can't help being that way because he's drunk. Scout and Dill can understand because they are still young and the people haven't shaped their beliefs yet. The other people
in Maycomb, and maybe even outside of the county, don't know how to "walk in someone else's shoes" and see how Mr.Raymond feels.
Quote: "...white people wouldn't have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn't have anything to do with her because she was white. She couldn't live like Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who preferred the company of Negroes, because she didn't own a riverbank and she wasn't from a fine old family. Nobody said, “That's just their way,” about the Ewells. Maycomb gave them Christmas baskets, welfare money, and the back of its hand." (Pg.195)
Who said it? Scout
What was happening at the time? Mayella was accusing Atticus of mocking her.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? This quote is important because it shows how people always have to fit in order to earn respect. This is especially true for Maycomb County. The people in the county don't like Mayella because she doesn't fit in with their standards. It's the same for the Radley's. They don't fit in with everyone else because they are not friendly. Dolphus Raymond doesn't fit in either because of how he leaves. Really, Maycomb County could be seen as one, big clique. Only a handful of people aren't part of it, and if you aren't, you don't have their respect.
Pgs. 209-227
Quote:" “Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin‘.” " (pg. 215)
Who said it? Reverend Sykes
What was happening at the time? The trial just ended and tom was just found guilty.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? This is import to the whole book as a whole because it shows how serious Atticus can be. He can accept defeat, but this time his defeat came with a smack to the face to the white people in Maycomb. He proved that Tom was innocent but the face that Tom was black meant he was almost certain to lose the case. But Atticus almost changed that but then the town went back to its racist self. And when all the people stood up its just showing the respect people had for him taking on this case.
Quote: " I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take." (pg. 222)
Who said it? Atticus
What was happening at the time? This was after Bob Ewell won the case but Atticus proved he was guilty but because he was white the jury sided with him. And Bob came up to Atticus and threatened him and spit in his face.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? This quote shows one side of Atticus we already know and one that we could see Bob Ewell doing. For Atticus it's shows how much he respects people. Even if they were the lowest of the lows he still thought of them as good people, which may have not been a good idea in the end. And he also takes what he can get when he said the thing about saving mayella from another he's happy with that. Then with Bob we start to see him go psycho. And how Bob has now lost so much pride just because of Atticus. And this one the snapping point for Bob.
Quote: “'That's what I thought, too,' he said at last, 'when I was your age. If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time… it's because he wants to stay inside.'”(pg. 231)
Who said it? Jem
What was happening at the time? Jem and Scout are discussing the different kinds of people in Maycomb after the trial.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? The first part of this quote reiterates the idea that Jem has grown up a lot and that Scout is still "innocent". This shows that Jem has this very sophisticated idea on society and why Boo stays inside. He realizes how unfair and mean the world is and he thinks that Boo avoids all of this by staying inside. Also, family name had come up before and Jem defines family by writing ability but he also says the different kind of people have a lot to do with family name(not included in the quote, but it was right before the quote).
William
Pgs. 247-265
Quote: “ 'They contribute to every society they live in, and most of all, they are a deeply religious people...'
Cecil spoke up. “Well I don't know for certain,' he said. 'They're supposed to change money or somethin‘, but that ain't no cause to persecute 'em. They're white, ain't they?' ” (pp. 249)
Who said it? This quote is said first by Miss Gates, then Cecil Jacobs.
What is happening at the time? Cecil Jacobs was giving his current events report on "old Adolf Hitler" and how he was persecuting Jews in Germany. They launch into a discussion about democracy and persecution.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? this quote shows the hypocrisy of the people in Maycomb. One minute they are declaring the terrors of prosecution, and the next they are deciding a case solely based upon the races of those involved. Later, scout also mentions her teacher making racist after the trial. This helps us to understand how people don't think of themselves as bad people, but they are so sure of democracy that they don't question their system.
Zach
Quote: "One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough."
Who said it? Scout
What was happening at the time? She was standing in the radley porch and realized what boo radleys life is like.
Why is it important to the book as a whole? Earlier in the book when scout and jem were talking bad about boo radley Atticus told them that you never know a mans story until you spend a day in his shoes and scout knows that he isn't a bad person now and that he can see The whole neighborhood from his front porch. She knows that everybody was wrong about him now and it is important to the book because a lot of the book was based off the radleys and the kids exploring or talking about them and it was kind of scout facing her fears.
Quote: “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?”
Who said it? scout
What was happening at the time? scout was being told that bob ewell fell on his knife
Why is it important to the book as a whole? to shoot a mockingbird is a sin because they don't hurt you and putting boo radley up for the murder of bob ewell is the same thing because boo never hurt anyone. everyone thought he was a terrible man but know they know. This quote also shows that scout understands what was going on while they were talking. It wraps up the book pretty perfectly because that is the title.
OTHER QUOTES ADDED BY JENNIFER FOR YOUR USE (in no particular order)
"Some folks don’t -- like the way I live. Now I could say the hell with ‘em, I don’t care if they don’t like it. I do say I don’t care if they don’t like it, right enough -- but I don’t say the hell with ‘em, see?"
"There ain’t one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I’m gonna join the circus and laugh my head off."
"It’s like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is . . .like something asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seem like."
"'Why so you reckon Boo never ran off?
'Maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to run off to . . . '“
OTHER QUOTES ADDED BY JENNIFER FOR YOUR USE (in no particular order)
"Some folks don’t -- like the way I live. Now I could say the hell with ‘em, I don’t care if they don’t like it. I do say I don’t care if they don’t like it, right enough -- but I don’t say the hell with ‘em, see?"
"There ain’t one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I’m gonna join the circus and laugh my head off."
"It’s like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is . . .like something asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seem like."
"'Why so you reckon Boo never ran off?
'Maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to run off to . . . '“
“That proves something --
that a gang of wild animals can be
stopped, simply
because they’re still human. Hmp,
maybe we need a police force of
children.”
“An’ they chased him ‘n’
never could catch him ‘cause they didn’t know what he
looked like, an’ ...when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done
any of those things...he was real nice.”
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