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Period: to
To Kill a Mockingbird
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Jem and Scout find items in the tree
Scout and Jem on their way home from school start finding various items in the knot hole of the Radley's tree. A few of the items they find are two soap figures of themselves and an old pocketwatch. Lee illustrates this by writing, "Jem and I were trotting in our orbit one mild October afternoon when our knot-hole stopped us again, " (Lee 59). These gifts, unbeknownst to Jem and Scout, were left by Boo. -
The hole is filled with cement
The hole Jem and Scout were finding the items in is filled with cement by Nathan Radley. Lee illustrates this by saying, "Someone had filled our knot-hole with cement, " (Lee 62). Mr. Nathan Radley tells Jem and Scout that he filled the hole because the tree is dying but Jem and Scout ask Atticus and he tells them that the tree looks healthy to him. -
Tom Robinson is arrested for rape
Tom Robinson is arrested for raping Mayella Ewell and Atticus is appointed to defend Tom. Later in the novel this trial really shapes the theme of the book. Lee tells us this by, "I'm simply defending a Negro-his name's Tom Robinson. -
Tom Robinson is declared guilty
Although Atticus does an outstanding job of proving Tom Robinson's innocence, Tom is still declared guilty. This shows how powerful the racism is in the world at the time. Those on the jury still see the trial as a white's words against a black's. Lee illustrates the verdict by writing, "Judge Taylor was polling the jury: 'Guilty... guilty... guilty... guilty, ' " (Lee 211). -
Bob Ewell spits in Atticus' face
Bob Ewell, bitter about the trial stops Atticus on the street and spits in his face as well as threatening to get even. He does this because Atticus acused Mr. Ewell of hitting his daughter, not Tom Robinson. Harper Lee shows this threat by writing, "... Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he'd get him if it took the rest of his life, " (Lee 217). -
Tom Robinson is shot
Tom Robinson attempts to escape from prison thinking it is his best shot at life. Atticus hears about this and later tells Calpurnia who is devastated. Lee illustrates this scene by writing, "Seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn't have to shoot him that much, " (Lee 235). -
Miss Gates teaches about Hitler
In chapter 26 Miss Gates, Scout's teacher, teaches about how Hitler is persecuting the jews. This draws a parallel to the world of the novel because you realize Maycomb is no better for being racist towards blacks. Harper Lee portrays this seen by writing, "Hitler's trying to do away with religion, so maybe he doesn't like them for that reason, " (Lee 245). -
Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout
On the way home from Scouts Pagent, Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell. Luckily Boo Radley saves them and brings them home. This attack is illustrated in chapter 28, "Something crushed the chicken wire around me. Metal ripped on metal and I fell to the ground and rolled as far as I could, floundering to escape my wire prison. From somewhere near by came scuffling, kicking sounds, sounds of shoes and flesh scraping dirt and roots, " (Lee 262). -
Scout takes Boo home
Scout meets Boo, who saved her and Jem from Mr. Ewell's attack. Scout learns from meeting Boo that he was just misunderstood all along and she walks him home hand in hand. Lee illustrates this by writing, "He had to stoop a little to accommodate me, but if Miss Stephanie Crawford was watching from he upstairs window, she would see Arthur Radley escorting me down the sidewalk, as any gentlemen would do, " (Lee 278). -
Scout sees things from Boo's perspective
After walking Boo home, Scout looks at things from Boo's perspective. This is a very enlightening moment for Scout as she sees the good deeds Boo has done for her and Jem. Lee shows this enlightenment by writing, "He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad, " (Lee 278).
