TKAM Chapter 23
Important Questions
Group 1
Assuming Miss Stephanie’s account of Bob Ewell spitting at Atticus in this chapter is true, how do you explain Atticus’s decision not to defend himself? How do Scout, Jem, and Dill try to explain it? How does Atticus explain it?
Group 1 Max, Oliver, Ben
There will always be the angry people after situations such as the trial. He did not want to combine work and his family in his normal life. “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.” P. 292
The kids want Atticus to take action, but in reality Atticus actually did take a lot of action by letting it happen.
Atticus says to step into others peoples shoes and live like they do. “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. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand?” P. 292-293
Group 2
What similarities does Atticus see between the men at the jailhouse the night before the trial and the jury the next day? What does he think causes juries to unjustly convict innocent black men? How does Jem propose to fix the problem? How does Atticus propose to fix it? Do you think either of their proposals would guarantee that trials in Maycomb like Tom Robinson’s would be fair?
Group 2- sami, allie, suzanna
All the men are wearing hats and coats and all look alike, they are all farmers and poor. He believes that the jury convicts innocent black men because their beliefs get in the way of justice. Jem’s idea to fix the problem is to get rid of the jury. Atticus’s idea is to have more diversity on the stand. Maybe their idea’s would help a little, and possibly set Tom Robinson free during his trial. However, there is still a lot of racism that would occur and it wouldn’t be fair.
Group 3
What does Atticus mean when he tells Jem, “With people like us—that’s our share of the bill. We generally get the juries we deserve”? What responsibilities does Atticus think people like him should live up to? What factors does he think prevent people from doing their civic duty?
Group 3- Noah, Katie and Michael
Atticus is saying that they deserve a good jury. People of their social class deserve good treatment and a fair trial. People of a lower social class will get a jury that does not give them a fair trial. Racism gets in the way for what people think is really right. People like Atticus should do what they believe is right and make the right decisions.
Group 4
How does Jem respond to the news that one of the jurors was a Cunningham, and that he had initially moved to acquit Tom? How does Atticus explain why a Cunningham would have such a quick change of heart? How does Atticus suggest that individuals can be persuaded to set aside prejudice to act more justly?
Group 4- chloe, morgan, emily
How does Jem respond to the news that one of the jurors was a Cunningham, and that he had initially moved to acquit Tom?- Jem is frustrated and confused at the fact that Atticus purposely picked a man who was trying to kill him the night before. He couldn’t believe that Atticus could take the risk that he took in picking the cunningham. As mature as Jem is he doesn’t recognize what Atticus has known all along.
How does Atticus explain why a Cunningham would have such a quick change of heart?- Atticus explains that once you earn a cunninghams respect, you have gained it forever. That night at the jail, the finches earned the cunninghams respect. This made Atticus believe that the cunninghams would help the finches in anyway they could.
How does Atticus suggest that individuals can be persuaded to set aside prejudice to act more justly?- Atticus shows that when you have earned someones respect, one is more likely to be persuaded to act justly. Although we see mr. cunningham coming close to this, he can’t hold out long enough. Atticus recognizes there was no big risk in picking the jury because as he says “There is no difference between a man who convicts and a man who convicts”.
Group 5
After Jem advises Scout, “Don’t let Aunty aggravate you,” Scout reflects, “It seemed only yesterday that he was telling me not to aggravate Aunty.” What disagreement does Scout have with Aunt Alexandra? How does their disagreement show Scout’s growth in how she understands the world? How has the way that Scout and Jem think about Aunt Alexandra changed?
Marilyn, Jason, Sara
2) Scout still doesn’t understand the world and is still oblivious to it. “‘Aun-ty,’ said Jem, ‘she ain’t nine yet.’”(pg. 300)
3) They’re used to her b/c she has been there so long. She just isn’t used to them. “‘Scout don’t let Aunty aggravate you.’ It seemed only yesterday that he was telling me not to aggravate Aunty.”(pg. 302)
Group 6
Both Atticus and Aunt Alexandra degrade people by referring to them as “trash” in this chapter. How do their definitions of what makes someone “trash” differ? What does this tell you about each of them?
Group 6- Erin, Jacob, and Scotty
“Because-he-is-trash, that’s why you can’t play with him. I’ll not have you around him, picking up his habits and learning Lord-knows what.”-Aunt Alexandra (301)
“As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how a fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” -Atticus (295)
Aunt Alexandra’s definition of trash is that is they are lower class than her. While Atticus’ definition of “trash” is not based on class or race, but based off of how someone treats other people.
This tells us that Aunt Alexandra fits into Maycomb’s social classes. However Atticus does not believe in the social class as much as his sister, and he believes that the way someones acts defines them not their social stature.
Group 7
As Scout and Jem try to figure out how they are different from the Cunninghams, how do they understand the word “background”? Which character do you think understands their society better? Which character is more idealistic?
Group 7 Sam, Cam and Aidan
They each have different opinions on backgrounds. Scout thinks that your background doesn’t define who you are and that nobody is born with certain traits. Jem thinks that your family history defines what you are able to do in life.
We think that Jem understands the society better than Scout. He is older and more mature which allows him to see the people of the town on a deeper level.
We think that Aunt Alexandra is the most idealistic character because she desires perfection from her family and doesn’t want to associate with families that are lower on the social ladder of hierarchy.
Group 8
Why does Jem conclude that Boo Radley stays inside because he wants to? What does he imagine Boo is trying to avoid? What can we infer about Jem from this?
Group 8 - Gracie, Tessa, and Lexi
Boo is trying to avoid the racism, and the craziness of Maycomb. Boo hates the social classes, and how everyone is being mistreated.
Infer- We can infer from Jem, that he is starting to mature and his mind is expanding about reality and how people in the town act.
In text evidence- “If they’re all alike why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this “time….” (304)
Group 9
What evidence does this chapter provide that both Scout and Jem have become more mature in their understanding of the world? How has the way that they understand the differences between people changed from the beginning of the novel?