Journal #8: To Kill a Mockingbrid

 As the children’s curiousity of their neighbor, Boo Radley, deepens, they decide to take action by looking inside the Radley House. Initially, Jem is dared to go to the door of the house; his interpretation of the dare is running and touching the house then running away as fast as possible. The children then try again, this time at the end of the summer in the middle of the night. Their reasoning is as follows: “Because nobody could see them at night, because Atticus would be so deep in a book he wouldn’t hear the Kingdom coming, because if Boo Radley killed them they’d miss school instead of vacation, and because it was easier to see inside a dark house in the dark than in the daytime” (69). Jem is the guinea pig again, and goes so far as to peeking into the window on the porch. Unfortunately, someone in the house hears the children and fires a gunshot to scare them away, and they are left just as curious as before. Later, however, they get a glimpse into the heart of Boo Radley. When their neighbor, Miss Maudie’s house burns down one winter night, Boo Radley silently provides the children with a blanket as they wait in the cold. That same winter, the Finch’s spend Christmas, as they usually do, with Atticus’s brother and his sister’s family. Trouble arises when Scout is provoked by her older cousin Francis, who makes a slur about her father in regard to a legal case he is working on. Francis calls Atticus a “nigger-lover." In response, Scout fights Francis. Only Francis’s side of the story gets told, and Scout is punished. Later Scout privately tells her uncle the true story and he apologizes for punishing her.

            As I read this story, I see Scout growing up. She started out in the beginning of the story extremely innocent. She followed all of Atticus’s orders and idolized Jem. After every page, however, she grows. She is more inclined to fight physically than to resolve disputes with words. She and Jem aren’t on such close terms any longer, either. Jem holds information from Scout, because he fears Scout might not agree with his as she always did previously. Scout is growing older and gaining an attitude, and as such is not afraid to stand up for herself any longer. 

Journal #7: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story of childhood. Harper Lee, otherwise known as Scout Finch in this story, lives with her brother, Jem, her father, Atticus, and their nanny, Calpurnia. So far, the book simply discussed Scout’s day-to-day life. Scout is six years old in the beginning of the story and has just begun school. However, Scout dislikes the institution, primarily because her teacher criticizes her on the very first day of school. The teacher claims that Scout’s father should not have taught her to read, and that Calpurnia should not have taught her to write, because they taught her incorrectly. Scout, a stubborn child, however, continues reading with her father at home, while putting up with (but still disliking) school. In the summertime, Scout plays all day with her brother and their visiting friend, Dill. Their games generally involve acting of some sort. In fact, a major pastime of theirs is to act out the life of their mysterious and believed-to-be-deranged neighbor, Boo Radley. Eventually, Atticus finds out about their mockery of this man and advises them to stop, but the children, curious as ever, are only inspired to delve deeper into the mysteries of Boo Radley.

Scout’s childhood is like every other middle class southern child’s—she is well fed, but doesn’t live in luxury. Her father has a job as a lawyer, unlike most children whose parents farm. In this sense, Scout and Jem are fortunate compared to some of their classmates. A common theme seems to be the lack of parental figures and the effect it has on children. Some of their peers, such as their friend Dill, don’t have fathers. As a result, Dill is always defending himself and making up lies about his father.  When Boo Radley’s father dies, more and more rumors are spread about Boo and how crazy he is. Other characters lack mother figures. Scout’s classmate, Burris Ewell doesn’t have a mother, and as a result he is malnutrition and not cared for. Scout and Jem themselves don’t even have a mother. Other figures have stepped in, however, to serve in her place. Calpurnia teaches Scout discipline and provides food. Atticus teaches Scout to read. Ms. Caroline acts like a mother by reading to the children and providing money for those who can’t afford to eat. As a result, Scout and Jem would seem as if they have a mother. However, Scout’s personality is affected. Due to the lack of a true mother, Scout acts like a boy: she is reluctant to orders, she plays with her brother, she likes to resolve problems through fighting, and she even writes of “the pain of being called a girl” (55).