Discuss Atticus' explanation for the case to Scout. What does Atticus mean when he says, "simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win..."
Atticus’s explanation is quite simple, racism has been alive and well in the south for hundreds of years and now a trial comes up where it is a blacks man's word against a white man’s word. It doesn't matter that the white man is a Ewell. It doesn't matter how honest and truthful the black man is. Even Scout a six year old uses the racial slur n*****. Atticus knows he can't win this fight, but he feels it is his duty, that he wouldn't be able to hold his head high if he doesn't try, that he wouldn't even be able to face his children [117]. Atticus is in a town full of white racist’s and he is trying to defend a black man without any evidence beside his word. He knows this case was lost hundreds of years ago when slaves were first used in the south. He knows that he is fighting against the biggest force in his town. He is fighting against the Maycomb way.
The Maycomb way is what makes the Radley house hold a shrine of Mystery and danger for Jem and Scout. All who go against the Maycomb way are counted as something akin to outsiders. Scouts teacher Miss Caroline is an example of this with her foreign ideas and concepts. She came without knowing about the exceptions the Ewell’s enjoy and the poverty of the Cunninghams. [117] “Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a negro comes up...” Atticus realizes that by trying to defend a “negro” people will go stark raving mad and he is worried about whether or not Scout and Jem will be able to handle it.He thinks he can withstand it, but Scout’s hot headedness is a matter for concern.
Do you think Scout will be able to control her temper? How do you think this will affect Jem and Scouts relationship? Do you think Atticus stands a chance in this trial? Do you think the Radleys will get involved in this case, and if so how? How do you think this case will affect the towns relationship with the Finch’s?
In response to Jackson's last question, the town will view the Finches less obligingly. The case that Atticus has taken on may be the right thing to defend in society's eyes here and today, but it most definitely was not in Maycomb in the 1930s. Atticus himself admits that the case comes down to "a black man's word against the Ewells'." (117) He is not unnecessarily optimistic, as he knows that the town will not take kindly to his defense of this case. It is very obvious that the town's relationship withe the Finch family will change in light of the case, and not for the better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Josiah, Maycomb will treat the Finches differently, but i believe that this trial is just the most recent action of many. Each Finch has their own small conflicts, but in Scout's family, the Finches are very liberal about how they feel towards slavery. Harper Lee was ahead of her time in her views toward slavery, and uses Scout's family to reflect her own thoughts. Atticus explains to Scout, "This time we aren't fighting the Yankees, we're fighting our friends." (102) Atticus knows he won't be supported, but tries to fight for what he believes in anyway. Not only is Atticus and his family, "fighting our friends," but the entire Maycomb way. In Harper Lee's World, the Maycomb way is her own town's views.
ReplyDeleteThoughts? Will Scout, Jem, or anyone in Maycomb understand what Atticus is fighting for? What will Scout and Jem be treated like at school? Is it possible that Atticus might win the trial?