As Scout is invited to listen to Aunt Alexandra and the ladies, Mrs. Merriweather says, "I tell you there are some good but misguided people in this town." (265), an instance that allows Harper Lee to characterize the vast, white, and ignorant, majority of Maycomb. In this instance, Aunty and her missionary circle have gathered, and the peace is suddenly broken, as the women begin to show their ignorance and private thoughts. Mrs. Merriweather, who appears to lead the negative talk, starts by complaining about how the Negroes are reacting to the verdict. "Forgive and forget", she says, and that "'If we just let them know we forgive 'em, that we've forgotten it, then this whole thing'll blow over." (264) , a moment that represents her and all of these women's minds. Mrs. Merriweather delves deeper upon this subject, and continues soon begins to talk about how some people are "misguided" and believe themselves to be "doing right", but really just "stirring things up". She is in fact, insulting Atticus, saying he thinks he's doing good but he really isn't, and under his very own roof. Mrs. Merriweather and Mrs. Farrow, then continue criticizing Atticus in their not-quite-outright way, to a point at which, Miss Maudie, angry at their thoughtlessly shallow, and inconsiderate bickerings, abruptly reminds them that it is Atticus's food they are eating, and that they are currently in the quarters of his generosity.
"I tell you there are some good but misguided people in this town. Good, but misguided. Folks in this town who think they're doing right, I mean." (265) Harper Lee uses this moment to show the reader how the majority of Maycomb people are outside of the Finch household, -ignorant, proud, racist, and shallow. Harper Lee indicates this with Mrs. Merriweather, who believes the Negroes to be naive people in want of county forgiveness, and Mrs. Farrow who thinks Negroes to be an ungrateful bunch of trash people. Are these ladies with their cynical thinkings to be blamed? Atticus once told Scout, that they should be sympathized with for their ignorance. Most people in Maycomb believe the Black man to be guilty, Harper Lee says. Most people think Atticus is misguided and thinking himself some sort of heroic rescuer. Harper Lee characterizes the Maycomb people in this chapter, with exceptions such as Miss Maudie and a few townsmen, Maycomb does not care for Atticus's work for the Negroes, and believes him to be wrong to even help them. This is a chapter in which Harper Lee crafts the people and their ways of thinking.
Questions:
Do you think these women represent the Maycomb majority? Why might Atticus and Miss Maudie think differently than them? Because they are ungrateful and assuming, does this necessarily make them bad people? Should the people who believe in righteousness and those who are truly "misguided" be considered the same "Folks"? Are these people ignorant, or just plain rotten? Do you think it was right for Miss Maudie to defend Atticus? What might Miss Maudie been thinking? What might Aunt Alexandra be thinking? Do you think Mrs. Merriweather understands now? Do you think she could ever be made to understand? Why does Mrs. Merriweather "redden", then glance and look away from Scout?
In response to Julie's first question, I do think that these women represent the majority of Maycomb. I think that the views that these women posses are roughly the same as the rest of Maycomb, with the exception of thinking that Atticus is just misguided and not plain wrong like the Ewells and some others do. People in Maycomb believe that Atticus is misjudged but that he is also the only one who will stand up for what he truly believes in. For now, most people in Maycomb do not agree with Atticus, but I have a feeling that change is coming.
ReplyDeleteOne question I have is; do you think that change is coming to Maycomb as Atticus has said it has or is it something different?
Alex is right, the women do give a general sense of Maycomb. The views of these women have resounded previous views shown by others of the town. However, they shouldn't be viewed poorly for their views, but rather as Atticus said, pitied on their ignorance of the world.
ReplyDeleteMaycomb doesn't shows any change or signs of it, as looking when Tom get's shot, everyone says that he deserved it. They don't look at him as a equal, or not even a black. They are shown to see him just as an escapee.
Back to the first page of the book, what is going to happen so that Jem breaks his arm? How will Boo Radley make an entrance into the book? Are these two figures related?
I disagree with Jeffrey when about what Maycomb's views on Tom's shooting mean. Tom was trying to escape and no one is arguing otherwise. A man being held in prison, guilty or innocent, cannot try to escape. The guards didn't know his case and they thought if they hadn't shot him they would be putting a criminal on the streets. Although throughout the book Tom has been discriminated for his race, this time he truly did deserve what came to him. Atticus had worked very hard for Tom, and even put himself and his family in danger, and he had a chance of winning an appeal. It was selfish for Tom to waste all of Atticus's hard work. I think that Atticus's role in the case and Bob's anger could lead to Jem having his arm broken.
DeleteDo you think it is unfair the way people are thinking of Tom after trying to escape? Why did Tom decide to run after being so respectful during his time outside jail?
Answering Jgyao's questions: I believe Jem will break his arm in football. One reason I say this is because, throughout the whole book, Jem has been interested in football. Why would Harper Lee keep bringing up this topic, if it was not going to lead to a larger moment? A second reason is that Atticus is always giving Jem sports magazines, which could be another lead up to Jem breaking his arm.
ReplyDeleteBoo Radley has been being brought up by Jem in Scout towards the end of some chapters. Harper Lee is having the reader keep in mind that Boo is still a character in the book. Answering the question, I think Boo will come in contact with Jem and Scout by his house. I recall that Boo had come outside his house to cover Scout's shoulders with a blanket, so maybe an incident like this will happen again, but this time Scout and Jem will see Boo Radley.
Answering the third question, these two figures are not related. Through my theory; Scout breaks his arm in football, would have nothing to do with Boo Radley. Unless of course Boo Radley harms Jem and breaks his arm, my answer is no. Additionally, Boo radley has come out to be a nice person so he would not hurt a child.
Do you agree or disagree with my comments? Why? Is Boo Radley still a main character, or is Harper Lee just reoccuring Boo for no reason?
I do think that the women at the Finch household in chapter 23 are a good representation of Maycomb. Who do you think are male characters that represent Maycomb?
ReplyDeleteAndrew- I do disagree with your comment. I think that (in semi-response to Jeffrey's question) Boo Radley coming out from his house and Jem breaking his arm are definitely related. Jem's football passion is a tactic the Harper Lee uses to show that he is interested in sports- and that is a cliche guy thing. I think it's basically showing his masculinity.
Will and Jeffrey- I think that Tom's shooting is supposed to generate that very discussion among readers. Atticus said that Tom didn't need to be shot, and he was shot 17 times (far too many, he would have been dead long before all 17). But also, the gaurdes fired warning shots at him, and he was already sentenced to death. So there's the big questoin: What do you think? Was it fair that Tom Robinson was killed?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jenna, I think that Heck Tate is a good representation of Maycomb. He represents Maycomb because he means well but ends up being racist and not helping. He is in influenced too much by everyone else in his life. Maycomb is influenced by the rest of the south.
ReplyDeleteJenna- Do we really know that Boo will come out. Yes, it would be hard to have an ending as good as Mr.Rossiter says it will be without it, but we don't know that he will. He could go insane from loneliness and save Scout from staying in her house for the rest of her life because it seems to have worked for Boo.
I think that it is completely fair that the guards shot Tom Robinson. In fact it would be wrong if they didn't. It is their job to shoot anyone who tries to escape in any way. While all of that is true I still believe that it is wrong that they shot him 17 times. It was also very stupid of Tom to run away. What he did erased everything that Atticus showed Maycomb. While Atticus didn't win the trial he still showed a lot of people in Maycomb that Tom was innocent.
Do you think the fact that the guards shot him 17 time was significant in any way? If yes, why?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn Response to Issay, I do believe that there was a significance of the guards shooting Tom 17 times because the guards were obviously Caucasian and showing hatred/racism towards a black person. I bet you if it was a white guy who ran away they would shoot him less than an exaggerated number like 17.
ReplyDeleteIn Response to Peng's first question, I agree with Alex that the women do represent the Maycomb majority. Just for the simple fact that, Scout is narrating the book by using the women in Maycomb as a reliance to her story, for example the reactions of the trial, Aunt A's reaction with her bro Atticus, it all comes into place.
What do you think is going to happen next in Maycomb? will it change the opinions on both race? Do you think that there will be anymore symbols in the book that can relate to the TROB case or to the mad dog going forward?
<-- I bet if he was a white man, they would have shot him one time and be done with it.
Delete