Journal Entry #7

Choice C: So far, is this a novel about race? Class? Gender? Coming of Age? Place? Select and defend your answer
Chapters: 18-23

I believe this book is about all these things. The racial distinction in Maycomb is obvious. In Maycomb whites are better than blacks and that's how most people accept it. Whites have more money than blacks the one exception being the Ewells. We hear the n word flung around all the time. The class distinction is also pretty clear. As Jem put it in Maycomb there are 4 types of people. The ordinary people, the woodfolk, the Ewells, and the blacks. The ordinary people are middle to upper class and include the Finches. The Woodfolk are middle to lower class and include the Cunninhams, the Ewells are the lowest of the low class and include the Ewells, and the black people are lower class and include people like Tom Robinson. Based on your wealth and race you are looked upon and treated differently. Atticus doesn't distinguish people by race or wealth and passes this on to Scout and Jem. Aunt Alexandra however seems to counteract this. When Scout asks if she can hang out with Walter Cunningham Aunt Alexandra says no because they were the wrong type of people. Gender is less obvious but appears in the book. Jem repeatedly calls Scout a girl as an insult. Also as he matures he plays and does things with Scout less and less. Calpurnia told Scout it was something all boys his age did. They would want to be alone but I believe he stopped playing with her to avoid ridicule from his friends. The main thing concerning gender is the relationship between Aunt Alexandra and Scout. Aunt Alexandra consistently tries to make Scout wear dresses, stop wandering around, and act more civil. All these are things Aunt Alexandra does to try to make Scout into a lady. At first Scout refuses so I was surprised in chapter 24 when Scout went to Aunt Alexandra's ladys' meeting. She mingled around and talked with the ladys. It showed that she was starting to conform to the way of life she originally wanted no part in. Place and setting also have a big role in the book. The book is set in a small town in Alabama. Alabama being part of the Confederacy during the civil war was a proponent of slavery and with it a sense of discrimination towards blacks. In the book that racism is still there and still with the potential of violence. Example being when Mr. Cunningham and friends attempt to lynch Tom but are stopped by Scout. If this book were set in the North there would definitely be less racism towards blacks.

Journal Entry #6

C. How do you think the story (what you read so far) would have changed if Scout and Jem had a mother present in their lives? Would it change for the better or for the worse? Explain your thoughts.

I think it depends on how their mother was. We don't no too much about her so it's hard to say but in general I believe having more family in your life is the better way to go.

If their mother was like Aunt Alexandra or most Maycomb women. I believe Scout and Jem would have become less wild, they would have worn "proper" clothing, they would probably agree that their father shouldn't defend Tom Robinson, and they'd also probably be racist. But to me it seems unlikely that Atticus would marry such a person. Even though Ms. Dubose said if Scout and Jem's mother was still alive she'd civilize them which gives the impression that their mother was a more conventional parent. Ignoring that I'd imagine her almost the same as him. If this is true life would have gotten better for Scout and Jem. First off Aunt Alexandra wouldn't have come to live with them. This is good because she is just horrible. Second because Atticus is away a lot she could take care of Scout and Jem. I know Calpurnia usually takes the motherly role which is good because it makes Scout and Jem less racist but this destroys my theory so I'm ignoring it as I also am this next one. I also remember when Atticus told Aunt Alexandra that Calpurnia was better than a mother could have been in the way that she parents Scout and Jem by her morals and never indulges them. Lastly she could assure Scout and Jem that Atticus defending Tom Robinson was right. There are probably other beneficial things I can't think of but it seems that with two parents with such strong beliefs and moral values I believe Scout and Jem would become even better individuals.

In conclusion it really depends on how Scout and Jem's mother was. Was she a conventional parent or a more free minded parent? Harper Lee didn't or hasn't made it clear yet.

Journal Entry #5

Chapters: 12-14
Perspective: Tom Robinson

Them Ewells accused me a rape. Well I ain't never raped no one and never will. But it don't make a lick a difference I'm gonna get the chair, they'll light me up. But I ain't afraid to meet God I am however quite pensive and afraid of leaving my wife and chillun with no one to take care of 'em. I don't want 'em going hungry and I don't want my son to be known as the offspring of a criminal negro. I know they gone kill me no matter what but I wanta keep my honor. Amongst all the enemies is a friend, Mr. Atticus Finch. He's truly a man of God. He told me he'd law for me, when I asked him why he'd law for a colored person he said because it was the right thing to do. Well I ain't ever heard anything like that. He's truly a brave man, why defending me has brought the wrath of Maycomb down upon him but he hasn't wavered. He's acquired an infallible sense of moral conviction I ain't ever seen before. It fills my heart with joy to know such white folk exist. A few days back he told me the Reverend had raised money for my wife Helen. It's a nice gesture but ain't no compensation for me being away. They're transferring me to the jail in Maycomb tomorrow. The sheriff said he hoped no riots would emerge.

Journal Entry #4

Chapters: 10-12
Perspective: Mrs. Dubose

I despise those awful Finch children. No manners no respect. They are especially fanatical about disrespecting me, an old bed ridden and isolated woman. I've been cursed by living adjacent to them. Why back in my day you'd be beat if you acted a fraction as horrid as those children. There's no reason to be perplexed by it if you act badly you would be punished. But I suppose their father's more to blame than themselves. He lets them run wild through this town. No restraint they are free to do what ever they want like savages. Why a few times I've debated whether to shoot them with my old pistol. He lets his daughter wear overalls when she should be wearing a dress like a lady. However if their mother was still living she wouldn't stand for this. She'd turn them into proper gentiles and they'd show me some much deserved respect. Why that boy Jem Finch he killed my flowers, each and everyone of them, right in front of me. Why that's simply unheard of. But at least his disgrace of a father had the decency to send him to me for disciplining seeing as he can't do it himself. But I got him. I told him to read for me for a month every day for two hours. Well that took the grin off his face. The first days he came and read. Unfortunately my morphine addiction has got the best of me and is bringing me down. It's too hard to resist and at my age I don't think there's any reason to. After a while of reading I go into my fits and I can't remember anything after that. One night I died but I left something for Jem. I'm sure he'll misinterpret it now but I left him a box with one of my camellias in it. I hope he understands I'm just a sad old woman rundown by the world and he shouldn't mind me. I want him to see I'm still a good person at heart and that he should ignore my harsh words. I wish him and his sister good luck.

Journal Entry #3

Chapters: 8-9
Perspective: Uncle Jack

Just some town news I heard. First off Mrs. Radley died recently due to natural causes. Just as bad Miss Maudie's house was burned down which seemed quite obvious as we drove down the street. She of all people deserved that the least. However I heard she actually reacted in a very upbeat manor. Saying she had more room for her plants. God bless her. On a somewhat brighter note it snowed for the first since 1855 and Jem and Scout took complete advantage of it. They made a snowman that looked just like Mr. Avery. Also Atticus says Scout had a run in with Arthur Radley.

Anyway coming down for Christmas is always great. I brought the two air rifles Atticus wanted for the kids. I saw them staring at the packages as I stepped off the train and mistook it for them being glad to see me. My first surprise was hearing the words out of Scout's mouth on the train platform. At first shocking me Atticus told me she was just trying things out. Later I told her to stop cussing even if it was only for the time I was to stay there. We decorated the tree and gave Scout and Jem their presents. I think they expected the gift but even so they were just as excited. Afterward we headed down to Finch's Landing. Nothing of much significance happened except that Scout got into a fight with Francis, Scout and Jem's cousin. I got extremely mad at her because I thought she had just been tormenting him. After we returned to the house Scout told me Francis had insulted Atticus and that she cussed and fought him because of that. She also pointed out that I hadn't let her tell her side of the story which made me feel tyrannic. After Scout and Jem had gone to sleep Atticus talked to me about parenting and his court case. It seems like the towns folk are in unanimous agreement to hang this negro hold myself, Atticus, and Ms. Maudie. However it seems the best idea is to evade quibbling with people until the court case. The integrity of the Finch family name is teetering dangerously on the edge.

Journal Entry #2

Chapters: 4-7
Perspective: Jem

One interesting thing Scout and I discovered was a hole in a tree. When Scout walked home from school she found a piece of gum in the tree in front of the Radley's house. The next day we found two indian head pennies in the tree. I kept the pennies but decided I'd return them should anyone be looking for them.

Dill returned for the Summer. We were all tired of the normal games. Both Scout and Dill looked up to me to create a new game. I created a game called Boo Radley. Scout played Mrs. Radley, Dill Mr. Radley, and myself Boo Radley. We reenacted what we knew had happened. It was all going smoothly until Atticus confronted me about the game. Asking if it had any relation to the Radleys. I told him no and I think he believes me.

My next plan was to deliver a message to Boo Radley asking him to come out and meet us. At night I hung the message on a bamboo pole and proceeded to stick it through the window. Trying to detach it. Scout and Dill kept watch. Unfortunately Atticus discovered us and made us stop. Boy was he angry. He told us to stop pestering the Radleys.

On the night Dill was going back home. We decided to sneak up to the Radley's and see what we could see. I looked through a window on the rear of the house and saw a dark figure. He saw us and we ran. Scout and Dill got out no problem but I got stuck on the fence. I had to take off my pants to get loose. Then we ran. Mr. Radley fired his shotgun in the air bringing the neighbors to the front of his house to investigate. Needing to appear normal we joined the party as well. That was when they noticed my missing pants. Thankfully Dill saved me making up some lie about winning my pants in a game of strip poker which he was scolded for severely. Later that night I realized how much trouble I'd be in if Mr. Radley showed Atticus the pants he found in his backyard. I decided to stay on Atticus's good side and snuck out to retrieve them with much resistance from Scout.

Journal Entry #1

Chapters: 1-3
Perspective: Atticus

The first thing I would like to write about is the great fascination found in the Radley's affairs or better put the lack of them. It seems as though everybody feels it their personal duty to pass judgment and speculate on the Radley's activities. With such a huge interest in their lives I can understand their reclusive and solitary behavior. But it is a constant topic that is continuingly brought up by everyone espescially the kids.

I was quite surprised when Scout told me she didn't want to go to school. Something immediately struck me as being wrong. After talking with her for a while I learned that her teacher, Ms. Caroline had encouraged Scout to discontinue her reading with me. Her reason being that I was teaching Scout the wrong way although I can not imagine any negative outcomes from teaching Scout to read and write.