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Chapter 22-23: Reflections and Reactions

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Chapter 22-23: Reflections and Reactions

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The main theme shown is racial injustice when tom robinson is flasely acused of raping Mayella Ewell. Harper Lee conveys it by jem´s point of view, atticus standing for tom robinson for justice, inocence and morality.

¨a jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted,and when this jury came in,not one of them looked at Tom Robinson¨ page 233

“It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem. “No sir, it ain’t right.”-page 214

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What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

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What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

# data[].attributes.body
What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

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1) Growing up and family problems

2) It is shown when Scout and Jem argue and when Atticus and Aunt Alexandra fight.

3) By showing how the family doesn’t always agree and how the kids are changing.

QUOTES:

“It’s different for grown folks. You wouldn’t understand.” and "It’s not necessary to tell all you know. It’s not ladylike.”

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, racism and social division are important themes, especially shown when Calpurnia takes Scout and Jem to her African American church while Atticus is away. Harper Lee contrasts the white and Black communities by showing how the children are treated differently in this Black space and how the church members react to their presence. This scene reveals the deep racial segregation of the time but also highlights Calpurnia’s double identity—how she moves between both worlds. For example, Scout asks, “But I thought they believed in equality,” and a church member responds, “You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here—they got their church, we got our’n,” showing the strict separation between races.

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1) Courage and standing up for what's right.

2) When Atticus faces the mob at the jail, and when Scout talks to Mr. Cunningham.

3) By showing how Scout's innocence makes the mob go away.

QUOTES:

“You know what we want,” he said. “Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.” and “Hey, Mr. Cunningham. Hows your entailment gettin along?”

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Key moment

The main theme portrayed is prejudice, the contrast between justice and injustice in the legal system.

This is shown when Mr Raymond explains to Scout and Dill his lifestyle decision, not to be judged by Maycomb's society. Dolphus explains that he pretends to be drunk so that people will justify his choice to live with the Black community. This moment reveals how social norms and racism shape people’s behavior, even those trying to live honestly feel forced to hide. This is shown when he says, "When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey—that’s why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does.” Also, when he says " “It ain’t honest but it’s mighty helpful to folks. Secretly, Miss Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.”

The other key moment in Chapter 20 is Atticus's final speech. Atticus tries to get the jury to do what’s right by showing them there’s no real proof Tom Robinson is guilty and that the only reason he’s been accused is due to racism. He shows that racism is a big problem in Maycomb, and that everyone is not tretaed equal, depaite all being human by saying: “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court." He also says " The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious—because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority."

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In Chapter 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird, the main idea is about family and social pressure to follow old Southern traditions. This happens when Aunt Alexandra comes to Maycomb and starts telling Scout and the Finch family how they should act to fit their social status. Harper Lee shows this through what Aunt Alexandra says and does. Alexandra wants Scout to be more “ladylike” and tries to get Atticus to raise the kids her way. The story, told from Scout’s point of view, shows the struggle between being yourself and doing what society expects. Two quotes that show this are: “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches,” and “She was an incurable gossip, but a lady nonetheless;” these show how much Alexandra cares about appearances and traditional roles.

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The main theme of this chapter is racial injustice.

It is most clearly shown during Tom Robinson’s testimony at his trial, particularly when he explains his version of what happened with Mayella Ewell, how he felt sorry for her, and tried to help her out of kindness.

Also, when it's revealed that Tom physically couldn’t have committed the crime (his left arm is crippled), directly contradicting the Ewells’ story.

Harper Lee conveys this when Tom says, “I felt right sorry for her.” The people in court are shocked. At that time, a Black man wasn’t allowed to feel “sorry” for a white woman; it was seen as disrespectful. She also conveys this when the evidence proves Tom is innocent, if his arm is useless, Mayella’s story doesn’t make sense. But the jury still finds him guilty.

This is ironic; we expect justice, but we get racism instead.

Quotes that show this are: “You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for he?” Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise to

the ceiling. The witness realized his mistake and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. But the damage was done. Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer. Mr. Gilmer paused a long time to let it sink in.

“Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro.”

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1) Racism and injustice.

2) During Tom Robinson's trial, and how people react to it.

3) By showing how the town is divided and people treat the trial like entertainment, not like a serious case.

QUOTES:

“A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.” and "You’ve got to make me go,’ she said. ‘I won’t leave him.’”

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What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

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The main theme portrayed is Injustice and the Destructive Power of Prejudice

It is shown during Mayella Ewell’s time on the witness stand. She tries to say that Tom Robinson attacked her, but she seems nervous and parts of her story don’t make sense. This shows how unfair the trial is and how people’s views about race affect what they believe. Harper Lee shows the theme through Mayella’s nervous behavior and confused answers. Atticus stays calm, but Mayella gets upset, showing how scared and pressured she feels. This highlights the unfairness and racism in the trial.

“Do you love your father, Miss Mayella?” was his next.

“Love him, whatcha mean?”

“I mean, is he good to you, is he easy to get along with?”

“He does tollable, ‘cept when—”

“Except when?”

That nigger yonder took advantage of me an‘ if

you fine fancy gentlemen don’t wanta do nothin’ about it then you’re all yellow

stinkin‘ cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot of you.

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In Chapters 22–23 of To Kill a Mockingbird, the main theme portrayed is injustice.

Chapter 22: After the jury says Tom Robinson is guilty, even though there was clear proof he was innocent.

Chapter 23: When Atticus and the kids talk about the trial and how the jury’s decision was unfair because Tom is Black.

Harper Lee conveys this by showing how upset Jem is because he believed the trial would be fair. By having Atticus explain that people’s racism affected the jury’s choice. Lee shows injustice through what the characters say, how they feel, and how the unfair verdict goes against what’s right.

Quotes:

“I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and

they’ll do it again and when they do it—seems that only children weep. Good

night.”

“It’s like bein‘ a caterpillar in a cocoon,

that’s what it is,” he said. “Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I

always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what

they seemed like.”

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Main Theme: Injustice

In Chapter 24, during Aunt Alexandra’s missionary circle meeting, when the women talk about helping people in Africa but speak disrespectfully about Black people in their own town. Later in the chapter, when Atticus comes home with the news that Tom Robinson was shot and killed while trying to escape from prison.

Harper lee conveys this by showing the hypocrisy of the women who pretend to care about others but are racist toward people in their own community. Through Tom’s death, which shows how hopeless the justice system was for a Black man—even after the trial, he had no real chance.

Harper Lee uses irony, character behavior, and tragic events to make the injustice clear.

Quotes:

“Tom’s dead.”

Mrs. Merriweather faced Mrs. Farrow: “Gertrude, I tell you there’s nothing more

distracting than a sulky darky.

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What main theme is portrayed?

When is it shown?

How does Harper Lee convey it?

Identify two quotes that emphasize your idea.

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Main Theme: Loss of Innocence

In Chapter 25, when Tom Robinson’s death is told through the eyes of Dill and Scout.

When people in Maycomb react cruelly or don’t care, it shows how the children start to see the world is not always fair or kind.

Harper Lee portrayed this through Scout’s thoughts and Dill’s experience, she shows how children begin to understand the harsh truths of the world. By showing how people treat Tom’s death as normal or expected, Harper Lee shows the painful loss of childhood innocence and trust in goodness.

Quotes:

To Maycomb, Tom’s death was typical. Typical of a nigger to cut and run.

Tom was a dead man the

minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.

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Main Theme: Hypocrisy

In Chapter 26, when Scout’s teacher, Miss Gates, talks about how bad it is that Hitler maltreats Jewish people.

But earlier, Scout heard Miss Gates speak badly about Black people after Tom Robinson’s trial.

Harper Lee portrays this through Scout’s confusion. Harper Lee shows how adults say one thing and do another.

She uses Scout’s point of view to highlight how people don’t see their prejudice, even while judging others.

quotes:

“Over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced.

"how can you hate Hitler so bad an‘ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home—”