For Friday Dec. 7th

[Robin Nourie]

Continue posting significant quotations from the final chapters of "To Kill a Mockingbird".  Take the time, too, to browse the other quotations posted by your classmates - you may find something that would be great to include in your essay!

[Izzy Ballard]

   "Gertrude, I tell you there's nothing more distracting than a sulky darky. Their mouths go down to here. Just ruins your day to have one of 'em in the kitchen. You know what I said to my Sophy, Gertrude? I said, 'Sophy' I said, 'you simply are not being a christian today. Jesus Christ never went around grumbling and complaining,' and you know, it did hr good. She took her eyes off that floor and said, 'Nome Miz Merriweather, Jesus never went around grumblin'.   

   

   This passage takes place when Mrs. Merriweather is talking about how the African Americans are upset about the results of the trial to Mrs. Farrow.

[Robin Nourie]

Wow - great quote!

[caroline caraballo]

"Cry about what Mr. Raymond?" Dill's maleness was beginning to assert itself 

"Cry about the simple hell people give other people -- without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks , without even stopping to think that they're people too."

"Atticus says cheatin' a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin' a white man" I muttered. "Says it's the worst thing you can do." 

Mr. Raymond said "I don't reckon it's-- Miss Jean Louise, you don't know your pa's not a run of the mill man, it'll take a few years for that to sink in-- you've seen this town, but all you gotta do is step back inside the courthouse"

An important theme to this is that you have to be on the outside to see the truth, and Mr. Raymond is on the outside. This quote takes place during a break on the day where the trial is happening. Mr. Raymond reaches out to the children and tells them how he doesn't understand why people can't be civil to each other. You don't have to be their best friend, just don't try to get them killed.   

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

“That’s what I thought, too,” he said at last, “when I was your age. If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time... it’s because he wants to stay inside.”

This quote concludes aunt Aledxandra's finalized rant of the Cunninghams along with Jem's realization that none of Maycombs families really get along with each other and their conclusion of their opinion on the Radleys, a theme that had started to die away with the start and finish of the trial.

[Sookeun Jung]

"S-s-s Grace," she said, "it's like I was telling Brother Hutson the other day. 'S-s-s Brother Hutson,' I said, 'looks like we're fighting a losing a battle.' I said,'S-s-s it doesn't matter to 'em one bit. We can educate 'em till we're blue in the face, we can try till we drop to make Christians out of them, but there's no lady safe in her bed these nights.' He said to me, 'Mrs. Farrow, I don't know what we're coming to down here.'"

This passage comes after Izzy's and shows the (ignorant) views many whites had of African Americans being indecent, vulgar, and somewhat stupid/uneducated and what 'being civilized' means. That to 'be civilized', you need to go to school, and be christian, that the only way to be is to be a white christian with schooling (preferably male). You could also say that this quote reveals some of the ignorant fear many white people had of African Americans ("there's no lady safe in her bed these nights")

[Carley]

"Maycomb was interested by the news of Tom's death for perhaps two days; two days was enough for the information to spread through the county.  'Did you hear about?.... No? Well, they say he was runnin' fit to beat lightnin'...' To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical.  Typical of a n****r to cut and run.  Typical of a n****r's mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw.  Funny thing, Atticus Finch might've got him off scot free, but wait-? Hell no.  You know how they are.  Easy come, easy go.  Just shows you, that Robinson boy was legally married, they say he kept himself clean, went to church and all that,  but when it comes down to the line the veneer's mighty thin.  N****r always comes out in 'em." -Page 322, Chapter 25

This paragraph, in my opinion, highlights the hypocritical and strategic selectiveness of people.  Before and during the trial, these people believed whole heartedly Tom had no hope.  Most thought him guilty, but for all the wrong reasons.  It was only after his tragic death that they chose to make themselves believe they had felt sympathy for him, and a gut feeling that Atticus, who they all resented for defending Tom, would win the case.  In turn, to make up for their brief breach of social etiquette, they employ the common stereotypes of the time, citing the much used and pathetic excuse for their scandalous spell of feigned empathy, "n****r always comes out in 'em."

[Talya Laver]

"Aunt Alexandra got up from the table and swiftly passed more refreshments, neatly engaging Mrs. Merriweather and Mrs. Gates in brisk conversation. When she had them well on the road with Mrs. Perkins, Aunt Alexandra stepped back. She gave Miss Maudie a look of pure gratitude  and I wondered at the world of women. Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra had never been especially close, and here was Aunty silently thanking her for something. For what, I knew not. I was content to learn that Aunt Alexandra could be pierced sufficiently to feel gratitude for help given. There was no doubt about it, I must soon enter this world, where on its surface fragrant ladies rocked slowly, fanned gently, and drank cool water."

[Robin Nourie]

Excellent analysis, Carley.  There are several places in the novel where this kind of hypocrisy is highlighted - lots at the Missionary Tea, too.

[Evan McClelland]

Jem was suddenly furious. He leaped off the bed, grabbed me by the collar and shook me. "I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me? You hear me? Don't you ever say one word to me about it again, you hear? Now go on!"