16
Why does Aunt Alexandra disapprove of the children's actions?
She is furious that they went to the jailhouse and later to the trial, believing it is inappropriate for them to be exposed to such adult, sordid business.
Who is the first person to take the stand?
Sheriff Heck Tate is the first witness called to the stand.
Why does Mayella think Atticus is mocking her?
Atticus calls her "Miss Mayella" and "ma'am," which she has never experienced. She interprets this formal respect as sarcasm or mockery.
What is revealed about Tom’s left hand?
It is severely crippled—12 inches shorter and "dead" from a childhood cotton gin accident. This makes it physically impossible for him to have beaten the right side of Mayella’s face, as she claimed.
Why does Dolphus Raymond pretend to drink liquor?
He carries Coca-Cola in a paper bag and pretends to be drunk to give people a reason to understand his choice to live with Black people, rather than accepting he prefers that lifestyle.
What is the atmosphere in town like before the trial?
It is compared to a "Roman carnival," with people picnicking and socializing, highlighting the town's morbid fascination with the case.
What important detail does Atticus establish through Heck Tate's testimony?
Atticus highlights that neither Tate nor Bob Ewell called a doctor for Mayella Ewell after the alleged rape, calling into question the severity of her injuries and the legitimacy of the investigation
How does Atticus disprove Mayella’s testimony?
He forces Tom Robinson to stand, revealing his left arm is 12 inches shorter and crippled from a cotton gin accident, making it impossible for him to have beaten her on the right side of her face.
What was Tom’s account of the day of the alleged crime?
Tom stated Mayella sent her brothers and sisters to get ice cream, then asked him inside to fix a door. She hugged and kissed him, prompting him to try to leave just as her father arrived.
What does Raymond mean that things haven't caught up to Dill's instincts?
He means that Dill is still young and "pure" enough to be sickened by the racist "hell white people give colored folks" without thinking, a capacity for empathy that adults in Maycomb have lost.
Who is Mr. Dolphus Raymond?
A wealthy white man who lives with a Black woman and has mixed children. He acts drunk, drinking from a paper sack, to give the townspeople a reason to understand his lifestyle.
Which of Mayella's eyes was blacked?
Tate testifies that Mayella's right eye was bruised.
Who does Atticus imply actually beat up Mayella?
Atticus heavily implies that Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, beat her after catching her attempting to kiss Tom Robinson.
Why did Tom run?
He was terrified and feared for his life, as he knew a Black man in his position would not be believed over a white woman.
What is the one way Atticus says all men are created equal?
Atticus states that in American society, the only "institution" where all men are created equal is a court of law.
Where do the children sit?
They cannot find seats on the crowded lower floor and are invited by Reverend Sykes to sit with the Black community in the colored balcony, giving them a unique perspective.
Why does Atticus want Bob Ewell to write his name?
Atticus asks Ewell to write his name to prove that he is left-handed, which is a crucial detail because the attacker would have likely used their left hand to beat the right side of Mayella's face.
Why is Mayella afraid of Atticus?
She claims to be afraid of him, but it is likely she is terrified of her father and of having her lies exposed.
What mistake did Tom make during his testimony?
Tom stated he felt "sorry" for Mayella. In the segregated South, a Black man expressing pity for a white woman was seen as arrogant and inappropriate, angering the prosecution and jury.
What is Mayella Ewell's "offense" according to Atticus?
She tempted a Black man (Tom Robinson) and, upon being discovered by her father, tried to hide her guilt and shame by falsely accusing Tom.
What does Atticus say about the mob at the jail?
He explains to the children that even good people (like Mr. Cunningham) can get caught up in a "mob mentality," but they are still individuals.
How does Bob Ewell behave in court?
Ewell is crude, arrogant, and sarcastic, referring to the prosecutor as "cap'n" and making jokes, causing Judge Taylor to hold him in contempt.
What is Mayella's life like according to the scene?
She is desperately lonely and poor, living among filth. She has no friends, and her only company are her siblings and her abusive father.
Why does Dill start crying?
Dill is overwhelmed and disgusted by the hateful, unfair way Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, interrogates Tom.
What is the "evil assumption" that Atticus says the prosecution relies on?
The assumption that all Black men are inherently immoral, liars, and cannot be trusted around white women.