Tuesday, June 7, 2016

What are five quotes from Part One of To Kill a Mockingbird that reveal Scout's character development?

In Chapter 2, Scout displays her lack of perspective when she tries to stick up for Walter Cunningham. She tells her teacher,



"You're shamin' him, Miss Caroline. Walter hasn't got a quarter at home to bring you, and you can't use any stovewood" (Lee 15).



Later on in the day, Scout laments her rough first day of school and Atticus teaches her an important lesson in perspective. After Atticus tells Scout that she'll never really understand a person until she considers things from their point of view, Scout says, "I'll be dogged" (Lee 19).


Viewing situations from other people's perspective is an important lesson in Scout's moral development.


In Chapter 3, Jem tells Scout and Dill the infamous rumors surrounding their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. Scout fears Boo Radley and does not want to play the game where they reenact his life stories. Scout says,



"He can get out at night when we're all asleep..." (Lee 25).



In Chapter 5, Scout sits on the porch with Maudie and learns the truth about Boo Radley. Maudie tells Scout that Boo's real name is Arthur and says that he is still alive. Scout asks Maudie, "Do you think they're true, all those things they say about B--Mr. Arthur?" (Lee 29). Maudie responds by telling Scout,



"that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how" (Lee 29).



Maudie goes on to explain that Boo's parents were foot-washing Baptists who believed that any type of pleasure was a sin. Maudie tells Scout,



"They thought I spent too much time in God's outdoors and not enough time inside the house reading the Bible" (Lee 28).



Scout is shocked to hear this and mentions,



"How so reasonable a creature could live in peril of everlasting torment was incomprehensible" (Lee 28).



Maudie teaches Scout several important lessons regarding the identity of their reclusive neighbor and the negatives attached to being radically religious.

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