Reading Response #1 Chapter 1-8 (Pages 3-74)

Delaney Patterson To Kill a Mockingbird English 1 8/10/11 In The Beginning of the novel we get told by scout the familys history. The whole story is narrated by Jen Louise Finch or Scout as everybody called her. Scouts father is Atticus Finch; Atticus is a lawyer in Maycomb. Jem Finch is Scouts older brother. There is also a boy named Charles or as people call him Dill, that Jem and Scout become very fond of during the story. Dill, Scout and Jem are always playing games. Like trying to lure Boo Radley out of his home, Boo Radley is a boy that thats dad made him stay inside because he got in trouble with the law. Even after his dad died he continued to stay in his home, no one ever seen him all they really seen was someone peeking out. Scout hates school and her teacher. Her teacher makes her feel bad or guilty about being educated because, Atticus taught her to read. Scout tries to convince her father to let her drop out of school and him teach her himself. The kids find things in a knothole in one of the Radley oak trees. After a while of finding things the kids find that someone has filled the whole with cement. One time they were trying to get Boo to come out and the almost got caught and on the way out Jems pants go ripped off. The boys had to lie about what happened and later Jem went back to get his pants. One winter for the first time in years Maycomb had a real winter. Enough to get the kids out of school, they went and gathered snow so they could build a small snowman. Then Miss Maudies house burnt down. During which Boo Radley through a blanket over Scout so she wouldnt get cold, Scout never even realizes it was Boo that put it over her till the next day when Miss Maudie tells her. Even though Miss Maudies house burnt down she is still in good spirits. Works Cited Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird: Boston, New York, 1982

Reading Response #2 Chapter 9-16 (Pages 74-166)

Delaney Patterson To Kill a Mockingbird English 1 8/10/11 Scout is very protective over what people say about her father and the work he is made to do. Often she gets in fights for what people say to her about her father. Atticus has to defend a black man named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a white woman. Atticus and his brother Jack took the kids on Christmas day to see there Aunt Alexandra, Scout does not particularly like her Aunt. Scout also thinks that Francis, Alexandras grandson is the most boring child she has ever met in her life. Scout and Jem find out that there father who in his old age never hunted or fished could actually kill something and with good aim. Later Miss Maudie tells Scout and Jem that in their fathers earlier days were the best shot in the county. Everybody called him One-Shot Finch. The kids are always being yelled at as they pass by Mrs. Dubose house. Mrs. Dubose is a cantankerous old lady. Atticus tells Jem to be nice to her because she is sick. Jem got mad one day and beat Mrs. Duboses bushes and as a punishment he has to read to her every day for a month. A little more than a month after Jem was done with his punishment Mrs. Dubose passes away. Jem finds out that Mrs. Dubose is addicted to morphine and reading helped her combat this addiction. Jem gets a box after she passed with a single white camellia in it. One time while Atticus is away there cook Calpurina takes the children to her church on Sunday for services, some people welcome Jem and Scout while others curse her. There Aunt Alexandra stays with them for a while. One night the kids find there buddy Dill hiding under their bed, he had ran away from home. The children attended the trial of Tom Robinson by sitting in the section for the black people to sit while watching the trial. Works Cited Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird: Boston, New York, 1982

Reading Response #3 Chapter 17-24 (Pages 166-237)

Delaney Patterson To Kill a Mockingbird English 1 8/10/11 The trial continues on and Atticus knows that Tom Robinson is innocent but there is no way to convince a jury full of white men that a black man is not guilty. He also realizes that a left handed man is more likely to leave bruises on the right side of a girls face. Tom is right handed so there is another piece of evidence that he is not guilty. Atticus thinks that Mayellas father was the one to beat her but she blamed Tom Robinson because she didnt want to get in trouble. Tom always passes by the Ewells house, and Mayella is always asking him do favors for her. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a white man who is married to a black girl, and has mulatto children. He always pretends to drink so that people will accept his life style and choices better, but in reality he is really drinking Coca-Cola covered in a brown paper bag, because he prefers black people to white. Atticus finds out the children are at the trial and makes them go home and eat. So the children go home eat really fast then run back to finish watching the trail. The Jury had talked for a long time and late that night they came back in and made the verdict guilty. Bob Ewell threatens people after the trial and declares revenge. Jem tells Scout that his is going to try out for the football team. One day in August Scouts Aunt invites Scout to her missionary circle of tea. Later they find out that Tom tried to escape prison and was shot seventeen times and killed. Atticus has to go tell the Robinsons family about Toms death, and Toms wife faints before Atticus could tell her the bad news. Toms death was the talk of the town for days, and the only very significant remark was made by Bob Ewell is that one down about two more to go. Then Summer ends and Dill returns home. Works Cited Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird: Boston, New York, 1982

Reading Response #4 Chapter 25-31 (Pages 238-281)

Delaney Patterson To Kill a Mockingbird English 1 8/14/11 School starts again, and Scouts teacher, Miss Gates teaches the class about Hitler. Scouts a very sensitive young girl, and she gets upset really easy especially about the subject injustice. Scout often goes to Atticus for comfort. Bob Ewell continues his stupid plan for revenge until Mrs.Deas threatens to have him arrested. Scout is in the annual school play, in which Scout wears a shaped ham. Atticus,, and her Aunt Alexandra are too tired to attend, so Jem takes Scout so she can perform. Cecil Jacobs jumps out and scares the kids on the way to school. After a while Scout falls asleep and consequently misses her entrance. Scout runs out at the end of the play, people accused Scout of ruining the play. Scout and Jem embarrassed wait till everybody is gone to leave. On the way back home Jem hears things behind him. He thought it was Cecil Jacobs again so they called out to him, but got no reply. They almost reach their road when whoever it was following started chasing them. Jem tells or more like screams for Scout to run, but Scout runs because of her costume. Jems arm gets broken due to the struggle to save Scout. Someone brings Jem to the house, while Scout stumbles home. Scout finds out that Jem is unconscious not dead. The doctor tells the family it will be alright. Atticus tells them that Bob Ewell is dead. Scout realizes that it was Boo Radley that carried him home. Heck tell Atticus to let it go that Tom killed Bob Ewell not Jem, and to let the dead go, bury the dead. Scout walked Boo hoe then goes home to find Atticus in Jems room, Atticus reads to Jem until she is asleep. Works Cited Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird: Boston, New York, 1982