Chapter+9

=To Kill a Mockingbird; Chapter 9 Study Guide= By: Carlee and Jenna

//**Summary of the Chapter:**//
Scouts world develops a whole new dimension in chapter 9. The backbone to the book begins to develop as the overriding problem comes to light. It begins when Cecil Jacobs announces in the school yard that, “...Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers.” (99,9-11). Scout denies him but is confused about the accusation. She asks Atticus that night if what Cecil said was true. Atticus tells Scout that he has agreed to defend a “Negro” Tom Robinson, accused of rape, in a trial against a higher class “white” Father and daughter. Scout also learns that Atticus has no hope of winning the trial due to the racial barriers of the town but he must defend Tom so that he can “hold his head up in town” (100, 26) among other things. However, above all, Atticus informs Scout, she and Jem must not fight with their fist, they have to hold their heads high no matter what friends throw at them and to remember that Maycomb still there home and their friends are still their friends. The next day, Cecil Jacobs teases Scout again about her father however, instead of attacking Cecil as she would have previously done, Scout lowers her fists and walks away earning catcalls of “Coward” in her wake. Keeping her head high, Scout doesn't fight for the next three weeks till Christmas.

On Christmas eve day, Atticus brother, Uncle Jack arrives by train to spend a week with the Finch’s. Uncle Jack notices Scout’s fluent cussing at the dinner table and takes her aside after the meal advising her that if she is to be a lady, she should not cuss or at least not cuss while he is visiting. Scout agrees and they go to decorate the tree together.

Bright and early Christmas morning, the Finch family and Uncle Jack travel in the car to Finch’s landing to see their Aunt Alexandra, her husband, and their terrible grandson Francis. Their dislike of visiting Finch’s landing and its inhabitants is forgotten when they unwrap an air rifle each from their father. Atticus tells the children that their Uncle Jack will teach them how to shoot and to remember that if they ever want to shoot birds never to kill a mocking bird. Late that night, after Christmas dinner, Francis begins to tease Scout first about Dill, calling him a runt and a stray dog. Then, his taunts begin to build steam, yelling that Atticus is a “nigger lover” (101,11) and that he is ruining the families reputation. Scout loses it. She has only just begun to pound Francis in the dust when Aunt Alexandrea and Uncle Jack come running. As Francis plays a sob story for his Grandma, Uncle Jack spanks Scout.

Atticus, Jack, Jem, and Scout leaving the Landing quickly after and upon arrival to the Finch house in Maycomb, Scout runs to her room and slams the door. Uncle Jack waits till she has cooled off a bit before approaching Scout. Scout says that Uncle Jack wasn’t fair, he didn’t hear her side of the story and proceeds to tell him all of the horrible things Francis said about Atticus. Furious at Francis, Uncle Jack want’s to punish Francis and tell Atticus about what had transpired but Scout begs him not to, saying that it would break her promise to her father about no fighting. Uncle jack grudgingly agrees. Latter that night, Scout creeps down stairs and hears Atticus talking to Uncle Jack about the approaching trial. Tom Robinson has no hope of winning the trial against the Ewells however, Atticus explains that he has to try and hope that both Jem and Scout get through the next couple months unscathed. It wasn’t until later that Scout realizes that “he wanted me to hear every word he said.” (117, 31-32)

//**Character Profiles:**//
Nearly all of the important characters of the story are mentioned in this chapter. Cecil Jacobs is introduced as a not-so-nice kid who teases Scout about their father. Scout, Atticus and Jem take place early on as Tom Robinson, an important future character, is mentioned as is the trial. Uncle Jack is thoroughly introduced as is Aunt Alexandrea, husband Jimmy, and their grandson Francis.

//**Characters by appearance:**//

 * Cecil Jacobs:** A mean boy who picks on Scout, due to fact that her father is defending a man of the African race, looking for a fight. When Scout turns her back on him to walk away, he calls at her, “Scout’s a cow-ward!” (102, 10-11) By calling Scout a coward after she walks away from the fight, Cecil shows that he was wanting a rise out of Scout, a verbal or physical fight.


 * Scout (Jean Louise) Finch:** Scout matures greatly during this chapter. For three weeks after Cecil Jacob’s first taunt, Scout fights nobody, keeping her head high just as her father asked her to and not showing anybody that the name calling angers her. Francis however crossed the line with Scout and she reacts strongly. Latter she displays her wisdom and maturity when she informs Uncle Jake of his mistake, not listening to her side of the story before spanking her. Going foreword, the experiences, displays of maturity and mental strength go on to help Scout in facing the challenging days ahead.


 * Jem (Jeremy) Finch**: In this chapter, Jem is not mentioned much except for his graduation from the kids table to the grown-up table at Christmas dinner and his ability to talk with the grown ups in mature conversations even at the young age of 11-12. Both incidences show Jem’s growing maturity and age which should continue to grow throughout the story.


 * Atticus**: Atticus remains ever the same throughout the chapter. He is the same loving, wise father the children know him to be. He explains to Scout that one of the reason he must take this hopeless trial is to uphold justice, even in such segregated and unfair times. He also tells Scout that there is one trial in every lawyers life that effects him personally, this trial is his.


 * Tom Robinson:** Little is discovered about this newly introduced character. He is the man who was accused of raping the Ewell’s daughter and the same man who Atticus must hopelessly defend in the face of injustice due to Tom’s race. Tom is an African American who goes to Calpurnia’s church and who, according to Calpurnia who knows him and his family well, they are, “clean-living folks.”(100, 17) According to the evidence, many can rightly say the charges against him aren’t just.


 * Uncle Jack**//**:**// Uncle Jack is the baby of the three siblings, 10 years Atticus’s junior, around forty and a bit eccentric. We were told in earlier chapters that he proposes to Mrs.Maudie every year by yelling across the street if she would marry him. He is unmarried but, has a beautiful yellow female cat named Rose Aylmer who he claims “is the only women he could stand permanently.”(104, 20-21) The children seem to enjoy him immensely, even after he sits Scout down and tells her to stop cussing. His role in the story is one of a middle aged bachelor who can both be a child and adult at the same time.


 * Aunt Alexandrea**: Portrayed as a cold, demanding, and not particularly nice, Aunt Alexandrea is Atticus and Jack’s sister and Francis’s Grandmother. Scout describes her as, “analogous to Mount Everest...” (103, 16-17) She is portrayed as a lady who cooks excellent food and will someday teach Francis how to cook. She is constantly on Scouts case, demanding Scout wear dresses and behave like a girl. No one particularly likes her that much and she doesn’t really understand children, her own leaving the house as soon as he could.


 * Uncle Jimmy:** Uncle Jimmy was briefly mentioned earlier in the book as the man who married Alexandrea and spent most of his time waiting to see if his trout lies were full.


 * Francis**: A despicable little boy, Francis is in every ones mind a tattle-tale, liar, and a great big kiss up, not to mention mean. He’s only eight but he has “slicked back hair” (107, 13-14) and sits at the grown ups table. “He was the most boring child I ever met.” (107, 28-29)Yet he begins to tease Scout malevolently about Dill, about her father and then, after she is pulled off of him for fighting, he tells all the surrounding adults a complete sob story. Latter when Uncle Jack hears what Francis said, even he wants to get at the tyke like scout did. Francis is one of those nasty people who turns on his own family, hurting them where they are most sensitive.


 * Dill (Charles Baker Harris)**: Dill is not truly in this chapter yet Francis says somethings about Dills character that could ring true. Dill is a compulsive liar, we don’t believe he has a father and his mind is not all sunshine and rainbows. Francis claims that Aunt Alexandrea said that Dill "hasn't got a home.” (109, 32)"He just gets passed around from relative to relative, and Miss Rachel keeps him every summer." (110, 1-2) The unfortunate thing is, both accusations could very well be true.

//**Identify a key element of a setting, event, and/or motif. Remember to quote the evidence you find in your questions below, include pg. and line numbers**//
//**Setting:**// Finch’s Landing.

//**-What sort of atmosphere is evoked? Which words or phrases help to create this atmosphere?**// The malevolence of Francis induces a tense atmosphere even in the beginning. Scout’s feelings towards the boy and his Grandmother are ones of extremely dislike, disgust, and anger. The feeling of slimy, self satisfying arrogance is first introduced with the line “Francis was eight” (107, 13) with “slicked back hair.” Francis’s kiss-up attitude is further explained as Scout phrases, “he managed to tell everything he knew to Aunt Alexandra, who in turn unburdened herself to Atticus” (107, 29-32) When Scout brings up Dill in passing, Francis laughs in her face, proceeding to call Dill “a runt” (109,27) and a “**stray dog**” (110,8) saying that Dill "hasn't got a home.” (109, 32) "He just gets passed around from relative to relative, and Miss Rachel keeps him every summer." (110, 1-2) Then he tells Scout that her father, his Grand Uncle, is a “nigger-lover” (110,11) and is “**ruinin’** the family” (110,17). All of the accusations are mean, aimed right to Scouts most sensitive feelings, the tension and anger at the evil and spiteful Francis grows until Scout can’t take the taunts anymore and she pounces. Franciss runs away but it’s not to long before he is outside, goading Scout on, wanting her anger. “Francis looked at me carefully, **concluded that I had been sufficiently subdued, and crooned softly, "Niggerlover** . . ." (112,1-2)

//**-What emotional response is provoked in the reader by this element? Which words or phrases help to provoke this emotional response?**// Response to Francis slaughter of Scouts feelings and his own family members honor inspires mostly anger, as well as some annoyance at Francis’s immaturity, and feelings of regret when Scout is pulled off him. The anger at Francis’s words and actions, to tease Scout, to belittle her friendship with Dill, and to dishonor her father in such a way as never done before, by a family member who says Atticus is “ruinin’ the family” (110,17). To say that someone in your family is “ruining” it, creates a wound that can never be closed with I’m sorries, it’s inexcusable. The delight he takes in hurting scouts feelings and goading her on is despicable. “Francis looked at me carefully, concluded that I had been sufficiently subdued, and **crooned softly**, "Niggerlover . . ." (112,1-2) Crooning shows Francis’s strategy for getting under Scout’s skin, also showing that it is his intention to do so. The anger at Francis for malevolently teasing his cousin is induced into the readers minds by Harper Lee so that the turmoil of Scout’s feelings can be totally understandable when Scout finds it hard to stand back from a fight or ends up fighting. “This time, I split my knuckle to the bone on his front teeth. My left impaired, I sailed in with my right, but not for long. Uncle Jack pinned my arms to my sides and said, "Stand still!"(112,3-4)

//**-How does this element help build the characters? Which particular words or phrases help to build the characters?**// Scout is the only character that can really learn from this experience (except for Uncle Jack but that is for his actions latter). The teasing and cat-calling from school and around town used to be sacred from family life, now that is no more. The implications of the trial are now that much closer to Scouts heart. Her fight with Francis was short lived after Uncle Jack pulled her off him and gave her a spanking while Francis cried crocodile tears into his Grandmothers arms. Francis’s goading was unexpected and as Scout was prepared to hold her head high in the face of friends, she wasn’t prepared for family or the malevolence that was too far below the belt. However, Scout shows extreme maturity for the situation when she begs her Uncle Jack not to go and punish Francis and have everyone know what a horrible child he was but to promis not to tell Atticus, “He - he asked me one time not to let anything I heard about him make me mad, an' I'd ruther him think we were fightin' about somethin' else instead. Please promise. . ." (114, 24-26) Scout’s newly grown maturity is based on the principles of picking your battles, being the bigger man, and letting worthless thing (Like Francis) go.

//**What Was Going on in the World in 1933?**//
-Prohibition has been enforced since 1926, over 7 years. -Italian and Irish gangs have taken over all the major cities. -Al-Capone is in Chicago. -Unemployment rate at 25%. -A bomb is placed on a Boeing 247, the first recorded airline attack in history -Dust Bowl
 * Nation Wide:**

-Hitler rises to power. -Nazis arise -First airplane flight over Everest. -Gandhi begins his hunger strike -South and North Korea split.
 * World Wide:**

//**Pictorial bank of Chapter 9:**//

 * General Hood type beard**: General Hood was part of the Confederacy, a West Point grad, and participator in the battle of Gettysburg, famous for his bushy beard. “He wore a **General Hood type beard** of which he was inordinately vain. (Pg.101, Ln.18-19)

(Northerners or Yankees are in blue, they won in the end, abolishing slavery.)
 * Yankees**: Used in the Civil war by the southerners as a reference to the northerners. "This time we aren’t fighting the **Yankees**...” (Pg.101, Ln.33)

“...but when Jen told me of **changelings** and siblings” (Pg.103, Ln.11-12)
 * Changelings**: the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. (Wikipedia)


 * (Christmas) Tree**: “Now let’s get to the **tree**.” (Pg. 105, Ln.23)


 * Finch’s Landing/ Cotton Landing** : “**Finch’s Landing** consisted of three hundred and sixty steps down a high bluff and ending in a jetty...were traces of an old **cotton landing**...” (Pg.106, Ln.6-9)


 * River boats**: “...watched **river-boats**...” (Pg.107, Ln.1)

“...**widow's walk** was on the roof. (Pg.106, Ln.32-33)
 * Widows Walk**: a small gated area at the top of houses where new widows were said to walk, also called captains walk.


 * Air Rifle**: “ Jem and me got **air rifles**...” (Pg.107, Ln.19)


 * Invisible Ink**: “ He’s gonna make me some **invisible ink**...” (Pg.107, Ln.22-23)


 * Dress/Breeches**: “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore **breeches**; when I said I could do nothing in a **dress**, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants.” (Pg.108, Ln.6-9)


 * Peach pickles**: technically a pickled peach. “...summer vegetables from her pantry shelves; **peach pickles**...” (Pg.109, Ln.3)


 * Ambrosia**: A delicious fruit salad with whipped cream and best served with marshmallows. “...two kinds of cake and **ambrosia**...” (Pg.109, Ln.3)


 * Mimosa Tree**: “Francis climbed the **mimosa tree**, came down” (Pg.111, Ln.28)

//**Word bank of Chapter 9:**//
“He had announced it in the School yard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended **niggers**.” (Pg.99, Ln.9-11)
 * Nigger**: An offensive, contemptuous term for an African American.

“He made you sound like you were **runnin’ a still.**” (pg.100, Ln.10-11)
 * Runnin’ a still**: During this time, prohibition is in full swing, runnin’ a still (also making moonshine) was an indirect way to say a person was making illegal alcohol, a very bad crime back in the day.

“He wore a General Hood type beard of which he was inordinately vain. (Pg.101, Ln.18-19)
 * Inordinately**: of unusual proportions or amounts.

“My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that nigger oughta hang from the **water tank**.” (Pg.102, Ln.6-8)
 * Water tank**: a type of murder used by the Klu Klux Klan.

“Aunt Alexandra would have been **analogous** to Mount Everest...” (Pg.103, Ln.16-17)
 * Analogous**: a comparison word, usually about similar things.

“not unless there’s extreme **provocation** connected with ‘em” (Pg.105, Ln.16-17)
 * Provocation**: to make someone deliberately angry, sad, or annoyed through speech or action.

“It was **obstreperous**, disorderly and abusive -" (Pg.113, Ln.23)
 * Obstreperous**: to be unruly, noisy, uncontrollable.

“Said Atticus'd be the **ruination** of the family an' he let Jem an me run wild. . ." (Pg.114, Ln.13-14)
 * Ruination**: the act of ruining or ruin-er.

“No, I told her about **Lord Melbourne**.” (Pg.116, Ln.4)
 * Lord Melbourne**: An English aristocrat, became the Prime minister and helped tutor Queen Victoria on matters of state among other things.