http://www.gradesaver.com/to-kill-a-mockingbird/study-guide
This is a really good website with study guides and quizzes on different sections of the novel that test your knowledge of the book, and also how different things link together.
Sunday 23 June 2013
Friday 21 June 2013
The start of Tom Robinson's trial
The trial in To Kill a Mockingbird is what all the previous events in the book have been leading up to. Harper Lee builds up the tension throughout the book as well. It starts off as the children insulting Atticus in front of Scout & Jem. The adults of Maycomb also gossip about Atticus and a lot of them takes sides for or against Atticus' decision to take the court case. the tension really starts building in Chapter 15, where Jem, Scout and Dill find Atticus outside the jailhouse and a large group of men appear and the conversation gives the reader the impression that they would commit murder if they could.
By the time we reach the day of the trial, there is already a lot of tension about it. Before Scout, Jem and Dill go up to the court, they see Miss Maudie who says she isn't going to the trial. This in itself helps to add to the tension of the trial, because it implies she knows it is not going to be pleasant. She goes on to say "it's like a Roman carnival." This is a particularly interesting quote because the use of the word 'carnival' suggests that the town are going to watch the trial for entertainment purposes. Also 'Roman' makes me personally think of the Colosseum. The Romans would go to the Colosseum and watch animals and people fight, often to the death, again for entertainment purposes. This adds a very morbid aspect to the reader's view of the trial.
This idea of the townsfolk watching the trial for enjoyment continues when the children reach the town square. The square is full of people having picnics, which is the sort of thing you might do on a day trip out somewhere. This continues to illustrate the point that they like watching trials, particularly this one.
The picnic scene also has the common theme of segregation, which adds to the tension. The 'negroes' are eating in one corner of the square, away from the white people, which is another thing that makes it clear that the black people are treated completely differently to the white people. This is also present when the people enter the courthouse. Jem, Scout, Dill and Reverend Sykes end up sitting on the upper layer of the room, which is where all the black people are sitting. There are also 4 black people that give up seats for the children and Reverend Sykes which also shows how the blacks treat the white people.
By the time we reach the day of the trial, there is already a lot of tension about it. Before Scout, Jem and Dill go up to the court, they see Miss Maudie who says she isn't going to the trial. This in itself helps to add to the tension of the trial, because it implies she knows it is not going to be pleasant. She goes on to say "it's like a Roman carnival." This is a particularly interesting quote because the use of the word 'carnival' suggests that the town are going to watch the trial for entertainment purposes. Also 'Roman' makes me personally think of the Colosseum. The Romans would go to the Colosseum and watch animals and people fight, often to the death, again for entertainment purposes. This adds a very morbid aspect to the reader's view of the trial.
This idea of the townsfolk watching the trial for enjoyment continues when the children reach the town square. The square is full of people having picnics, which is the sort of thing you might do on a day trip out somewhere. This continues to illustrate the point that they like watching trials, particularly this one.
The picnic scene also has the common theme of segregation, which adds to the tension. The 'negroes' are eating in one corner of the square, away from the white people, which is another thing that makes it clear that the black people are treated completely differently to the white people. This is also present when the people enter the courthouse. Jem, Scout, Dill and Reverend Sykes end up sitting on the upper layer of the room, which is where all the black people are sitting. There are also 4 black people that give up seats for the children and Reverend Sykes which also shows how the blacks treat the white people.
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