CH+19-20-21

Chpt 19 Tom testifies that he always passed the Ewell house on the way to work and that Mayella often asked him to do chores for her. On the evening in question, she asked him to come inside the house and fix a door. When he got inside, there was nothing wrong with the door, and he noticed that the other children were gone. Mayella told him she had saved her money and sent them all to buy ice cream. Then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. When Tom climbed on a chair, she grabbed his legs, scaring him so much that he jumped down. She then hugged him around the waist and asked him to kiss her. As she struggled, her father appeared at the window, calling Mayella a whore and threatening to kill her. Tom runs away. Dill begins to cry during the court meeting, and Scout takes him out. Outside the courtroom, Dill talks to Scout about Mr. Gilmer’s mean treatment of Tom Robinson during the questioning. As they walk, Scout and Dill run into Mr. Dolphus Raymond, the white man with the colored mistress and mulatto children.

Chpt 20 Mr. Raymond reveals that he is drinking from a paper sack. He talks with Dill and offers him a drink in a paper bag. Dill takes a gulp some of the liquid and Scout warns him not to take much, but Dill shows her that the drink isn’t alcoholic but it’s only Coca-Cola. Mr. Raymond tells the children that he pretends to be a drunk to provide the other white people with an explanation for his lifestyle, when he simply prefers black people to whites. When Dill and Scout return to the courtroom, Atticus is making his closing remarks. Atticus says that the prosecution has produced no medical evidence of the crime and has presented only the shaky testimony of two unreliable witnesses; moreover, the physical evidence suggests that Bob Ewell, not Tom Robinson, beat Mayella.

Chapter 21 Calpurnia leaves Atticus a note about the kids. Mr. Underwood tells about how Jem and Scout are in the colored balcony for the trial. The kids are very interested in the case and beg Atticus to tell the outcome. Atticus tells them that they have to go to supper and can come back afterwords...but Atticus knows the trial will be over before then...so the children will not see what happens. After supper the kids retrun to the court hosue and find the court room still full. After long deliberation the jury finally comes out and declares Tom Robinson guilty. As Atticus leaves the colored balcony all rise in respect of Atticus..but suprisingly don't show any anger.



**SAHLI SAYS** We missed a whole chapter. It is pretty important. Chapter 21 is huge. SOMEONE else do it for bonus points. The final lines of chapter 21 are important. Why is do I feel that the last lines are important?

Early in the reading Scout sees Tom and assumes that Mayella is the lonliest person in the world. Again Boo Radley comes up. Why make such a comparison? Because Boo is kind of a lonely person himself. He has no one in his life. - Kelsey O. (=