CH+22-23-24

__Chapter 22__ After hearing the verdict of guilty for Tom Robinson, Atticus, Jem, Scout, and Dill walk home. The whole way home Jem is outraged about the verdict and pleads to Atticus about how it wasn't right. They get home and are met by Aunt Alexandria. They all soon go to bed with heavy hearts. The next morning the Finch residence had been showered with gifts of meat, fruit, vegetables and pickled pigs' knuckles from the town's black residents. Atticus is very grateful for their offerings, but says that they shouldn't give him anymore things because times are tough. After eating a robust breakfast, Jem, Scout and Dill go onto the front porch. They see Miss Maudie, Mr. Avery, and Miss Stephanie Crawford talking about the trial. They call them over to try to fish more information about the trial from them, but Miss Maudie rescues them by inviting them in for cake. Jem claims to Miss Maudie that he used to think all of the people of Maycomb were good people, but now his opinion of the town folks had changed after the trial. Miss Maudie reacts to Jem by telling him there still are good people in Maycomb. Also that some people did try to help Tom Robinson, such as Judge Taylor, who could have appointed the more inexperienced defense attorney to him, but appointed Atticus because he knew he would have the best chance at winning. As the kids are leaving Miss Maudie's, Miss Stephanie Crawford comes running up and says that on his way to work Atticus was met by Bob Ewell who cussed him out, spat in his face, and swore revenge if it was the last thing that he did.



Heathen: Unenlightened; without religion or morals

Cynical: Contemptuously distrustful of human nature and m​otives

Ruefully: Regretfully

__Chapter 23__ Atticus is unconcerned about Mr. Ewell's threat, and tells his worried children that Mr. Ewell, who has been publicly discredited by the trial, just needs to feel like he is retaliating against someone, and better it be Atticus than the Ewell children. Tom is being held on a prison farm, and his wife and children are not permitted to visit him. Atticus thinks there's a good chance he'll be spared execution by having his sentence commuted by the governor. Atticus comments that too many people are sent to death based purely upon circumstantial evidence. Jem thinks that juries should be done away with, because they can't make reasonable decisions. Atticus responds that men don't behave rationally in some situations, and will always take a white man's word over a black man's. Atticus tells Jem that any white man who cheats a black man is trash. Upon learning that his father believed Tom to be innocent, Scout wants to invite W alter Cunningham over for lunch more often, but Aunt Alexandria puts her foot down, saying that the Cunninghams aren't the right sort of people for Scout to spend time with. Scout can be gracious to Walter and polite, but can't invite him over because "he is trash." Jem begins to understand that the reason Boo Radley never comes out of his house is not because he can't, but is because he doesn't want to come out.

Wryly: Humorously; slightly sarcastic

Vehement: Full of emotion and strong feeling

Wary: Cautious

__Chapter 24__ Chapter 24 begins with Calpurnia serving Aunt Alexandria and her missionary circle tea and charlotte. Scout decides to spend the day at the house because Jem and Dill are swimming naked in the creek. Scout asks if she can help Calpurnia serve the ladies and Calpurnia lets her. After Scout is done helping Calpurnia, she sits and visits with the girls. The girls changed their topic of a poor tribe in the jungle to the topic of Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell's daughter. The girls do not like Tom Robinson, or any negro for that matter. Miss Maudie seems to stick up for the Robinson family, which shuts up the girls. Suddenly Atticus enters the house and asks for a word with Alexandria in the kitchen. Atticus tells Calpurnia and Alexandria that Tom had been shot and that he wants Calpurnia to visit the Robinson house with him. Tom had been shot 17 times and killed during an exercise period when he apparently tried to escape by jumping over the fence. The chapter ends with Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandria having great respect for Atticus. Finally, Scout and the two women return to the missionary circle. Charlotte: a desert served hot or cold, commonly made by lining a mold with cake or bread and filling it with fruit

Devout: devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises

Squalor: the quality or state of being squalid, well Squalid: marked by filthiness and degradation from neglect or poverty

Yaws: An infectious, contagious tropical disease

Earworm: The larva of the moth //**Helicoverpa zea**// is a major agricultural pest. When it consumes corn, it is known as the **corn earworm**.



**//SAHLI SAYS//** Dill is a character who is emotional. It seems as though he would be hardened through his being passed from relative to relative. This is certainly not the case. In chapter ? (22) Dill states he wants to be a clown. Connect that with Dill's character and what it tells us about the community. This is a discussion question so a single answer is ok but it does not have to be the only answer. Discuss it... Dill thinks that clowns laugh at everyone else but actually if he joined the circus they would be laughing at him. Dill might want to be a clown because he knows clowns get a lot of attention from other people...and maybe he wants that. He just wants to be emotional and happy.