In chapter 25 the opening scene has Scout releasing a “roly-poly” outside that had found its way inside of the house. Scout was going to squish him but Jem wouldn’t let her. ‘“Why couldn’t I mash him?’ I asked. ‘Because they don’t bother you,’ Jem answered in the darkness (320).” This passage could be interpreted as Tom Robinson being the innocent “roly-poly” about to be killed even though he did nothing wrong. Jem, stopping this killing from happening at the last minute could be interpreted as Atticus, stepping in to save someone/something that he knows in his heart to be innocent even though he may be too late.
Also in chapter 25, Mr. Underwood wrote about Tom Robinson’s killing in The Maycomb Tribune. Scout summed up the article by saying, “Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children, and Maycomb thought he was trying to write an editorial poetical enough to be reprinted in The Montgomery Advertiser (323).” This passage literally sums up the title of the novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Tom being the innocent mockingbird and his accusers, the killers. Earlier in the book Scout was told that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird so could it be considered a sin to have killed Tom Robinson? The fact that Maycomb also thought that Mr. Underwood’s article was an attempt to get it reprinted in another newspaper shows how naive people are in that town. Someone is killed and because of the color of his skin and what he was wrongly accused of people take it casually. When Tom Robinson died he was shot multiple times because he kept moving, trying to escape, even with so many bullet holes in his body, and a crippled arm. Tom Robinson’s killing was like shooting a caged mockingbird that couldn’t fly. It was unjust, sickening, and just another example of how the racism in Maycomb blinds so many people’s humanity. Why did Tom run and try escaping even when it was pointless? Why did the people of Maycomb take Tom’s killing so casually? Why did Mr. Underwood openly show disgust over Tom’s killing when he hid in the shadows earlier in the book, with a shotgun defending Atticus when he sat in front of the jail, guarding Tom Robinson with his light above the door?
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Responding to Catherine's post, I agree that the roly-poly incident is significant to the story, but I believe that it represents all the "mockingbirds" in the story, not just Tom Robinson, though I agree that it mostly had to do with his situation. It was not a sin of the guards to kill Tom Robinson because they were just doing their job, and even Atticus said that they were only doing their job. It was racism that killed Tom Robinson, and that is one of the biggest sins in the history of the United States. I don't think it is naive of the people in Maycomb to think Mr. Underwood only wanted the article printed in another newspaper. I think it shows that what Mr. Dolphus Raymond said was true. He believed that the people of Maycomb looked for excuses as to why people who did something different did it. Tom ran because he had no more hope in his life, so he believed that this was his last stand and last fight with the world and with racism. To the people of Maycomb, Tom Robinson was just a black man who was convicted of raping a white girl. He held no significance in their lives except some gossip for several days. This shows the cruelty of racism and how it made people think. This part of the novel shows how different Atticus and his family are from most of Maycomb. What does the different side of Aunt Alexandra show about her?
ReplyDeleteIn reply to both Amy and Catherine's post and comment, I agree that the roly-poly bug is a symbol in the story, but not for the same reasons. After the incident, Scout accuses Jem for not killing insects because he's too old. I feel that the roly-poly bug is more symbolic of childhood. I agree that the roly-poly bug symbolizes a "mockingbird" character, but I think the mockingbird it symbolizes is Scout. This is because Scout was thrown into this adult world and had to adapt so much faster than her brother. Though she has not fully embraced being an adult, the incident with the roly-poly symbolizes her trying to squish her innocence. Is this symbolic of something that happened earlier or may happen later? When has Jem protected Scout's childhood earlier in the book?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Catherin's questions "Why did the people of Maycomb take Tom’s killing so casually?" and "Why did Mr. Underwood openly show disgust over Tom’s killing when he hid in the shadows earlier in the book, with a shotgun defending Atticus when he sat in front of the jail, guarding Tom Robinson with his light above the door?" the answers were both mentioned in the book. Maycomb took the killing casually because "What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of 'em?" (315) and "Mr. Underwood could holler till he sweated and write whatever he wanted to, he'd still get his advertising and subscriptions." (322) Mr. Underwood is simply different in the newspaper than out in the open, unlike Atticus.
The question "Why did Tom run and try escaping even when it was pointless?" was also answered in the book. "Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own." (315)
In response to Amy's question, Aunt Alexandra has proven in these chapters that she is not
quite the uptight strict lady that she has been characterized to be. She shows that she can acknowledge someone when they help her out (when she looks towards Miss Maudie with gratitude). Do you think Scout's view of Aunt Alexandra has changed after this incident?
In response to Angel's response to Catherine's post, I agree that the roly-poly bug could symbolize Scout and her innocence, but I don't agree that Scout is trying to "squash" her innocence because it was racism, and more specifically the trial that started the shattering of the children's innocence. Responding to the quote Angel provided,"What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of 'em?"(315), that quote was said by Atticus when he was explaining the circumstances to Aunt Alexandra. He was talking about the prison Tom was in, and the guards in the prison only knew Tom as a black man who tried to run away, and not the man Maycomb knew him as. I think that Mr. Underwood is a confusing character because it is said earlier in the novel that he despises black people, and he doesn't protect Tom's race, but he stands up and states the wrong of killing a "songbird" or "cripple".
ReplyDeleteIn response to Angel's question, I think Scout still doesn't quite understand all of what is happening to the full extent, but I think she looks up to Aunt Alexandra more, which is proven in the last line of chapter 24. I also think that we see a softer, less impassive side of Aunt Alexandra in these chapters because she talks to Miss Maudie about how she really cares for Atticus and how she worries for him. We see that she is not only caring, but strong as she carries on after the news of Tom Robinson's death with strength; going right back into the room of ladies as if nothing was wrong.