a fight almost erupts between Scout and her classmate Cecil Jacobs because he claims that her father Atticus would defend "niggers"
Atticus is about to defend Tom Robinson as a lawyer and says that although he doesn‘t think he will win the case, he has to try at least because this is what his sense of justice and self-respect demands
Tom Robinson is a black man who has been accused of raping a white woman
Uncle Jack is coming to the Finchs‘ house for Christmas
Scout curses in front of Uncle Jack and he warns her not to swear when he is around
the Finchs and Uncle Jack visit Aunt Alexandra on Christmas Day at Finch‘s Landing
Scout doesn‘t feel comfortable at her aunt‘s house, she thinks her cousin is boring and she doesn‘t like the fact that her aunt insists on her dressing like a lady
the cousin Francis offends Dill and calls Atticus a "nigger-lover" much to Scout‘s disapproval, so she beats him up and curses him
as a consequence, Scout is being spanked by Uncle Jack without ever listening to Scout‘s explanation
back in Maycomb, Scout tells Jack everything and he gets furious but promises not to tell Atticus, because Scout has been asked not to fight anyone over what they might call Atticus
Scout overhears a conversation between Atticus and Jack, Atticus explains that although Tom Robinson is innocent, he is still doomed due to the prejudices that the all-white jury holds over him
Chapter 10
in comparison to other fathers in Maycomb, Atticus is older which often embarrasses his children
he doesn‘t behave like the other fathers: he reads and wears glasses instead of going hunting or fishing
Atticus teaches his children that it is a sin to kill mockingbirds when he gives them air rifles
one day, a mad dog appears in the street of the Finches‘ house
Heck Tate, the sheriff of Maycomb, asks Atticus to shoot the dog with a rifle he is handing him
Atticus does as he is being told and kills the dog from the distance
Jem and Scout are astonished by their father acting so atypically
Miss Maudie tells both of them that their father used to be one of the best shooters of the town
Chapter 11
Mrs. Dubose lives close to the business district of Maycomb
she is a rather grumpy old lady and Jem is supposed to be nice to her since she is old and sick
yet, one day she tells Jem and Scout that their father is no better than the niggers annd trash he works for
Jem looses it and smashes Mrs. Duboses camellia bushes with a bat
he is being punished by having to read to her every day for a month
Scout accompanies Jem; the sessions are not very pleasant for the two of them
every day, Mrs. Dubose makes Jem read longer than the day before by setting the alarm clock for longer than agreed
Mrs. Dubose dies some time after the reading sessions have ended
Atticus explains that Mrs. Dubose used to be a morphine-addict and that when Jem started to read to her, she quit taking the drug
Mrs. Dubose has left a present for Jem: Atticus hands him a box with a single white camellia
Function
turning point: childish world of Scout is left behind and the storyline focuses on the trial of Tom Robinson
superstition about Boo Radley and childish games fade away
gradual dramatization of the theme of loss of innocence
adult problems and worries slowly starts to dominate the innocent world of Jem and Scout
introduction of the Tom Robinson case
white Maycomb-citizens are angry with Atticus who is the best lawyer in town for helping the black Tom Robinson
Atticus as well as Jem and Scout become targets of the people‘s hatred
townspeople who were formerly portrayed in a rather positive manner have now turned sides
Southern racist life is revealed and doesn‘t know any limits - even Atticus‘ family turns against him
introduction of aunt Alexandra who is mostly negatively portrayed
Atticus‘ parenting style is made visible
focuses on teaching moral values such as justice, containment and honesty
advises his children to avoid fights and to rather practice quiet courage
first appearance of the mockingbird-symbol
incident with mad dog
lets Atticus appear as courageous
symbol for Atticus‘ function as guardian from evil forces (such as the dog and the people themselves)
in Atticus‘ opinion, courage has nothing to do with weapons
portrayal of Mrs. Dubose
represents the wrongness of Maycomb society since she is racist, curses the children and insults Atticus for helping a black man
yet, she possesses real courage according to Atticus due to her willingness and her wish to die free of drugs which is why she goes through withdrawal even though she wouldn‘t necessarily have to, knowing that she would die anyway
this can be compared to Atticus defending a black man: a hopeless endeavour, yet the right thing to do
the camellia as a symbol
Atticus considers the camellia a symbol of Mrs. Dubose essential kindness and forgiveness
the white flower both symbolizes the racist attitude of Macomb‘s society but also the purity of Mrs. Dubose‘s soul
Jem is not able to acknowledge the symbolical meaning of the gift and rejects it
Jem is too immature to understand the fact that a person can both be good and evil and thus, he remains unwilling to admit the goodness of Mrs. Dubose
