Group+6

=Brendan, Kelsey, Adam, JK, Sam=

In the end, Tom Robinson ends up gettting convicted even though the evidence clearly shows that he could not have commited the crime he is being accused of. ​Atticus and Jem have a discussion about how he was convicted simply because he is a black man. Do you think that this is true? Also, Atticus talks about how the world might function better if kids (like Jem) were allowed to make some of the rules due to there not-prejudice perspective. Do you think that this would be a good idea and why do you think this way? Sam 11/05/10 7:05 pm

Totally, I am glad this story is not based on ture events. Eventhough Tom Robinson is clearly shown innocent, juries and judge decides to send him to the prison. Everyone should give respect to African American people during early 1900's. Anyways, functions of young people to change the world and to consider non-prejudice perspective is significant these days and it has been. Not just Tom Robinson in the story but Atticus would feel the same way as Tom and all the other African Americans. J.K. 16/05/10 18:50

I'd rather say racism is an imature and childish concept. Racism is a race related prejudice. There shouldn't be a word like racism in first place. Thing that doesn't make sense to me is that the race is one's physical characteristic but other features like hair color, color of eyes and even people's height and weight are not made fun of or taken as an offense to anyone who are different than others. For example, why don't people say things like blonde haired people are not allowed to hangout or date black haired people? Why are racist people are so obsessed with one's skin color? Those people really got to get into a habit of saying it to themselves first then listen, and then say to the other people. God created everybody equal. J.K. 16/05/10 19:03

I agree with JK, I really wish rasicm was just some childish concept that wasn't actually real... It makes me sad to think that people have been deprived of essential needs and tools to the point that they have died. Take the Holocaust for example, that, in my opinion, this worst case of rasicm the world has ever seen. Not only were the Jewish people killed, but it was relatively well recieved. The German people were convinced they were doing the right thing by doing this and somehow make the world better. This just sickens me, but it also makes me wonder why people think this way. What could possibly make an entire country believe wipping out entire ethnical and rasical groups a good idea? Like i know Hitler was supposidely a great speaker, but that's just crazy! And the rasicm shown the USA was no better, but just more public and therefor, more accepted. Even today you see rasicm everywhere. People make jokes to eachother and over the internet (Xbox Live), and it's really sad that this behaviour can still be seen today. And no matter what people try to say, rasicm is just as alive and well as it was the age of slavary and the Holocaust and that really has to change. Sam 16/05/10 10:58 pm

I agree with both of your answers. Racism is unfortunately a real thing and stuff like this does happen (not as much as the thirtys). I know for a fact that the jury just convicted Tom Robinson because of his skin color. Do i agree with it? Absolutely not. Its not right to be racist against people who may be diffrent then you in appearance. I am also glad this movie was not made from a true court hearing, but i'm sure back in the 30's a case like this happened. Brendan/17/05-10.

Also, i don't believe that it would be a great idea for a child or teenage to be a part of the jury at a court hearing. Even though the jury may have been racist, i still believe that a teenage or child's brain has not developed enough to make those sort of decisions. They are easily manipulated by people with sad story's. Maybe in Tom's case teenagers may have been a better jury. The only difference in the children jury and the adult jury was the children would have set him free. Every damn person in the court room knew that Tom was innocent but were to prideful and cocky in there white self's to let him be free. Brendan/17/05/10

As a woman during 1930's, I think it is common for lady to behave wherever she goes to. Jem becomes twelve and she starts calling him Mister Jem plus she wants Scout to do more kitchen work than playing like a boy outside. I am pretty sure she is behaving differently for her comfort with different groups of people, or maybe she wants to act more mature infront of kids so Jem and Scout won't be rude of others. J.K. 03/05/10 20:11

I agree with J.K. on the fact that it is most likely out of respect that Calpurina acts differently at the Finch house than with her peers. I think she also does this because she knows how to speak both ways and it would be odd for her to speak properly around her peers and vise-versa if she were to speak like she does at home while she is at the Finch house. Adam 09/05/10 10:57 am

I agree with Adam and JK, when scout asks her why she talks different, she explains that it's because it would be weird to them if she talked like a black person at home, and the same would happen if she talked like a white person at a black church. I also think she does it so she can fit in and for accpetance. If she talked like a white person, then her peers might not accept her and maybe she fears that? What do you guys think? Is Calpurnia's different languages motivated by fear, or by respect for the staus quo? Sam 05/09/10 6:31pm

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Dill shows up at the Finch house and right away Jem tells Atticus that he is there. What does this show about the change in Jem as a person? What do you think that you would have done in Jem's position? ======

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Jem wants to be mature and he is acting like he is mature, and I dont understand becuase he is only twelve years old. I guess its a positive change for Jem but for other person's point of view, it might look like Jem is now trying to keep distance away from old, childish ideas and conducts. I would have done the same thing because soon or later, Atticus is going to know anyway. J.K. 28/04/ 22:23======

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I think that Jem is just simply growning up. He's twelve now and he wants to seperate from the games on his childhood, and he figures that the eaiest way to do that is by seperating himself from Scout. This shows that though he is growning up, he thought of reasoning isn't very good yet. This also shows that he idolizes Atticus and really, really looks up to him and wants to be like him when he grows up. And in his mind, Atticus would've told that Dill was there if he was in Jem's position. This really shows when he starts to read the newpaper more and tells Scout about current events, such as Hitler's rise to power. If I had been in Jem's position, I probably would've had told on Dill right away because there was no reason too until someone asked. But I think that in Jem's mind, atleast at the time, he thought that telling Atticus would be the best thing to do. Not only for Dill's sake, but because that was a way to gain his father's affection. Sam 27/04/10 6:11pm======

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I agree with the two comments above. I believe Jem is defiantly maturing. I think Atticus is the main reason that Jem is starting to mature at a younger age then most boys his age. Attuicus is always working and being the more mature, better person in many situations. I don't really think this changes Jem as a person; its normal for a kid his age to start maturing. I think i would have done the same thing and told Atticus, because you cant believe a 7 year olds boy's crazy, unbelievable escape story. I think it was only fair adults and guardians know where Dill is. B.L 28/04/11:26PM======

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Yeah I agree with Brendan. As a parent i would want to know where Dill is if he just left randomly. I also think that his story is just too unbelievable and the fact that he is known for his crazy, exaggerated stories just makes me not believe it even more. But I really like him and his stories, he sort of adds a comic relief and really relates to the crazy young kid ideas that Scout and Jem (especially Scout) during the story. I think he may be my second favorite character! Atticus is still my favorite though. Sam 01/0510 9:56 pm======

Atticus told Jem not to shoot at mockingbirds. When Scout asked Miss Maudie about it, she said "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mocking bird." Do you agree, or disagree with Miss Maudie ?

I personally agree with miss Maudie on her statement. There is no point in shooting the bird if it does nothing wrong to you, or other people. I don't really believe it would be a sin to shoot one, but its defiantly uncalled for. Brendan 21/04/10 6:55 am.

I think this question has more to do with the readers religious beliefs then the actual statement. I, personally, am not extremely religious, so I do not think it would be all that bad if I shot a mockingbird. Mind you, in the story, all the family members are very religious. So I think to them, killing one would be very bad and unforgivable. But, on the other hand, I do not think any of them would even if it wasn't a sin. Atleast Atticus and Jem wouldn't. Atticus is too much of a gentleman and caring to kill an innocent creature, and Jem is trying to be like Atticus so I do not think he would either. Scout might though, but I think that throughout the novel, she will learn to be more respectable and learn the value of each living creature. Sam 21/04/10 6:19 PM

I don't agree with anybody about the religious part, I think that this statement is more about personal morals and being fair and less of a religious thing. On another note I agree with Sam when he says that Scout might shoot a mocking bird but Jem wouldn't. When miss Maudie says this to Scout i think she was relating it to the trial involving Atticus and how Tom Robinson is actually innocent and that is why Atticus is defending him even though he knows that he is probably going to lose. Adam 24/04/10 10:52pm.

Like Sam says, the sin is relating to religious view of people. Most people these days, think mocking birds are pure, no harm creatures, I don't know what it would have been like back in the days. Instead, using mosquito as an opposite example, I bet everybody in the world would mind mosquitos, they evoke mararias, skin diseases, and most commonly, "annoying". Most of people don't feel guilty by just clapping a mosquito between their hands and killing them because they have no point to be alive, even when mosquito is spotted in one's sight. On the other hand, Mockingbird makes music for us to enjoy. I totally agree with Miss Maudie. J.K. 24/04/10 11:48

Yeah I agree with Adam when he says that the quote as to do a lot with the Tom Robinson case. I believe that's also where the title comes from, because a mockingbird does nothing just like Tom. The only difference is that Tom is a black man and therefore, will probably get sent to jail anyway (shooting the bird). people back then, especially in the South, still didn't think that black people were equal so they would kill them, or killing a mockingbird. The title and whole story actually has a lot more underlying racism that you won't catch unless you read carefully. I for one, actually re-read a few chapters in order to find this underlying racism because I find that one you know it, it makes the rest of the story way more interesting and the plot becomes a lot better because you understand were certain aspects are coming from. Sam 25/04/10 9:27pm

Yeah, I agree with you Sam, I do think that the Tom Robinson case, the quote about shooting a mockingbird, and the title of the book are all tied together in someway I just don't know how yet although what you suggested about him being sent to jail makes alot of logical sense. Adam 27/04/10 7:49am

What does Atticus' management of Scout's problems at school suggest about his strengths as a parent? Comment on Atticus's parenting in the novel thus far.

Atticus' management shows that he is more concerned with her getting an education then feeling comfortable at school. This shows that he really wants her to have a good life and to be a well educated girl. He shows this at another time, when he teachs her how to read. I think this makes his parenting seem reasonably good and that he just wants the best for his children. Sam 13/04/10 7:28pm

I agree with Sam. Also, Atticus doesn't want Scout to keep getting into fights, because he wants her to learn that violence isn't always the way to solve things. I feel his parenting is reasonable, like Sam. He teaches his children to respect people for who they are, and not to be pregidice. He dosent force them to commend to socitys demands of them (e.x he dosent force Scout to wear dresses excpet on the first day of school). Kelsey 14/04/10 7:39 pm.

Atticus' parenting on her (It's really stupid but I thought scout was a boy 'til now) is really important throughout the novel. Atticus' home education(?) makes Scout totally dependent in society. She gets to think and act about what she's learned from him. He also shows the significance of public education in chapter 3. Lastly, No offense to the readers but like Atticus said, there are all kinds of people around the world and need to learn "tricks" to be used to them and one of the trick is not to be judgemental nor black or white against people. J.K. 14/04/10 23:10

Yeah i agree with Kelsey. Atticus doesn't want Scout to fight but she does anyway. I personally really like the character of Scout. She is a very "coming of age" character. Her tomboyish actions and attitude had a certain aspect to the novel that would be missed if she was more of girly-girl. Like JK, I sometimes think Scout is a boy due to her actions. Also i forget how young she actually is. She thinks about hings in more mature way then other kids of her might show. I think this probably has to do with how Atticus parents. Once again, showing his good parenting skills. Sam 15/04/10 6:54pm

I argee with Sam when he said that Atticus didn`t want her to fight but she does anyway. The one thing that i find strange about Atticus`s actions is when even though he wants Scout to be more lady-like yet he ends up getting her and Jem air rifles for christmas. So far in the novel I think that Atticus has done a fairly good job at parenting Jem and scout but I think that if he wants Scout to be more lady-like he will have to be more strict and set more rules for Scout to follow so that she does not do so much boyish stuff. Adam 16/04/10 8:34pm

Well since nobody else has responded i will just try to respond to the question in more detail. My first reaction t this topic is that yes, Aticus does a great job at raising both Jem and Scout. When I look furthur into the way that he treats Scout i can very clearly see why she is so much of a tom-boy, because Atticus treats both Jem and Scout almost the same. One thing that I believe is one of Atticus's strengths at parenting is the way that he handles telling Scout and Jem about how they ar going to get picked on at school because he is defending a black persoon. Adam 19/04/10 7:28am.

In the book, it also shows that Atticus is really stict in some way but mostly giving-love person to his children. Throughout the book, he makes his children to say "sir" after every full sentence they make. Once in the book, he replied as "and what?" and Jem had to say "and sir". He wants Scout to be more lady-like like Sam and Adam said. I don't have much time cuz I got to go to school, I'm signing out. J.K. 20/04/10 07:50