English: Chapter 5

Key Events

Dill and Jem grow closer and exclude Scout who is forced to visit Miss Maudie every evening for company
Scout seems to see violence as the only answer to her problems and beats Dill up twice to try and get his attention
Miss Maudie rises above the gossip about Boo to an extent and insists on using his real name
Casual racism continues and Stephanie Crawford is established as the village gossip and mocked for sleeping around
Jem and Dill plan to give a note to Boo but although the note is empathetic, it is designed to bring Boo out of the house and they get caught by Atticus

Key Quotations

"His name's Arthur and he's alive"
"women are a sin by definition"
"sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of – oh, of your father"
"that is three-fourths coloured folks and one-fourth Stephanie Crawford"

Context

Very religious and some people ("foot-washers") take the story of Adam and Eve litereally and use it to discriminate against women

What do we learn about Miss Maudie Atkinson?

Loves gardening - "keep out of her azaleas"
On good terms with the Finches "Jem and I had always enjoyed free run of Miss Maudie's yard" - "so careful were we to preserve the delicate balance of our relationship"
Not restricted by gender norms - "a chameleon lady" - "worked in her flower beds in an old straw hat and men's overalls, but after her five o'clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in magisterial beauty"
Hates nutgrass
Bakes good cakes

She doesn't believe in sexism and openly criticises men - "sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of – oh, of your father" - sees how the bible is power and that it can do more damage than drunkenness as well as that Atticus would more sensible than many men even if her were drunk

What is learnt about Boo in this chapter?

English