English: Chapter 8

Key Events/Ideas

Quotations

"Hasn't snowed in Maycomb since Appomatox. It's bad children like you makes the seasons change"
""Why don't you get a coloured man?" There was no note of sacrifice in his voice when he added, "or Scout 'n' me, we can help you""

Context

Very small lives – they never leave their town and see other places so they have never seen snow
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Mr Avery says 'Hasn’t snowed in Maycomb since Appomattox. It’s bad children like you makes the seasons change.' He is refering to the American Civil War and the battle at Appomattox, in Virginia. The Battle of the Appomattox Court House was fought on the morning of 9 April, 1865 between the Confederate States Army before it surrended to the Union Army. It was one of the last battles of the American Civil War. Harper Lee uses Mr Avery's quote about Appomattox to remind the reader that during the 1930s many American's continued to relate to the Civil War. Mr Avery's quote also relates to earlier in the chapter when he mentioned the Rosetta Stone. He is again making the children feel guilty by eluding to the fact that their behaviour is as bad as the fighting in the Civil War. Mr Avery obviously has no respect for children, and feels the need to blame everything that is wrong about the world on them. Mr Avery's character is a symbol of Harper Lee's opinion about the treatment of children, race and justice in the mid 1930s.
Casual racism – Jem suggests that miss Maudie just "get a coloured man" even though she is poor – shows that it is very easy to do and black people have no value. This is not a moral dilemma for him but if he were to do the work he would be seen as very charitable.

Who does Jem think is responsible?

What is the significance of the blanket being placed on Scout's shoulders?

English