When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow [...] When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out." (Lee 3)
Would the course of events have remained the same if Dill had not entered the picture?
I think that it all started with Dill because Dill brought Jem and Scout the idea of making Boo Radley come out. If Jem and Scout never became fascintated with Boo Radley they would not have gotten to know him through the items in the tree, the pants, and the blanket at the fire. Boo Radley saw the children grow up and learn so they interested him too. If Boo Radley did not begin to recognize the children he would have never saved Jem. I think that the accident started with the Ewells and the Trial, however the fact that Jem only broke his arm and did not die is due to the fact that Boo saved Jem. And I do not think Boo would have known to save Jem if he had not encountered them before.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Courtney, because even though the Ewells were the ones to actually go after Jem, Boo was the one to save him. Boo is one of the "mockingbirds" in the novel and since he stays out of people's way completely they seem to think that he is evil, that is why the children became interested in Boo. Their game made them fascinated in Boo and they didn't realize until they matured that Boo was a harmless and kind person. The novel would be completely different without Dill, because he is the one to start all the games during the summer and is always the most curious one.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I agree with you that Boo and Dill play a very important role in the novel. However, i do not think that anyone in the novel thinks that Boo Radley is specifically "evil". They form many opinions about him, and think that he is a bad person becuase he chooses to be different, but i don't think they ever think that he is actually evil.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nikita and Luaren about Boo and Dill play a very important role in the novel. However, the children believe that Boo is "evil" after hearing stories about Boo from Miss Stephanie Crawford. As Jem and Scout get to know him and mature, they realizes that he is an innocent, harmless, and kind person
ReplyDeleteI believe that the events leading up to Jem getting his arm broken all started with the Ewells. Yes, Dill and Boo did show some significant role in the incident.
ReplyDeleteThe course of events definately would have changed if Dill had not entered the picture. Dill introduced the whole game of "Boo Radley" and Boo ended up saving Jem in the end. Scout ended up learning that "big, scary' Boo Radley was just a quiet, misunderstood man who saw the world from a different point of view and had a deep connection with the children.
But Mr. Ewell was the major role in the incident. He was the one who attacked Jem and badly hurt his arm. Boo was the one who ended up saving them. Mr. Ewell had a vendetta againgst Atticus and decided to take it out on his two children, Scout and Jem. But that's just my opinion.
I believe that the events leading to Jem's broken arm starts with Dill and Boo Radley(mostly Dill). I think that although Scout and Jem already had their fantasies about Boo Radley, Dill planted the idea into their head to try and get Boo to come out. During the scene where Jem's arm was broken, Boo Radley ended up saving Jem's life.
ReplyDeleteMr. Ewell was the main reason that Jem's arm was broken but that was because Atticus was defending Tom Robinson in court. There was tension between Mr. Ewell and the Finches but that a separate storyline.
I believe that the events leading up to Jem's broken arm are directly connected to Dill and Boo Radley.
I agree I think that Dill started it all. Dill was the one who became so curious about Boo Radley. If you look in the novel during the fall you never see Scout and Jem trying crazy experiments to try to get boo Radley to come out. There was fear for Boo Radley before Dill came into the picture. Once he befreinded the Finch children they gradually lost their fear and learned more about Boo and adults feelings.
ReplyDeleteAlthough my original belief was that Atticus was the reason because he helped the children understand about peoples feelings and prejudgement. This helped Scout and Jem understand Boo. And also he fought on the opposing side of the Ewells and embaressed Mr. Ewell infront of the entire town which angered him and made him violently attack.
I think that Dill definately sparked the curiosity of Boo, but Atticus contributed more to the fact that he taught the children about Boo and angered Bob Ewell.
I agree with Erika about the fact that Atticus was the reason for that. Without him there to guide the children, their fear of Boo Radley would have only been fear, and never grown into anything more. First impressions are huge, and Boo has never made a true "first impression" on them, but the community has created that FOR him. So in a way, Jem and Scout already THINK that they know Boo Radley. Atticus is really the reason for their evolving friendship with this man who they have not seen before. And because Atticus has led the children to see more than what the community of Maycomb does in an invisible recluse, Boo Radley saves Jem. He looks out for Jem and Scout, and he would not if it had not been for Atticus, because without Atticus, there is no telling what things the kids would have done out of their curiosity about Boo, but it would have been worse than just touching the house.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, Bob Ewell would not have had that hatred toward the Finches if not for Atticus.
I agree that meeting Dill who gave Scout and Jem the idea to make Boo come out caused Jem to have his arm broken. This relates to what Courtney and Lauren said before that Boo caused Jem to have a broken arm in an indirect way as opposed to being dead. Boo saved Jem with the consequence of the broken arm. I do not believe Boo would have ever come to the children's rescue if not for their curiousity with him to come out coming from Dill. I think their curiousity with him led to his curiousity with them. Yes Bob Ewell did cause the attack but Jem's arm being broken is from Boo coming to the rescue from the attachment he had to the kids. Without Boo saving him, Jem's arm would not have been broken and he would have been dead.
ReplyDeleteEven if Dill did not come into the picture, Jem would still be injured. Dill had no effect on whether or not Atticus defended Tom Robinson. Because Atticus embarassed Bob Ewell, he attacked Jem and Scout. But, Jem might not be alive if it wasn't for Dill. Dill helped catch Boo Radley's attention by trying to make him come out all the time. It was then that Boo started to watch them and leave them presents. So when Mr. Ewell was attcking Jem and Scout, armed, Boo would not have come out and saved both of them if it wasn't for Dill. I believe out of all the characters, Atticus and Dill have the greatest effect on what goes on in Scout and Jem's life.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Jem breaking his arm had nothing to do with Dill. The incident was bound to happen because Atticus decided to accept Tom Robinson's case, and go against Bob Ewell. The rest could be blamed on Bob Ewell's ego and over-confidence that he would be able to win the case.
ReplyDeleteFor the journal, I had a few questions about when it says:
ReplyDelete"Then, give TITLES to those two chapters, explaining why that title is effective for the chapter (2 concrete details) and how it connects to Harper Lee's lesson (your commentaries). You need one direct quote for each body paragraph (2 in total for this journal)."
For titles, should we just make up a title? Like for chapter 2- something like "Scouts first day at school" or something along those lines? And also, do the quotes have to be from the chapters we choose or from any chapters? Thanks, James :)
I believe, like most other people on this blog, that the events began with Dill coming to Jem and Scout. Without him there, the kids would not have been as interested in Boo Radley, which is a big reason for why everything happened.
ReplyDeleteJames, you would make up a title that would best represent the chapter you are explaining. I am not sure about your second question but I would put it on the random musing part two blog so more people might see sorry!
ReplyDeleteMarissa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Dill is a main cause to all of the inciding events in the story, because he comes with such vast knowledge and imagination that make Jem and Scout so interested in playing with him. Before they know it, they are creating all of these games involving Boo Radley. Without Dill, they wouldn't have had such a yearning to learn about Boo Radley's past, and more importantly try to influence his future.
James,
I think the quote you use should be about that chapter, because you are using it to portray the theme of the chapter you are discussing.
Thanks Tracey and Danielle! I didn't know where to put this question but i figured it had something to do with To Kill a Mockingbird :)
ReplyDeletethanks
-James
I think that if dill had not entered the picture, then the kids wouldn't have had the same relationship with Boo. And, if they had a weaker relationship, they wouldn't have walked past the Radley's to get home- so Boo couldn't have saved them. If Boo didn't save Jem, then both Scout and Jem could've been injured by Mr. Ewell. I think Harper Lee made Dill obsessed with Boo Radley for a reason, and the reason was this.
ReplyDeleteJames, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if Dill had not come to Maycomb, then Jem would have never touched Radley's house and never reached out for Boo. As the novel goes on, Boo and children develop a strong relationship. Children overcame their fear when they became closer with Boo. This is why Jem and Scout were cutting through Radley's yard on their way home when it was dark. Bob Ewell attacked Scout and Jem, and Boo saved the children. If they had weaker relationship with Boo, they would have went around the Boo Radley house where streets are lighted. Bob Ewell would have not attacked that night but waited until it is time.
I think that maybe it is not necessarily the fact that Atticus agrees to defend Tom that really gets Bob. I think it is the fact that Atticus is actually going to try to. If Atticus did not try his best to actually defend Tom, then Bob might not have been so angry.
ReplyDeleteBob is mad because someone stood in his way. Someone told him that a black man's word was better than his. And someone stripped away his last bit of credibility.
teacher note: end tally here
ReplyDelete