Chapter 8

To Kill a Mockingbird chapter sketch with quotations from the chapter.

Atticus awakes Scout in the middle of the night and goes outside, taking Scout and Jem with him. Miss Maudie's house has caught fire and it is beginning to spread through the neighbourhood. Atticus, along with other neighbours help to save Miss Maudie's furniture. Atticus tells the children to keep out of the way so they go and stand outside the Radley plot. 

While Scout is focusing on the fire someone drapes a blanket over her. When her father questions where she got it she has no idea but Jem quickly realises that it could've been Boo Radley (Scout seems terrified at this idea.)  

Despite her house burning down, Miss Maudie seems to be cheerful and quite upbeat the next day. She tells Jem and Scout how much she disliked her old house as, the garden was too small. This shows that Miss Maudie is quite an optimistic character. 

[NOTE: I AM NOT AN ARTIST]

Character Summaries

I have recently began to read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' written by Harper Lee and already broad and detailed descriptions have been built up about each of the characters that have been introduced in the story so far.

Jean-Louise (Scout) Finch is a tomboy, which is unusual in the prim and proper county of Maycomb. She is presented to be very well educated, despite her young age. The language she uses is sophisticated and very articulate. Scout is very wise for her age, she already knows how to read and write, despite only just starting school, which she does not seem to enjoy. She seems to be a slightly unusual young child, as she is incredibly confident and unafraid to speak her opinions to her older brother, Jem, and her friend, Dill. Scout always has good intentions and comes across incredibly innocently.

Jeremy 'Jem' Finch, is about four years older than his younger sister Scout. Jem has a very dominant personally and like Scout, is very confident. Jem always takes the lead on the adventures which shows he is a very natural leader. At the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout are very close as they grow up, but as the story progresses there is a sense Jem is wanting to become more independent as he sees himself more as a man, whereas Scout is still just a little girl. This will be hard for Scout as she seems to idolise Jem and tends to believe everything he says. However, no matter how far apart Jem and Scout will grow, I think that he will always be very protective of her.

Atticus, a lawyer in Maycomb, is Jem and Scout's father. Atticus comes across as being very intelligent and calm, which seems to be greatly respected by everyone in the village. He seems to believe that everyone, no matter what race you may be should be equally respected as everyone has their good and bad qualities.

We have also been introduced to Charles Baker 'Dill' Harris, Jem and Scout's neighbour in the summer months. Dill, alike, Jem and Scout is very confident. He has a very large and active imagination, especially when telling to stories of Boo Radley.

(TBC)