I think that Scout, in chapter 15, is acting in her character. Although somewhat exaggerated, the behavior and thoughts that Scout has while confronting the mob and throughout the rest of the sorry are the same. Scout is very ignorant to things that go on in the world. She continually asks questions and, even then, doesn’t quite understand. For example, when she asks Calpurnia why she speaks differently in front of her friends than she does with the Finches. Scout, no matter how Calpurnia explains it, just can’t quite understand.
Being an eight year old girl living a blissfully ignorant life, however, is important to express the themes of the book. Scout, like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, are symbols of innocence in this book. They’re the mockingbirds. So there was need to exaggerate Scouts ignorance in the face of evil. It’s showing that a child’s ignorance and innocence are something that shouldn’t be harmed, like Atticus not exactly telling Scout what rape is. That’s why the mob left when Scout came; it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.
So, in chapter 15 Scout does follow here previous character. The whole scene was somewhat exaggerated but it was necessary to relay one of the main points of the book. Scout is just being an innocent little girl who knows nothing of the evils in the world. She lives in a time with no TV and violent movies so her innocence has been preserved all this time. She’s had no experience with this sort of violence so she has no idea what it is. It’s not until later that she’ll understand and her faith in the goodness of humanity will be tested.
February 12, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Noah,
Nice job articulating the argument. Try to use more specific examples from the book. It would make your response much stronger. I see the examples in the first paragraph, but they could be more specific.
February 12, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Noah,
Nice job articulating the argument. Try to use more specific examples from the book. It would make your response much stronger. I see the examples in the first paragraph, but they could be more specific.