TKAM Chapters 18-31 Summary

Chapter 18
Mayella Ewell is called to the stand. She testifies that she asked Tom Robinson to chop up a dresser in return for a quarter, and that when she turned around Tom attacked and raped her. In cross-examination, Atticus shows that Mayella is terribly lonely. When Atticus asks Mayella to identify Tom, and Tom stands up, it becomes clear that Tom's left arm is useless: it was destroyed in an accident. If Tom can't use his left arm, then how could he have beaten and raped Mayella? Atticus asks Mayella wasn't Bob Ewell the person who beat her? Mayella refuses to answer.
Chapter 19
Atticus calls Tom Robinson to the stand. Tom says he often helped Mayella with chores. On this occasion, he says, Mayella threw herself at him. He tried to leave, but was scared to push her out of the way. Suddenly, Bob Ewell showed up and yelled at Mayella, "You goddamn whore, I'll kill ya." Tom ran.Link Deas, stands up in the crowd and says that Tom is a good man. Judge Taylor expels Deas from the courthouse.Mr. Gilmer cross-examines. He calls Tom"boy" in a nasty tone, and tricks Tom into saying he felt sorry for Mayella, which causes a murmur of anger and disgust in the courtroom. Mr. Gilmer asks why Tom ran if he was innocent. Tom says that a black man has to run in any bad situation.Dill starts to cry and Scout takes him outside. Dill says he can't stand the way Gilmer was talking to Tom.
Chapter 20
Outside the courthouse, Mr. Dolphus Raymond sympathizes with Dill about the way white people treat black people without even stopping to think that blacks are people too. Raymond is an eccentric rich white man. He gets little respect from the white people in the town because he's always drunk and lives with a black woman and has fathered interracial children. But Dill and Scoutlearn that Raymond isn't actually a drunk: he only drinks Coca-cola. Mr. Raymond explains that he fakes being a drunk so people won't bother him for living the way he wants.Atticus is making his closing remarks when Dill and Scout get back to their seats. Atticus notes the prosecution's lack of evidence, then says the courtroom is the one place in America where every man is equal, and asks the jury to "do its duty."
Chapter 21
Calpurnia enters the courtroom. She tells Atticus that Jem, Scout, and Dill are missing. Mr. Underwood says they're sitting in the balcony. Atticus tells them to go home and eat lunch, but relents and says they can come back for the verdict if it hasn't already been delivered.An hour later, Scout, Jem, and Dill get back to the silent, tense courtroom. The jury is still deliberating. Jem is confident of victory because all the evidence is in Tom's favor.Heck Tate calls the court to order. The jury comes back and does not look at Tom. Scout knows this means the verdict is guilty. It is.
Chapter 22
Jem cries. He can't understand how the jury could convict Tom. Atticus says they've done it before and they'll do it again and only the children will weep.The next morning, the Finches wake to discover that the black community of Maycomb has brought them baskets of food in thanks for Atticus's defense of Tom.That afternoon, Jem tells Miss Maudie he used to think the people of Maycomb were the best people in the world, but no longer does. Miss Maudie says the trial was a step in the right direction, and that there are good people in Maycomb. For instance, it's no coincidence Judge Taylorappointed Atticus to take Tom's case.Suddenly Miss Stephanie Crawford runs up with gossip: Bob Ewell just threatened Atticus and spit in his face.
Chapter 23
Jem and Scout are terrified Ewell will attack Atticus. Atticus, thinks Ewell has already gotten the need for revenge out of his system, though Aunt Alexandra isn't so sure.Meanwhile, Tom Robinson is in prison. Atticus thinks he has a good shot of winning on appeal. If he loses, though, Tom will be executed. When Jemexpresses disdain for the jury that convicted Tom, Atticus says that one man on the jury, a Cunningham, almost voted for acquittal. This news inspires Scout to declare she's going to invite Walter Cunningham to dinner, but Aunt Alexandra forbids it. She says the Finches are too good for the Cunninghams.Later that night, Scout and Jem try to figure out why people are prejudiced. They come up with all sorts of reasons but none seems sufficient. Jem realizes Boo Radley stays in his house because he wants to.
Chapter 24
One Saturday, Aunt Alexandra invites company, and tells Scout to help Calpurnia serve. At the event, Mrs. Grace Merriweather talks about helping the poor oppressed people of Africa, then turns around and blames "some people" for her maid's "sulkiness" since the Tom Robinson trial. Miss Maudie shames the woman for talking badly about Atticuswhile enjoying his hospitality.Just then, Atticus comes home and tells Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, and Scout that Tom tried to escape from prison and was killed. Calpurnia leaves with him. Aunt Alexandra, Miss Maudie, and Scout return to the party and act as if nothing has happened.
Chapter 25
A few nights later, Scout spots a roly-poly bug. Jem won't let her squash it because it didn't do anything to her. Scout remembers that Jem was present when Atticus told Helen Robinson that Tom had died, and Helen collapsed in grief.That Thursday, Mr. Underwood publishes an editorial in his newspaper comparing Tom's death to the "senseless slaughter of songbirds."When he hears Tom has died, Bob Ewell is overheard saying "one down and about two more to go." The rest of the white people in Maycomb thinks it's just like a black man to try and escape even though he has an appeal pending, and soon moves on to other things.
Chapter 26
School starts. As a third grader, Scout is no longer frightened of Boo Radley. She is confused, however, when the town, which was so set against Atticus defending Tom, reelects him to the state legislature that year.In school, Scout's class discusses Nazi Germany. Scout asks Jem why her teacher, Miss Gates, would say persecuting the Jews is awful when she seemed so happy after Tom Robinson got convicted. Jem shouts at Scout never to talk about the trial again.
Chapter 27
Over the next few weeks: Bob Ewell gets a job and gets fired for laziness within days; Judge Taylor hears a scratching at his back door and sees a shadow running off; Ewell follows and curses at Helen Robinson until Link Deas threatens him to stop or else.Aunt Alexandra thinks Ewell has a grudge against everyone involved in the trial. But Atticus says Ewell will calm down when the weather cools. For Halloween that year, there's a pageant at Scout's school. Scout is to be a giant ham—her costume is made of wire and cloth. Atticus and Aunt Alexandra are too tired to attend the pageant, though, so Jem takes her.
Chapter 28
The night is dark. On the way to the pageant Cecil Jacobs jumps from behind a bush and scares Scout and Jem. Then Scout falls asleep and misses her cue to go onstage and is so embarrassed she doesn't want to leave when people are around.As Jem and Scout walk home alone (Scout still in her costume) they hear a noise, and then are attacked. Jem fights back, but is thrown and screams. The assailant squeezes Scout, but then suddenly she's somehow free. Scout feels for Jem, but touches a strange unshaven face that smells like whiskey. In the distance, she can see a man she doesn't recognize carrying Jem toward her house, and Atticus running out to meet him. Atticus calls for Dr. Reynolds and Heck Tate. Dr. Reynold's examines Jem and says he has a broken arm but will be okay. Heck Tate arrives with news that Bob Ewell is dead.
Chapter 29
Scout tells Heck Tate everything that happened, and as she does realizes that the pale man standing in the corner of the room is the person who saved her. Then she realizes that he's Boo Radley, and says "Hey, Boo."
Chapter 30
Atticus is sure Jem killed Bob Ewell and doesn't want it covered up. But Tate says that Jem didn't kill Ewell. Boo Radley did. As sheriff, Tate decides that Boo was saving other people's lives and doesn't need more attention. Atticus asks Scout if she understands. Scout says she does: bringing attention to Boo would be like shooting a mockingbird.
Chapter 31
A little later, Scout escorts Boo back to the Radley House. After Boo has gone inside, she looks out at the street from his porch, and sees the street as Boo must have been watching it for so many years.When she gets back, Atticus is reading in Jem's room. Scout asks Atticus to read to her and rests her head against his knee. He picks up at random one of Jem's comic books, the Gray Ghost, the book Dill gave Jem years earlier. Atticus reads until she falls sleep, knowing full well that Atticus will sit there until Jem wakes up the next morning.

English 10 Standard Semester 1 Exam Study Guide

what is the object of your journey sir

Which word in the sentence is the appositive? sir

Which word is the direct object? object

Is the verb transitive or intransitive? transitive

What type of sentence is this? simple

show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure

Which word is the participle? satisfied

Which word is the helping verb? will

Is the verb “show” transitive or intransitive? intransitive

What type of sentence is it? compound

lord albermarle an elderly paralytic man was now the only advocate of phileas fogg

Which part of the sentence is the appositive phrase? an elderly paralytic gentleman

What type of verb is “was”? linking

Which work in the sentence is the predicate nominative? advocate

Is the verb “now” transitive or intransitive? intransitive

each of the students was working on his writing assignment when the bell rang

Which word is the subordinating conjunction? when

Are the verbs “working” and “rang” transitive or intransitive? intransitive

Which word is the helping verb? was

What type of sentence is this? complex

Multiple Choice

What emblem did Hester have to wear? letter a

For what did the letter A stand? adulterer

What information did Hester refuse to tell the officials and Mr. Dimmesdale? name of lover

How did Hester support herself and Pearl? sewing

Describe Pearl. beautiful

Describe Hester’s feelings toward Pearl. she loved her

Mr. Wilson asks Pearl, “Canst thou tell me, my child, who made thee?” What is Pearls answer? rosebush

How did Roger Chillingworth become Dimmesdale’s medical advisor? church elders

Who is the leech? Chillingworth

What does Rev. Dimmesdale’s congregation think of him? practically a saint

Where did Mr. Dimmesdale go at midnight? scaffold

What did Pearl ask Mr. Dimmesdale? stand on scaffold with her

Why do Hester and Pearl go to the forest? to meet dimmesdale

When Mr. Dimmesdale finds out that Roger Chillingworth is out for revenge, he knows his religious career is Boston will be at an end and his life would be miserable. What does Hester suggest? her pearl and he should all go away

Mr. Dimmesdale kissed Pearl. What did she do in response? washed it off

How did Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale’s attitude change after he decided to leave Boston with Hester? felt better

What did Mr. Dimmesdale tell the people of New England before he died? confessed sins

What did the people see when Mr. Dimmesdale took off his ministerial band? letter A scar

What happened to Hester? stayed in boston

What happened to Pearl? moved to Europe

Vocabulary Matching

Amiable - good-natured

Iniquity - immoral behavior

Impute - represent something undesireable

Abased - humiliated

Benign- friendly

Obviated - prevent or remove

Implore - beseech

Impalpable - indescribable

Incongruity - being unsuitable

Epoch - time-period

Mollified - to appease someone

Requite - avenge

Quaff - drink

Pious - devoutly religious

Unrelenting - not yielding in severity