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Chapter 1-2: The Beginning

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Lee stated, Now you tell your father no to

teach you any more. Its best to begin reading
with a fresh mind. You tell him Ill take over
from here and try to undo the damage-- Your
father doesn't know how to teach. (Lee, 16)

I think this falls under the category of womens

rights. And how women didnt have much/any
meaningful jobs. And how she was trying to
put scout in her place because Miss Caroline
probably thought that Atticus was teaching
Scout to show her up and wanted so Miss
Caroline wanted to teach Scout in her own way
and not have anyone else mess up her own
method, because most teachers still do this,
they dont want others to teach them in ways
that are different than their ways.
And scout might have felt a sense of having no
power because of how much power miss
caroline is abusing in demining scout.
I personally think Miss Caroline is just being a
jerk to Scout here. She may be an adult and
should know better but I believe that she is just
being immature and stupid. Because she is
basically saying to Scout, Its not good to get
ahead of the curve, so I want to hold you back
and slow you down just because you are not
suppose to be at this level of learning. And
would this be happening today? No, because
most all teachers want children to better
themselves and be advanced. That is why we
have AP classes as well as honors classes, for
those people that are way more advanced than
others in their same age, and grade.
And why does Miss. Caroline automatically
think that Atticus was doing a bad job, Scout

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knows how to read fairly well and someone

who did not know what they were doing would
probably not be able to make that happen.Does
it not after all kind of halp her future teachers
because it is just one less student she has to
worry about, teaching these basics to her.But
most importantly, why is it such a bad thing
that Scout already knows how to read and
write, does it bother Miss. Caroline because
she just wants to teach them her own way and
wants to make sure they are all taught in the
same manner. Why is it such an important
topic for Miss. Caroline? Is it just that
important because she happens to be a teacher

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

This chapter talks about a bit of the history of Maycomb and how it came to be how it is today.
Jem and Scout also meet Dill for the first time, and spend the summer with him. Dill then
developed an obsession with Boo Radley. Then school starts up again and Scout has a new
teacher Miss Caroline who teaches with new methods, and basically prohibits Scout from
reading any more or having Calpurnia and Atticus teach her more. Then Scout basically pisses
off Miss. Caroline when she is trying to explain why Walter Cunningham won't take money for
food when she offered him a quarter that Miss. Caroline basically whips her with a ruler on her
hands.

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Chapter 3-4: The New Teacher

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Reason I cant pass the first grade, Mr. Finch,

is Ive had to stay out ever spring an help
Papa with the choppin, but theres anothern at
the house now thats field size. (Lee pg 32)

I feel that this quote is very very important

because things like this still happen today in
our society. To make an example, some
children still go through things like this, like an
immigrant family, because I have read a semi
autobiography about this man whose family
were immigrants who came to this country to
get a better life. And so to help out he has to go
to work with his family, having to not go to
school for a while just so he can help out with
earning some more money. His older brother
kinda does not even go to school anymore just
so he can earn more. And to make matters
worse they are always moving from place to
place because they work in seasonal jobs that
end at some point in the year, and so when the
job season ends they have to move and with
that the author of this book had to move with
them, constantly going from school to school
and not ever really staying for a whole school
year. And in reality this does happen, maybe
not as widespread as before but in other
countries some people do not even get an
education, and they just learn to work at a
young age unfortunately. And I know that I am
fortunate enough to be able to go to this school
and not have to work all the time with my
parents in the fields doing hard labor work. But
I do go occasionally to help out, because both
of my parents work to help support our family.
But I do feel sad for Walter Cunningham and

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other people like him that are denied an

education to help provide for their family. I
feel that it ultimately denies them an
opportunity to become something better and
earn more money, so they basically can not
turn out any better than their parents. They are
sort of forced to do worse than others if they
are denied their education over having to work
to earn money, And then there are still stories
of families in this situation that the parents
work even harder to give them all the
opportunities that they can, they work harder
so that their own kids can become better.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

During these chapters Scout tries again and again to not go to school as to not incur the wrath of
Miss. Caroline. Then one day on her way home Scout finds some sticks of gum in the tree
outside the Radleys house. Jem told her to spit it out right away, but then the next day they find
shiny indian heads, and they suspect that Boo is behind all this. Dill comes back over the
summer and so one day they play with the tire and Jem accidentally pushed it too hard and she
rolled into the Radleys house. Later they make up a new game to play out called Boo Radley.

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Chapter 5-6: The Dangerous Night

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There he was, returning to me. His white shirt

bobbed over the back fence and slowly grew
larger. He came up the back steps, latched the
door behind him, and sat on his cot.
Wordlessly, he held up his pants. He lay down,
and for a while I heard his cot trembling. Soon
he was still. I did not hear him stir again. (Lee
pg 76)

This shows me that something happened to

Jem while he was gone going for his pants just
so he would not get into trouble. Liek they
almost got shot by a shotgun by Nathan
Radley. And yet here is Jem trying desparetly
to get his pants to cover up his trail of lies and
to not get into trouble. Just to keep his relation
with atticus the same Jem is being a stupid
little kid and is going back to the place where
he was so close to getting shot at. It might just
have been the most dangerous situation he has
ever gotten into, yet he is so willing to go back
there. And when he comes back we can infer
that something happened because he came in
silently and just went to his cot to sleep, then
we immediatly hear his cot trambling. And
only a few things Jem could be doing that
would make the cot tremble. One of which is
cry silently, which we can mostlyly believe
because if everything was normal Jem would
have said something back to Scout when he got
back, yet he is just silent and that is pretty odd.
So we actually know that something did
happen to Jem but we just do not know what it
was. It could have been that someone was
waiting for him or that Nathan Radley was just
waiting for him with his shotgun, waiting to
catch that white nigger. But seriously if I
was him I would have just left them there and
get chewed out in the morning. Because there
are a few things that I will lie about to my

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parents but there is a line then I set that I will

not lie about. This is becuase I am hones at
times when honesty is needed, and yes it is just
that there is just a set of things that I will not
lie about because there are somethings that my
parents will need to know somethings, even if
it gets me in trouble I will not lie about certain
things like getting shot at by a shotgun by
Nathan Radley.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

In these chapters Jem and Scout start to drift apart and Jem and Dill go play by themselves in
the treehouse, and so Scout becomes better friends with Miss Maudie. And now Miss Maudie
bakes them pound cakes. And atticus finds them one day trying to stick a note on the Radleys
window, and tells them to leave the Radleys alone, and he also tells them to stop making fun of
them by acting out their play of their lives.

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Chapter 9-10 The Family

Text and main ideas
If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with
stray dogs, thats his own business, like
Grandma says, so it aint your fault. I guess it
aint your fault if Uncle Atticus is a niggerlover besides, but Im here to tell you it
certainly does mortify the rest of the family
(Lee, pg 110)

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I feel that what Francis is saying is just plain
stupid, and should just leave Atticuss teaching
methods alone. So should Aunt Alexandria,
since she so happens to just believe that she
knows what ifs best for children who are not
even hers, Jem and Scout are Atticuss.
I also believe that what Francis is saying is
really stupid from what he has learned from his
parents. Parents with bad morals and values
usually pass them down to their children as
show by this example. And so since he has
been passed down some of the morals and
values that Aunt Alexandra has, he will
probably pass those morals and values down to
his children, should he have any. And I feel
that is why there are still many racists people
today in our society because their parents
might have passed those thoughts off to their
children. It sucks that there are still many
racists and sexist people today but this is the
world that we live in. One where sadly many
people are still discriminated in one way or
another. In a world with so much violence and
crime, with so much unhappiness and turmoil.
Yet we survive anyways.
What is it to Francis to tell Scout all this, what
is his main reason to, and what does he expect
to gain by basically insulting her, her family
and anything else. And because of this I do not
blame Scout for what she did next. She just

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tried to catch and beat up Francis, I would

probably do the same, just to put that little brat
in his place. And teach hlim some manners as
to not be so rude. Does this kid not have any
manners to not say these kinds of things to
Scouts face. Like the saying goes If you
dont have anything nice to say, then dont say
anything and I would say that this is true,
because all Francis did was successfully piss
off Scout. And Im pretty sure what he said to
Scout was something that his mother was
saying behind their backs and did not intend
for Francis to tell Scout this. But it happened
anyways and even when Scout was trying to
get back at Francis for this she got in trouble
by her Aunt Alexandra who basically hates
Scout, because she is too tomboyish and does
not act like a proper lady.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

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In this chapter we mean most of the Finches. Which include Uncle Jack, Aunt Alexandria and
many other family members. Which included their cousin Francis, who then starts to insult her
and her father. So she gets mad and starts to threaten him scaring him. Then later they find Tim
Johnson who has started to go mad with rabies. The sheriff couldnt take the shot so he had
Atticus do it, and then they found out that Atticus was once called Deadshot.

Chapter 11-12: The Church

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The congregation stirred. You all know what

its for-Helen cant leave those children to
work while Toms in jail. If everybody gives
one more dime, well have it-; Reverend Sykes
waved his hand and called to someone in the
back of the church. Alec, shut the doors.
Nobody leaves here till we have ten dollars.
(Lee pg 162

I feel that this was at first well meaning

because all Reverend Sykes wanted to do was
help Helen Robinson and raise money so she
could just survive and feed her children and
herself. All Reverend Sykes was trying to do in
his mind is a good thing for someone else
when no one else wants to help her during this
rough time. He in his mind is doing something
selfless but in a sort of wrong manner, I will
say that it got results but does the end really
justify the means? Does doing something that
will make others hate you really be worth what
you are doing for others. To me, I feel that it
would not be worth being hated to help one
person generally if I did not know them
personally, but if they are my friends I will
stand by them in their time of need like a good
friend should do. Or in general people who are
nice and polite I would help, maybe not being
as forceful as how Reverend Sykes was but I
would try to help where and when I can. And
even though it does not seem like that much
money when Reverend Sykes says for
everyone to donate another dime, it was a lot
during this time period, especially since this
took place during the Great Depression. And
also some other time during this book it is said
that since many people do not have much
money they pay each other in other services, or
in the case of some farmers they pay in foods.
And I believe that his system of trading food or
services for other food and/or services is a
great idea, after all since it is the time of the
Great Depression many people do not have that
much money in the first place, so they trade
with what they have. And it just reminds me of
history when we hear of the English settlers

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trading supplies with the Indians for other

goods they could not get or manufacture so
they just traded with what materials they had
brought.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

In these chapters Jem and Scout start to go to town more often, and that means having to pass by
Miss Dabooses house and endure her insults towards them and towards Atticus. One day they go
to town and Jem buys Scout a baton, later when they pass back by Miss Dabooses house Jem
has had enough and destroys her flowers with the baton. Then he procedes to break Scouts
baton, and when Atticus gets home he tells Jem that he will have to read to her everyday for an
hour or so. And he does, but after one day Daboose died, and Atticus explains that she was
addicted to morphine and that he made Jem read to her every day to help her quit. And as a last
will thing, she has left Jem a candy box. Late one day when Atticus is at court in a sunday he lets
Calpurnia take the kids to her church.

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Chapter 13-14: The Runaway

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Dills voice went on steadily in the darkness:

The thing is, what Im tryin to say it-they do
get on a lot better without me, I cant help
them any. They aint mean. They buy me
everything I want, but its now-youve-got-itgo-play-with-it. Youve got a roomful of
things. I-got-you-that-book--so-go-read-it.
Dill tried to deepen his voice. Youre not a
boy. Boys get out and play baseball with other
boys they dont hang around the house worrin
their folks (Lee pg 191)

I feel like many kids eventually feel like this

way one day or another. Maybe not as strong
as Dill does to actually run away, but still, even
I have felt like this way once or twice when I
was younger. Like I would get feelings of not
belonging and not mattering from my parents
but then again my eight year old self could not
truly comprehend that my parents were just
always tired from work, since my mother
works in the fields and my father used to drive
trailers they were always tired and did not
really have very much time for us. They did
not come to award nights, or concerts or many
things and so I kept thinking to myself that,
They just do not care about me, and that I just
do not matter But my parents do love me it is
just that they have a hard time spending time
with us because of how hard they work to
provide for us, and to make sure that we have a
better life than they could ever have. That is
why they migrated here to California from
Mexico in the first place, to provide a better
life for us, because they care. Yet here Dill is
not feeling loved or card for anymore, because
his parents just do not want to spend any more
time with him. It must be really hard for Dill
because From what I know he is really used to
being the sort of center of attention. He is used
to spending a lot of time together with his
parents, yet now they are just trying to push
him away, and it makes him feel worthless and

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useless and unloved. And this is a sad this to

feel, it eats away at you and makes you feel
truly and utterly worthless. It makes you just
yearn for some human contact and interaction.
It makes you act out just to get some attention,
and who wants to feel like that, Dill certainly
does not so that is why he ran away, because he
actually feels loved and wanted when he is
over in Maycomb. So he just wanted to be
loved by Jem and Scout and Atticus.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

In these chapters Aunt Alexandria happend to move in with them, for the foreseeable future. She
explains that it is because they are growing up now and that Scout needs a feminine influence
now. Scout and Aunt Alexandria start to fight a lot over what Scout sees as minor things and
what Alexandria sees as major problems, like in the way she dresses or the way she acts and
basically they way she acts in general seems to offend Alexandria. But then a few days later,
after dinner and a fight with Jem, Scout seems to think that there is a snake under her bed and
calls Jem over to have a look, and they eventually find out that it was Dill who had run away and
was currently hiding there. Then he came out and was given food since he was starving, and Jem
happened to tell Atticus about it even after pleading from Scout and Dill not to, and so Dill is
then permitted to spend the night over.

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Chapter 18-19-20: The Testimonies

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Why did you run? I was scared, suh. Why

were you scared? Mr.Finch if you was a
nigger like me, youd be scared, too. (Lee pg
261)

I feel like this does represent civil rights in a

way. Because during this time many African
Americans were persecuted and were basically
had no word over white people, so if some
white person were to accuse an African
American of doing something most likely
everyone will believe them over the colored
person. This was a time where African
Americans were looked down upon and
thought to always be inferior and dirty. Just
like what Tom Robinson was saying, even
though he was innocent just because he was
colored he was afraid of what might happen,
because no one takes the word of a colored
person over the word of a white person even if
that white person is Bob Ewell. And honestly I
feel sorry for all people of color during this
time period because it truly is sad what
happened, that just because of his skin color he
was perceived as the worst kind of human, and
that he basically was at the whim of white
people. I truly do not understand how people
can be like this, because how I always thought
was that I do not care what color skin you are
or from where you come from, just that we as
humans are all equal. I personally just do not
see how other people can think just because of
the color of their skin, or their sexual
orientation, or their religion why someone
should be looked down upon, I look down
upon those people who look down upon

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anyone who is different from them. Because it

is just wrong when people look down upon
others and treat them different just because of
their appearance. Like what does it matter if I
am a different skin color than another person, it
does not change how I act towards them or
how I treat them.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

During these chapters Mayella tells her side of the story and tried to be pitied by crying a lot. She
says that Tom Robinson helped break up a chiffarobe in the front porch and then afterwards
when she was getting a nickel for him he took advantage of her and beat her and tried to strangle
her. Then Atticus dissects her testimony and does find something wrong with it, that how could
Tom overpower her and beat her when he has one lame arm. Then Tom takes the stand and tells
his side of the story, of how Mayella tried to overpower him and take advantage of him but how
Bob saw from the window and started yelling at him so he just ran.

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Chapter 21-22: The Aftermath

Text and main ideas
Tell them Im very grateful he said. Tell
them-tell them they must never do this again.
Times are too hard. (Lee pg 286)

Response: Reactions and

details
I feel that this is very kind of Atticus to try to
turn down the kindness that he has received in
gifts from others in the community because he
knows that most people do not have much and
it might be very hard for them to have given
him all of this food. He is grateful but he
knows that most people are not fortunate
enough to always have something to eat or
have enough money buy food, he does show
that he is grateful but he is then being even
kinder because he is telling the community that
he does not need all these gifts because either
way he would have represented Tom with all
his heart and try his hardest to win, even if it
meant that he would be called a nigger lover
and or other names by others in the
community. Because some of his morales
include standing up for everyone, because he
sees everyone as being equal but since
everyone else does not see it like that he would
stand up for Tom even if everyone thinks it is
wrong for an African American to somehow
win over a white person. This quote also makes
me think that Atticus does know the struggles
of African Americans that is why he is fighting
so hard to help Tom, he wants to try to gain
some semblance of quality between white
people and colored people. He does not care if
it ruins his reputation, by representing Tom
Robinson, Atticus only cares about
Representing him with as much devotion as

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any other case, even more if anything, because

he does not see people of color different than
himself. He sees himself and people of color as
equal but many other people in the community
of Maycomb do not see it that way. If anything
most of the town of Maycomb is biased
towards people of color.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

The chapters happened to occur during the trial of Tom Robinson. Calpurnia happened to come
during the trial to tell Atticus that Jem and Scout were missing, but then Mr.Underwood told him
that Jem and Scout were in the colored section. He tried to make them leave but they did not
want to and so he just sent them some to eat and come back after to see the end if they wanted to,
even though Aunt Alexandria did not want them to. Then after they come back to see the end
Tom is convicted, but not after hours of debating by the jury, this is something important because
usually colored people usually get shunned and looked down upon, and some people on the jury
actually believed that Tom was innocent as well, thats why it took hours to finally come with a
consensus. This is also important because during this time period many African Americans did
not have many rights and were looked down upon by the masses.

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Chapter 23-24-25: The Death of Tom

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I cant say I approve of everything he does,

Maudie, but hes my brother, and I just want to
know when this will ever end. Her voice rose:
It tears him to pieces. He doesnt show it
much. But it tears him to pieces. Ive seen him
when-what else do they want from him,
Maudie, what else? (Lee pg 316)

This is really important I believe, because Aunt

Alexandria looks like she is actually growing a
heart now. It seems like she is less hateable.
Aunt Alexandria is starting to show some
compassion. Even if it is for her brother Atticus
whom it always seems she hates because of
how he parents his children, and how she
doesnt approve of it. I dont feel like she is
being as sympathetic as she can be but then
again she is being more sympathetic and
compassionate than she normally is. Because
she is usually fighting with Atticus on
everything from how he treats his children to
whom he employs to take care of Jem and
Scout. But at least Aunt Alexandria is starting
to grow a heart, because i always felt like she
was too hard on the Jem and Scout, and trying
to turn them into something they are not. They
are not normal Finchs, and that is what Aunt
Alexandria is trying to make them into. But I
agree with what she is saying later in the
chapter, that the whole community is just
alright with letting Atticus tear himself apart
with this case and every other case. They are
content with letting him handle all the stress
and hatred that comes with having been
appointed to represent and truly defend a
African American. And they are also content
with just taking the blame and fall of trying to
represent his client that just so happens to be a
person of color. They are so content with him

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representing this person of color and then

shaming him, that they do not understand that
Atticus is just trying to do his job. Which is
representing his client to the best of his ability
and fighting to prove his innocence even in the
face of this biased jury and town.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

Throughout the chapter it is currently after the trial, and Bob Ewell has threatened Atticus and
spat in his face in public. Then shortly after during a meeting of the ladies of Maycomb they
found out from Atticus that Tom Robinson was killed in prison, and Scout suspects that
something is amiss because the prison yard is as big as a football field and the fact that Tom has
a lame arm so how would he be able to climb the fence as fast as people claim. Then they go
through the aftermath of Toms death, and everyone starts to talk about his death and their family
again, even the newspaper talks a little about his death, but nobody really seems that upset about
it, most people in Maycomb is almost relieved that Tom Robinson is dead, well almost
everybody is. Some of the few people who do care include the Finch family and the African
American community.

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Chapter 26-27-28-29-30: Title goes here

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Well, coming out of the courthouse that night

Miss Gates was-she was goin down the steps
in front of us, you musta not seen her-she was
talking with Miss Stephanie Crawford. I heard
her say its time somebody taught em a lesson,
they were getting way above themselves, and
the next thing they think they can do is marry
us. Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an
then turn around and be ugly about folks right
at home- (Lee pg 331)

I agree with Scout here and what she is saying.

It is pretty hypocritical of Miss Stephanie
Crawford to show compassion for the Jews and
all their hardships because she views them as
human and as contributing to society, and as
basically equal to her. Yet she was so quick to
shun and gossip about putting down African
Americans because she does not see them as
equal or human, and believes that an colored
person should not be able to have as many
rights as she could. And I feel that many
people had that mentality that a colored person
was not equal to them and this was shown at
the trial with how many people opposed Tom
Robinson, and even convicted him even though
he was innocent, shows how biased many
people were during this time period. But then
there are a few exceptions that just disregard
the norm or that specific time. Some of the few
people who openly admitted that they thought
how Tom Robinson was being treated included
Atticus, Jem, Scout, and Dill. And I agree with
Scout that it does baffle me how Miss
Stephanie Crawford can be so sympathetic to
the Jews yet she is more than happy to shun
and get distance themselves from any colored
people. And I do not see how someone could
be like that, like why does she see colored
people as unequal and inferior, that is basically
how Hitler looked at the Jews. And some
people today still look down at African

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Americans, and any other foreigners which just

baffles me even more, these people claim it is
because foreigners do not belong here, but if
we were to go way back in time everyone in
the United States today that is not an Native
American is still a foreigner. So why should
people see ourselves as different just because
of our skin color.

Summary and thoughts from chapter (minimum 5 sentences)

In these last few chapters it seems that everything is starting to go back to normal in Maycomb.
But one night, when Scout plays a ham in the school play about the history of Maycomb they get
attacked on their way home. Out of nowhere they get attacked by someone in cotton pants and
try to run home but can not because their assailant is too strong. Then someone happens to save
them, and later it is revealed that the assailant was Bob Ewell and he is dead. And their savior
just so happens to be the one person with whom the kids were obsessed with, a one Arthur Boo
Radley.

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