LEARN MORE...
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Contributed by Sharon Fleming
Content
Overview
Context
Characters
Motifs
Themes
Symbols
Plot Summary
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Get 24/7
Homework help
Our tutors provide high quality explanations & answers.
Post question

Newest Questions

Chapter 21
Summary

Calpurnia passes a note informing Atticus that his children are missing from the house, but the newspaper publisher Braxton Underwood tells him that the children are in the ‘Colored balcony.' They meet downstairs, and Atticus orders them to go back home. Alexandra is shocked to learn where they had gone to. After eating they get back, and the jury arrives with the verdict at around 11 pm. The guilty verdict is read, and after changing a few words with Mr. Gilmer, he packs his briefcase and leaves, to a standing ovation from everyone in the Colored balcony, including Reverend Sykes.

Analysis

When Calpurnia passes a note to Atticus in the middle of the trial, it shows that Maycomb is a small community and everyone knows each person’s job. These qualities about the society has proved to be detrimental when overshadowed by prejudice and racism, as is the fact in the Tom Robinson case. The fact that Atticus allows his children to return to the courtroom after sending them back home shows that their relationship has matured and he now understands his children better, just the way they understand him better. The tension makes the reading of the verdict a perfect climax. The guilty verdict shocks and surprises many, but Atticus recognizes it couldn’t have gone any other way. The entire black community honors him when he passes, revealing that true class has more to do with morality than family name, the amount of money one has or the color of their skin.

<
Chapter 20
Chapter 22
>
info_outline
Have study documents to share about To Kill a Mockingbird? Upload them to earn free Studypool credits!

Popular Book Guides