To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Contributed by Sharon Fleming
Chapter 3
Summary

Scout vents her frustrations on Walter at the playground for the earlier ordeal, but Jem stops her after realizing that Walter is the son of a man Atticus had defended in court. He invites Walter home for lunch, but he is hesitant at first. He later joins Scout and Jem when they start walking away. At home, Scout asks Walter why he is pouring syrup in his food, but Calpurnia calls her to the kitchen and scolds her for embarrassing him. She says he is ‘just a Cunningham' and the cook sends her to the kitchen to eat alone.

Scout stays behind as the others leave for school to convince Atticus to fire the cook for liking Jem more than her, but he says he has no intention of firing her and that Jem giver Calpurnia less trouble compared to her. Back at school, Miss Caroline gets livid when she spots lice on a student, Burris Ewell's hair and asks him to go home and avoid infecting the others. Burris laughs her off and says he won't be coming back. An older student explains that the Ewells only attend school the first day to please the truant officer but never come back. When the teacher asks Burris to sit down, he yells insults at her and drives her to tears.

When she gets back home that evening, Scout is surprised by Calpurnia's pleasantness. Atticus asks her to read with him after supper, but she says her teacher told her to stop; that she wanted to be like the Ewell kids and never go back to school again. Atticus explains that the Ewells are a special case and everyone doesn't care about their lifestyle, that they even let their father, Bob Ewell, to hunt outside hunting seasons when everyone else lives by the law. They strike a deal that she will continue going to school, and they will keep reading together as they used to.

Analysis

Although it is Scout’s first day at school, her most valuable lessons come outside the classroom. When she refers to Walter Cunningham as ‘just a Cunningham’ and not a guest, Calpurnia quickly points out that every person deserves to be respected no matter their social status. The level of social division in Maycomb becomes even more apparent when the incident of Burris Ewell, a student with lice, is brought up. The way he behaves towards Miss Caroline clearly shows what one can expect from the Ewells. The backward nature of the Ewells in the society is clearly depicted later in the story during the trial. Chapter 3 also shows Atticus as a very loving father. His appreciation of Calpurnia for helping him out with the children is also evident; as it provides and insight into his attitude toward race.

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