QUESTION: Explain Jem’s statement: “When I went back they were folded across the fence . . . like they were expectin’ me.”
Throughout most of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," one of the main focuses has been the children's interest in Arthur "Boo" Radley. In the sixth chapter of the novel, before Dill left, the three children decided to look into one of the windows of the Radley's house to see if they could see Arthur. Arthur is a mysterious character to all of the kids. They have heard so many stories about him that they don't know what to believe anymore. They have decided to take things into their own hands. This explains the reason why the children wrote the note to Arthur; they are curious. They want him to come out, and talk to them.
When Jem was took off his pants while trying to go through the fence, they tore. This was sort of weird, because when he went back to retrieve them later that night, they were stitched up, and folded nicely. As Jem explains, "They'd been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed 'em, like somethin' I'd try to do. All crooked. It's almost like--." (78) This describes that it was a man that sewed his pants together. Maybe Arthur found them. Maybe Mr. Radley found them. Either way, Jem found them together, which was not exactly what he expected. Jem seemed terrified by this, and didn't know what it meant.
How would you have acted if something like this happened to you? What initial thoughts do you think went through Jem's mind when he found them? Do you think it was Mr. Radley or Arthur? Why? Do you ever think the children will get Arthur to come out? Why?
If something like this happened to me, I think I would be slightly weirded out. The fact that one of the Radley's did this, shows that they aren't trying to get rid of Jem or Scout. I believe that secretly, Boo wants to meet he kids, but doesn't know how to. By leaving the gum and the pennies, and stitching up the pants, Boo is trying to show nice gestures towards the kids. Boo was the one who is doing this because the letter was wrote to him, and I think Boo is socially awkward or insecure. He doesn't know how to deal with social situations, which is why he stays in the house, and why he is indirectly interacting with the kids.
ReplyDeleteI think that Arthur "Boo" Radley was the one who left the stitched, folded up trousers. I believe it was Boo because Nathan Radley seems too gloomy and unfriendly to do such an act. Also Mr. Radley was the one shooting at Jem, “Mr. Nathan Radley was standing inside his gate, a shotgun broken across his arm...shot at a Negro in his collard patch..." (72) This fact makes me believe he would not leave the pants, because he would not want/expect the intruder back or be considerate enough to repair the pants of an unwanted guest. Boo would be the repairer because first of all he was the only other person in the vicinity that would have see Jem lose his pants. So he might be inclined to go out there and fold them for Jem. He would considerate enough to try and stitch them because Boo also probably is the kind person leaving treats for the Finch kids. He is probably the knot treat person because the only reason why Nathan Radley would hole up the tree would be to keep Boo from filling it. Since Atticus concluded it was not to help the “dying” tree.
ReplyDeleteQuestions: Do you think Boo Radley has been watching the kids play (ex. the figurines)? Why do you think Nathan Radley really filled the tree knot for? Would you be creeped out to find your pants “waiting” for you? Why or why not.
The initial thoughts that probably went through Jems mind when he found his pants neatly folded and stitched up were that he was both surprised and intrigued. He was surprised because he had not expected that he would go to the Radleys house and find his pants folded neatly instead of having them be tangled up in the fence and intrigued because he did not no who did it and was trying to find out. If I was in Jems situation, I would have a new respect for the Radleys because I would realize that at least one of them actually wanted to help Jem.
ReplyDeleteWhen Nathan Radley plugged up the hole in the tree, Scout and Jem each had a different perspective and reaction towards it. Scout, still very young and innocent, was extremely disappointed solely because she knew she wouldn't be receiving presents anymore. On the other hand, Jem's maturity and knowledge of what actually happened brought him to tears because he realized that the tree was not actually dying or weak, but that Boo's brother was doing a cruel act. The knothole in the tree was an indirect way for Boo to attempt to make a friendship and not be considered an outcast, but what Nathan did was deprive him of the outside world and any chance of having a social life,just like what his dad did to him.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your opinion on why Nathan Radley plugged up the hole in the tree? Why do think Jem was crying? How was the concept of "empathy" implied in chapters 6&7?
Michelle
After the creepy situation with the sewing of the pants, Jem was frightened and confused. If this incident took place in my life, I would have been terrified. Unlike Jem, who didn’t tell Scout anything for a week, I would have told my siblings immediately. I’m not one to hold alarming thoughts in my head for a long period of time. Placing my feet in Jem’s shoes, I would have felt puzzled and panicky. Located at a house at 2:00 in the morning, in the pitch black, receiving my pants from an unknown man’s rusty fence sounds just a little petrifying. For Jem not to say anything about this for a week shows a lot about his character. He is confident, brave, and determined. I’m sure that Jem and Scout believed that Arthur stitched the pants up, but I don’t think Harper Lee would leave it that obvious for her readers. So far in this novel, we have questioned many ideas and been left with various cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. Harper Lee could be using this as a way to trick our minds into thinking it was Arthur. What if its Atticus trying to teach his kids a lesson? Mrs. Maudie has recently described “Boo” as a normal person. Maybe Harper Lee will further prove this point later in the book leaving the pant sewing as someone else’s fault.
ReplyDeleteWho else could have sewed up the pants besides Arthur?
I think that sewing the pants up as best as he could and folding them nicely over the fence was Boo's way of telling The Finch kids that he's on their side, and that he is a nice person despite all of the rumors that are spread about him. Boo is trying to protect Jem from Nathan because he knows that if Nathan had found the pants Jem would have been in big trouble. Nathan Radley saying that there was a black person in his backyard was just another way to draw attention away from Boo. I think that Nathan is starting to realize that Boo wants to come out and he can't hide him away any longer. Putting cement in the tree hole and threatening to shoot anyone who comes in his backyard (comes near Boo) are just Nathan's attempts to conceal Boo.
ReplyDeleteIf something this weird ever happened to me I would definitely be creeped out, but I would also be curious. Initially I would be a little uneasy because if I were Jem I would wonder who could have stitched the pants, and WHY would they stitch the pants. And the fact that they were folded nicely on the fence, as if someone was waiting for me to come back to get them, that would make me feel very tense. After the uneasiness passed, I would start to get curious. I actually like mysteries and trying to solve them. Was it Mr. Nathan Radley? Or was it Boo? It certainly seems like it was one or the other. That’s where I would start to investigate to figure out which one stitched them. Assuming it was Boo or Nathan, this event also shows that the Radleys aren’t terrible people. Maybe they’re just misunderstood. They stitched the pants back together, folded them neatly and placed them on the fence. That’s not something a bad person would do. And if they were bad and really wanted to get Jem, they could have pounced on him when he returned for his pants. This event certainly raises a lot of questions and leaves an open mystery about the Radleys.
ReplyDelete