Part 2

chapters 9 - 14

As Scout's fights with school children, and her cousin Francis, would suggest, the trial is going to be a major hurdle for the Finch family. In an old fashioned Southern town like Maycomb, racism abounds. The town is not so much upset that Atticus is defending Tom, which is his job. They are upset that Atticus plans to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Maycomb residents believe Atticus should not put any effort into the case and let it all be done with. When a black man has been accused of raping a white woman, the verdict has already been decided regardless of the facts. Even Atticus' family sees the situation this way, which explains Scout's fight with her cousin.

Harper Lee's choice of first person narrative through Scout makes for some minor complications when reading. Because Scout is such a young girl, she does not fully comprehend the meaning of many of the events taking place. The trip to Calpurnia's church is the perfect example. To Scout, this seems very natural. She loves Cal and wants to know about Cal's life. But two white children in a black congregation in the 1930's are almost scandalous. Scout does not see it this way, but Aunt Alex's later reaction shows that such an event is far beyond social mores of the time. The narrative voice's innocence makes the novel very powerful and lyrical, but also requires closer examination. Whenever dealing with first person a reader must realize the filters the narrator has as a character that affect the picture presented.