Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Recall the testimony of Robert E. Lee Ewell. He believes Tom is innocent and supports him while society takes Mayella's side. Explain Atticus' statement below: "When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness' sakes. I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town. How does Atticus define trash? Though there are several main ideas which can be found throughout the book, this essay focuses on how characters like Francis and Bob Ewell suffer from Maycombs Unusual disease, whilst Atticus and Miss Maudie oppose their views., Atticus has been a part of Maycomb since long, and he knows very well about the racism and the segregation between the blacks and the whites in his society. 2. Who is Lula? Create your own unique website with customizable templates. What does the business part of the Missionary Society consist of? What does cousin Francis tell Scout about Dills homelife? For years after the Civil War, white people have treated black people like second-hand citizens. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Where do the children find Atticus at 10 oclock on Sunday? "'The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something againScout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. That person is Scout Finch. An example for this is Atticus' trial: "reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a N*gro comes up" (117). The disease is most common in children, but can also affect adults. When Jack asks about the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus responds by saying that he plans to present the best defense possible. This one's mine, I guess'" (Lee 100). . | Certified Educator Share Cite In chapter 9, Scout overhears Atticus having a serious conversation with his brother about the trial. link to How Many Guppies in a 55 Gallon Tank? Latest answer posted April 15, 2021 at 5:47:22 PM. "In chapter 9 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what is Maycomb's "usual disease"?" Atticus tells his brother the following: "You know what's going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease. What are the themes in chapter 9 of To Kill a Mockingbird? We first become aware of Atticus's blind spot when he explains the Robinson case to his brother. They don't believe that blacks should have a fair trial, or own land, or vote, for example. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. How does Jem get home? Discrimination against african-americans is something they see as a normal, everyday act. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. What is Maycomb's "usual disease"? Atticus is afraid that his children will be swept up by the craziness and swayed by public opinion. What does Dill say that causes Scout to accuse him of lying? I need the description of him as of the end of chapter 11, when he's between 10 and 12 years old. 7. How has racism affected the lives of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird? Describe Scouts costume. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I dont pretend to understand I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town. Describe the events in Maycomb on the morning of the Tom Robinson trial. 3.I think Atticus is so concerned about the affect the trial might have on Jem and Scout because he doesn't want them to be treated as any less by their friends or classmates. Who knows, maybe something we do today will later been seen as obscene and terrible. Tom Robinson is an African-American. The bacteria causes an infection in the lungs, which leads to fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing. 7. 1. In Maycomb everyone just assumes that black people aren't as smart as white people. If you live in an area where the winters are cold, then you know how important it is to have a good supply of firewood. This shows that from what Atticus can see no matter what happens if something goes wrong with a black person in Maycomb the people will go crazy until they get their way with them whether that be in trial or attack. Discussing the Tom Robinson case with Uncle Jack, Atticus refers to "Maycomb's usual disease," which he is meaning racism. According to heck Tate, who killed the attacker? Mar 8th, 2022 Published Open Document Essay Sample Check Writing Quality In my opinion the "Maycomb's usual disease" is whites believing they have superiority over African Americans just because of their skin color. 8. Despite overwhelming proof of Tom's innocence, the town is too infected to act honestly and allows their racism to control their actions in their conviction of Tom. When Uncle Jack asks Atticus how bad it's going to be, Atticus tells him that it essentially boils down to Tom Robinson's word against the Ewell family's testimony. Another important example of Atticus's non-discriminatory beliefs is he did not treat the Cunninghams any differently even though they were in a lower class than him. See the "Speech and Dialogue" section in "Tools of Characterization" for a fuller explanation of how this term functions in the book.) How does Atticus explain his reasons for defending Tom, Robinson? 3. They mostly occur early in the novel, as later Scout and Jem have learned many lessons, and generally moved beyond childish modes of thinking. What is Maycomb's "usual disease"? Maycombs usual disease is a form of cancer that primarily affects the bones. Latest answer posted April 15, 2021 at 5:47:22 PM. 6. How does Scout solve her problem with Walter Cunningham? 2. I think that no one realizes that they're being racist because it is normal for them to act that way. They never, ever demonstrate the hatred and hypocrisy of racism, but they grow up in a racist society and accept segregation as the norm in the beginning of the novel. How does he expect the case will turn out? When he entered her room to help her he stood on a chair to get a box off of the chiffarobe, she grabbed his leg which startled him and made him fall off the chair. 4. I do my best to love everybodyI'm hard put, sometimes-baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody think is a bad name. What kind of folks are in Scouts hierarchy? This reaction shows that the african americans knew that white children shouldn't mix with them and that they were "different". Accessed 30 June 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Atticus Finch hopes that his children, Scout and Jem, will not contract the disease because it can be quite serious in young people. 1. Who is Dolphus Raymond? Explanation: To Kill a Mockingbird is Harper Lee's coming-of-age novel and a classic of modern American literature. Mayellas terror that drives her into madness also drives the rest of Maycomb into madness, and even though Atticus Finch defended Tom Robinson the best he could, fear still stood in the way of truth., Maycombs Unusual Disease Why has she come to the Finch household? Atticus coined the phrase, and he hopes that Jem and Scout will come to him with their questions and follow his lead. The metaphor "Maycomb's usual disease" is part of Harper Lee's social commentary. They never, ever . In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a moral hero who doesnt suffer from the racism that plagues the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. According to Atticus, what is Maycomb's "usual disease?" Why is he worried that his children will catch it? Atticus doesn't catch the disease because he treats everyone equally, and he doesn't treat people who are lower than him in class like they are lower than him, he treats them as if they are equal, which they aren't in everyone but Atticus' eyes. They have believed rumors and badly imparted information, and imagine him as some sort of half-human monster. 4. Atticus goes against the town's values and beliefs about blacks and decides to take Toms side. What is he referring to? He calls her a "girl" as an insult because she is complaining and overreacting. This quote explains why Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. Reading Questions for To Kill A Mockingbird. Instead, he said exactly what he felt, at the time. All responses must be school appropriate and demonstrate respect for others' ideas and opinions. He actually got to know Calpurnia and realized that even though they're of different races, that she was no different than anyone else. Already a member? Period 7, English AL 9 Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Unfortunately, because of the racial prejudices that have existed in Maycomb for generations, many white people don't agree with him. What does the childrens father, Atticus Finch, do for a living? 1. 1. Cousin Francis-- "I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the family" (110). In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, racism, Maycombs usual disease (Lee To Kill a Mockingbird 117) sends Mayella Ewell stark raving mad(88). (Page 60), "I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease. All of the fear surrounding Mayella Ewell drives her into madness. The earliest example is their treatment of Boo Radley. Robinsons race caused him to be discriminated against by the Whites in Maycomb, in particular Bob Ewell. It is only after her death that the truth is revealed, and they are forced to change their ideas about her. Harper Lee, the author of the very famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has used several ways of portraying this idea and is able to convince readers that her characters really do have some sort of illness, an illness which affects peoples thoughts on how others should be treated. The "usual disease" that Atticus refers to is Maycomb's prejudice and racism. People may argue that it refers only to racism, but there is also prejudice in the town regarding women, children, and those who live in poverty. What makes Jem decide to return to the Radley yard that night? Why doesn't he seem to "catch" the disease when the rest of the town does? Over the course of the story you can tell that race plays one of the lead roles in most of the conflicts that take place in the book. Robinson as reason enough to end any friendships. So Atticus hopes that Jem and Scout get through the trial without catching the infectious hatred that will be spewed, and that they will "come to [him] for answers instead of listening to the town.". To prevent his kids from the disease, Atticus peaches kindness to them so they will never have to grow up having hatred in their hearts towards anyone no matter the color, age, or wealth. What "disease" is he talking about? How does Scout manage to diffuse the situation? Welcome to howtodothings101 ! How does scout respond to that vision? Your comment will be posted after it is approved. 6. Atticus understands the fear and pain Tom Robinson and his family feel about the case, regardless if they are African American., In To 5. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. 7. Terms in this set (59) When defending Tom, Atticus says "we were licked a hundred years ago before we started is no reason for us not to try to win". Why DoesnT Atticus Suffer from MaycombS Usual Disease, How Might Scout Catch MaycombS Usual Disease. The novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. He is well respected and well off in such desperate times, but when he decides that he is actually going to defend Tom Robinson, earns much distaste toward himself from the towns people. Atticus, who stands up against all the racial intolerance when he does not refuse the Tom Robinson case, is quickly called a nigger lover. Scout has already punched Francis because of the names he called Atticus. [Lee, 84] Because Robinson, To begin with, Atticus demonstrates empathy towards African Americans when he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, an African American, who is being falsely accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Atticus doesn't "suffer" from the "disease" because he is wise. How long was the jury out? Why does she consider them hypocrites? It is essentially a lost cause thanks to "Maycomb's usual disease." "Why reasonable people go stark raving mad," he laments, "when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand." (p. In some cases, the victim may also experience physical symptoms such as paralysis or convulsions. What did Arthur (Boo) Radley do at age 33 that temporarily landed him in the county jail? When Miss Maudie's house begins to burn, what other possibility is the Finch family worried about? 2. 6. They don't go to school with different races and they are taught that anything that goes wrong could never be a white person's fault. Read the final sentence of this chapter. It is characterized by fever, sore throat, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. Atticus knows that he will make enemies fromhis decision to defend Tom Robinson, and he worries that the children will also get caught up in the racial frenzy. Find a specific passage that demonstrates one of Maycomb's own acting in a discriminatory way. 3. 7. When a black man, Tom Robinson was accused of raping white girl, Mayella Ewell, tension grew among Maycomb. An example, is that Atticuss children are bullied by townsfolk, because their father is a known lawyer for the black community. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. What the adults didn't realize at first is that Francis called Scout's father (Atticus) a "ni**er lover." Scout is ready to fight Cecil Jacobs on the schoolyard when he says that her father defends "n*****" (9.3). 6. Atticus is against all the racism and tries to teach people that everyone is equal. Already a member? After he fell she hugged the married man and proceeds to kiss him on the cheek exclaiming kiss me back, nigger (194). September 1, 2014 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Essential Passage by Character: Atticus Finch, Essential Passage by Character: Scout Finch, Essential Passage by Theme: Loss of Innocence. This, however, does not stop him. Atticus is concerned the effect the trial will have on Scout and Jem because he is affraid that the voice and opinion of the town may over power his. one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. Atticus says that he hopes the children won't pick up Maycomb's usual disease, which is racism. When Uncle Jack suggests that Atticus not defend Tom, he responds by saying. Describe the way they are treated by the people there. 6. What does Scout find in the knothole of the tree in the novelTo Kill a Mockingbird? Describe what happened to Scout and Jem on the way home the night of the pageant. How does Atticus give hope to the town of Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird. This is shown for example when he asks Scout not to use the n-word (Lee 99). Latest answer posted May 15, 2016 at 7:21:00 PM. Jack comments, "Let this cup pass from you, eh?". Maycomb's . Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand." How is society portrayed through the lives of Jem, Scout, and Dill? You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral; some Negro men are not to be trusted around womenblack or white. 'Of course I do. Atticus teaches the kids that despite social divide among the community, people still need to treat others with respect. 6. Atticus tells the children, In our courts when it's a white man's world against a black mans, the white man always wins (Lee, 250). He created howtodothings101 correctly so other people can organize their homes too by following expert advice given throughout each article on here. Latest answer posted April 07, 2021 at 1:49:28 PM. How do Jem and Scout show respect to the citizens of Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird. 3. People in the town of Maycomb don't even try to get to know anyone who isn't white and assume that anyone who is of a different race is up to no good. What is the physical description of Jem Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird? To kill a mockingbird Chapter 9-10 4.4 (26 reviews) When Atticus speaks of defending Tom Robinson, he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win." To what is Atticus referring? Most people have the disease and are racist but Atticus is not. What does Atticus tell the children about being Finches? The children and people in the town also discriminate against Atticus for defending a Negro in court, and since almost everyone does it, I don't think they consider that racism because it's common. What does Atticus mean when he says "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we startedis no reason for us not to try to win"in To Kill a Mockingbird? His opinion being that every person is equal. Atticus does not want Jem and Scout to adopt the prejudiced habits that seem to surface whenever there is an interracial situation in Maycomb. They wonder why Atticus would agree to such an event. I agree with Mikayla, that racism is spreading through Maycomb like a disease. Why is Kilz Not Recommended for Flooring? 4. Who is Calpurnia and what is she like? Describe Aunt Alexandria. Scout writes that it is many years before she realizes that Atticus means for her to hear everything he says so that she will understand the disease of social/racial prejudice. The trial of Tom Robinson is about to commence. Despite all the harsh rumours about Boo Radley, Atticus thought of him the same way he would think of any other person in Maycomb. When Atticus says "Maycomb's usual disease" he is talking about the prejudice beliefs of the towns people; specifically racism, classism, sexism and ageism. Do you think the people of Maycomb consider themselves racist? Answer: Atticus means that people in Maycomb have racial prejudices towards black men. Latest answer posted November 20, 2020 at 10:58:48 AM. I agree with Maggie in saying that the people of Maycomb really don't believe they're doing anything wrong, the n-word is spoken at least once a chapter like it is a normal thing to do. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. What does Atticus mean when he says "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we startedis no reason for us not to try to win"in To Kill a Mockingbird? eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. It is said to be caused by a curse that was placed on the town many years ago. This is proof that Atticus believes everyone should be treated equally, which is why he hasn't "caught" the disease. Scouts father teaches her that regardless of ones social class, one should not change how they treat them, no matter who they are. Lee also gets across the point that Maycomb is tired and lifeless when he states that stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. The word wilted if often used to describe flowers which have no life in it and this gives the impression that the men work really hard and how tired and lifeless they are afterwards. 5. What is the physical description of Jem Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird? Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand . However, this issue didn't resist him from supporting the truth which can be seen on page 101 when he remarked in a positive tone, "Every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. 1)By the "Usual disease" Atticus is referring to the towns racist acts but also to their prejudice acts such as ageism, sexisum and those who live in poverty and the tendency to judge people too harshly for their actions without understanding their heart or intentions (such as Boo Radley). Who are the four people under the tree? Sitting on her porch, Mayella sees Tom Robinson, an African American man, walking by and asks if he would come up and help her a minute (192-193). While Harper Lee quickly forces us to root for Atticus and Tom, we learn that Tom Robinson has already lost the case purely because of his skin color. 5. 3. This affected Tom Robinson because during his rape trial his lawyer, Atticus Finch states . I hope they trust me enough Jean Louise? 5. He wants to make sure that Scout and Jem don't listen to the towns people and become racist. Since Atticus has a good relationship with his children, they are not afraid to ask him the difficult questions when racial tensions rise before, during, and after the trial. he knows he won't win but defends Tom Robinson because it is the right thing to do. Although she is not outwardly cruel or hurtful, she does hurt his pride and his dignity accidentally. Describe the manner in which Scout walks Boo home.