In Chapter 12 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," the narrator, Scout, describes the events leading up to and following the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. The chapter opens with the arrival of Atticus, Scout, and Jem at the courthouse for the trial. Scout is excited to be at the courthouse, but Atticus cautions her not to get too excited because the trial will not be entertaining.
Inside the courthouse, Scout sees a group of black people sitting together in the colored balcony. She is surprised to see Calpurnia, their black housekeeper, sitting with them, as she had never seen Calpurnia sit with the "colored folk" before. Scout is also surprised to see that Calpurnia is able to speak in a different way when she is with the other black people, using a more formal and polite way of speaking than she does when she is with Scout and Jem.
The trial begins with the prosecutor, Mr. Gilmer, questioning Tom Robinson. Mr. Gilmer tries to paint Tom as a violent and aggressive person, but Atticus is able to undermine this portrayal through his questioning. Atticus asks Tom about his injury, a crippled left arm, and how it affects his ability to do certain tasks. Tom explains that he can do most things with his good hand, but some things are difficult for him. Atticus uses this information to show that Tom could not have overpowered Mayella Ewell, the accuser, as she claims he did.
After Atticus's questioning, Mr. Gilmer calls Mayella to the stand. Mayella's testimony is confusing and inconsistent, and it is clear that she is lying about what happened. Atticus is able to expose her lies through his questioning and shows that she is not a reliable witness. Despite this, the jury finds Tom guilty, and he is sentenced to prison.
As they leave the courthouse, Scout asks Atticus if he thinks Tom will be okay. Atticus replies that he does not know, but he will do everything he can to help Tom. The chapter ends with Scout reflecting on the unfairness of the trial and the racism that played a role in Tom's conviction.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Chapter 12
Helen Robinson is without work and does not have the means to provide for her children. The children don't understand prejudice at its basest level, and Calpurnia seems to not possess it either. One woman, Lula, criticizes Calpurnia for bringing white children to church, but the congregation is generally friendly, and Reverend Sykes welcomes them, saying that everyone knows their father. . Meanwhile, Dill seems to represent the earlier childhood that Scout reflected on so fondly in the novel.
To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter 12
Through this experience, Scout realizes that Calpurnia lives a kind of double life, needing to behave one way in front of white community and another in front of the black community. A historical building in Monroeville, the hometown of Harper Lee Quotes From Chapter 12 in To Kill a Mockingbird Below are quotes that speak to the themes of racial prejudice, community, and Scout's loss of innocence as she is exposed to the racial divide in Maycomb. Jem tells Scout not to worry about it and to stop pestering Aunt Alexandra. When the children return home, they find Aunt Alexandra waiting for them. Her desire to get rid of her morphine addiction before her death, reveals her as a strong character, who would rather go through a grueling experience to break the habit of addiction than die as an addict.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis
However, in these chapters, they begin to understand the importance of other people's opinions about them, especially Aunt Alexandra who "never let a chance escape her to point out the shortcomings of other tribal groups to the glory of our own. Behind the rough oak pulpit a faded pink silk banner proclaimed God Is Love, the church's only decoration except a rotogravure print on Hunt's The Light of the World. . She first ensures that they have dressed appropriately, although Jem, who has a different opinion, eyes their outfits and complains, ''It's like we were goin' to Mardi Gras. Scout also contemplates the injustice of Helen Robinson's situation. It becomes very apparent in this section that Jem is becoming further distanced from Scout in terms of growing up. She is fanatical about Jem and Scout's cleanliness and attire when she takes them to church with her because "'I don't want anybody sayin' I don't look after my children.
