To Kill a Mockingbird: chapter 1 quotes Flashcards
‘Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it’
Emphasizes the slow pace, Alabama heat, and historic values of the town. Conveys Maycomb as a sleepy Southern village. The first person narrative “I first knew” tells the reader that Scout is reflecting upon her childhood as an adult
‘We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist-fight, so we consulted Atticus’
Atticus is seen as the ultimate voice of reason and good judge of right and wrong. He is introduced as the moral compass of the novel through the wisdom he dispels
‘His first two clients were the last two persons hanged’
Suggests that Atticus is getting old and has had an unfortunate life of injustice fighting for racial minorities. This foreshadows his major case in the novel. It also suggests he is very tolerant and determined; Most people would quit after 2 of their clients were hanged unjustly
‘I had felt her (Calpurnia) tyrannical presence as long as I could remember’
Emphasises the importance of family and character building Introduces Calpurnia into the story as a sort of mother figure who cares for Scout and Jem
‘People still looked at the Radley place, unwilling to discard their initial suspicions’
Describes the superstitious attitudes towards the Radley home and how the community fears it
‘The old house was the same, droopy and sick’
Paints a picture of the Radley’s old, dark house, showing how frightening and creepy the house is (personification), just like the people who live inside
‘When Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out’
Suggests a cyclic structure to the novel. Provides the reader with intrigue to keep reading.
