To Kill a Mockingbird: chapter 24 quotes Flashcards
‘Aunt Alexander and her missionary circle were fighting the good fight all’
Shows that the casual nature of daily life in Maycomb goes on despite the current drama. This illustrates the racial prejudice and creates a contrasts to the horrible situation Tom Robinson is in, helping the reader understand the racial warfare of the time.
‘Campaign to teach me to be a lady’
Scout sees the missionary tea party as part of Aunt Alexandra’s attempt to draw her away from her Tomboy values and turn her into a proper lady.
‘She (Mrs Maudie) never laughed at me unless I meant to be funny’
Shows Mrs Maudie’s respect towards Scout and that she chooses a different path than the other ladies present at the gathering, who readily mock her and gossip their lives away without hesitation.
‘Miss Merriweather played her voice like an organ’
Scout finds Miss Merriweather’s tone very irritating, especially when her meaningless small talk and vicious gossip is compared to the issue Atticus is facing.
‘There’s no lady safe in her bed these nights’
A pristine example of racial profiling and prejudice. The women pretend that they are worried they will be raped too, just because of one false conviction.
‘She gave Miss Maudie a look of pure gratitude’
Miss Maudie helps Alexandra out of a difficult situation at the table. From Scouts point of view, they seem to be the only reasonable ones at the party who can see what the real problems are.
‘Born hypocrites’
Miss Merriweather shares her views on the northerners and their hypocritical approaches to black people. This is funny because Miss Merriweather is actually being the real hypocrite here, as she dispels racist comments to her peers.
‘They’re perfectly willing to let him wreck his health doing what they’re afraid to do’
Aunt Alexandra voices her concerns that Atticus’ health is plummeting as a result of the case and that he is fighting the fight all by himself because others are too cowardly or racist to help.
‘After all, if Aunty could become a lady at a time like this, so could I’
Scout suddenly sees something she has never seen before in Aunt Alexandra. She admires her for her courage in returning to the petulant tea party after being told privately by Atticus that Tom Robinson has been shot.
