PROMPT #2 : Compare and contrast yourself to either Scout or Jem at their age. Compare and contrast your summer activities, friends, relationships with your dad, siblings, and adults.
I am sort of similar to Scout when she loses her temper. I get really mad and blow up easily, but my dad, and so did her dad, taught us a lesson about people that make us mad, so that made us think and try and let it go. Both of us are really close to our dads becasue we are similar to our own dads, and our dad has gone through these things and tells us about the mistakes he made. Also, Scout is close to her dad because her mom died. I am close to my dad because we have the same personalities, and we tend to fight each other because we are the same, and we would not give up. My dad tells me about things that happened to him, and how he got along and how well he got off at his job. He tells me this so I would nt make the same mistake, or how to fix something. Pus, I like to stand up for my self and I don't like things ruining my reputation, so I stand up and fight, but my dad said that he did that and he taught me not to do the same thing. Scout and i are also alike, because we are hardheaded. I find it difficult to find friends because I am choosy although I find friends easily. I also become friends with people who later go against me. Scout doesn't seem to really have any friends, other than a special really best friend like me. Me and Scout find it hard with adults, because something happens, and then things happen when its not what it seems. They believe what they hear or see, but they don't listen to the story behind it. One thing my dad and Scout's dad aren't lie about is that my dad does not listen to both sides of the story. He just gets mad at what ever irritates him.
Scout and Jem have summers at home whereas I have summers in europe. I always hop on a plane and travel around europe. I go to hungary to be able to see my grandparents, uncle, cousin, and aunt because I only see them once a year. I get ice cream everyday and it is my free time. We do what ever we want, and we explore and learn new things. We still have to always be with our mom. Scout and Jem wander off and do things and play games all summer. They don't really have time off. They still have to work.
Scout and Jem don't fight as much but they would break out into a huge fight once in a while. Me and my siser constantly fight everyday, I have to admit. I am not joking and its because we are both different. Bianca, my sister is timid andsneaky, yet I am loud and a chatterbox. When a problem happens, it starts like this. Well let me say something. I get mad over very little things Bianca does to aggravate me. So, here goes. She aggravates me, acts like she didn't do anything, then I get mad and scream and her, then she wonders why I am mad. My dad gets mad at me for being loud and my sister goes into her little corner and is quiet about it. Plus, I try to get her attention sometimes, adn she never pays attention. She just looks away and always ignores me and tells me "I DON"T CARE!" Sometimes, we fight physically, and we never know who starts it. They always call me the starter of the fights because I am so loud all the time, and so when Bianca starts the fight, she blames it on me.
Well, thats all I have right now, so talk to you later!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
TKAM #4
Journal #4
Chapters 10, 11 & 12
Perspective: Mrs. Dubose
There was a Mad dog down our street, old Tim Johnson!. Well, everyone heard that Atticus had shot the dog. He's got mad dog disease! Who could have thought that in February!
Atticus came to my front steps with those wild children of his and said I looked like a picture this evening. He told me about the courthouse news and hoped that I would have a good day tomorrow. The next day, I was sitting on my porch when I saw those two gremlins walk by.
"Where are you going at this time of day? Playing Hooky I suppose. I'll just call up the principal and tell him!"
They told me it was Saturday, and I didn't care. Jem said that they have been going to town alone ever since they were little, and I told him not to lie and contradict me. I told them that Mrs. Maudie told me that they broke down her scuppernong arbor this morning. I was accusing them. I also told them they won't do anything with their life except wait on tables at the the O.K. Cafe. I heard Jem muttering something in Scout's ear, and my next sentence did the damage.
"Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!"
I looked at Jem and he was stiff.
"Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!"
They left me and went into town.
That night, I came out and absolutely went mad! My camellia bushes were trashed! I saw a baton snapped in half, and every little thing that I see bad, I always accuse the evil Finch kids. I thought Jem has gone fanatical! I told Atticus, and Jem had come to apologize to me and clean up the mess he had left. He said that he was sorry, and added but he ain't. I was debating on a punishment for him, and I had told him that I wanted him to read to me for a month as a punishment every afternoon after school and Saturdays for two hours aloud.
It was Monday and both of the Finch kids had come to my door. Jessie, my "slave" who takes care of me for my morphine addictions opened the door.
They came to me and my greeting was "So you brought that dirty little sister of yours, did you?"
Jem said she wasn't dirty and that he wasn't afraid of me, but I told him to read. I told them to come closer until they were adjacent from me. Every time Jem didn't know a word, he skipped it, but I kept catching him and making him spell it out. I fell asleep. The alarm went off and Jessie shooed the kids out because it was time for my medicine. It continued like this for a month. One afternoon I was constantly correcting Jem when I screamed at a knock on the door. Atticus came in wondering where his kids were, and I told him that it was not time for their release. Everyday, I made my alarm go off a couple more minutes later. One day, I kept antagonizing Jem for a couple hours. I asked that Jem read to me one more week when Atticus said he felt that the reading is done. Jem wanted to say something. When the kids came back for more reading, I let them go with "That'll do" late. I got bored and kept picking on the kids and saying that Jem will regret ruining my camellias. He answered, then I told him that you can't kill flowers unless you pull it out by the roots. He murmured and I told him not to murmur and that he can't hold his head up for what his father is. On the last day of reading, I let the kids go and said good day to them. I was so concentrated on them to finish reading. Before that day, I asked Atticus to make my will. I had Jessie make me a Snow on the mountain, which is a camellia wrapped with cotton, in a candy box to give to Jem. I had just called Atticus to give this to Jem. He is coming over right now.
Atticus spoke to me, and he had a sense of perplexity. I feel like I am going to die. I told Atticus to give the box to Jem. I am going to isolate. I can't hold on any longer.......................good-bye.
Chapters 10, 11 & 12
Perspective: Mrs. Dubose
There was a Mad dog down our street, old Tim Johnson!. Well, everyone heard that Atticus had shot the dog. He's got mad dog disease! Who could have thought that in February!
Atticus came to my front steps with those wild children of his and said I looked like a picture this evening. He told me about the courthouse news and hoped that I would have a good day tomorrow. The next day, I was sitting on my porch when I saw those two gremlins walk by.
"Where are you going at this time of day? Playing Hooky I suppose. I'll just call up the principal and tell him!"
They told me it was Saturday, and I didn't care. Jem said that they have been going to town alone ever since they were little, and I told him not to lie and contradict me. I told them that Mrs. Maudie told me that they broke down her scuppernong arbor this morning. I was accusing them. I also told them they won't do anything with their life except wait on tables at the the O.K. Cafe. I heard Jem muttering something in Scout's ear, and my next sentence did the damage.
"Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!"
I looked at Jem and he was stiff.
"Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!"
They left me and went into town.
That night, I came out and absolutely went mad! My camellia bushes were trashed! I saw a baton snapped in half, and every little thing that I see bad, I always accuse the evil Finch kids. I thought Jem has gone fanatical! I told Atticus, and Jem had come to apologize to me and clean up the mess he had left. He said that he was sorry, and added but he ain't. I was debating on a punishment for him, and I had told him that I wanted him to read to me for a month as a punishment every afternoon after school and Saturdays for two hours aloud.
It was Monday and both of the Finch kids had come to my door. Jessie, my "slave" who takes care of me for my morphine addictions opened the door.
They came to me and my greeting was "So you brought that dirty little sister of yours, did you?"
Jem said she wasn't dirty and that he wasn't afraid of me, but I told him to read. I told them to come closer until they were adjacent from me. Every time Jem didn't know a word, he skipped it, but I kept catching him and making him spell it out. I fell asleep. The alarm went off and Jessie shooed the kids out because it was time for my medicine. It continued like this for a month. One afternoon I was constantly correcting Jem when I screamed at a knock on the door. Atticus came in wondering where his kids were, and I told him that it was not time for their release. Everyday, I made my alarm go off a couple more minutes later. One day, I kept antagonizing Jem for a couple hours. I asked that Jem read to me one more week when Atticus said he felt that the reading is done. Jem wanted to say something. When the kids came back for more reading, I let them go with "That'll do" late. I got bored and kept picking on the kids and saying that Jem will regret ruining my camellias. He answered, then I told him that you can't kill flowers unless you pull it out by the roots. He murmured and I told him not to murmur and that he can't hold his head up for what his father is. On the last day of reading, I let the kids go and said good day to them. I was so concentrated on them to finish reading. Before that day, I asked Atticus to make my will. I had Jessie make me a Snow on the mountain, which is a camellia wrapped with cotton, in a candy box to give to Jem. I had just called Atticus to give this to Jem. He is coming over right now.
Atticus spoke to me, and he had a sense of perplexity. I feel like I am going to die. I told Atticus to give the box to Jem. I am going to isolate. I can't hold on any longer.......................good-bye.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
TKAM #3
Journal #3
Chapters 8 & 9
Perspective: Atticus
Maycomb has been getting some cold weather so far. Scout woke me up by shrieking, and nearly scared me to death. She was scared of the snow and thought the world was ending. Neither of us has seen snow. The phone rang in the other room and they said that the kids would not be going to school. Suddenly, Jem asked me how to make a snowman. Well, I have no idea. I told them that there might not be enough snow to be able to make a snowball even. Calpurnia came in telling the kids about the snow and they went outside. I was off to town, and my kids called saying they had a surprise for me. Later, I came home for dinner and I was surprised that they had brought the backyard to the front. I thought they done a jim-dandy job on their snowman! I didn't know how they were going to do it! Now I am not going to have to worry about what will become of Jem. He did too good of a job that I suggested we disguised this fellow! It looked like Mr. Avery. I told him he could not go around making caricatures out of our neighbors, and Jem took off into Miss Maudie's backyard and came back with Miss Maudie's sunhat and hedge-clippers. Miss Maudie called Jem to bring back her sunhat and Jem looked up at me. I assured him that she was just fussing about and was impressed with his accomplishments. I went up to her and we talked a little about the snowman and the kids. I came home that evening and asked Calpurnia if she wanted to stay for the night. I drove her home when she said no. When I tucked the kids in, I told them this was the coldest I remember. Minutes later, I had to wake up the kids because a fire started in Miss Maudie's house. I told the kids to stay in front of the Radley house. The fire was malignant. I went in and got Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair which was valuable to her. Mr. Avery fell out of his house, falling in a shrubbery. All the attention went up the street where we lived. Smoke was coming out of our house. When the fire was over, the kids came up to Miss Maudie and I told them to stop quibbling her. I shook my head, telling them she didn't want to talk. Plus she was staying in Stephanie Crawford's house. When we went inside, I asked if anyone wanted hot chocolate. While we sipped our drinks, I noticed a blanket wrapped around Scout. I told her that she was supposed to stay put. They looked confused. Jem said that Mr. Nathan was out and he confessed everything that has happened, and then said that Boo Radley put the blanket around her. I allowed them to keep the blanket.
Scout had a very interesting question for me one evening, when she said a kid told her something about me.
"Do you defend niggers?" Scout said.
I told her I did, and that she shouldn't say niggers. I told her not to listen to what other people said about me and that it was unanimous. I tried to explain to her the problem, but she was too young to understand. Then she asked why I am defending this guy if I shouldn't. I told her that I couldn't expect to win, but if I don't defend him I won't be respected. Christmas came and the kids were excited. My brother, Jack came to stay with us. I was rather upset when I heard Scout cussing in front of him because they are buddies. I think she picked up a habit. After dinner, Jack had a talk with Scout. I had told Jack to buy rifles for the kids, and the next morning they wanted to use it. I brought them to Finch's Landing where my sister still lives. While we were there, Scout and Francis tormented each other, and Jack got mad. At home, Jack spoke with her, then late at night, he spoke with me. We had a conversation about me being a lawyer, and the "nigger" I am defending. We also talked about the trouble we had today and that Scout told Jack he knew nothing about kids. I knew that Scout was eavesdropping. It was not an act of evasion, I wanted her to hear this. When I didn't say anymore, I sent her to bed.
Talk to you sometime,
Atticus
Chapters 8 & 9
Perspective: Atticus
Maycomb has been getting some cold weather so far. Scout woke me up by shrieking, and nearly scared me to death. She was scared of the snow and thought the world was ending. Neither of us has seen snow. The phone rang in the other room and they said that the kids would not be going to school. Suddenly, Jem asked me how to make a snowman. Well, I have no idea. I told them that there might not be enough snow to be able to make a snowball even. Calpurnia came in telling the kids about the snow and they went outside. I was off to town, and my kids called saying they had a surprise for me. Later, I came home for dinner and I was surprised that they had brought the backyard to the front. I thought they done a jim-dandy job on their snowman! I didn't know how they were going to do it! Now I am not going to have to worry about what will become of Jem. He did too good of a job that I suggested we disguised this fellow! It looked like Mr. Avery. I told him he could not go around making caricatures out of our neighbors, and Jem took off into Miss Maudie's backyard and came back with Miss Maudie's sunhat and hedge-clippers. Miss Maudie called Jem to bring back her sunhat and Jem looked up at me. I assured him that she was just fussing about and was impressed with his accomplishments. I went up to her and we talked a little about the snowman and the kids. I came home that evening and asked Calpurnia if she wanted to stay for the night. I drove her home when she said no. When I tucked the kids in, I told them this was the coldest I remember. Minutes later, I had to wake up the kids because a fire started in Miss Maudie's house. I told the kids to stay in front of the Radley house. The fire was malignant. I went in and got Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair which was valuable to her. Mr. Avery fell out of his house, falling in a shrubbery. All the attention went up the street where we lived. Smoke was coming out of our house. When the fire was over, the kids came up to Miss Maudie and I told them to stop quibbling her. I shook my head, telling them she didn't want to talk. Plus she was staying in Stephanie Crawford's house. When we went inside, I asked if anyone wanted hot chocolate. While we sipped our drinks, I noticed a blanket wrapped around Scout. I told her that she was supposed to stay put. They looked confused. Jem said that Mr. Nathan was out and he confessed everything that has happened, and then said that Boo Radley put the blanket around her. I allowed them to keep the blanket.
Scout had a very interesting question for me one evening, when she said a kid told her something about me.
"Do you defend niggers?" Scout said.
I told her I did, and that she shouldn't say niggers. I told her not to listen to what other people said about me and that it was unanimous. I tried to explain to her the problem, but she was too young to understand. Then she asked why I am defending this guy if I shouldn't. I told her that I couldn't expect to win, but if I don't defend him I won't be respected. Christmas came and the kids were excited. My brother, Jack came to stay with us. I was rather upset when I heard Scout cussing in front of him because they are buddies. I think she picked up a habit. After dinner, Jack had a talk with Scout. I had told Jack to buy rifles for the kids, and the next morning they wanted to use it. I brought them to Finch's Landing where my sister still lives. While we were there, Scout and Francis tormented each other, and Jack got mad. At home, Jack spoke with her, then late at night, he spoke with me. We had a conversation about me being a lawyer, and the "nigger" I am defending. We also talked about the trouble we had today and that Scout told Jack he knew nothing about kids. I knew that Scout was eavesdropping. It was not an act of evasion, I wanted her to hear this. When I didn't say anymore, I sent her to bed.
Talk to you sometime,
Atticus
Sunday, May 9, 2010
TKAM #2
Journal #2
Chapters 4-7
Perspective: Scout
Dear Diary,
As the school year passed by, I was let out 30 minutes before Jem, which meant I had to walk by the Radley Place. Every time I go by there, I run quickly as possible till I tagged the front porch of our house. One day after school, I was running past the Radley Place when something caught my eye, making me go back. There were two oak trees at the corner of the Radley's area and one of them caught my attention. I went up to it and tinfoil stuck out of a knothole. The knothole was right about where my eyes were, so I tiptoed and stuck my finger in the knothole. I found two pieces of unwrapped chewing gum. The first thought I had was to get it in my mouth as soon as possible. Then I realized where I was. When I made it safely to the front porch, I checked out my gum. It looked fresh and smelled fine. I licked it and waited to assume if it will kill me. When I didn't die, I stuffed the gum in my mouth. It was Wrigley's Double Mint. When Jem came home, he asked where I got the gum. I said that I had found it and he got mad. He argued telling me that I should not eat things that I found. I told him I had found it in Radley's tree, and he got even more mad, thinking it was poisoned. He told me to spit it out and gargle or he will call Calpurnia. The last thing I want is for Calpurnia to be mad at me. Summer was coming, and we were impatiently waiting for it. It was the best season for us. The landscapes were colorful, everything was good to eat, sleeping in the tree house, and most of all, Dill. On the last day of school, Jem and I were let out of school earlier. We talked about Dill on the way home. We walked by Radley's and I pointed at the tree where I found my gum for the hundredth time. I wanted Jem to believe me. He looked around on the tree, reached in the knothole and pocketed a shiny package. It looked like one for wedding rings covered in tinfoil from gum wrappers. We ran home. We examined it. We opened it, finding two pennies on top of each other. Jem said they were Indian heads. They were old too. We were trying to figure whose these would belong to because they were valuable. We then decided to keep it till school started. Dill came two days later with a story. We went back to playing our character games. I got sick of them and Jem didn't want to make up characters anymore. We went to the front yard and Dill said he smelled death, saying that I will die in 3 days. I got mad at Dill and Jem started talking about Hot Steams. It was when you walked by a house and its hot. Its someone who cant get to heaven. When you walk through one, you will become one when you die and suck peoples breaths. I told Dill not to believe what Jem said because Calpurnia said it was nigger talk. Jem said to play something and I suggested to roll in the tire. I got into the tire and when Jem pushed it, I could tell he was not happy about what I said of his hot steams story. He was pushing with much force. I then started choking, not being able to breath. I couldn't stop the tire because my arms were folded in, hoping that Jem will stop it or the tire will hit a crack in the road. I heard Jem yelling, chasing the tire behind me. It finally hit a gravel and rolled off to the side of the road. I popped out of the tire, feeling dizzy. I was laying, hearing Jem's shouts. I finally focused and realized I was in front of Mr. Radley's porch. When I realized it, I didn't move. I unfroze and tried to carry myself out of there. Jem kept shouting telling me to bring the tire too. I told him to get it. He showed that he wasn't afraid. There was something else he didn't know about but I remained silent. Calpurnia called for us to drink our lemonade. Jem developed an idea of a new character, Boo Radley. We acted out scenes and perfected it throughout the summer. One day, We were playing a scene without noticing Atticus. We weren't sure if it was a good idea to play this game anymore. This was the second reason I wanted to quit this game. The first reason happened when I rolled into Radley's place. I heard another sound, a low sound apart from the noise Jem made. I heard someone inside, laughing.
I kept nagging Jem to give up the game when he came with an idea, to give the characters new names. Over the summer, Dill and Jem have been getting closer, and I am starting to feel left out. I've bee hanging out with Miss Maudie Atkinson who was a widow. She works on her flowerbeds and she makes the best cakes in the neighborhood. She and Jack, Atticus' brother had known each other. She told me a story of Boo when I asked her if he was alive. She said yes and that his father was a foot-washing baptist. I was confused so she told me that foot-washers believed everything that gives pleasure is sin. Boo used to be so nice and he is crazy now. The next morning, I saw Jem and Dill talking. I insisted to know what they were talking about. They said they were planning to give Boo a message, to come out and have ice cream. They said that since they told me, I can't pull out. It was Dill's idea. Jem took a yellow bamboo stick and goes over to the house. Jem attached a note on the stick and when he can't get the note off onto the window sill, Dill constantly rang the bell. Atticus caught us and told us to stop bothering him.
It was the last day before Dill was returning to Mississippi, and Atticus let us go to Miss Rachel's fishpool. Me and Jem jumped into Miss Rachel's yard. The boys were planning to go to Boo's house and peak through a shutter. They said that I can come along or keep my mouth shut. I came along and we checked out a window which was covered with curtains. We went to another window, finding his shadow. I thought it was a tree. We ran, and I tripped in the collards. A shotgun shot in the air, and Jem and Dill dove. Jem said to go to the school yard's fence. We rolled under the wire and ran to the tree. We senced that Jem was missing. We went back finding him trying to set free from the wire. His pants were stuck. We made it to the tree and went home. The whole group was there. Maudie said that Boo had shot at a nigger, but shot in the air. Atticus was confused finding Jem pantless when Dill covered it up saying that he won it in strip poker. He said they played with matches. Atticus told Jem to retrieve his pants. We went to Dill's house, and Dill offered his pants which didnt fit. We went to bed, and then Jem woke us up, going to get his pants.
School started, and second grade is just as bad as the first grade. Jem was still very silent, giving incomplete sentences. One afternoon, Jem said that he didn't tell me something. Wow! His first complete sentence in several days. I said about what. He said it was about that night. He said that when he went to get back his pants, it was folded on the wire, whereas he left it stuck on the wire. Plus i was sewed, the way Jem would do it. He said that it was like they were expecting him. We walked to our tree and found something in there. It was like they only came during the school year. We found a ball of gray twine. I told Jem not to talk it, that it probably belonged to someone. We left it to see if anyone would claim it and after two days, we took it. Jem was assuring me that school would get better along the way. Later in the fall, we found soap that was carved out. They were carvings of us. We guessed who would be carving these for us. We found a pack of gum in there which we enjoyed, minus the thought of it being poisoned. We found a medal, asking Atticus about it. It was a spelling medal from a long time ago. We also found a pocket watch which didn't work, hanging on a chain with an aluminum knife. Jem wanted to fix it. We wanted to leave note for the person who were leaving these things to us. The next morning, Jem went ahead and went to put the envelpe in the knothole. His face turned white as he called me over. We discovered that it was filled with cement. Later, Jem asked Boo's brother Nathan if he filled the tree with cement. He said yes because it was dying. Jem was looking upset and later he asked Atticus if the tree was dying. Atticus said no, and that it was healthy. He then added that the Radley's knew more about their own trees, so maybe it was.
Well, until next time,
Scout
Chapters 4-7
Perspective: Scout
Dear Diary,
As the school year passed by, I was let out 30 minutes before Jem, which meant I had to walk by the Radley Place. Every time I go by there, I run quickly as possible till I tagged the front porch of our house. One day after school, I was running past the Radley Place when something caught my eye, making me go back. There were two oak trees at the corner of the Radley's area and one of them caught my attention. I went up to it and tinfoil stuck out of a knothole. The knothole was right about where my eyes were, so I tiptoed and stuck my finger in the knothole. I found two pieces of unwrapped chewing gum. The first thought I had was to get it in my mouth as soon as possible. Then I realized where I was. When I made it safely to the front porch, I checked out my gum. It looked fresh and smelled fine. I licked it and waited to assume if it will kill me. When I didn't die, I stuffed the gum in my mouth. It was Wrigley's Double Mint. When Jem came home, he asked where I got the gum. I said that I had found it and he got mad. He argued telling me that I should not eat things that I found. I told him I had found it in Radley's tree, and he got even more mad, thinking it was poisoned. He told me to spit it out and gargle or he will call Calpurnia. The last thing I want is for Calpurnia to be mad at me. Summer was coming, and we were impatiently waiting for it. It was the best season for us. The landscapes were colorful, everything was good to eat, sleeping in the tree house, and most of all, Dill. On the last day of school, Jem and I were let out of school earlier. We talked about Dill on the way home. We walked by Radley's and I pointed at the tree where I found my gum for the hundredth time. I wanted Jem to believe me. He looked around on the tree, reached in the knothole and pocketed a shiny package. It looked like one for wedding rings covered in tinfoil from gum wrappers. We ran home. We examined it. We opened it, finding two pennies on top of each other. Jem said they were Indian heads. They were old too. We were trying to figure whose these would belong to because they were valuable. We then decided to keep it till school started. Dill came two days later with a story. We went back to playing our character games. I got sick of them and Jem didn't want to make up characters anymore. We went to the front yard and Dill said he smelled death, saying that I will die in 3 days. I got mad at Dill and Jem started talking about Hot Steams. It was when you walked by a house and its hot. Its someone who cant get to heaven. When you walk through one, you will become one when you die and suck peoples breaths. I told Dill not to believe what Jem said because Calpurnia said it was nigger talk. Jem said to play something and I suggested to roll in the tire. I got into the tire and when Jem pushed it, I could tell he was not happy about what I said of his hot steams story. He was pushing with much force. I then started choking, not being able to breath. I couldn't stop the tire because my arms were folded in, hoping that Jem will stop it or the tire will hit a crack in the road. I heard Jem yelling, chasing the tire behind me. It finally hit a gravel and rolled off to the side of the road. I popped out of the tire, feeling dizzy. I was laying, hearing Jem's shouts. I finally focused and realized I was in front of Mr. Radley's porch. When I realized it, I didn't move. I unfroze and tried to carry myself out of there. Jem kept shouting telling me to bring the tire too. I told him to get it. He showed that he wasn't afraid. There was something else he didn't know about but I remained silent. Calpurnia called for us to drink our lemonade. Jem developed an idea of a new character, Boo Radley. We acted out scenes and perfected it throughout the summer. One day, We were playing a scene without noticing Atticus. We weren't sure if it was a good idea to play this game anymore. This was the second reason I wanted to quit this game. The first reason happened when I rolled into Radley's place. I heard another sound, a low sound apart from the noise Jem made. I heard someone inside, laughing.
I kept nagging Jem to give up the game when he came with an idea, to give the characters new names. Over the summer, Dill and Jem have been getting closer, and I am starting to feel left out. I've bee hanging out with Miss Maudie Atkinson who was a widow. She works on her flowerbeds and she makes the best cakes in the neighborhood. She and Jack, Atticus' brother had known each other. She told me a story of Boo when I asked her if he was alive. She said yes and that his father was a foot-washing baptist. I was confused so she told me that foot-washers believed everything that gives pleasure is sin. Boo used to be so nice and he is crazy now. The next morning, I saw Jem and Dill talking. I insisted to know what they were talking about. They said they were planning to give Boo a message, to come out and have ice cream. They said that since they told me, I can't pull out. It was Dill's idea. Jem took a yellow bamboo stick and goes over to the house. Jem attached a note on the stick and when he can't get the note off onto the window sill, Dill constantly rang the bell. Atticus caught us and told us to stop bothering him.
It was the last day before Dill was returning to Mississippi, and Atticus let us go to Miss Rachel's fishpool. Me and Jem jumped into Miss Rachel's yard. The boys were planning to go to Boo's house and peak through a shutter. They said that I can come along or keep my mouth shut. I came along and we checked out a window which was covered with curtains. We went to another window, finding his shadow. I thought it was a tree. We ran, and I tripped in the collards. A shotgun shot in the air, and Jem and Dill dove. Jem said to go to the school yard's fence. We rolled under the wire and ran to the tree. We senced that Jem was missing. We went back finding him trying to set free from the wire. His pants were stuck. We made it to the tree and went home. The whole group was there. Maudie said that Boo had shot at a nigger, but shot in the air. Atticus was confused finding Jem pantless when Dill covered it up saying that he won it in strip poker. He said they played with matches. Atticus told Jem to retrieve his pants. We went to Dill's house, and Dill offered his pants which didnt fit. We went to bed, and then Jem woke us up, going to get his pants.
School started, and second grade is just as bad as the first grade. Jem was still very silent, giving incomplete sentences. One afternoon, Jem said that he didn't tell me something. Wow! His first complete sentence in several days. I said about what. He said it was about that night. He said that when he went to get back his pants, it was folded on the wire, whereas he left it stuck on the wire. Plus i was sewed, the way Jem would do it. He said that it was like they were expecting him. We walked to our tree and found something in there. It was like they only came during the school year. We found a ball of gray twine. I told Jem not to talk it, that it probably belonged to someone. We left it to see if anyone would claim it and after two days, we took it. Jem was assuring me that school would get better along the way. Later in the fall, we found soap that was carved out. They were carvings of us. We guessed who would be carving these for us. We found a pack of gum in there which we enjoyed, minus the thought of it being poisoned. We found a medal, asking Atticus about it. It was a spelling medal from a long time ago. We also found a pocket watch which didn't work, hanging on a chain with an aluminum knife. Jem wanted to fix it. We wanted to leave note for the person who were leaving these things to us. The next morning, Jem went ahead and went to put the envelpe in the knothole. His face turned white as he called me over. We discovered that it was filled with cement. Later, Jem asked Boo's brother Nathan if he filled the tree with cement. He said yes because it was dying. Jem was looking upset and later he asked Atticus if the tree was dying. Atticus said no, and that it was healthy. He then added that the Radley's knew more about their own trees, so maybe it was.
Well, until next time,
Scout
Saturday, May 1, 2010
To kill a Mockingbird #1
Journal #1
Chapters 1-3
Perspective of Jem
Scout is driving me nuts. She keeps telling stories about my broken arm, and mom. She notices in the middle of some games we play, I start getting sad. Mom died when Scout was 2 years old because of a sudden heart attack. I miss her because I remember her more than Scout. She was just a baby. Well, moving on, dad. Dad is a lawyer from Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb is poor, there is not much going on there. The great depression is bad because many people are so poor. Daddy went to law school while his brother went to med school. Ah, Calpurnia, our cook. She is black and she takes care of us while daddy is working. One morning, Scout and I were just about to play in our backyard and we heard something next to our house, in Miss Rachel Haverford’s collard patch. We went to the wired fence to see if there was a puppy, but it was just a person sitting down. We kept staring at each other till he spoke.
“Hey yourself,” I replied pleasantly.
His name was Charles Baker Harris. He was Miss Rachel Haverford’s nephew and he was staying at her house for the summer. From now on, he will be here every summer. Every other time, he returns to Meridian, Mississippi. He said he could read, and I thought it was strange that he was saying that.
When I asked how old he was. “Goin’ on seven,” he said.
He looked very ‘puny’ for seven years old. He said folks call him Dill. I asked him about his father, and he hasn’t got one. We started playing characters. It was good to have him around. We told Dill about the Radleys, and Dill wanted to get Boo out of his house to see what he looked like. “Boo” Radley never came out in years. His first name is Arthur. He lives in an old place. Boo was bad when he was young, and got into trouble. His father protected him, so they put him in the courthouse basement. No one heard him since. Fifteen years later, he stabbed his dad’s leg with a pair of scissors. His mom went bonkers. She said he was killing them. The sheriff came and Boo was just sitting down, cutting out the newspaper. Others said Boo was malevolent, but his dad, Mr. Radley said refused. When he died, Boo’s bro, Nathan started living with Boo. Ever since, he stayed inside the Radley place. Dill tried to make us help him get Boo out of his house, so he dared me to touch his house. I ran to the house, slapped it then ran back. We were sure we saw a shutter move a second.
It was finally September, and Dill went back to Mississippi. Scout was getting ready to go to school for the first time. She has been waiting for this. During recess today, she whined to me that her teacher was not very good with kids, and that she was irked by her for learning how to read from Atticus. I just kept trying to calm her down by telling her that she is just using a new way to teach. She also told me that Miss Caroline was being mean to her when she tried to explain that Walter Cunningham didn’t have enough money to pay her back for lunch when he didn’t bring his own lunch. His family is so poor. They pay others back with goods. Miss Caroline got irritated by her and slapped her hand with a ruler a half a dozen times and made her stand in the corner.
When I watched Scout at lunch, she looked really mad. She kept making Walter feel bad for getting her in trouble. I told her to stop and that she is bigger than he is. I invited Walter for lunch. When he came over, he and Atticus kept talking about persevere farming issues like two men, and then Walter interrupted to ask if they had molasses. Scout was really mean to him and Calpurnia told her to come to the kitchen. It looked like she was mad at her and when Scout came back she got her plate and ate in the kitchen, I think. Scout was really mad at Calpurnia when she came back to school. Scout said that Miss Caroline got scared of a ‘cootie’ coming out of Burris Ewell’s hair. The Ewell’s were poorer than the Cunningham’s, so he was dirty. Burris usually only goes to school for the first day only. He was a mean one, one of the students said, who was Little Chuck Little. Burris argues with the teacher, and was intimidating the teacher. He left when he notices the teacher was crying. When Scout got home, Atticus was about to read Scout a book, when Scout goes outside. Atticus followed her and asked what was wrong. She replied by saying she wasn’t feeling well. She then brings up Atticus’ past and says that she doesn’t want to go to school and Atticus didn’t go, and he was brought up all right being homeschooled. Atticus said that they would put him in jail. Scout told him about what happened at school, and that Atticus taught her wrong, so they can never read again. Atticus talks to Scout about the laws. He and Scout then made a compromise thathe will continue to read to her if she goes to school, but not tell the teacher about this agreement.
Tell you more later. Thats all for right now,
Jem
Chapters 1-3
Perspective of Jem
Scout is driving me nuts. She keeps telling stories about my broken arm, and mom. She notices in the middle of some games we play, I start getting sad. Mom died when Scout was 2 years old because of a sudden heart attack. I miss her because I remember her more than Scout. She was just a baby. Well, moving on, dad. Dad is a lawyer from Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb is poor, there is not much going on there. The great depression is bad because many people are so poor. Daddy went to law school while his brother went to med school. Ah, Calpurnia, our cook. She is black and she takes care of us while daddy is working. One morning, Scout and I were just about to play in our backyard and we heard something next to our house, in Miss Rachel Haverford’s collard patch. We went to the wired fence to see if there was a puppy, but it was just a person sitting down. We kept staring at each other till he spoke.
“Hey yourself,” I replied pleasantly.
His name was Charles Baker Harris. He was Miss Rachel Haverford’s nephew and he was staying at her house for the summer. From now on, he will be here every summer. Every other time, he returns to Meridian, Mississippi. He said he could read, and I thought it was strange that he was saying that.
When I asked how old he was. “Goin’ on seven,” he said.
He looked very ‘puny’ for seven years old. He said folks call him Dill. I asked him about his father, and he hasn’t got one. We started playing characters. It was good to have him around. We told Dill about the Radleys, and Dill wanted to get Boo out of his house to see what he looked like. “Boo” Radley never came out in years. His first name is Arthur. He lives in an old place. Boo was bad when he was young, and got into trouble. His father protected him, so they put him in the courthouse basement. No one heard him since. Fifteen years later, he stabbed his dad’s leg with a pair of scissors. His mom went bonkers. She said he was killing them. The sheriff came and Boo was just sitting down, cutting out the newspaper. Others said Boo was malevolent, but his dad, Mr. Radley said refused. When he died, Boo’s bro, Nathan started living with Boo. Ever since, he stayed inside the Radley place. Dill tried to make us help him get Boo out of his house, so he dared me to touch his house. I ran to the house, slapped it then ran back. We were sure we saw a shutter move a second.
It was finally September, and Dill went back to Mississippi. Scout was getting ready to go to school for the first time. She has been waiting for this. During recess today, she whined to me that her teacher was not very good with kids, and that she was irked by her for learning how to read from Atticus. I just kept trying to calm her down by telling her that she is just using a new way to teach. She also told me that Miss Caroline was being mean to her when she tried to explain that Walter Cunningham didn’t have enough money to pay her back for lunch when he didn’t bring his own lunch. His family is so poor. They pay others back with goods. Miss Caroline got irritated by her and slapped her hand with a ruler a half a dozen times and made her stand in the corner.
When I watched Scout at lunch, she looked really mad. She kept making Walter feel bad for getting her in trouble. I told her to stop and that she is bigger than he is. I invited Walter for lunch. When he came over, he and Atticus kept talking about persevere farming issues like two men, and then Walter interrupted to ask if they had molasses. Scout was really mean to him and Calpurnia told her to come to the kitchen. It looked like she was mad at her and when Scout came back she got her plate and ate in the kitchen, I think. Scout was really mad at Calpurnia when she came back to school. Scout said that Miss Caroline got scared of a ‘cootie’ coming out of Burris Ewell’s hair. The Ewell’s were poorer than the Cunningham’s, so he was dirty. Burris usually only goes to school for the first day only. He was a mean one, one of the students said, who was Little Chuck Little. Burris argues with the teacher, and was intimidating the teacher. He left when he notices the teacher was crying. When Scout got home, Atticus was about to read Scout a book, when Scout goes outside. Atticus followed her and asked what was wrong. She replied by saying she wasn’t feeling well. She then brings up Atticus’ past and says that she doesn’t want to go to school and Atticus didn’t go, and he was brought up all right being homeschooled. Atticus said that they would put him in jail. Scout told him about what happened at school, and that Atticus taught her wrong, so they can never read again. Atticus talks to Scout about the laws. He and Scout then made a compromise thathe will continue to read to her if she goes to school, but not tell the teacher about this agreement.
Tell you more later. Thats all for right now,
Jem
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