Perspective: Jem Finch

The trial has left me in shock. I know for a fact that Tom Robinson is innocent. Atticus knows, Bob knows, and I know the rest of the town knows he is innocent. When the judge told everyone that Tom was guilty, it made me realize that Maycomb is not this perfect town that doesn't leave out colored people. I can't even talk about my anger without getting upset, not even to Atticus or Scout. No matter what any of this kids at school say or what people in Maycomb say, I am not ashamed of Atticus defending Tom. Tom deserves the chance to live. Scout asked Atticus earlier if it was okay to hate people. I think it's okay to hate someone, if they did something as nasty as what Bob Ewell did. I hate Bob Ewell for causing all this chaos in the town, and forcing me to realize the flaws of the community I live in.

Scene 2: Miss Maudie's House Fire

Perspective: Boo Radley

I usually like to keep to myself in this town. I don't like coming in contact with the outside world - there's a lot of danger out there. One of my neighbor's houses caught on fire, Miss Maudie. The Finch children were outside, as I watched them gaze at the fire. They think I'm an evil character. I see the fear in their eyes when they approach my property. I took one of my wool blankets outside my house, and I furtively draped it over Scout's shoulders. She didn't notice at the moment. I hope this shows the Finch children that I am not as evil that they think I am. I would like to get to know Scout and Jem someday, but they are brainwashed with their beliefs that I am a danger to our society and to all of the Maycomb community. I sincerely hope my bit of kindness towards Scout created a thaw.

Scene 3: Bob Ewell's Death

Perspective: Atticus

You could say that Bob Ewell's karma caught up to him. The satisfaction of causing Tom Robinson's death did not give him enough attention in this town. It is evident that Ewell is holding a grudge on everyone that was involved with the trial, especially me. Instead of going after me, he decided to go after my children, Jem and Scout. His immaturity and jealousy drove him to attack them, nearly killing them. He was stabbed in the stomach with a knife he was trying to use to hurt the children. Sheriff Heck Tate wants to make the decision to deem Bob's death an accident. This claim goes against everything I have tried to teach Jem and Scout. Even if Jem is my son, I do not want him to be protected by a sheriff and a lie and go against the law. I try my hardest to teach my children to do what is right, no matter the situation. Although Bob Ewell's death could be used as a form of karma, it was not an accident.

Scene 4: Atticus Shoots Tim Johnson

Perspective: Miss Maudie

I've never seen this town so full of fear when the mad dog came to town. Jem and Scout finally got a sense of what Atticus was like as a sharpshooter. He was the best when he was just a boy. The whole town watched and stared as he gracefully put down Tim Johnson in just a single shot. Atticus has a gift when it comes to shooting, but he chooses not to show it. He doesn't think it's fair that God gave him an advantage over every other human being. After Tim Johnson, it is safe to say that Jem and Scout look at him differently now, and look up to him even more than they already have been. The children mentioned something to me about missing out on playing football or doing normal things kids do with their fathers do, because Atticus is nearly fifty years old. I looked at him and called him "One-Shot Finch", the nickname he always went by when he was just a boy.

Final Reflection

This assignment showed that people view different situations differently, depending on who they are, and how they view life. One of Atticus' most important lessons in To Kill A Mockingbird is that you can never fully understand a person unless you're in their shoes and look at the world through their eyes. He says to Scout, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--" (Lee 39). This assignment was created to open up doors to view key moments in the book to help fully understand the characters and to support the reason for their actions. It is not morally right to judge or criticize someone if you haven't seen the world through their eyes. Scout learned that it was not fair to Boo Radley to judge him before looking at things through his perspective. She comes to the realization of this very important lesson at the end of To Kill A Mockingbird, thanks to Boo and her wise father Atticus. This is a very humbling experience for an 8 year old like Scout, and for readers like me and the rest of my class.