In Chapter 6 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, on Dill's last night in Maycomb for the summer, Jem and Dill decide to sneak on to the Radleys' property to try and get a glimpse of Arthur (Boo) Radley through a window, and they drag a reluctant Scout with them. When shots are fired, the three children flee for their lives. During the escape, Jem gets his pants caughtin the barbed wire...
In Chapter 6 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, on Dill's last night in Maycomb for the summer, Jem and Dill decide to sneak on to the Radleys' property to try and get a glimpse of Arthur (Boo) Radley through a window, and they drag a reluctant Scout with them. When shots are fired, the three children flee for their lives. During the escape, Jem gets his pants caught in the barbed wire fence and must abandon them to escape. However, once they escape and reach the front yard, they see Atticus and their neighbors gathered in front of the Radleys' gate. Jem knows they must talk to them or look guilty, which means Jem must show up in front of neighbors without his pants on, and Dill must find a way to cover for him.
When Jem and the other two children approach their gathering of neighbors to ask what happen, Miss Stephanie is the first to notice Jem is not wearing any pants. When Atticus asks, "Where're your pants, son?," Dill, always a quick and imaginative thinker, is the first to be able to invent an excuse to help Jem save face:
Ah--I won 'em from him ... We were playin' strip poker up yonder by the fishpool. (Ch. 6)
Though Atticus believes the story, the negative side to the event is that the story infuriates Dill's aunt, Miss Rachel. Regardless, Atticus is able to pacify Miss Rachel by ensuring it wasn't a serious issue, just a phase all children go through, which prevents Dill from getting into trouble.
No comments:
Post a Comment