Small Town Life

The similarities between Lone Oak and Maycomb County are easy to realize, but not so easy when one does not have a place like Dallas to compare to. Lone Oak and Maycomb are small to the point of not even being on the map. Dallas is a major city, and serves as the honorary capital of northeast Texas. In comparison, Lone Oak is quite insignificant. The people who reside in Lone Oak and Dallas are also significantly different.

I can relate in many ways to Scout and the people in her home town. The people of Maycomb and Lone Oak are similar in the fact that they are close to one another, even without familiar relations. However, I have noticed that many families in Lone Oak are related. Many of them have lived in the area for generations. I have found no specific references to this scenario in the book, but the fact that the Cunninghams have lived in Maycomb for a very long time is a pretty close comparison.

The people of Lone Oak are always informed about the goings-on in society, whether they want to know or not. Gossip gets around the population quickly. For instance, if there is a newcomer in the district, and if any of the original population is even remotely interested, he/she will tell someone else, and the process will continue until the word gets back to the teller, and everyone will know. Maycomb is like this because it seemed that everyone in town knew about Tom Robinson's trial within two days.

Unfortunately, another comparison one could make about Lone Oak and Maycomb is the fact that there are not too many people in the upper class. I know select few who have a significant amount of money, emphasizing select few. These families do not even live in the district, and pay to have their children attend the school. Maycomb has a system of entailment to pay off debts. This resulted partially from the crash of the stock market in the early 1930s, but also partially from the county's original gross economic value.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 11 and 12

Charles Wallace is assigned Matthew Maddox after Chuck. Matthew Maddox is a cripple, crushed by the weight of his horse after a failed attempt at a jump. His twin brother, Bran Maddox, recently came home from fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Bran recalls the things he witnessed in battle, including some descriptions too gory to put here. He came home "sick of soul," even going as far as breaking his engagement to his fiance Zillah. After said descriptions, I can piece together the horror he would have been witness to. He lost his faith in man, and I don't blame him for letting the pain of the truth get to him.

Bran finally comes out of his seclusive state and moves to Patagonia, the new Welsh colony, to sort himself out again. Zillah, now his wife to be (again), tries to move with him, but her father, Doctor Llawcae, refuses to let her go. There are so many connections I have with this that it would take me years to list them out. Let me just say that being the daughter of a good father, I know how she feels.

After a few years, Matthew catches a bad chest cold, eventually sending him to his death. While he lived, Doctor Llawcae looked after him. Matthew used the money from his books to send Zillah to Patagonia without her father's blessing or knowledge. I now wonder if Llawcae let Matthew die because of this. I know that Llawcae was livid. Perhaps, in his irrationality, he needed to do something to get revenge. I can only guess, though.

All's well that ends well. Mom O'Keefe had heart problems, according to the twins. It was suggested that she may not have made it to see her grandchild, but I have a feeling she did alright. Half of the story was about her, anyway. It seems that Gaudior was forgotten by all except Charles Wallace, and that no one knew about Mad Dog Branzillo after he and the unicorn changed the timeline. I have seen events similar to this in stories. I wonder if they got it from here.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 10

In the previous chapter, Chuck Maddox is struck by his stepfather, Duthbert Mortmain, and takes a tumble down a flight of stairs. The beginning of this chapter is utter confusion, words strung together in a barely sensible fashion. I have noticed the difference in writing styles between the 1960s and the present. It seems that almost every chapter in this book repeats the same elements, like the Echthroi attacks. But Charles Wallace's newest encounter with an Echthros is a bit different; this one is cunning, trying to lure him out from Within Chuck by acting like Gaudior. But the illusion isn't quite flawless.

Charles Wallace chooses to stay Within Chuck, but his experience is a frantic one. Chuck had fractured his skull and sustained brain damage when he fell. He can barely see, and when he can see clearly, he cannot comprehend what he sees. The time he lives in and the time of his ancestor, Matthew Maddox, swirl together, barely separable. I have only one comparison to give: This boy is now little more than an idiot, incapable of any original thought or reason. I have met so many people similar to Chuck, but none of them are like him at all. They cannot see the past for what it truly was, as if they were there, yet I know for certain that they cannot comprehend.

I imagine that life is a nightmare in Chuck's world. He is told what to do and has to do it, because he cannot say no. He can barely hold his job, a simple matter of putting price labels on canned goods. He knows not where he is, nor what is said or done around him. I choose not to pity him, for his condition is the result of his effort to protect someone he loved. The irony is that it didn't do either of them any good. Grandma died of a heart attack while he was unconsious in a hospital bed.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 9

Meg comes out of kything when the telephone rings downstairs. Mom O'Keefe comes back over to the Murry house with an old letter written by Bran Maddox to Matthew Maddox. In it, we hear for the first time of a man named Gedder, but this is an incorrect pronunciation. I assume that his real name is Gwydyr, and is descended from the original Gwydyr's line. If this book is consistent with how it has been since Chapter 4, I can predict that Gedder will be cruel.

Meg finds her kythe with Charles Wallace again. Since Chuck's father is dead, his mother and grandmother search the house for thing they might be able to sell to keep their home running. They come across a chest containing letters and an old leather journal owned by Zyllah Llawcae. In this journal are beautiful paintings and sketches, and written journal entries. Zyllah tells her story about how Bran Maddox proposed to her and left for the Civil War. He came back different, barely present in his own mind. These things came from the horrors of war he was witness to. I cannot say that I find relation to him, for I have never seen the things of war. I can only imagine how devastating it may have been.

Chuck's mother had to marry Duthbert Mortmain (wow, what a name) to keep the family from losing the apartment. Mortmain was cruel, though at first he acted like a gentleman. He beat Mrs. Mortmain and was unkind to her children. He would have beaten Grandma, if Chuck hadn't stepped in his way. Chuck fell down the stairs when he was struck by Mortmain, and I am not yet certain he didn't die. I don't think I will ever understand men like Mortmain.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 7 and 8, Part II

I have to admit that I had never heard of the superstition of dandelion clocks before I read this book. They say that you're supposed to be able to tell the time by counting the breaths it takes to blow all of the feathery spores from a dandelion. This trick comes from Grandma in the book. She's a strange bird, but maybe it comes from just being old.

The story of Branwen, Princess of England comes from Grandma as well. She relays how Branwen used Patrick's Rune to help her after the Irish King's betrayal. Here we learn that Beezie, the granddaughter, is named Branwen Zillah Maddox, and she is the 11-year-old version of Mom O'Keefe. Her brother, Chuck, is Charles Wallace's host and can smell feelings and identities.

Chuck's gift is mainly ignored by everyone in his family besides Beezie. I assume this comes from the somewhat common phrase, "I can smell it." In normal circumstances, this rather means, "I can feel it." But Chuck smelled fear and death about his father, whose appendix ruptured only hours later. I cannot imagine what Chuck knows about people, given his gift. He probably knows more than he wants to.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 7 and 8, Part I

There are many connections to be made between the character names in this book. For instance, the Welsh translation of Madoc is Madog, similar to Mad Dog. Bran (like Brandon or Branwen) plus Zillo (Zylle's father) is Branzillo, the last name of Mad Dog. I find this ingenious, personally.

Charles Wallace convinces Gaudior to try to travel in both space and time, an idea that Gaudior has shed negative light on before. In this, we see the old Charles Wallace emerge, the one who thinks he knows best and can take whatever. He fails to heed Gaudior's warnings, and ends up in a barely post-Ice Age ocean, bruised and dying from the cold. It's called common sense...thanks to Meg, they both made it out.

In the beginning of Chapter 8, Gaudior takes Charles Wallace to his home to heal. When I read the description of it, I think about how difficult it must be for Gaudior. I wouldn't want to leave what sounds like such a beautiful and safe place and look after a 15-year-old boy who doesn't use his head often. But it runs deeper than that; if I had been born and raised in that place and had ridden the When-winds like Gaudior, I would be appalled at Earth and all of its imperfection.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 6

This chapter was one of the more fascinating ones in the book. This time, Charles Wallace is assigned to go Within Brandon Llawcae, the son of a carpenter living in the 1600s as a pioneer. Brandon can scry, meaning he can see the future in pools and puddles and other. I am surprised the Llawcae family can keep his secret from all the other colonists, having to depend so heavily on one another and all. In this time period, he may have been burned at the stake, or like Zylle's near fate, hanged, even IF he was just 11 or 12 years old.

This Pastor Mortmain acts like a hothead, which is quite contrary to his religious beliefs. I think he's just looking for a reason to get rid of Zylle. Many colonists, as our country's history can testify to, were of the mindset that the natives were "heathens." We saw them as a plague on what was "rightfully" our land. We learned quite a deal later that what we had done was very wrong. Zylle's strange ways didn't help her case at all, either. I've never heard of a woman shedding no tears during delivery, at least without some serious anesthetic.

The assumption that Zylle was a witch reminded of so many days sitting in history class reviewing the Salem Witch Trials. In the town of Salem, a group of girls accused a woman of bewitching them. The woman was charged with a decision: Failure to admit her guilt would result in her immediate death, and her admission would have her burned or hanged. Either way, a person accused of witchcraft would die. Most of this injustice resulted from the panic of the citizens. It proves that a person may be smart, but in a group, people are only as smart as the dumbest person around. Logic and reason be hanged with the accused!

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 5

The very last sentence in the previous chapter reintroduces Gwydyr, who was supposed to have died. Gwydyr is the brother of Madoc, and isn't a very happy tyke. He threatens to kill Madoc and make himself king of the New World, taking Zyll for his own. Then the epic battle arises as Madoc stands in his way. Accidentally, perhaps subconsciously, Charles Wallace gives Madoc Patrick's Rune to use against Gwydyr. This instance reminded me of a movie involving the military and a "breach of security." Should Madoc turn like his brother, the rune would give him all the power he needed for almost anything.

On the other end of the kythe, Meg gathers that Gwydyr, who still won't die, left for South America, the same place that "Mad Dog" Branzillo is from. She recruits the help of the twins. A group of explorers from Wales, or what used to be Gwynedd, settled in Vespugia, a country in South America in 1865. I was a little surprised to find out how many relatively important events happened in the year 1865. The most important to the story is that The Horn of Joy was written by one Matthew Maddox, supposedly a descendant of Madoc.

There is one phrase in this chapter that made me think above all the others. The statement made by Gaudior: "Your planet does not deal gently with lovers of peace." The images of Ghandi and America's war status popped into my head. How many times will we be blinded by our opinions and fail to accept other people's convictions?

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 4

If one has followed the series in order, he/she will also know what an Echthros is. "IT" was a servant of the Echthroi (plural) in the first book. The first few paragraphs of Chapter 4 take us to what is called a Projection. This is explained as a possible future, in this case one that may occur if Charles Wallace is to fail. The barren landscape and the scabrous, blotchy creature remind us all of what may occur if the world were to partake in massive, global war.

In the next parts of the chapter, we meet Madoc, a 17-year-old prince from Gwynedd that had sailed with his brother to the New World. He is to be wed to Zyll, a native woman. In the talk that Madoc and Reschal (Zyll's father) have just before the wedding, we find that Madoc has chosen to forsake the gods of Gwynedd, whom he has served his whole life, and worship the gods of the Wind People (Zyll's tribe). I think the phrase, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is no excuse for changing faith. But I am quite different from Madoc.

The very end of this chapter suggests a threat from a neighboring tribe. The warning sign is a drum signal that in usually only played when the wind blows from the south. On this occasion, the wind comes from the north. I'm not sure how I would have behaved in this situation. Madoc has lived with the Wind People for years and trusts them, but he hasn't ever witnessed the People Across the Lake. He has heard tell of their strange ways. In his place, I may have evacuated instead of staying put. Yet there is a wedding at stake, and the fact that it's Madoc's wedding makes it all the more dear to him.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 2 and 3

At the end of Chapter 2, Charles Wallace uses Patrick's Rune out loud in the pasture by the star-watching rock. "In this fateful hour, I call on heaven with its power!" This section of the rune summons no less than Gaudior, a unicorn. What I can't understand is why Charles Wallace didn't have the common sense to keep quiet. Logically, if he had witnessed the power of the rune before and seen the elements respond to it, he would know that anything could happen when these words were said. He was lucky it didn't summon his end.

In the beginning of Chapter 3, Charles Wallace and Gaudior (and Meg, kything with Charles Wallace through Ananda the dog) witness the creation of Earth. This moment is not unlike the death of the star in A Wrinkle in Time, but then again, it is dissimilar. There seems to be no Good against Evil battling it out. There is only Evil, swallowing the Good. The three see the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Ice Age, possibly all resulting because of the absence of harmony.

Yet there is still hope. Charles Wallace and Gaudior visit a tribe of completely peaceful people, in absolute innocence. Charles Wallace goes Within a tribe member named Harcels. Harcels learns about a neighboring tribe that participates in ritualistic murder. I am often amazed at how far people may go in the basis of religion of belief.

Unfortunately, Harcels is intrigued. Charles Wallace understands what he is supposed to do, and brings Harcels out of his temptation. In this, I see an unexpected tie to L'Engle's Christianity. Charles Wallace's potition within Harcels is similar to the Holy Spirit. Gaudior explains that this experience was meant to be a warm-up. There is no telling how hard things are about to get.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Chapter 1

Having read both of the prequels to this book, watching Meg go from a teenager to a young, married adult expecting a child makes me feel like I missed something. The same is said for Charles Wallace and the twins. Charles Wallace is now 15, and Sandy is in medical school while Dennys is training to be a lawyer. I wonder if this is the feeling most adults have watching their children grow up. On countless occasions I have heard things like, "You're getting so tall!" or other.

The pivotal point in this chapter is a single word: War. It sets the entire plot spinning. Anyone who has the name "Mad Dog" Branzillo is expected to be the antagonist. The sad part is that nuclear warfare is no fantasy. This threat hasn't disappeared; in fact, it has grown. Though I know that most of my generation will disagree, I say that nuclear activity is a greater problem than the global warming theory or the petroleum shortage scare.

Mom O'Keefe is a strange yet fascinating character. As she recites St. Patrick's Rune from her childhood, the elements have a response. The stormy clouds give way to soft snow, and not by coincidence. Here we witness the trademark of Madeleine L'Engle; the fantasy based soundly in science.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 22-31, Part III

Who is this Bob Ewell? What kind of man stoops so low as to try to murder defenseless children? One who is drunk and angry, I suppose. And who is the hero now, saving Scout and Jem from the wrath of Ewell? None other than the neighborhood haunt, Boo Radley.

At first, there is talk that Jem killed Ewell in self-defence. Atticus even goes as far as arguing with Sheriff Tate over the matter. Tate insists that Ewell "fell on his knife." His reason for trying to keep the incident hushed up is to keep the town focused on its own business and not Boo Radley's. He calls it a sin to have every woman in town all over Boo with his "shy ways." He must have learned his lesson about crucifying the innocent. Scout says, "Well, it'd be sorta like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

The only words Boo Radley ever says are, "Will you take me home?" It's incredible how quickly children, especially young ones, can adapt to other people. I say this because throughout most of the time that Scout spends with Boo, he says nothing, but instead uses body language to get his point across. Boo shows us that rumor and local legends are often twisted. Arthur Radley was not the monster this time.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 22-31, Part II

The connection that Scout makes between Hitler's prejudice against the Jews and the prejudice that flows through the white people of her town towards the black denizens shows us a little maturity in her. The fact that she makes this connection at all is surprising for a nine-year-old. Most of the adults in her town have not even seen what they have been doing to others. If we could have learned a little earlier that a man of another race is still a man, the world's history may have been a little less bloody.

For the Halloween pageant, Mrs. Merriweather assigns Scout the part of "Pork." I think being the ham fits Scout's personality best. However difficult that suit may have been to get in and out of, it ended up being very useful. Chicken wire is tough stuff.

Scout misses her cue on stage because she fell asleep listening to Mrs. Merriweather's drone. I can find almost too much relation to this. Many of my classmates have had the ill fortune of falling asleep during class. But she made up for it by showing up at the end. "Better late than never."

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 22-31, Part I

Mr. Bob Ewell treads on my last nerves. This man is low in my eyes. Even after he had his say in court, which is really all he wanted, he shows the greatest disrespect to Atticus. I could understand coolness, but spitting in his face? This is uncalled for and appalling. Atticus handles it with grace. This goes to show that being a man doesn't mean being tough or macho. It means acting like an adult.

A new idea was introduced at the end of Chapter 23. Maybe Boo Radley stays indoors all the time because he WANTS to stay there. Maybe he would rather not live in the crazy world outside his home. He hasn't seen anyone besides his mother and father (now deceased) and his brother Nathan for years. Outside is probably a scary image to him.

Perhaps the trial was not so climatic as the phrase, "Tom's dead." At long last, we see dear Aunty be the hero, for when this news reaches her, she's in the middle of entertaining her society troupe. She and Atticus both know that most of these ladies will not be so calm, so she puts on her hostess face and acts like nothing happened. Scout learns Lesson 101 in being a lady. It was a sin to kill the mockingbird, and now he cannot sing.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 13-21, Part III

Here we come to the pivotal climax of the book, known as Tom Robinson's trial. Early in the trial, we notice some confusion in testimony with Mr. Heck Tate, the county sheriff. He can't seem to figure out which of Mayella Ewell's eye was blackened. Also, Mayella's own testimony is a contradiction. At first, she doesn't recall Tom hitting her, but then she remembers her story and says, "Yes, he hit me!"

The injuries that the sheriff describes suggest that whoever beat Mayella Ewell led his blows almost exclusively with his left hand. Tom's left arm is unusable. "Got it caught in a cotton gin when I was 12 years old." I don't think he could have done such an act, even if he desired to. He's physically unable.

Yet, the jury are prejudiced against black people. The verdict is guilty as charged, and no, it's not right. If we can learn not to look at the color of a man and judge him for that, we're that much better off. Although he didn't win his case, the entire black balcony rises in respect for him as he leaves the courtroom. This is possibly one of the best moments in the entire book to me.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 13-21, Part II

After the incident with the mob at the jail cell, the town comes to life. There we see one Mr. Raymond, seemingly as drunk as it gets. I'm fascinated to discover that he is neither drunk nor mentally impaired, but is actually just ACTING like it. He claims that he would rather not have everyone in his business, and just assumed that if he gives them a reason for his behavior that they will accept, they will eave him alone. He's obviously not crazy, because it works for him brilliantly.

There is a reason that he has to put on his act. His wife is a black woman, unheard of in his day, and now, though not frowned upon by society quite as much, it is uncommon. The product of his marriage is half-black and half-white offspring. In our world, this is not a problem. Then, those children were outcasts from birth, with no one but siblings like them.

The fact that Scout, Jem, and Dill were seated in the black balcony was a symbol of the next generation's tolerance. I come to wonder, though, why the children were not thrown out of the balcony because they were white. The white people on the ground floor would have definitely jeered the black people out of their territory. I suppose it is the policy that, "If you don't like it done to you, why do it to someone else? They won't like it either."

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 13-21, Part I

Aunt Alexandra is back in Chapter 13. When I think of some of my experiences with my non-immediate family, the metaphor "pulling my hair out" comes to mind. And just imagining having to live with someone you hardly know is slightly disturbing. Then the thought, "Welcome to the College Dorm" hits me head-on.

Truth is often stranger that fiction. Dill shows up after running away from his "father." The fact that Atticus doesn't mind Dill's presence, and in fact does nothing about it, is an unusual reaction. It's strange even for this time period, let alone way back when. But, then again, it's Atticus.

In Chapter 15, the trial and the danger that Atticus faces because of it comes into full view. Tom Robinson is put in jail for "safe-keeping," and still, he is not safe. And we see yet another side of the rubix cube known as Atticus Finch. He is perfectly willing to put his life at risk for another person. Yet, he is unable to risk the safety of his children and Dill. But it took a child to dispel that mob, where a man could not. Lucky for him.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 11-12

In Chapter 11, we are introduced to a Mrs. Dubose. This book is full of people like this, the living nightmares, verbally abusing Atticus and his children. In my time, I'd like to think we know better, and maybe we do. Yet we still struggle with racism, stereotypes and propaganda.

There is something about Mrs. Dubose that is hard for me to understand, and it is this: Why is she so ugly even to the last of her days? She knew that she was sick, possibly dying, but she is still cantankerous. Wouldn't she want all that know her to think of her as the sweet old lady? I guess not.

The encounters at Calpurnia's church reveal that Caucasians are not the only ones with racial prejudice. Lula is prejudiced against white people, something we think is unusual. I am afraid that it is all too common. Believe it or not, that preacher scraping ten dollars from the congregation actually happens in some places. My mom tells the story of a church she visited that shook the offering plate at you if you did not give money. It's amazing how things have not changed.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 6-10, Part II

The burning of Miss Maudie's house was the tense part of this section. Not only has Miss Maudie lost her house, Boo Radley comes back into the picture with his blanket. This man must be mad; he's too creepy not to be. Strangely enough, Maudie doesn't seem too concerned that she doesn't have her own place to live now. Personally, I would be distraught.

The family problems that Atticus' court case presents strikes me as half-suspense, half-hilarity. Aunt Alexandra is a living nightmare, as is Francis. I caught myself going "Yeah!" when Scout punched Francis in the teeth. The suspenseful side of the predicament: Atticus probably will not win the case, and the family is already embarrassed. I found the fact that they were distasteful. Go Atticus, for sticking up for a man of a different color! But I am raised in a different day and age as Harper Lee.

We see another side of Atticus in Chapter 10, when he is forced to kill Tim Johnson (a.k.a. the mad dog). He obviously has talent with a gun, and yet he hasn't shot one in no less than thirty years. At first, Scout is ashamed of Atticus for some reason, one I couldn't discern. I thought Atticus was doing a fine job raising children and juggling his career as a lawyer at the same time, especially since he's getting on in his age. But, like someone flipped a switch, when Scout finds out that Atticus used to be the "best shot in Maycomb in his day," she is suddenly very proud of him. Why the change in heart? And why is she proud when Atticus himself is not proud of his ability?

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 6-10, Part I

I believe I have found the suspenseful side of this book. Do you recall the feeling you get when watching a particularly eerie movie or reading a horror novel? There was a moment similar to that when Mr. Nathan Radley shot at the three (Dill, Jem, and Scout). And yet, the fact that Jem loses his pants adds a funny note.

Later on, we find out why Jem was scared the night he returned to retrieve his lost article. Here again is that eerie feeling. But I wonder who mended and folded those pants? There were three possibilities: Nathan Radley, the old Mrs. Radley, or Boo himself. I couldn't catch who the book hinted at, but after rereading, I think it had to be Boo.

I wonder how we would react with something new, something never conceived of? I ask this because of Scout's encounter with snow. This makes me think of that Amazon tribe recently found, shooting primitive arrows at a "shining silver bird." They and their ancestors had mastered and known everything that existed, or so they thought. Have we mastered everything?

To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 1-5

As this book takes off, the reader notices an unusual bond between Atticus and our narrator, Scout. It's unusual because of a first-name basis between the two, or rather a first-name-nickname basis. In our modern world, a child calls his/her parent "Mom" or "Dad." The parent addresses the child by his/her first name. Instead, Atticus calls Jean Louise by her nickname "Scout," and Scout addresses her father by his first name, Atticus. I think this is unusual for those and our times. My grandmother would never have excused "Mom" or "Mama." It had to be "Mother."

From the very beginning, we notice Scout's rather troublesome nature. She has arguments with other characters often, and is constantly being "disciplined" by her schoolteacher. Her partners in mischief are her brother, Jeremy (Jem), and one Charles Baker Harris, or Dill. I interpret the actual trouble comes from Dill, when he's around. He is bored easily and is fascinated by the old Radley place.

The Radley Place has its own reputation in the town of Maycomb. There are no ghosts, but a ghoulish character known as "Boo" Radley supposedly resides there. He is the town's living haunt, and he is the scapegoat for ill-occurrences. The strong possibility of his insanity is forgotten, and most that know he exist take him to be just mean-tempered. I agree with Atticus as one of the few who take him for a tortured soul, locked away in his house. He can't come out for the fear of the townspeople going wild.

"Son," he said to Jem. "I'm going to tell you something and tell you one time: stop tormenting that poor man." ~ Atticus Finch