Chapters 26-28 Analysis

Structure and Plot Development

Rising Action

• These chapters build up to the attack on Scout and Jem as they walk home in the dark after the Halloween pageant.

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Themes

Racism

• Miss Gates, Scout's teacher, teaches about the prejudice in Nazi Germany but fails to recognise the racial prejudice in Maycomb (Chapter 26).

Love and Caring

• Mr Link Deas protects Helen Robinson by giving her a job and warns Bob Ewell not to harm her (Chapter 27).
• Jem comforts Scout after she is laughed at during the Halloween pageant (Chapter 28).
• Aunt Alexandra supports Scout after the terrifying attack (Chapter 28).

Courage and Bravery

• Jem shows bravery when he faces the attacker (Chapter 28).
• An unknown person saves Scout and Jem, showing great courage (Chapter 28).

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Tone

• The trial and death of Tom Robinson still weigh on the children's minds, creating a gloomy tone.
• Though things seem quiet, tension builds from Cecil Jacobs frightening Scout and Jem on Halloween night to their eventual attack.

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Chapter Summaries

What Happens in Chapter 26?

• The new school year starts, and Scout has a new teacher, Miss Gates.
• Miss Gates criticises Hitler for persecuting Jewish people, saying Germany is a dictatorship, while America is a democracy.
• Scout remembers hearing Miss Gates say that Black people need to be taught a lesson after Tom Robinson's trial, revealing her hypocrisy.

What Happens in Chapter 27?

• Someone breaks into Judge Taylor's house—likely Bob Ewell.
• Mr Link Deas warns Bob Ewell that he will have him jailed if he harasses Helen Robinson.
• Maycomb prepares for the Halloween pageant. Scout is to dress as a ham, wearing a wire costume that is hard to move in.

What Happens in Chapter 28?

• Scout and Jem walk to the pageant at the high school auditorium.
• On the way, Cecil Jacobs jumps out, frightening them.
• Scout falls asleep before her turn on stage and is called late ("Po-ork!"), making the audience laugh at her.
• Jem comforts Scout, showing his kindness.
• On their way home, they are attacked by a man with a knife.
• An unknown person rescues them, but Jem's arm is broken.
• Sheriff Heck Tate later finds Bob Ewell's body at the scene.
• Aunt Alexandra shows her caring side by comforting Scout.

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Key Vocabulary

• Getting above themselves – Thinking they are better than they actually are.
• Pork – Another word for meat from a pig, like Scout's costume.

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Chapter 26

Key Vocabulary

• Maniac (noun): A reckless or foolish person.
• Remorse (noun): A feeling of deep regret or guilt.
• Recluse (noun): Someone who avoids society and lives in isolation.
• Spurious (adjective): False or fake; something that appears real but lacks authenticity.

Important Context

• Adolf Hitler (1889-1945): German dictator responsible for leading Germany into World War II.
• "Adolf Hitler has been after all the Jews": A reference to Nazi policies of anti-Semitism.
• Elmer Davis: A journalist and radio commentator who led the US Office of War Information during World War II.
• Holy-roller: A term for members of a small religious sect known for emotional worship practices.
• Uncle Natchell Story: A fictional character used in fertiliser advertisements. Chuck Little mistakes one of these ads for real news.

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Chapter 27

Key Vocabulary

• Carcass (noun): Refers to a dead body, often of an animal, but in this context, Bob Ewell's human body.
• Ear trumpet (noun): An old-fashioned device that helps people hear.
• Florid (adjective): Overly elaborate or wordy.
• Industry (noun): Hard and steady work.
• Maiden ladies (adjective + noun): Women who have never married.
• Notoriety (noun): Fame, usually for something bad or infamous.
• Nondescript (adjective): Lacking distinctive or interesting features.
• Purloined (verb): Stole or took something dishonestly.

Important Context

• Bob Taylor: A 19th-century public speaker and politician.
• Per Aspera: Latin for "To the stars through difficulties."
• Cotton Tom Heflin: A Republican politician who supported racist policies, including the Ku Klux Klan.
• Dog Victrolas: A reference to RCA/Victor gramophone advertisements featuring a dog listening to a record player.
• Ladies' Law: A 1907 Alabama law against using abusive or obscene language towards women.
• National Recovery Act (NRA): A government programme during the Great Depression to support businesses and workers.
• Nine old men: A nickname for the US Supreme Court justices who ruled the NRA unconstitutional in 1935.
• NRA – WE DO OUR PART: The NRA's motto.
• Syrians: People from Syria, a country south of Turkey.
• WPA (Works Progress Administration): A US government programme during the Great Depression that provided jobs for millions.

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Chapter 28

Key Vocabulary

• Boil-prone (adjective): Likely to develop boils (pus-filled skin swellings).
• Climbers (noun): People attempting to rise socially.
• Crap games (noun): Gambling games played with dice.
• Divinity (noun): A white fudge made from egg whites, sugar, and nuts.
• Forest primeval (noun + adjective): A forest untouched by human influence.
• Gait (noun): A way of walking.
• Hock (noun): The joint in the hind leg of an animal; refers to Scout's ham costume resembling a pig's leg.
• Irascible (adjective): Easily angered.
• Mocker (noun): A mockingbird (symbolic reference in the novel).
• Pinioned (adjective): Held down or restrained.
• Repertoire (noun): A collection of skills or abilities; refers to a mockingbird's song range.
• Rout (verb): To defeat.
• Smockin' (noun): Decorative stitching on clothing, typically for children.
• Staccato (adjective): Sharp and distinct.

Important Context

• Three-corner hats, confederate caps, Spanish-American War hats, and World War helmets: Various headwear from different wars referenced in the novel.

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