In chapter 15 Atticus is visited by two groups of men, one group is trying to help Atticus in the Tom Robinson trial and the other group was there to hurt Tom Robinson. In chapter 15 Mr. Tate says, "Movin' him to the county jail tomorrow, I don't look for any trouble, but I can't guarantee there won't be any," (Lee 194). The first group which was led by Heck Tate came to Atticus to tell him that Tom Robinson was being moved to the county jail and that Mr.Tate cannot guarantee that there will not be any "trouble". In this case the word trouble means that he cannot guarantee that Tom Robinson will not be lynched because of what he is accused of doing. The other group of men that met with Atticus was a group of men led by Walter Cunningham, and this group was there to start trouble. When the men first got there one man said "You know what we want, get aside from that door Mr. Finch," (Lee 202). This quote shows that the men wanted to get into the jail so they could hurt Tom Robinson. After that, Scout runs into the circle of man and starts talking to their leader Walter Cunningham. She starts talking to him about his son Walter Cunningham Jr. and how they are in the same grade, later Scout tell him to tell Walter she says "hey". After getting multiple stares from the group of men he told her that he would tell him that she said "hey" and then him and his group left. I think that Walter Cunningham told Scout that he would tell his son that she said "hey" because after everything Scout was saying about his son he knew that if he killed Tom Robinson he would not be able to see his family for a long time.
Why do you think Mr. Cunningham told Scout that he would tell Walter "hey" for her and then leave?
I think that Walter Cunningham told Scout he would say "hey" to his son because he had a small epiphany. He went from this aggressive man that was trying to hurt an innocent man, to talking to a friend of the family about his son. I think that Harper Lee shows us this side of Walter Cunningham because she wants us to see the nicer side of Walter Cunningham.
ReplyDeleteI think that Scout inadvertently saved Tom Robinson that night. Walter Cunningham and his gang would have marched right into the jail and lynched Tom if Scout hadn't started talking to him. Right after Mr. Cunningham told Scout that he'd say hey to Walter Jr. for her, Scout explains how, "Then he straightened up and waved a big paw. 'Let's clear out,' he called. 'Let's get going, boys.'" Walter Cunningham didn't want to lynch Tom right in front of Scout, so he decided to leave with his gang. Scout may not know it, but she might have saved Tom's life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Charlotte that Scout saved Tom's life without knowing it, and I also think she saved Atticus's life, or maybe just some broken bones. When Scout decides to run to say hi to Atticus because she's scared for him, she strikes up a conversation with Mr. Cunningham, causing him and his gang to leave. Scout asks Mr. Cunningham in particular about his son, Walter. Mr. Cunningham realizes that Atticus has a family, and children, just like him. This makes Mr. Cunningham realize that he can't hurt Atticus, because he knows how hard it would be on his family. Mr. Cunningham feels that he can relate to Atticus, and starts to feel guilty about planning to hurt Atticus, so he leaves.
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